The Ascent of the Soul and the Hymn

16 Then I said, “Mind, I too love this account.” Poimandres said, “This is the mystery hidden until this day. Nature, mingling with the human being, brought forth a wonder beyond all wonders. Since he possessed the nature of the harmony of the seven, whom I told you were made of fire and spirit, nature did not wait, but at once gave birth to seven human beings, corresponding to the natures of the seven rulers, each male and female and raised aloft.” Then I said, “Poimandres, I am seized now by a great longing, and I yearn to hear more. Do not turn aside.” Poimandres said, “Be silent; I have not yet unfolded the first account for you.” “See, I am silent,” I said.

17 “Now the birth of these seven took place as I have said, in this way: air was female, and water had the power to beget. It received ripeness from fire, and spirit from the ether. Nature brought forth bodies in the likeness of the human being. And the human being, from life and light, became soul and mind: from life came soul, and from light, mind. So all the members of the perceptible cosmos remained until the cycle of the end of beginnings and generations.

18 “Now hear the account you long to hear. When the cycle had been completed, the bond that held all together was dissolved by God’s will. All living beings, male and female in one, were divided along with the human being: some became male, and others female. At once God spoke with a holy Word: ‘Grow with growth and multiply with abundance, all creatures and works of creation. And let the one who possesses mind recognize that he is immortal, that love of the body is the cause of death, and recognize all that exists.’

19 “When he had spoken, Providence, through Fate and the harmony, brought about the unions and established births; all things multiplied according to their kinds. The one who recognized himself attained the surpassing good; but the one who cherished the body out of love born of error remains wandering in darkness, suffering the mortal lot through the senses.”

20 “What grave wrong,” I asked, “do those who do not know commit, that they should be deprived of immortality?” “You seem,” he said, “not to have reflected on what you heard. Did I not tell you to understand?” “I do understand,” I said, “and remember; and I thank you.” “If you understand,” he said, “tell me why those who are in death deserve death.” “Because,” I said, “the grim darkness precedes each person’s body; from it comes the watery nature from which the body in the perceptible cosmos was formed, and from the body death draws its nourishment.”

21 “You have understood rightly. But how does the one who understands himself pass into God, as the Word of God said?” I answered, “The Father of all is formed from light and life; from him the human being came.” “Speak auspiciously,” he said. “God the Father is light and life, and from him the human being came. If, then, you learn that you are from life and light and that they are your source, you will return to life.” So Poimandres spoke. “Yet tell me,” I said, “how shall I return to life, O Mind?” “My God says: ‘Let the human being who has mind recognize himself.’” “Do not all human beings have mind?” I asked.

22 “Speak auspiciously when you speak of such things. I myself, Mind, come to those who are holy, good, pure, merciful, and reverent in their lives. My presence helps them; at once they recognize all things, and lovingly win the Father’s favor. With blessing and hymns they give thanks, devoted to him in love. Before surrendering their bodies to their own death, they recoil from the senses, knowing what they do. Indeed, I, Mind, will not allow the body’s impulses to come to fruition; as a gatekeeper, I will bar the entrances to wicked and shameful deeds, cutting off the thoughts that give rise to them.

23 “But from the senseless, the bad and malicious, the envious, greedy, murderous and irreverent, I stand far off, yielding my place to the avenging spirit. It assails them with the sharpness of fire, piercing their senses and arming them still more for lawless acts, so that their punishment may be greater. Never ceasing, it stirs their desire toward boundless cravings, insatiably, as though they struggled in darkness; so it torments them, and heaps ever more fire upon them.”

24 “You have taught me everything well, O Mind, as I wished,” I said. “But tell me also of the ascent.” Poimandres answered, “First, as the material body dissolves, you surrender the body itself to change, and the form you wore vanishes. You surrender your character to the spirit, stripped of its power to act; the bodily senses return to their own sources, becoming parts of them and reuniting with their powers. Passion and desire pass into unreasoning nature.

25 “Then one surges upward through the harmony, giving to the first zone the power to grow and diminish; to the second, the machinery of evil and deceit, now powerless; to the third, the beguilement of desire, now powerless; to the fourth, the arrogance of command, stripped of greed; to the fifth, unholy audacity and reckless daring; to the sixth, the evil impulses of wealth, now powerless; and to the seventh zone, the falsehood that lies in wait.

26 “Then, stripped of the operations of the harmony, one comes to the nature of the eighth, possessing one’s own power, and sings the Father’s praise with those who dwell there. Those present rejoice at this arrival, and, made like his companions, he hears the powers above the eighth nature singing God’s praise in a sweet voice. Then they ascend in order to the Father; they surrender themselves to the powers, and, becoming powers, come to dwell in God. This is the blessed end for those who have gained knowledge: to become divine. Why do you linger now? Have you not received everything, so that you may guide the worthy, and through you the human race may be saved by God?”

