“Now before He was taken by the lawless Jews–by them who are under the law of the lawless Serpent–He gathered us together and said:
“‘Before I am delivered over unto them we will hymn the Father, and so go forth to what lieth before [us].’
“Then bidding us make as it were a ring, by holding each others’ hands, with Him in the midst, He said:
“‘Answer “Amen” to Me.”
“Then He began to hymn a hymn and say:
THE HYMN
Glory to Thee, Father!
(And we going round in a ring answered to Him:)
Amen!
Glory to Thee, Word (Logos)!
Amen!
Glory to Thee, Grace (Charis)!
Amen!
Glory to Thee, Spirit!
Glory to Thee, Holy One!
Glory to Thy Glory!
Amen!
We praise Thee, O Father;
We give Thanks to Thee, O light;
In Whom Darkness dwells not!
Amen!
(For what we give thanks to the Logos).
[Or, if we adopt the “emended” text: For what we give thanks, I say:]
I would be saved; and I would save.
Amen!
I would be loosed; and I would loose.
Amen!
I would be wounded; and I would wound.
Or, I would be pierced; and I would pierce.
Amen!
I would be begotten; and I would beget.
Amen!
I would eat; and I would be eaten.
Amen!
I would hear; and I would be heard.
Amen!
I would understand; and] I would be understood; being all Understanding (Nous).
I would be washed; and I would wash.
Amen!
I would pipe; dance ye all.
Amen!
I would play a dirge; lament ye all.
Amen!
The one Eight (Ogdoad) sounds (or plays) with us.
Amen!
The Twelfth number above leadeth the dance.
Amen!
All whose nature is to dance [doth dance].
Amen!
Who danceth not, knows not what is being done.
Amen!
I would flee; and I would stay.
Amen!
I would be adorned; and I would adorn.
[The clauses are reversed in the text.]
Amen!
I would be at-oned; and I would at-one.
Amen!
I have no dwelling; and I have dwellings.
Amen!
I have no place; and I have places.
Amen!
I have no temple; and I have temples.
Amen!
I am a lamp to thee who seest Me.
Amen!
I am a mirror to thee who understandest Me.
Amen!
I am a door to thee who knockest at Me.
Amen!
I am a way to thee a wayfarer.
Amen!
Now answer to My dancing!
See thyself in Me who speak;
And seeing what I do,
Keep silence on My Mysteries.
Understand by dancing, what I do;
For thine is the Passion of Man
That I am to suffer.
Thou couldst not at all be conscious
Of what thou dost suffer,
Were I not sent as thy Word by the Father.
[The last clause may be emended: I am thy Word; I was sent by the Father.]
Seeing what I suffer,
Thou sawest Me as suffering;
And seeing, thou didst not stand,
But wast moved wholly,
Moved to be wise.
Thou hast Me for a couch; rest thou upon Me.
Who I am thou shalt know when I depart.
What now I am seen to be, that I am not.
[But what I am] thou shalt see when thou comest.
If thou hadst known how to suffer,
Thou wouldst have power not to suffer.
Know [then] how to suffer, and thou hast power not to suffer.
That which thou knowest not, I Myself will teach thee.
I am thy God, not the Betrayer’s
I would be kept in time with holy souls.
In Me know thou the Word of Wisdom.
Say thou to Me again:
Glory to Thee, Father!
Glory to Thee, Word!
Glory to TheSe, Holy Spirit!
But as for Me, if thou wouldst know what I was:
In a word I am the Word who did play [or dance] all things, and was not shamed at all.
‘Twas I who leaped [and danced].
But do thou understand all, and, understanding, say:
Glory to Thee, Father!
Amen!
(And having danced these things with us, Beloved, the Lord went forth. And we, as though beside ourselves, or wakened out of [deep} sleep, fled each our several ways.)