Yet, behold, Thou hast set [Thy word]
in this ear of dust,
and graven upon this heart
eternal verities; (**)
and Thou hast brought to an end
[all of my frowardness,]
to bring me into covenant with Thee,
that I may stand [before Thee]
evermore unshaken (††)
in the glow of the Perfect Light, (15)
till the end of time,
where [no] darkness is for ever,
{30} and where all is peace unbounded
until the end of time.
----
[§] Heb. 'it was in Thy thought'.
[**] Heb. 'realities'.
[††] Heb. 'in an eternal station'.
----
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Fragments
1
[The ho]ly [angels] (1) which are in heaven—
[even they do not know Thy gr]eat name,
for it is a mystery; (2)
neither can they ever [recount all] Thy [wonders] (3)
nor claim knowledge (4) of all [Thy secrets].
[How much less, then, can one
who is destined to re]vert
to the dust whence he came? (5)
{5} Rebellious that I was,
wallowing [in filth], (6)
[tain]ted with the guilt
of wickedness, (7)
I had been [living, as it were],
through more than one Day of Wrath, (8)
[fearful how I could with]stand
the blows that were raining upon me, (9)
how I might be protected
[from the punishing stroke].
Yet, [through that inner discernment
which Thou hast vouchsafed to us,
we of this brotherhood]
have been [made awa]re of these things:
that there (always) is hope for a man (10)
[who turns back from sin
that Thou wilt cleanse him] of taint
Wherefore, O my God,
mere creature of clay though I be, (11)
now have I placed my reliance
[on Thy mercy and faithfulness],
{10} knowing full well
that [what comes from Thy mouth] is truth, (12)
[that Thy word is never re]voked. (13)
So, throughout the time
that is yet allotted to me (14)
I shall hold firm [to Thy judgments],
and I shall maintain my stance
in the station wherein Thou dost set me;
for [Thou, a God of mercy,
dealest mercifully with all] men
and Thou dost provide for them
a way of return.
. . . . .
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2
[None is there in Thy heavens
neither upon] Thine earth,
none among angels or m[en
can] render Thee [fitting] praise
or tell forth all of Thy glory.
How much less, then, can I
who was taken from dust?
{5} Howbeit, O my God,
'tis but to attest Thy glory
that Thou hast made all of these.
Wherefore, in accordance
with Thine abundant mercy, (1)
grant that the sense for rightdoing
which issues from Thee
may serve ever as a safeguard [to Thy servant]
to deliver him from doom, (2)
and that, at his every step,
there may be men about him
to interpret to him what he should know (3)
and, [in all of his ways,]
men to impress upon him
the lessons of truth. (4)
For, [do whatever he may,]
how else can man achieve aught,
who is but dust,
in whose ineffectual hands
lies nothing but ashes?
Yet lo, [on such a creature of] clay
[hast Thou shed Thy grace,
giving him Thy] command[ments
in] Thy good will.
Thou hast shaped that clay on the wheel (5)
and passed it through Thy test,
that it may find its way
into Thy lot; (6)
and when cracks appear in it,
Thou mendest them. (7)
{10} Yea, over mere dust
hast Thou wafted Thy [holy] spirit,
[and hast so molded that] clay
that [it can have converse with] angels
and be in communion
with beings celestial.
[Mere flesh hast Thou lit
with a light] perpetual,
that there be no reversion to darkness,
for [ ],
and a light hast Thou revealed
that it never can be turned back.
. . . . .
Thou hast wafted Thy ho[ly spirit
o'er these humble servants of Thine], (8)
clearing away all guilt (9)
[and purifying them],
that, along with Thine (heavenly) host,
they too [may minis]ter to Thee,
and, stayed upon Thy truth,
{15} walk [upon level ground
and str]ay [not] from Thy presence.
These men hast Thou singled out, [O my God,]
(to bear witness) to Thy glory,
and through that sense for rightdoing
[which Thou hast vouchsafed to them
Thou hast delivered them from sin
and purged away from them
a]ll the frowardness
of their tainted mold.
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3
[Unto the children of light]
a way has indeed been opened
[that they may walk upon] peaceful paths (1)
and show how miraculously (2)
[God rescues human] flesh
[from thralldom to sin].
