2. Gessica had the vessels constructed with walls of fire around the margins, to prevent the drujas escaping. And there were built in all four hundred vessels, each capable of carrying one hundred million drujas.
3. The manner of driving the drujas into them was by leaving part of the fire-wall open, and by fire-brands in the ethereans' hands cutting off sections of drujas from the hells. In this way the ethereans drove the drujas into the vessels, whereupon the doorway in the wall of the ship was closed. And then the workers of the ship put it under way and carried them up to Hao-yusta, where the Gods and Goddesses received them, placing the drujas in pens, walled with fire, where they could be treated and restored to reason, after which they were to be liberated in installments, according to their safety.
4. In the first year Gessica delivered from the hells of hada five thousand million drujas; but in the second year he delivered thirty-five thousand millions; and in the third year, sixteen thousand millions. After this the work went slowly on, for the balance of the hells were mostly in knots, some of them hundreds of millions. And these had to be delivered individually, requiring great labor, and power, and wisdom, and dexterity.
5. In the fifth month of the fourth year, Anuhasaj, alias the false Lord God, was delivered out of the great knot of hell, in which there had been eight hundred millions bound for more than four hundred years. After the manner in which Fragapatti delivered knots, even so did Gessica and his hosts, with brands of fire.
6. When it was known in which place De'yus (Anuhasaj) was tied, and when it was half delivered, Gessica sent for Ahura to come and have the honor of releasing Anuhasaj. And to this end Ahura labored on the knot fifty-five days, and then it was accomplished.
7. But lo and behold, Anuhasaj was bereft of all judgment, crying out, unceasingly: I am not God! I am not the Lord! I am not De'yus! He was wild, crazed with fear and torments, frenzied, and in agony.
8. The which Ahura, his friend, beheld; and Ahura caught him in his arms. Ahura called unto him: Anuhasaj! O my beloved! Knowest thou not me? Behold me! I am Ahura!
9. But, alas, Anuhasaj knew him not; pulled away, tried to escape in fear; his protruding eyes seeing not; his ears hearing not. And he kept forever uttering: Let me go, I am not the Lord God nor De'yus! I am Anuhasaj! Then broke the good heart of Ahura, and he wept.
10. Then they held Anuhasaj and carried him away into the ship, and Ahura helped to carry him.
11. Then the ship rose up and sailed along higher and higher, farther and farther, till at last it came to Hao-yusta. And they took Anuhasaj to a hospital prepared for maniacs, and stretched him on his back and held him. Then called Ahura to the Gods and Goddesses to come and help him; and they came and seated themselves around about, making the sacred circle.
12. And Ahura said: Light of Thy Light, Jehovih! Thou who first quickened him into being, O deliver Thou him!
13. A light, like a small star, gathered before Anuhasaj's face, and this was the first thing his fixed eyes had yet seen. Then Ahura and the Gods and Goddesses sang sweetly: Behold me! I am the light! And the life! I quicken into life every living thing. Behold me! I am with thee! I am never away from thee! Thou art mine now, and forever shall be! Look upon me! I am in all things! Nothing is, nor was, nor ever shall be without me! Hear my Love! I am thy Creator! Only for love, and for love only, created I thee, my beloved.
14. Anuhasaj gave a long gasp and relaxed his mighty will, then fell into a swoon, all limp and helpless. Still the Gods stood by him, waiting, watching whilst he slept awhile. And then, by signals to the es'enaurs, Ahura caused other music to steal upon the scene, to be answered by distant trumpeters. For the space of seven days Anuhasaj slept; and all the while the Great Gods and Goddesses relaxed not their wills nor steadfast positions. And at the end of the seventh day Anuhasaj began to sing in his swoon, like one weak and out of breath, but half awake.
15. How could I deny Thee, O Jehovih! Was not the evidence of mine own life before me? I raised up my voice against my Creator! I plucked Him out of my soul; from all people in heaven and earth I dispersed Him. But they that applauded me turned against me! Even as I had turned against Thee, Thou All Person!
