Fallen Angels and the Origins of Evil (18 page)

37 At that period the night is contracted in its length a fourth part, that is, one portion, and becomes eleven parts.

38 The day is seven parts.

39 Then the sun returns, and enters into the second gate of the east.

40 It returns by these beginnings thirty days, rising and setting.

41 At that period the night is contracted in its length. It becomes ten parts, and the day eight parts. Then the sun goes from that second gate, and sets in the west; but returns to the east, and rises in the east, in the third gate, thirty-one days, setting in the west of heaven.

42 At that period the night becomes shortened. It is nine parts. And the night is equal with the day. The year is precisely three hundred and sixty-four days.

43 The lengthening of the day and night, and the contraction of the day and night, are made to differ from each other by the progress of the sun.

44 By means of this progress the day is daily lengthened, and the night greatly shortened.

45 This is the law and progress of the sun, and its turning when it turns back, turning during sixty days,
[125]
and going forth. This is the great everlasting luminary, that which he names the sun for ever and ever.

46 This also is that which goes forth a great luminary, and which is named after its peculiar kind, as God commanded.

47 And thus it goes in and out, neither slackening nor resting; but running on in its chariot by day and by night. It shines with a seventh portion of light from the moon
[126]
; but the dimensions of both are equal.

1 After this law I beheld another law of an inferior luminary, the name of which is the moon, and the orb of which is as the orb of heaven.

2 Its chariot,
which
it secretly ascends, the wind blows; and light is given to it by measure.

3 Every month at its exit and entrance it becomes changed; and its periods are as the periods of the sun. And when in like manner its light is to exist [i.e., when the moon is full (Knibb, p. 171)], its light is a seventh portion from the light of the sun.

4 Thus it rises, and at its commencement towards the east goes forth for thirty days.

5 At that time it appears, and becomes to you the beginning of the month. Thirty days
it is
with the sun in the gate from which the sun goes forth.

6 Half of it is in extent seven portions, one
half;
and the whole of its orb is void of light, except a seventh portion out of the fourteen portions of its light. And in a day it receives a seventh portion, or half
that portion,
of its light. Its light is by sevens, by one portion, and by the half
of a portion.
It sets with the sun.

7 And when the sun rises, the moon rises with it; receiving half a portion of light.

8 On that night, when it commences its period, previously to the day of the month, the moon sets with the sun.

9 And on that night it is dark
in
its fourteen portions, that is,
in each
half; but it rises on that day with one seventh portion precisely, and in its progress declines from the rising of the sun.

10 During the remainder of its period its light increases to fourteen portions.

1 Then I saw another progress and regulation which He effected in the law of the moon. The progress of the moons, and everything
relating to them,
Uriel showed me, the holy angel who conducted them all.

2 Their stations I wrote down as he showed them to me.

3 I wrote down their months, as they occur, and the appearance of their light, until it is completed in fifteen days.

4 In each of its two seven portions it completes all its light at rising and at setting.

5 On stated months it changes
its
settings; and on stated months it makes its progress
through
each
gate.
In two
gates
the moon sets with the sun,
viz.
in those two gates which are in the midst, in the third and fourth gate.
From the third gate
it goes forth for seven days, and makes its circuit.

6 Again it returns to the gate whence the sun goes forth, and in that completes the whole of its light. Then it declines from the sun, and enters in eight days into the sixth gate,
and returns in seven days to the third gate,
from which the sun goes forth.

7 When the sun proceeds to the fourth gate, the
moon
goes forth for seven days, until it passes from the fifth
gate.

8 Again it returns in seven days to the fourth gate, and completing all its light, declines, and passes on by the first gate in eight days;

9 And returns in seven days to the fourth gate, from which the sun goes forth.

10 Thus I beheld their stations, as according to the fixed order of the months the sun rises and sets.

11 At those times there is an excess of thirty days belonging to the sun in five years; all the days belonging to each year of the five years, when completed, amount to three hundred and sixty-four days; and to the sun and stars belong six days; six days in each of the five years;
thus
thirty days belong to them;

12 So that the moon has thirty days less than the sun and stars.

13 The moon brings on all the years exactly, that their stations may come neither too forwards nor too backwards a single day; but that the years may be changed with correct precision in three hundred and sixty-four days. In three years the days are one thousand and ninety-two; in five years they are one thousand eight hundred and twenty; and in eight years two thousand nine hundred and twelve days.

14 To the moon alone belong in three years one thousand and sixty-two days; in five years it has fifty days less
than the sun,
for an addition being made to the
one thousand and
sixty-two days, in five years there are one thousand seven hundred and seventy days; and the days of the moon in eight years are two thousand eight hundred and thirty-two days.

15 For its days in eight years are less
than those of the sun by
eighty days, which eighty days are its diminution in eight years.

16 The year then becomes truly complete according to the station of the moons, and the station of the sun; which rise in the
different
gates; which rise and set in them for thirty days.

1
These are
the leaders of the chiefs of the thousands,
those
which
preside
over all creation, and over all the stars; with the four
days
which are added and never separated from the place allotted them, according to the complete computation of the year.

2 And these serve four days, which are not computed in the computation of the year.

3 Respecting them, men greatly err, for these luminaries truly serve, in the mansion of the world, one
day
in the first gate, one in the third gate, one in the fourth, and one in the sixth gate.

4 And the harmony of the world becomes complete every three hundred and sixty-fourth state of it. For the signs,

5 The seasons,

6 The years,

7 And the days, Uriel showed me; the angel whom the Lord of glory appointed over all the luminaries.

8 Of heaven in heaven, and in the world; that they might rule in the face of the sky, and appearing over the earth, become

9 Conductors of the days and nights: the sun, the moon, the stars, and all the ministers of heaven, which make their circuit with all the chariots of heaven.