My own feet had been [falling]
into all manner of hidden traps (3)
which Sin (4) had been laying,
and into all manner of nets
which it had been spreading. (5)
{5} [How, thought I,] will I (ever) preserve
(this) fabric of dust from crumbling,
this waxen mold [from dissolving]?
Mere heap of ash that I am,
how will I (ever) withstand
the stormy blast? (6)
Howbeit, God has been keeping it
for His mysterious ends;
because He has been aware
[of how frail it is,
He has not suffered it (?)]
to be wholly destroyed. (7)
Though men keep laying (for it)
traps never so many,
and [tightening all about it]
the toils of frowardness, (8)
yet will all guileful bent
be brought to an end,
{10} [and all wickedness] come to naught
and every deceitful intent (9)
and all the works of guile
cease to exist
I am but a creature [of clay,
a fabric of dust;]
and what strength does such possess?
Thine, O God of [all knowledge] (10)
is [the power and the might]; (11)
Thou it is didst make all things,
and but for Thee [can naught exist],
[Yet, creature] of dust though I be,
by virtue of the spirit
which Thou hast set within me,
I have now come to know
that [Thou wilt yet call to account
all guil]ty (men) (12)
that flock unto (13) frowardness and guile,
and the Wellspring of sin will be dammed. (14)
[For] that which is wrought in uncleanness
can bring naught else but disease, (15)
condign plague (16) and decay.
. . . . .
Thine, [O my God,] is a blazing wrath
and a ven[geful] passion. (17)
. . . . .
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4
[The sons of Thy covenant
are come to know
that alway, at every moment,
continually, ev]ening and morning,
[Thou dost vouchsafe unto them
the blessing of salvation]
and [heal]ing [from all the afflic]tions of men
and pa[ins of humankind].
{5} Wherefore they stand as sentinels,
[posted] upon their watch, (1)
[knowing that] Thou wilt exorcize
every noisome devil (2)
and [every evil spirit].
Moreover, Thou hast unstopped mine ear
(and made me aware)
that through such spirits as these (*)
[men who have bound themselves
to](human) [pledge] and pact
have (ofttimes) been seduced
and will (someday) come before Thee
to face Thy charge.
----
(*) Heb. 'through them'.
----
Wherefore, I for my part
have been living in terror of Thy judgment
{10} [for who can prove innocent be]fore Thee,
and who can gain acquittal
when Thy sentence is passed? (3)
To what will man amount
when Thou arraignest him,
and to what he that turns back to his dust [ ]?
Howbeit, O my God,
Thou hast opened mine heart
to the insight which comes from Thee,
and unstopped mine ear [to Thy teaching],
that, although my mind be unquiet (4)
[on account of hidden wrongdoings],
and although my heart has been melting like wax (5)
because of transgression and sin
which I have kept [concealed],
(6) I am come to rely upon Thy goodness.
{15} Blessed be Thou,
Thou God of (all) knowledge, (7)
Who hast (so) ordained,
and vouchsafed, for Thine own sake,
that this fortune should fall upon Thy servant.
For now that I am come to (this) knowledge,
so long as I have being
I will put my hopes in Thy [mercy].
Confirm, then, [Thy word] unto Thy [ser]vant
Forsake us not in (these) times [of trial, (8)
that so we may bear witness alway
to Thy grace] and Thy glory and [Thy] go[odness],
. . . . .
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5
With a wondrous shew of [Thy power
Thou wilt visit upon them
Thy] righteous [judg]ment, (1)
[sundering and] severing them for ever
from standing among [Thy] sa[ints] (2)
[and from all] communion
with Thy Holy Beings. (3)
The spirits of wickedness (4)
wilt Thou banish from the ear[th], (5)
{5} [and they that incite to] evil
shall exist no more.
Thou wilt appoint a place of un[rest (6)
for all] spirits of frowardness, (7)
the which shall be brought to their ruin,
(doomed) to [perpetual] mourning
and everlasting grief. (8)
When wickedness reaches its height
in a climax of mighty uphea[val], (9)
there shall come upon them
anguish absolute. (10)
Howbeit, that all may take knowledge of Thy glory
and s[ee] how soothfast is Thy judgment, (11)
[Thou wilt also shew forth]
in the sight of all Thou hast made
how wondrous Thy mercies can be. (12) [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]