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Post by K on Feb 6, 2008 4:46:30 GMT -5
The Hymn of the First Primal Man
The good God, the highest of the gods, a diadem and eternal glory, blissful among the lights, was proud and happy when you was born in his realm. The twelve sons and the aeons of the aeons of the vast air were also happy.
All gods and the inhabitants of his realm - the mountains, trees, springs , the broad strong palaces and halls, were happy through you, Friend. When the lovely women and girls born of the Sense saw you, they praised you, blessed you , perfect youth. Songs filled the air. Tambourine, harp, and flute exploded. All gods stood before you, Prince, son of a king. Voices ring from the vast air, songs from the Light-Earth, tell the Father of Light;
Born is the battler who make peace. The all-good highest of the gods gives you three tasks; Destroy death, strike the enemies, and cover the whole Paradise of Light! You paid homage and went out for battle and covered the whole Paradise of Light. The tyrant prince was bound forever and the dwelling place of the Dark Ones was destroyed. The Light Friend, Primal Man, remained until he carried out his fathers will.
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Post by K on Feb 6, 2008 4:47:18 GMT -5
The End of the deficiency. A manichean eschatological hymn
T his whole World stands firm for a Season, since there is a great Building being erected outside of the World, At the Hour when its Architect shall complete it, the entire World shall be dissolved. It shall be set afire, that fire may melt it away.
All Life, the Remnants of Light in every Place he shall gather to himself and form of it a Statue. Even the Resolution of Death also, the whole of the Darkness, he shall gather in and make an image of itself along with the Archon.
In a moment the Living Spirit shall come. It will succor the Light, but the Resolution of Death and the Darkness it shall lock away in the chamber that was built for it that it may lie in chains in it forever.
There is no other means save this means to bind the Enemy, for he shall not be received into the Light because he is a stranger to it, but he shall also not be left in his Land of Darkness, lest he may wage a greater war than the first.
A new Aeon shall be built in place of this World, which shall be dissolved, so that in the Powers of Light may reign since they have performed and fulfilled the whole of the Fathers will. They have overthrown the hateful one, they have defeated him forever.
This is the Knowledge of Mani, let us worship him and bless him. Blessed is every man that shall trust in him, for he shall live with all the Righteous.
Honor and Victory to our Lord Mani, the Spirit of Truth, that cometh from the Father and has revealed to us the Beginning, the Middle and the End. Victory to the Soul of the Blessed Mary. Theona, Pshai , Jemnoute.
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Post by K on Feb 6, 2008 4:48:45 GMT -5
Let Us Worship the Spirit of the Paraclete
Let us worship the spirit of the Paraclete (comforter). Let us bless our Lord Jesus who has sent us the Spirit of Truth. He came and separated us from the Error of the World. He brought us a mirror. We looked into it, and saw in it the Universe.
When the Holy Spirit came, he revealed to us the way of truth and taught us that there are two Natures, that of the Light and that of the Darkness, separated from each other since the beginning.
The Kingdom of Light consisted of five Greatnesses, these are the Father and his twelve Aeons, the Aeon of Aeons, the Living Air, and the Land of Light, the Great Spirit blows in them and feeds them with its Light.
The Kingdom of Darkness, however, consisted in five Chambers, these are Smoke, Fire, Wind and Water and Darkness. Their resolution crawls in them, moves them and spurs them on to make war with one another.
Now as they were warring with each other, they made bold to attack the Land of Light, considering themselves capable of conquering it. Yet they know not that what they thought will recoil upon their own heads.
But there was a host of angels in the Land of Light which possessed the power to issue forth and overcome the enemy of the Father, whom it pleased that through the Word that he would send, he would subdue the rebels who desired to raise themselves above what was more exalted than they.
Like a shepherd who sees a lion approaching to destroy his sheepfold, he uses guile, takes a lamb and sets it as a snare that he may catch it with it, for with a single lamb he saves his sheepfold. Afterwards he heals the lamb that has been wounded by the lion.
In this way too the Father acted, who sent his stout Son. He produced out of himself his Maiden, furnished with the five Powers that she might fight against the five Abysses of the Dark.