16. In my vanity I owned not that I was in Thee nor of Thee; with mine own hand I cut myself asunder from Thee, O Jehovih! O that I had perceived I was going farther and farther away; that I had known the road of life and death!
17. I see Thy judgment upon me, O Jehovih! I hear Thy just decree: Whilst the name of God or Lord or Savior is worshipped on the earth I shall labor with the drujas of heaven and the druks of earth!
18. A most righteous judgment, O Jehovih! Whilst I am in hell or in heaven, in hada or on the earth, will I pursue all peoples, mortals and angels, till I cast out the worship of a God and of a Lord and of a Savior. And Thou alone, Thou Great Spirit, Ever Present Person, Everlasting and Almighty, Thou shalt be All in All.
19. Again Anuhasaj went off in a swoon for the space of three days, and yet the Gods and Goddesses ceased not their fixed places. And again was the music resumed till Anuhasaj awoke and again chanted in Jehovih's praise. And again he relapsed and again awoke, for many days; but at last awoke and beheld first of all Ahura. Steadily and wildly he gazed thereon, until his eyes were clouded and as if dead. And he dropped again into a swoon.
20. Another day the Gods watched him, and sang for him; moved not from the sacred Circle of Jehovih.
21. Then Anuhasaj awoke, singing: Who was it taught me to love? Ahura! Who first proclaimed Jehovih unto mine ear? Ahura! Who was the last to plead Jehovih? Ahura! Who most of all that live labored for me? Ahura!
22. I broke thy heart, O Ahura! I was mad, O I was mad, Ahura! Because of thy love, Ahura, thou praisedst me; I was vain-glorious and unworthy of thee, O my beloved.
23. Thy vision hath raised up before me, Ahura. Second to Jehovih, O my love? O that thou knewest I am here, penitent and heart-broken! I know thou wouldst fly to me, Ahura. Thou alone do I know, who would never desert me, sweet Ahura.
24. Then again Anuhasaj relapsed into a swoon, wilted, breathless, like one that is dead. Ahura sang:
25. Behold me! I am Ahura. I am come to thee from afar, O Anuhasaj. Awake and behold my love, my love. My heart is broken for thee, Anuhasaj. A thousand years I have wept for thee. O that thou couldst awake to know me!
26. Anuhasaj looked up and beheld Ahura. The latter kept on singing: It is not a dream, Anuhasaj. Thy Ahura is here. Behold me! I am he. Break the spell, O Anuhasaj. By Jehovih's power put forth thy soul! Ahura is here!
27. Again Anuhasaj relapsed, but not to swoon; merely closed his eyes and sang: Blessed art Thou, O Jehovih! Thou hast given me a sweet vision! Thou hast shown me the face of my love, Ahura! His sweet voice fell upon mine ear! I am blessed, O Jehovih!
28. Even these hells hast thou blessed, O Jehovih! The darkness of endless death is made light by Thine Almighty touch. Thou alone shalt be my song forever. Thou alone my theme of delight. Jehovih forever! Jehovih forever and forever!
29. Then Ahura, seeing the spell was broken, said: Arise, O Anuhasaj. I will sing with thee. Behold Ahura, thy love is before thee. This is no vision. Come thou to the arms of thy love.
30. And he raised Anuhasaj up, and he awoke fully, but trembling and weak, and knew understandingly.
2. And he also saw not and heard not, but was wild, desiring to fly away. And they held him fast, and, after the same manner they delivered Anuhasaj to reason, they also delivered Chesota.
3. And when both of them were well restored to sound reason, though still timorous, Ahura took them in his own otevan and carried them to Theovrahkistan, before Lika, for judgment. And great was the time when they came; and especially the desire of the inhabitants to look upon Anuhasaj, the most audacious God that had ever dwelt on the earth or in her heavens, and, withal, the much-loved friend of Ahura.
4. When they came before the throne of Jehovih and duly saluted, Lika said: Whence come ye and for what purpose, O my beloved?
