Chapter 35

In the name of the Life!

I sought to lift my eyes, shoulders and arms towards the Place which is all life, radiance and glory, the place where which is all life, radiance, light and glory; a place where they who seek of it find, those who speak of it are heard and to those who ask of it, it is given them, day by day and hour by hour. This hour I address to thee, my Lord, Manda-d-Hiia, a vital petition, large and not small, for this congregation of people who have bent their knees to the ground and stretched forth their hands to the intermediate and upper (worlds). They have forsaken images, pictures and idols of clay, gods (made) of blocks of wood, and vain rites, and have testified to the name of the great, strange (sublime) Life. To them the gate of sin is closed and for them the gate of life is open. May our request, our prayer and our humble submission rise before the supreme Life which is above all works.

Before thee (in thy sight) all hands are thieving, all lips have lied. Water is in the jordan. Before thee (in thine eyes), Manda-d-Hiia, no man is clean: we are slaves who are all sin, and thou a lord who art all mercy. When thou art with us, who shall conquer us and if thou justifiest us who will convict us? Judge us not after the fashion of earthly courts of law; despise us not for our follies and associate us not with the false rites practised by the worlds and generations.

The worlds thrust hard at us, but we fell not. Backed by the Truth which is thine own, we have perfect confidence.

Establish life, and wilt thou not establish human beings? Thou hast spoken to us in thy Word and hast commanded us with thy command " Ask on earth and I will supply you with heavenly fruit: ask from below, (from) reed, swamp and mud, and I will supply you from the lofty heavens. Make supplication with the fleshly right hand, and I will bring you (what ye asked) with the right hand of kushta.

The first (generations) sought and found: let those that come after seek, and they will find. Seek and find for yourselves, for your friends, for your friends' friends and for those who love the great Family of Life. Your eyes shall not turn away from me unsatisfied.''

Thou art the father of all the 'uthras, the Support which is all light, the Vine which is all Life and the great Tree which is all things. For Thou knowest hearts, understandest minds and searchest out consciences (even) in the nethermost hells of darkness. Like a servant lying prostrate before Thee, our eyes are lifted to Thee, our lips give Thee praise and blessing seven hours of the day and the three watches of the night.

Those who seek of Him find, and to those who ask of Him it will be given. For to him that standeth at a closed door Thou wilt open the closed door. In the Place of Light Thou wilt wipe away and remove from us our sins, trespasses, follies, stumblings and mistakes and wilt cast them into the hells of the earth and the nethermost limbos of darkness. Thou wilt raise us up as sinless and not as guilty, as virtuous and not as vicious before thee, Manda-d-Hiia.

The good behold and are refreshed: the wicked are discomfited and the children of (this) world abashed. And they say " Is there no place for me in the Place of Light, since those who seek therefrom find, and ask thereof and it is given them? "

We beseech thee to let some of thy radiance, thy light and thy glory rest upon us. Thou art the Healer above all means of healing, a Raiser-up above (all) that raiseth up, a Radiance above all radiancies and a light above all lights. For thou openest doors of truth and revealest mysteries and wisdom and showest forth mighty deeds in Jerusalem. Thou confinest demons and devils and frightenest away the gods from their high places. Great is thy name and praised is thy name! Thou art the counterpart of the Life, for thou wast in existence before all. Thou art the Vine, for thou wast in the Ether above heaven and above the earth. When worlds came into being and creations were called forth, thou didst hold in thy grasp the worlds and generations. Thou hast laid down a road for sincere and believing men to the Place of Life. (Though) spirits and souls sit (here) as guilty, (yet) by thy name they shall rise as innocent, (thy name of) Yuzataq-Manda-d-Hiia. To support the hands of good people, thou wilt be (bring?) healing of life to the souls of this masiqta Life is established in its indwellings and Life is victorious.

[This prayer is good for all occasions: (it may be used) on occasion for the Rahmia (daily office), or for the masiqta, or for baptism and for all purificatory rites. For the masiqta, after thou hast recited over the pandamta, " water of prayer" and the ordinance for the incense, pray " We have acknowledged", " Praises", " To Thee", " Lifting eyes" and " I sought to raise my eyes". And prepare the pihta, mambuha and klila (wreath) and set them out for the masiqta. And recite the ordnance for the oil, (placed) in something clean: in a glass or tin cup when washed and cleansed. And recite the masiqta. ]