27 With these words Poimandres mingled with the powers. I gave thanks and blessed the Father of all, and arose, strengthened by him and taught the nature of the universe and the supreme vision. I began to proclaim to humanity the beauty of reverence and knowledge: “Peoples, earthborn men, you who have surrendered yourselves to drunkenness and sleep and ignorance of God, become sober! Cease your reveling, bewitched by unreasoning sleep!”

28 Those who heard gathered with one accord. I said, “Earthborn men, why have you given yourselves over to death when you have the power to share in immortality? Turn your minds around, you who have traveled with error and shared in ignorance. Escape the dark light; take part in immortality, leaving decay behind.”

29 Some of them spoke against me with contempt and departed, surrendering themselves to the road of death. Others cast themselves at my feet and begged to be taught. I raised them up and became a guide to the human race, teaching them the teachings of how, and by what means, they would be saved. I sowed among them the words of wisdom, and they were nourished by ambrosial water. When evening came and all the sun’s radiance began to set, I called on them to thank God. After they had fulfilled their thanksgiving, each returned to his own bed.

30 I inscribed Poimandres’ gift within myself, and, filled with all I had desired, rejoiced. The body’s sleep became the soul’s wakefulness; the closing of my eyes, true sight; my silence, pregnant with goodness; and my utterance of the Word, the birth of good things. This happened because I received from my Mind, that is, from Poimandres, the Word of Sovereignty, through whom I came to the truth, inspired by God. Therefore with all my soul and strength I offer praise to God the Father.

31 Holy is God, the Father of all; holy is God, whose will is fulfilled by his own powers; holy is God, who desires to be known and is known by his own; holy are you, who established all that exists through the Word; holy are you, whose image all nature has become; holy are you, whom nature did not shape; holy are you, stronger than every power; holy are you, greater than all eminence; holy are you, beyond all praise. Receive pure sacrifices of reason from a soul and heart stretched toward you, unutterable one, ineffable one, addressed in silence.

32 Grant my prayer that I not fail in knowledge of our true being; strengthen me, and by this grace enlighten my brothers in the human race, who live in ignorance, but are your sons. Therefore I trust in you and bear witness: I pass into life and light. Blessed are you, Father; your human being desires to join you in holiness, as you have given him authority over all things.

16 After this I thought, “For I too love the word.” Poimandres said, “This is the secret that has been hidden until today. Nature joined with Man and produced a most extraordinary wonder. He had the nature of the seven, whom I told you were made from fire and spirit, within the ordered circles. Nature did not wait. She immediately gave birth to seven human beings, corresponding to the natures of the seven rulers. They were both male and female and were raised above the earth.” I said, “Poimandres, now I long very much to hear more. Please don't turn away from the subject.” Poimandres said, “Be quiet. I have not yet finished explaining the first account to you.” “Look, I am quiet,” I said.

17 “The seven came into being in the following way, as I said. Air was female, and water supplied what was needed for conception. What came from fire ripened; it received spirit from the upper air. Nature brought forth bodies in the form of Man. Man, from life and light, became soul and mind: from life came soul, and from light came mind. Every part of the visible world remained this way until the end of the cycle of beginnings and generations.

18 “Now listen to the account you have been eager to hear. When the cycle was complete, the bond joining everything was undone by God's will. All the living beings, including humans, had been both male and female. They were divided, and some became male while others became female. Then God immediately said through the holy word, ‘Grow and multiply, all creatures and things that have been made. Let anyone who has a mind recognize that they are immortal, and that love of the body is the cause of death, and recognize all that exists.’

19 “After he said this, providence brought about their unions through fate and the ordered circles, and established births. Everything multiplied according to its kind. The person who recognizes himself has reached the highest good. But whoever loves the body out of a mistaken desire remains wandering in darkness, suffering death through the senses.”

20 I said, “What have people who do not know done so wrong that they should lose immortality?” He said, “You do not seem to have paid attention to what you heard. Didn't I tell you to think?” “I am thinking,” I said, “and I remember. I also thank you.” He said, “If you understand, tell me why those who are in death deserve death.” I said, “Because the grim darkness is the first source of each person's body. The wet substance came from that darkness, and the body in the visible world was formed from the wet substance. This is what feeds death.”