5. Ahura said: Hell hath delivered up the bound. My friends are before thee. Then Lika said: In Jehovih's name, welcome. Whatsoever the Father putteth into your souls, that utter ye and be assured of His love, wisdom and power.
6. Anuhasaj said: That I am delivered out of hell it is well; that I was delivered into hell it was well likewise. Give thou me Jehovih's judgment. My purpose before thee, is to register my vows unto Jehovih, that my record and thy just judgment may be carried to the heavens above.
7. Lika said: My judgment upon thee, Anuhasaj, is that thou shalt judge thyself!
8. Anuhasaj said: Most righteous judgment, O Jehovih! But knowest thou not Jehovih's voice?
9. Lika said: Thou asked for a great heavenly kingdom. Behold, Jehovih gave it thee. As soon as order is restored, thou shalt have thy kingdom again.
10. Anuhasaj said: I want it not.
11. Lika said: Thou shalt not say, I want this or that; but say that thou will do whatsoever Jehovih hath given into thy hands. When thou hast raised up thy whole kingdom, behold, thou wilt also be raised up.
12. Anuhasaj said: Alas me, this is also just. Show thou me the way; I will henceforth labor for the thousands of millions who were my kingdom.
13. Lika now bade Chesota (Anubi) speak. Chesota said: I called myself Master of the Scales and Savior of men. Whoever called on me, worshipping me and De'yus, alias the Lord God, I accepted; whoever worshipped me not, nor De'yus, nor the Lord God, I cast into hell, saying: Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting torments.
14. What, then, O Lika, shall be my judgment? For, behold, I cast a thousand millions into torments.
15. Lika said: Judge thyself.
16. Chesota said: Alas,the pains I gave can never be called back and undone. Have I, then, no hope?
17. Lika said: Whom thou hast pained, go thou to, and by thy good deeds hereafter done to them, so win their love that they will call thee blessed! When all of them have accepted thee, behold, it shall be well with thee.
18. Chesota said: O endless task! And yet, it is just. Teach me, then, O Lika, how to carry out this great judgment.
19. Lika then asked for Anuhasaj to come forward and be crowned; and when he approached the foot of the throne Lika came down and said: Anuhasaj, Son of Jehovih, God of Hao-yusta, thee I crown in Jehovih's name, unto his service forever. Be thou with him, O Jehovih, in wisdom, love and power.
20. Anuhasaj said: Into Thy service, O Jehovih, I commit myself forever! Give me of Thy love and wisdom and power that I may glorify Thee and Thy kingdoms.
21. Lika stretched up his hand, saying: Light of Thy light, crown of Thy crown, O Jehovih! And the light was formed in his hand, and a crown came out of the light, and Lika placed it on Anuhasaj's head. The latter then sat down on the foot of the throne, and Lika took his hand, saying: Arise, O God, and go thy way, and the Father be with thee!
22. Thereupon Anuhasaj and Chesota saluted and stood aside. And then Ahura saluted and stood aside also; whereupon Lika granted a day of recreation, during which time the visiting Gods departed for Hao-yusta.
2. Accordingly, at the same time Lika and his Rapon hosts were visiting Ahura, the Goddess, Ye'a-Goo, came down in her avalanza, fully equipped. Her avalanza was egg-shaped and veiled without, and was seven miles high and five miles wide, every way, habitable throughout. On the outer surface, but under the veil, were twelve thousand porches with banisters. The propelling vortices were within the centre, and the workmen were in the summit. On the lowest porch were five hundred thousand es'enaurs, and on the highest porch one thousand trumpeters.
3. Ye'a-Goo's compartment, and the place of the Holy Council, were in the midst; and her throne faced to the north, like the earth's vortex.
4. Ahura said to Lika, Son of Jehovih: My Brides and Bridegrooms I give to thee; honor thou this dissolving kingdom by performing the marriage ceremony. Lika said: Thy will and Jehovih's be done. Thus was it arranged, and the twain, together with the Rapon hosts, ascended the throne together and sat thereon.