When the Watchman stood fast within the frontiers of Light he showed the powers of the Darkness his Maiden, who is his Soul. They became agitated in the Abyss and wanted to possess her, they opened their mouths and tried to swallow her.
He seized the Maidens power and spread it over the Powers of the Darkness, like nets over fish, he rained her down on them. Like purified clouds of water, she penetrated into them like a piercing lightning stroke. She crept inside their insides and bound them all without their ever knowing.
When the First Man had ended his struggle the Father sent forth his Second Son. He came and helped his brother out of the Abyss. He built this whole world up out of the mixture that had come into existence out of Light and Darkness.
All the Powers of the Abyss he spread out to the ten Heavens and to eight Earths, he shut them up into this World and made it a dungeon for all the Powers of Darkness. This World is also, however, a place of purification of the soul which had been swallowed up in the Powers of Darkness.
The Sun and the Moon where set up and fixed in the heights, to purify the Soul. They take the refined part daily upward to the heights but they destroy the deposit. They convey it up and down.
This whole World stands firm for a Season, since there is a great Building being erected outside the World. At the Hour when the Architect shall complete it, the entire World shall be dissolved. It shall be set afire, that the fire may melt it away.
All Life, the Remnants of Light in every Place he shall gather to himself and form of it a Statue (Eidolon -- image, likeness). Even the Resolution of Death also, the whole of Darkness, he shall gather in and make an image of itself along with the Archon.
In a moment the Living Spirit shall come. It will succor to the Light, but the Resolution of Death and the Darkness lock away in the chamber that was built for it that it may lie in chains forever.
There is no other means save this means to bind the Enemy, for he shall not be received into the Light because he is a stranger to it, but he shall also not be left in his Land of darkness, lest he may wage a greater war than the first.
A New Aeon shall be built in the place of this World, which shall be dissolved, so that in it the Powers of Light may reign since they have preformed and fulfilled the whole of the Father's will. They have overthrown the hateful one, they have defeated him forever.
This is the knowledge of Mani, let us worship him and bless him. Blessed is every man that may trust in him for he shall live with the Righteous.
Honor and Victory to our Lord Mani, the Spirit of Truth, that cometh from the Father and has revealed to us the Beginning, the Middle, and the End. Victory to the Soul of the Blessed Mary. Theona, Pshai, Jemnoute.
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Post by K on Feb 6, 2008 4:51:02 GMT -5
Hymns to the soul
... Worthy are you of salvation. To you, oh Soul of Light, will I give much counsel, so that you may attain redemption.
Come, oh souls, to this ship of Light!
My most beloved soul, who is happy and noble, where have you gone? Return! Awake, dear soul, from the sleep of drunkenness into which you have fallen! Look upon the foes, see how they prepare death all around you! Reach your home, the heavenly earth created by the Word, Where you were in the beginning.
The distressed soul cries out loudly because of wicked greed, deceptive delusion and the devouring blaze of fire. An angel from Paradise has come, a herald from the Kingdom. Here end the beautiful hymns to the soul.
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Post by K on Feb 6, 2008 4:52:21 GMT -5
The Hymn on the End of the World
The message of heaven and the earth`s answer :
Hear, oh world, the words of the Lord! We would invoke the gods that they may save us from this evil age of tyranny, full of strife and unbelief. Oh angels and twins, save us from all distress. That time (the end) has come, Just as the redeemer (Mani) has written.
Here ends the hymn on the End of the World.
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Post by K on Feb 6, 2008 4:54:14 GMT -5
Hymn on the Third Messenger and the Archons
He (the third Messenger) takes the Light away from them (the demons) in many forms and fashions, by gentle means and harsh. He releases the captives from bondage.
He purifies His own life and he exhorts them to approach the visible form and to follow its appearance.
Bright Sadvês shows her form to the Demon of Wrath. She seduces him with her own appearance, and he thinks it is real.
He sows his seed, ... he groans when he no longer sees her form. Light is born in the sphere of the world; she passes it on to the higher powers.