21 “You have understood correctly. But how does someone who knows himself move toward God, as God's word said?” I said, “The father of everything was formed from light and life, and Man came from him.” He said, “Speak with reverence. God the Father is light and life, and Man came from him. If you learn that you are made of life and light and that these are your source, you will return to life.” This is what Poimandres said. I asked, “But tell me more: how will I return to life, Mind? My God says, ‘Let the person with a mind recognize himself.’ Don't all people have a mind?”

22 “Speak rightly when you talk about such things. I, Mind, come to those who are holy, good, pure, merciful, and living reverently. My presence helps them, and they immediately know everything. They win the Father's favor through love, and they thank him with blessings and songs, turning to him with affection. Before giving up their bodies to death, they reject the senses because they know what the senses do. More precisely, I, Mind, will not allow the bodily impulses that come upon them to be carried out. I stand guard at the gate and shut out bad and shameful acts by cutting off the thoughts that lead to them.

23 “But I keep away from people who have no understanding and are bad, wicked, jealous, greedy, murderous, or disrespectful toward God. I leave them to the punishing spirit. It applies the sharp heat of fire and strikes them through their senses. It makes them even more ready to break the law, so that they receive greater punishment. It never stops stirring up their desire for limitless pleasures, without satisfying them, as if they were fighting in the dark. This is how it torments them, making the fire against them burn still more fiercely.”

24 “You have taught me everything well, Mind, just as I wanted,” I said. “But tell me about how the ascent takes place.” Poimandres replied, “First, as the material body breaks apart, the body itself is given over to change, and the form you had disappears. Your character is given over to the spirit, no longer active. The body's senses return to their own sources, becoming parts of them and coming together again as their activities. Anger and desire pass into nature without reason.

25 “Then the person moves upward through the ordered circles. To the first zone he gives up the power to increase and decrease. To the second he gives up the means of doing evil and deceit, now powerless. To the third he gives up the deception of desire, now powerless. To the fourth he gives up the pride of ruling, stripped of its greed. To the fifth he gives up irreverent recklessness and rash daring. To the sixth he gives up the harmful drives for wealth, now powerless. And to the seventh zone he gives up the lie that lies in wait.

26 “Once freed of the forces of the ordered circles, he reaches the eighth nature with his own power and sings to the Father together with those who are there. They are glad he has arrived. As he becomes like them, he also hears the powers above the eighth nature singing to God in a sweet voice. Then they ascend in order to the Father. They give themselves over to the powers, become powers themselves, and come to be in God. This is the good end for those who have gained knowledge: to become divine. Why are you waiting? You have received everything. Become a guide to those who are worthy, so that through you God may save the human race.”

27 After saying this to me, Poimandres joined with the powers. I thanked and blessed the father of all, and rose, strengthened by him and taught about the nature of everything and the greatest vision. I began to tell people about the beauty of reverence for God and of knowledge. “People born of the earth, you have given yourselves over to drunkenness, sleep, and ignorance of God. Wake up. Stop drinking yourselves senseless and letting unreasoning sleep keep you under its spell.”

28 Those who heard came together as one. I said, “People born of the earth, why have you given yourselves over to death when you have the power to share in immortality? Change your minds, you who have gone along with error and taken part in ignorance. Leave the dark light behind. Share in immortality and leave decay behind.”

29 Some dismissed my words as nonsense and left, giving themselves over to the path of death. Others threw themselves at my feet and asked to be taught. I helped them up and became a guide to the human race. I taught them the teachings about how and by what means they would be saved. I planted words of wisdom in them, and they were nourished by the water of immortality. When evening came and all the sunlight began to fade, I told them to thank God. After they had finished giving thanks, each went to their own bed.

30 I wrote down within myself the help Poimandres had given me. I was filled with what I wanted and was overjoyed. When my body slept, my soul was awake. When my eyes closed, I truly saw. My silence held the good within it, and when I spoke, good things were born. This happened to me because I received it from my Mind, that is, from Poimandres, the word of supreme authority. Through him I came to the truth, filled with divine inspiration. So I bless God the Father with all my heart and strength.

31 Holy is God, the father of all. Holy is God, whose will is carried out by his own powers. Holy is God, who wants to be known and is known by his own people. You are holy, who brought all things into being by the word. You are holy, of whom all nature is an image. You are holy, whom nature did not shape. You are holy, stronger than every power. You are holy, greater than every high position. You are holy, beyond all praise. Receive pure offerings made in words from a soul and heart raised toward you. You cannot be described or spoken of; you are addressed in silence.

32 Grant my request that I not lose the knowledge of what we really are. Strengthen me, and by this gift bring light to my brothers of the human race who do not know, but who are your sons. I trust you and bear witness to you: I am going toward life and light. Blessed are you, Father. Your human being wishes to join you in holiness, since you have given him full authority.