5. Ahura had previously provided his hosts, in all four and a half thousand million Brides and Bridegrooms, and arrayed them in white, so that they anxiously awaited the coming of Ye'a-Goo, and were on the look-out to see her magnificent ship descending. A place of anchorage had also been previously made, together with accommodation for the spectators, of whom there were fifteen hundred millions, being adopted wanderers, rescued from the various hells during the past hundred years.
6. The Brides and Bride-grooms were arranged in semi-circles facing the throne, leaving a place for the avalanza, but above them, so that when Ye'a-Goo descended from her ship's bottom she would be in the midst.
7. Whilst the ship's workmen were anchoring, Ye'a-Goo and her Holy Council descended to the platform, and saluted the Gods and Goddesses on the throne in the Sign, The Glory of The Father, and Lika and the others answered under the Sign, The Abandonment of Self!
8. Ye'a-Goo said: In Jehovih's name am I come to answer the call of His Son, to deliver the emancipated Sons and Daughters.
9. Lika said: Behold, O Daughter of Jehovih, the Brides and Bridegrooms are before thee. To thee I give them in Jehovih's name!
10. Ye'a-Goo said: My beloved, know ye the resurrection of the most high heavens?
11. Response: Reveal, O Goddess; our faith is strong.
12. Thereupon Ye'a-Goo instructed them, and then followed the usual ceremonies, but concluding with the seventh degree of emuth, in Jehovih's voice, to wit: To be My Brides and Bridegrooms forever?
13. Response: To be Thy Brides and Bridegrooms forever, O Jehovih! To labor for thee, and to be mouth-pieces for Thy commandments, and to be Thy expression forever! And to be in concert with Thy most high Gods for the resurrection of mortals and angels.
14. Whom I receive as Mine forever! To be one with Me in My kingdoms; for which glory I accept you as My Sons and Daughters, Brides and Bridegrooms forever!
15. Response: And be Thy Sons and Daughters! To be one with Thee forever, Thou Most High, Jehovih!
16. Ye'a-Goo said: Behold the crowns the Father bestoweth upon His loves, to be theirs forever. (Hereat the Rapon Chiefs with Lika, gathered of the curtains of light and wove crowns and cast them forth, thousands of millions, and the power of the Great Spirit through their wills bore them upon the heads of the Brides and Bridegrooms.)
17. Response: Crown of Thy crown, O Jehovih! Glory be to Thee, Creator of worlds!
18. Ye'a-Goo: The Father's ship hath come for His chosen. Walk ye in and rejoice, for ye are His harvest. Gods and Goddesses are waiting for you, as a woman waiteth for her first-born. They will receive you with joy and love. Yea, they are crying out unto me, Daughter of Jehovih, why tarriest thou so long.
19. Lika now saluted the Brides and Bridegrooms, and said: Arise, O my beloved, and go your ways, the Father calleth.
20. The Brides and Bridegrooms saluted, saying: Alas, we have not paid our teacher, Ahura. And every one plucked from the rays of Jehovih's light a flower of love, and cast it at Ahura's feet, saying: Most blessed of Gods, love of my love; Jehovih be with thee!
21. Ahura responded not; only burst into tears. And now, whilst the Brides and Bridegrooms were going into the ship, Ye'a-Goo came along the platform, accompanied by the chief marshal, and his staff, and these were followed by Ye'a-Goo's high Council. The Rapon Chiefs rose up and received them, and they all sat on Jehovih's throne in relaxation and fellowship.
22. Thus ended the ceremony. The music of the two spheres now commenced; Ye'a-Goo and her hosts embarked, and she gave the word, Arise! and lo, the great avalanza started from its foundation, amidst a universal shout of applause from the four thousand millions. Higher and higher rose the ship of fire, toward the bridge Chinvat, toward the etherean heavens.
2. In not many days after this, Sudga was delivered from the hells of Auprag, of which event Ahura had been previously informed, as to the time thereof, and he accordingly went to Auprag, to be in readiness to receive Sudga, and help restore him if required.
