#7──《智者的啟示》16-20──THE “REVELATION OF THE MAGI” 16-20

THE ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF THE “REVELATION OF THE MAGI”

16. THE MIRACULOUS JOURNEY

And when all these things and many others were spoken about the revelation that appeared to us, the star was with us in all (its) excellent forms so we could see it. And we spoke about it like frail human beings, not being able to say anything that we saw. And we got ready with our whole encampment, and with our provisions, and with the pure and holy gifts, those that we brought out of the cave of Treasures of Hidden Mysteries, in which they were [deposited] previously by our fathers, and we went forth in great joy, our hearts exulting to come to the place that was commanded to us, to worship the vision of the star of infinite light. And the star, our guide, our good messenger, our perfect light, our glorious leader, again appeared for us, going before us and upholding our whole caravan from all sides, and enlightening us by its hidden light. And we had no need of the light of the sun or of the moon, because their light became diminished in its sight, and by night and by day we walked in its light, exulting and rejoicing without distress or weariness.

And it prepared before us a blessed dwelling place in which to reside while we rested and exulted. Even our provisions were abundant in our eyes and did not decrease, but rather from one day to another they increased when it came to rest over us with its light. And it gave rest to us from all our fatigue as if we were not journeying on the road, and it made mountains, and hills, and rugged places level before us. Even the rivers before us we crossed by foot without fear, because of the light of our good guide that went along with s for our encampment. And again, when we crossed into the places [of

beasts and vicious snakes,] we trampled them with our feet. And our leader and our guide, in his glory, appeared to each one of us in all forms and appearances in every (stage). And he filled our hearts with great joy, and all the (stages) in which we journeyed were short and swift in our eyes, because our victorious sign and our powerful light, which is beyond every human mouth to speak, guided us with its victorious strength.

17. THE MAGI IN JERUSALEM

And when we arrived in the region of Jerusalem, in the month of flowers, our good emissary led and brought us inside Jerusalem. And its nobles and rulers were disturbed and troubled, and they asked us: “On account of what cause have you come here? Perhaps because of the mysteries of your Magianism?” because they saw us looking up at heaven, and worshipping our sign, and praying to our guide, because they did not understand our mysteries, and they reckoned us as Magi.

And we said to them: “We saw a sign of heavenly majesty in our land, as we were instructed by our fathers, that a king, and a messiah, and a life giver, and a savior who gives himself to death for the sake of the entire world has been born here. And we have some because we saw all his signs and the forms of his hidden divinity in the appearance of a human clothed with a body. And we came, rejoicing with our pure gifts, which were deposited by our fathers in the Cave of Treasures of Hidden Mysteries on the Mountain of Victories. And he commanded us in a great vision to come to this land to worship him in reverence, because he has worshipers in every country. He becomes for them a life giver, and a savior, and a forgiver of sins, and through him the Lord of all is pleased with his creation and makes atonement with his people. And Herod, the governor of the region, called and sent for the honorable elders of the city, and asked them: “Where is it written that the king messiah, and savior, and life giver of the worlds is to be born?” And all of them said to him (as) from one mouth: “The village Bethlehem, as was said by the heavenly majesty to our father David, the ancient prophet who lived a long time ago. And when we heard from them what they said, again we rejoiced greatly. And while we were exulting, we saw our leader and our guide; again we abounded in joy all the more. And while we spoke mysteries, and all manner of revelations, and praises, we went in joy to Bethlehem as the blind scribes had read, not believing what they read from their books, nor

Herod, the blind governor, [unseeing] of the love of the light that was born in their land, which (was) the light before (all) worlds. And they are dwelling in darkness in the world in their days. But Herod said to us in his deceit: “When you have seen the messiah, come and tell me, that I also may go to worship him.

And because he was not worthy for the worship of the light that was born, because he was a dwelling or error, it was said to us by our guide and our light that we should not return to him, because he was not [worthy] to see the great light of the world, because he was totally deaf and blind to its worship.

18. ARRIVAL IN BETHLEHEM

And we went and entered Bethlehem in joy, which was worthy to be called the village for the holy birth and for the great light that appeared in it (to kill) and destroy all error and to bring death to and end. And all of us went to the homestead in which our guide was born, and we saw a cave like the form and appearance of the Cave of Treasures of Hidden Mysteries, which is in our country, from which we had learned the hidden mysteries that were preached about him, which were deposited in it by our ancient fathers, and they were all accomplished today in our coming here. And we saw the pillar of light, which descended as we had seen it before, and it stood in front of the cave, and that star of light descended and stood above the pillar, angels on its right side and on its left side. And when we saw it, again we rejoiced, though being afraid. And the pillar, and the star, and the angels entered and went before us into that cave, in which the mystery and light of salvation was born. And a compassionate voice instructed us, “Enter inside, and we went in after it, and we took our crowns, and we put them under his feet, because the everlasting kingdom is his. And we knelt and worshiped before him upon the earth, because very knee that is in heaven and on earth bows to him and worships him. And we opened our hidden treasures, and they being sealed, we took them and came near the treasure of salvation, who is sealed with heavenly majesty. And we brought forth our treasures before him, who is the treasure of salvation, that we might receive them from him in the kingdom by many-fold before his own judgement seat of salvation.

19. EPIPHANY IN THE BETHLEHEM CAVE

And the glorious infant and the ancient light perfecting the will of the Father of majesty opened his mouth, and he said to us with a love of abundant and sweet mercy: “Peace to you, sons of my hidden mysteries, sons of the East, of the heavenly light, because you have been found worthy to see the ancient everlasting light, you and also your fathers. And as you were worthy, behold, you have received him in perfect love without doubt. And again, you will be worthy to see him in his great light before which there will no longer be any mysteries, because they all are fulfilled in him. And he alone from this time onward rules over all, and all are subject to him. For it was I who was revealed to you in your land, and I spoke with you by mysteries. And again, I became for you a guide and leader to this place until you came in peace before me. And again, I shall be with you even until the end, and I am not separated from you nor from all those who believe in me with perfect love. And again, you will be witnesses for me in the land of the East together with my disciples, those who are chosen by me to preach my Gospel. And when I have completed the will of my Father regarding everything that he commanded me, (I will go up) in the glory in which I was with him. Yet even now, while I am speaking with you, I am with him and have not become separated from the majesty of the Father. Now I shall give to you another sign at which you will astonished: in the hour that you see the sun darkened in the daytime like the night, and there is a great earthquake upon the earth, and the voice of the dead is heard from their graves giving praise, then at that time know that all the times and seasons have come to an end in my coming to you. And lift your eyes to the (heavens), and see them opened in glory before me, and I am ascending in praise fitting for me and sitting at the right hand of the Father of majesty, from whom I have been sent to save the world.

20. ANGELS PRAISE CHRIST

And while the savior was speaking all these things with us, that entire cave shone, and it became in our eyes like another world, since [in this world] there was no light like it. And many voices of [seraphs] were speaking and [text missing] which are innumerable: “Yea and Amen!” O first-born opener of the secret womb, O holy infant, O completer of the will of the heavenly majesty who is the perfect ‘Yes,’ and through whom everything came into being, and ‘Amen,’ by your light and by your word they were made perfect, and all the worlds seen and unseen were brought to completion. And all the angels and the powers worship you. And yours is the place of salvation, which you will given to your chosen ones. And yours is the ancient light, because you are the beloved fruit of the thought of the Father. And you are the image and will of the one who upholds all, the revealer of hidden things, because by the word that is spoken all that is in the thought is made known. And you are all, and all is in you, and there is nothing outside of your will.

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