Filth and dross flow from him to the earth. They clothe themselves in manifold forms and are reborn in many fruits.
The dark Demon of Wrath is ashamed, for in his confusion he had become naked. He had not attained the heights, and he had been robbed of whatever he had achieved.
He left the body an empty shell and descended in shame. He was clothed in the womb of the earths, from where he had risen in brutishness.
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Post by K on Feb 6, 2008 4:55:20 GMT -5
Hymn about the Captivity of Light
Lo, that great Kingdom of Salvation, waits on high, Ready for those who have gnosis, so that they may finally find peace there.
Sinful, dark Pêsûs runs hither and tither brutishly, She gives no peace at all to the upper and lower limbs of Light.
She seizes and binds the Light in the six great bodies, In earth, water and fire, plants and animals.
She fashions it in many forms; she molds it into many figures; She fetters it in a prison so that it may not ascend to the height.
She weaves a net around it on all sides, she piles it up; she sets a watchman over it.
Greed and lust are made its fellow-captives.
She mixes destructive air into those six great bodies. She nurtures her own body both destroys their sons.
The power of Light on high confuse all demons of wrath, The sons of that Pêsûs, who is in a higher place.
(three further verses missing)
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Post by K on Feb 6, 2008 4:56:22 GMT -5
Hymn on the Second Coming of Jesus
Speak to me, Lord and Friend, and reveal to me, Son of the most beloved, the time of your coming, when you will appear at the end.
Oh great Redeemer, my Teacher, speak of that time and its signs. The speakers, the righteous and chosen ones, who must live in the Realm of the Lie, Do not accumulate herds and belongings. Therefore they are persecuted.
Ha, this irate potentate! How long will he continue to rule? How long will the poor and the Family of Peace be persecuted? Tell me what reward the wise and righteous ones that are now persecuted will have. You of compassionate race, tell of the coming subjugation of the sinners who are now exalted. The strong and valiant Son of the Most Beloved taught me what I asked him:
That time, the coming years and periods, will be different from now, because of the ensuing battles. For they (the years) shall flow like water in the rivers, Now that time is near at hand. The covetous heretics that now rejoice shall you then vanquish, you Wrathful One. They will be persecuted, as they have persecuted, And they shall do penance for their offences. Then shall those who have wept be joyful, And those who now laugh weep. He who is grieved and belongs to the Family of Peace Shall be rewarded with prosperity and protection. Then the righteous religion shall hold sway over the false teachings and nations. Then shall the springs of Living Water open their mouths in praise. Lament, give honor and praise, for the time is near, Of which these are the signs.
... the annointed. The vihidan(?) of the Ruler are called. Persecution and suppression shall then be recompensed by eternal life.
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Post by K on Feb 6, 2008 4:57:11 GMT -5
Hymn on the fate of the Living Soul
I hail from the Light and from the gods, Yet I have become as one banished, seperated from them. The foes assembled above me And took me to the realm of death. - Blessed be he who rescues my soul from distress, so that it may be saved. -
A god am I, born of the gods, A bright, radiant and shaining, Beaming, fragrant and beautiful god. But now I have fallen into misery. Countless demons seized me, Loathsome ones captured me. My soul has been subjugated by them, I am torn to pieces and devoured. Demons, yakshas and peris, Black, hideous, stinking dragons That I could hardly repulse: I experienced much pain and death at their hands. They all roar and attack me, They pursue me and rise up against me,
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Post by K on Feb 6, 2008 4:59:02 GMT -5
O Soul..
This visible Bema (mercy seat), the Word, has been set before thee that it may sow in thee through what is visible the memory of the hidden Law which thou hast forgotten since the day thou didst drink the water of the madness.
O Soul, see: to thee has come the grace of the Day of Rejoicing; do thou reveal without fear all thy sins today and remember thy end and prepare thyself in thy works, for the Bema of Wisdom moves thee thereto.
This is the way of truth, this is the stairway that leads on high, which shall take us on these holy steps! From the beginning he is this Way, namely the First Man, and Jesus the Radiant, and the Spiritual Advocate; they have summoned thee O Soul!
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