3. Sudga, on his delivery from the knot, where there had been thirty millions bound, was bereft of reason, but not gentle like Anuhasaj, but fierce, battling right and left, a very maddened maniac that neither saw nor heard, but raved and cursed with all his strength, choked up with madness. For all the curses of his broken-down kingdom recoiled upon himself; the projective curses of his thousands of millions of slaves were piercing his soul from every quarter.
4. But they held him fast and carried him into the ship, which sailed for Hao-yusta, whither he was landed in the same condition. Ahura was with him, and Ahura caused a circle of deliverance to assemble and labor in the restoration. And it required thirty days and nights to bring him round, so he could even see and hear; but as for his judgment it was yet a hundred days more before it manifested.
5. So Ahura could not wait longer with him, but returned to the hells where Te-in was bound, the Ak-a-loo-ganuz, for Te-in was to be delivered. But herein was Ahura also disappointed, for Te-in was neither frightened nor wild nor mad; but limpid, helpless as water and without knowledge, more than a vessel of water. His energies had all been exhausted, and in a dead swoon he lay in the heart of the knot. Him they also carried to Hao-yusta, and Ahura provided for his restoration.
6. But yet, ere Te-in awoke from his stupor, Ahura departed for Osiris, who was bound in the hells of Prayogotha. Osiris had been in hell now for more than a hundred years, and in a knot for fifty years.
7. When the false Osiris was delivered, he was deranged, but preaching Jehovih, calling everybody Jehovih, and everything Jehovih. Him they also carried to Hao-yusta and provided restoration for him. And Ahura went thither also to assist with all his wisdom and strength.
8. Thus were delivered all the self-Gods who had rebelled against Jehovih and established the great confederacy, of which not one vestige was now left.
9. But of all the angels delivered out of the hells and knots not one in ten was of sound judgment, whilst more than half of them were only drujas at best.
10. Thus was founded the new kingdom of Hao-yusta, but yet in charge of the ethereans, who were to commit it to Anuhasaj and his one-time confederates, for their deliverance.
11. It came to pass in course of time that Sudga and Te-in and Osiris were restored to judgment, and in this matter Anuhasaj and Ahura and Chesota were constant workers. And when they were all restored, they in turn fell to, to restore others, to which labor they were committed till the close of dawn.
12. Osiris and Te-in and Sudga all desired to go before Lika, to be adjudged and sentenced; and they all sentenced themselves, which was granted unto them. On this occasion Osiris said:
13. Thy lessons are near at hand, O Jehovih. But who will learn them? Mortals go insane, because they have not learned to throw their cares upon Thee. To throw government upon Thee, O Jehovih, is not this wisdom? To cast riches and kingdoms into Thy lap; to own nothing; to have nothing; is not this the sum of the highest happiness?
14. Whoso doeth this will battle against no man for anything in heaven or earth. But he who doeth otherwise will soon or late descend into hell. For what is hell but the opposite of bliss? What is battling against others, but sowing the seed of anarchy in one's own soul? To battle against others is to gain the lower, by sacrificing the higher, of which latter Thou, O Jehovih, art the summit.
15. To go against Thee, O Father, is to go against one's fellows; to go against one's fellows is to go against Thee. And who can go against Thee but will soon or late evolve his own fall?
16. Thou hast given to mortals, kings, queens, and shown them that soon or late their kingdoms will fall to pieces. And yet Lords and Gods, seeing these things, will not believe. Every one, in his own conceit, imagineth his particular kingdom will be governed more wisely than all his predecessors. And yet his also falleth.
17. Now will I turn to find Thee, O Jehovih, and the search shall be everlasting. Kingdoms are nothing to me; all possession, save wisdom and love, are but vanity and vexation. I know Thou art above all else, and yet Thou art that that hath given Thyself all away, so that none can look upon Thy face. Verily hast Thou hid Thyself away; to be like unto Thee is to hide away the self of one-self; and that that will remain will be Thy mouth-piece and Thy hand.
18. Then spake Sudga unto Jehovih, saying: Why was I puffed up, seeing that I created not even mine own self. Neither had I anything in earth or heaven to use or to work with, but the substance was made already. Yea, I leapt into Thy garden which Thou hadst planted.