10 Thus Uriel showed me twelve gates open for the circuit of the chariots of the sun in heaven, from which the rays of the sun shoot forth.

11 From these proceed heat over the earth, when they are opened in their stated seasons. They are for the winds, and the spirit of the dew, when in their seasons they are opened; opened in heaven at
its
extremities.

12 Twelve gates I beheld in heaven, at the extremities of the earth, through which the sun, moon, and stars, and all the works of heaven, proceed at their rising and setting.

13 Many windows also are open on the right and on the left.

14 One window at a
certain
season grows extremely hot. So also are there gates from which the stars go forth as they are commanded, and in which they set according to their number.

15 I saw likewise the chariots of heaven, running in the world above to those gates in which the stars turn, which never set. One of these is greater than all, which goes round the whole world.

1 And at the extremities of the earth I beheld twelve gates open for all the winds, from which they proceed and blow over the earth.

2 Three of them are open in the front of heaven, three in the west, three on the right side of heaven, and three on the left. The first three are those which are towards the east, three are towards the north, three behind those which are upon the left, towards the south, and three on the west.

3 From four of them proceed winds of blessing, and of health; and from eight proceed winds of punishment; when they are sent to destroy the earth, and the heaven above it, all its inhabitants, and all which are in the waters, or on dry land.

4 The first of these winds proceeds from the gate termed the eastern, through the first gate on the east, which inclines southwards. From this goes forth destruction, drought, heat, and perdition.

5 From the second gate, the middle one, proceeds equity. There issue from it rain, fruitfulness, health, and dew; and from the third gate northwards, proceed cold and drought.

6 After these proceed the south winds through three principal gates; through their first gate, which inclines eastwards, proceeds a hot wind.

7 But from the middle gate proceed grateful odour, dew, rain, health, and life.

8 From the third gate, which is westwards, proceed dew, rain, blight, and destruction.

9 After these are the winds to the north, which is called the sea.
They proceed
from three gates. The first [or, “seventh” (Knibb, p. 178)] gate
is that
which is on the east, inclining southwards; from this proceed dew, rain, blight, and destruction. From the middle direct gate proceed rain, dew, life, and health. And from the third gate, which is westwards, inclining towards the south, proceed mist, frost, snow, rain, dew, and blight.

10 After these
in the
fourth
quarter
are the winds to the west. From the first gate, inclining northwards, proceed dew, rain, frost, cold, snow, and chill; from the middle gate proceed rain, health, and blessing;

11 And from the last gate, which is southwards, proceed drought, destruction, scorching, and perdition.

12 The
account of the
twelve gates of the four quarters of heaven is ended.

13 All their laws, all their
infliction
of punishment, and the health
produced
by them, have I explained to thee, my son Mathusala [Enoch’s son, Methuselah (cp. Gen. 5:21)].

1 The first wind is called the eastern, because it is the first.

2 The second is called the south, because the Most High there descends, and frequently there descends
he who
is blessed for ever.

3 The western wind has the name of diminution, because there all the luminaries of heaven are diminished, and descend.

4 The fourth wind, which is named the north, is divided into three parts; one of which is for the habitation of man; another for seas of water, with valleys, woods, rivers, shady places, and snow; and the third part
contains
paradise.

5 Seven high mountains I beheld, higher than all the mountains of the earth, from which frost proceeds; while days, seasons, and years depart and pass away.

6 Seven rivers I beheld upon earth, greater than all rivers, one of which takes its course from the west; into a great sea its water flows.

7 Two come from the north to the sea, their waters flowing into the Erythraean sea [the Red Sea], on the east. And with respect to the remaining four, they take their course in the cavity of the north,
two
to their sea, the Erythraean sea, and two are poured into a great sea, where also it is said
there is
a desert.

8 Seven great islands I saw in the sea and on the earth. Seven in the great sea.

1 The names of the sun are these: one Aryares, the other Tomas.

2 The moon has four names. The first is Asonya; the second, Ebla; the third, Benase; and the fourth, Erae.

3 These are the two great luminaries, whose orbs are as the orbs of heaven; and the dimensions of both are equal.

4 In the orb of the sun
there is
a seventh portion of light, which is added to it from the moon [or, “seven parts of light which are added to it more than to the moon” (Knibb, p. 182)]. By measure it is put in, until a seventh portion of
the light of
the sun is departed. They set, enter into the western gate, circuit by the north, and through the eastern gate go forth over the face of heaven.

5 When the moon rises, it appears in heaven; and the half of a seventh portion of light is all
which is
in it.

6 In fourteen
days
the whole of its light is completed.

7
By
three quintuples light is put into it, until
in
fifteen
days
its light is completed, according to the signs of the year; it has three quintuples.

8 The moon has the half of a seventh portion.

9 During its diminution on the first day its light decreases a fourteenth part; on the second day it decreases a thirteenth part; on the third day a twelfth part; on the fourth day an eleventh part; on the fifth day a tenth part; on the sixth day a ninth part; on the seventh day it decreases an eighth part; on the eighth day it decreases a seventh part; on the ninth day it decreases a sixth part; on the tenth day it decreases a fifth part; on the eleventh day it decreases a fourth part; on the twelfth day it decreases a third part; on the thirteenth day it decreases a second part; on the fourteenth day it decreases a half of its seventh part; and on the fifteenth day the whole remainder of its light is consumed.