19. I raised up my voice against Thee; because Thou wert too Holy for my gross senses to behold, I condemned Thee. I wanted Thee gross that I could look upon Thee; that I could walk around Thee, and behold Thy stature. I saw that all men were like unto me in this.
20. Therefore I made a figure-head of myself; I said unto Thy children: Behold me! And at first they were pleased, because they imagined they had found a Creator they could measure. But Thine eye was upon me, Thine hand pointed the way and the manner of my iniquity. And they searched me out and found I was but a man, like unto themselves. Wherefore they condemned me.
21. The fool acknowledgeth no person save he can grapple therewith, and find the arms, and the length thereof, and the feet and their standing place. How vain I was in this, O Jehovih!
22. He that professed Thy Person I denounced as a fool; because I saw not Thy completeness Thou sufferedst me to pursue my vanity. Because I had risen above acknowledging Thy Person I was forced to make man the All Highest; and this drove me to make myself the all highest man. But Thou camest not against me to beat me from my iniquity, but gavest me full play to do my utmost.
23. On all sides hast Thou encompassed Thy creation with liberty. Even Thine enemy Thou hast not restrained. He standeth in public, saying: Jehovih, I deny Thee. If Thou art mightier than I, strike me down. Behold, I deny Thee and Thy Person! Thou Void Nothingness! Thou fool Creator, with Thy half-created world. Thou who hast created sin! And created misery! Thou Father of evil! O Thou dumb Nothing.
24. Yea, even to him hast Thou given free speech; and he buildeth up his own soul in his own way. And for a season he is the delight of the druk and the druj; yea, they fasten upon him, and he gaineth a multitude of evil ones, divided one against another, but the seed of his curses taketh root in them, and he becometh encompassed with foulness and bondage.
25. To find harmony in Thee, O Jehovih; to measure the Goodness of Thee; to rejoice in one's joys; to treasure Thy best gifts; to laud Thy love; to love Thee because Thou hast given me power to love, and things to love; to rejoice in Thy fruits and flowers and all perfected things; to harp forever upon Thy glories and the magnitude of Thy creation; to sing praises to Thee for harmony wherever found; to love to comprehend all good things; to find the good that is in all men and women; to rejoice in delights; to teach others to rejoice, and to search after all perfected beauties and goodness and righteousness and love; these shall be my service unto Thee, my everlasting Father.
26. To seek not to find imperfections; to seek not to find inharmonies; to seek not to find evil; to seek not to find ugliness; to seek not to find evil in others, nor their darkness nor shortcomings; to seek not to prove imperfections upon Thee, O Jehovih; to find no fault with Thee; to complain not against Thee; to complain not for trials nor for hardships, nor for the evil others inflict me with; to quibble not, because I can not comprehend Thy vastness; to quibble not for myself; to speak not evilly against anything Thou hast created. O make Thou me strong and wise forever.
27. Te-in spake to Jehovih, saying: Wherein is the limit of experience, O Jehovih! And how short have I not been before Thee, My Father! Behold, I had learned all philosophies; I had been taught for a long season in the right way, but I rebelled against Thee, my Creator.
28. I had been taught to horde not up anything; to own nothing; to desire nothing but wisdom and love. And Thy teachers, O Jehovih, showed me the evidence of thousands of great rulers, and every one of them had come to evil and destruction. Why then, O Father, was I not wise in the evidence before me? But I rose up against all this testimony, and I fashioned a mighty kingdom. Yea, Thou sufferedst me to try in mine own way to the full.
29. I went not by peace but by war; I raised me up standing armies and great warriors without limit; by force I established myself, but only as a tree that groweth up and is cut down. But what was I in Thy great universe, O Jehovih. What was my experience but the repetition of others who had been before me.
30. Now will I be wise; most cautious in my wisdom, and slow to proceed. But how can I make my experience profitable unto others? Thou hast stood me afar off; whoso heareth me will say: Ah, had I tried it I had succeeded better. Thou prickest each one to go in and try, but they all fail. Yea, they reiterate their failure; but where is the profit of this experience unto others? How can I ever reach them, O Jehovih!
31. What profit have I more than a mortal that dwelleth on the earth? Have not the angels testified for thousands of years that the rich man was crippling his own soul, and that the king and queen were binding themselves with chains for the habitation of hell? But they will not heed; every one hopeth he at least will find a way to escape; to gain prestige over others; to be a leader; to have servants; to be idle; to live at ease; to have great possessions; to revel in luxuries. Are not these more powerful than experience; greater in the eyes of the ignorant than all the wisdom of earth and heaven.
32. Thou hast wisely shaped Thy creatures, O Father! Thou makest great servants of us in a way we know not of. Behold, I desired a mighty kingdom in heaven, and Thou gavest one into my hand. Yea, I flattered myself with my success; I laughed at the Gods who had been before my time. How things are changed now, O Jehovih!
33. Thou hast made me a servant of servants; yea, by mine own hand have I bound myself about. Have I not heard mortals say: O that I had a kingdom to rule over! O that I had great riches, how good I would be! And because Thou deniest them for their own good, they complain against Thee. Who shall answer for the vanity of men and angels! They have not patience with Thee, who created them alive and knowest what is best.
34. One saith: Yonder is a great king, why doeth he not a great good? Or, yonder is a rich man, why doeth he not a great good also. O that I were in their places.
35. How shall I show them, O Father, that to be a king is to go away from doing good; that to be a rich man is to deny goodness? Yea, by the very act of possession is he testimony in the opposite way. For he that is good giveth all; even as Thou gavest all and so made all things. And the greater the possession the greater the bondage. Who hath so small responsibility as he who hath nothing? This is the sum of wisdom, O Jehovih; and all men and angels soon or late will acknowledge it.
36. Better hast Thou made it for the servant than for the master; better for the poor than the rich; and these things will also come to their understanding in course of time. But how can I, O Father, make them to know wisdom without experience, to accept the testimony of others' tortures in hell?
37. Behold, Thou gavest me great learning when I was of the earth; and when in hada great advantages to attain to deep wisdom; but, after all, I was caught in a snare of my own setting. How much, then, O Father, must I expect of the multitude? Happy is he who hath nothing, and desireth only wisdom and love. To cultivate such a garden, what a harvest will ripen out unto him.
38. When the three had thus spoken before the throne and before the high Council, Ahura stood aside and spake also. He said:
2. To-day my soul is buoyed up with great rejoicing; Thou hast sent me my loves. I would bind them with sweet words; their wisdom would I feast upon forever. In Thy great mercy, Jehovih, Thou hast showed me a world of delight.
3. How can I repay Thee, or Thy countless millions make to understand the way of rejoicing. O that I could show them the secret way of bliss; or turn them in the direction of the All Highest! Could they be the Within; to know the dlight of that which proceedeth outward.
4. O that I could make them understand; to look upward instead of downward; to look inward instead of onward. How Thou followest up Thy wayward children; Thy truants that strive to go away from Thee.
5. They wander away off, and Thou givest the slack of the leading line unto them. They go as if around a circle, and come to the place of beginning at last. O that I could prevail upon them in the start; that I could save them the first journey of the circle. O that they would go slowly and with Thee alway, Jehovih!
6. But Thou enrichest them with Thy bounteous fields; they travel far and are foot-sore and weary; and the twain causes are as a new book of songs. O, that experience may never die! And Thy creations never cease to have adventurous Sons and Daughters!
7. O, that I could understand Thy Greatness, or find the darkness that glorifieth the light of Thy countenance. I drink deep of mine own folly, and mine eyes wander about because of the darkness. I come upon Thy pathway and burst forth with a song of delight. Yea, I rejoice for the darkness I have passed through; in this am I more buoyant in my love to Thee, my Creator.
8. How can I make all Thy people to sing songs unto Thee; or teach them to harp not forever on the dark side of things? I have seen the tree of hell they planted in their own souls, and the way they cultivate it. They know not what is meant by singing praises unto Thee, and of Thy growth in them.
9. Why will they interpret me by words, or realize not that I sing of the exuberance of the soul? O that I could inspire them to talk good of all things; to harp forever on the beauties Thou hast made, instead of the ills and horrors around about. Can they never understand what it is to sow the seed of the tree of endless delight?
10. O that I could call them unto Thee, Jehovih! Or that I could lift their aspiration up from the shadows of death. I would follow them into Thy two great gardens which Thou hast created; that which is green, where they go and curse Thee; and that which is ripe, where I have found Thee full of love. Because I said: Sing unto Him forever; pray to Him with great rejoicing, they interpret me to mean words uttered as a mocking-bird. Yea, they grumble forever.
11. To find Thee, O Jehovih; to glorify the good that cometh along, this is the salvation of the world. Of this my songs shall never end; without a shadow of darkness Thou wilt tune my voice forever. I will sing and dance before Thee; the germ of happiness in my soul will I nurse as Thy holiest gift. For of all the trees which Thou hast planted in the soul of men and angels, this is the most glorious; for it is the perfection of Thy Voice, which singeth in all Thy living creatures.
12. When Ahura ended his song, then spake Lika, for the Voice of Jehovih was upon him. He said: Many leaders have I created for the earth and her heavens; but not one have I created with power to make a leader of himself. My hand is upon them that I choose; with wisdom and power raise I them up from the beginning.
13. To a people on the earth I give a king; to the inhabitants of My heavens give I Lords and Gods.
14. Because ye have tried the fullness of self, and raised up mighty realms in heaven, but to come to naught before My hand, ye are as a new power in these heavens.
15. As by the name Jehovih, I have maintained the Faithists in earth and heaven, so shall ye rule over My enemies, in righteousness and love and good works, by the names Lord and God, which they shall worship until the coming of the next dawn. But I will come in that day and deliver you and them, and there shall be no more Lord or God upon the earth or in the heavens thereof.
16. Grieve not that ye have had great kingdoms, and been overthrown and cast into torments; for ye have been so prepared in My works, that I might reach them that are not of the flesh and blood of My Faithists. And inasmuch as ye have gone to the farthest limit of glory and of the darkness of hell, so will I give unto you wisdom, love and power accordingly.
17. For, to make ready for the kosmon era, I want not a few, but thousands of millions in heaven and earth, to inspire such as live in darkness.
18. As I delivered you, so shall ye deliver them; because they will accurse themselves with war and with standing armies for the sake of earthly glory unto their rulers, ye shall encompass them about, and break them up, and deliver them into My kingdoms, which are peace and love.
19. As ye have been delivered out of hell, so shall ye deliver the kings and queens of the earth out of their kingdoms wherein they will unknowingly bind themselves in condemnation before Me. They shall be made to understand that, whoso assumeth a kingdom, shall not rule it unto his own glory without reaping the fruits of hell.
20. When the king goeth forth, he shall not be afraid he will be cut down; nor shall his marshals stand about him to protect him, for My Person shall shield him, and his people will shout with great joy when his steps draw nigh. To serve Me is not in prayer only, or in rites and ceremonies, but in stretching forth the hand to do good unto others with all of one's might.
21. Because ye have proved that force and violence only establish for a day, and is not of Me, so shall ye make them understand that whoso useth force and violence or armies to sustain himself is not of Me, but is My enemy, and is on the way to destruction.
22. Whoso being a king, or a general, or a captain, and in war, either offensive or defensive, professing to serve Me by rites and ceremonies and praises, is a mocker of Me and My kingdoms; yea, a blasphemer in My sight; he provideth the way of his own torments. These are My creations; to answer force with force, violence with violence, mockery with mockery; alike and like as seed is sown, so shall the harvest come unto the sowers.
23. Neither shall evil and darkness and misery cease on the earth till I have disbanded the dealers in death; by My own hand will I liberate the nations of the earth; their armies shall go away, like the winter's snow in sun of summer. To which end ye shall be My workers, with wisdom and love and power.