translation
by William Wynn Westcott (1877)
Chapter
I
Section
1.
In thirty-two wonderful Paths of Wisdom did Jah, Jehovah Tzabaoth,
the God of Israel, the Elohim of the living, the King of ages,
the merciful and gracious God, the exalted One, the Dweller in
eternity, most high and holy - engrave his name by the three
Sepharim - Numbers, Letters, and Sounds.*
2. Ten are the ineffable
Sephiroth. Twenty-two are the Letters, the Foundation of all
things; there are Three Mothers, Seven Double and Twelve Simple
letters.**
3. The ineffable Sephiroth
are Ten, so are the Numbers; and as there are in man five fingers
over against five, so over them is established a covenant of
strength, by word of mouth, and by the circumcision of the flesh. *
4. Ten is the number
of the ineffable Sephiroth, ten and not nine, ten and not eleven.
Understand this wisdom, and be wise in the perception. Search
out concerning it, restore the Word to its creator, and replace
Him who formed it upon his throne. *
5. The Ten ineffable
Sephiroth have ten vast regions bound unto them; boundless in
origin and having no ending; an abyss of good and of ill; measureless
height and depth; boundless to the East and the West; boundless
to the North and South; and the Lord the only God, the Faithful
King rules all these from his holy seat, for ever and ever. *
6. The Ten ineffable
Sephiroth have the appearance of the Lightning flash, their origin
is unseen and no end is perceived. The Word is in them as they
rush forth and as they return, they speak as from the whirling
wind and returning fall prostrate in adoration before the Th*rone.
7. The Ten ineffable
Sephiroth, whose ending is even as their origin, are like as
a flame arising from a burning coal. For God is superlative in
his Unity, there is none equal unto Him: what number canst thou
place before One. *
8. Ten are the ineffable
Sephiroth; seal up thy lips lest thou speak of them, and guard
thy heart as thou considerest them; and if thy mind escape from
thee bring it back to thy control; even as it was said "running
and returning" (the living creatures ran and returned) and
hence was the Covenant made.*
9. The ineffable Sephiroth
give forth the Ten numbers. First; the Spirit of the God of the
living; Blessed and more than blessed be the Living God of ages.
The Voice, the Spirit, and the Word - these are of the Holy Spirit.*
10. Second; from the
Spirit He produced Air, and formed in it twenty-two sounds -
the letters; three are mothers, seven are double, and twelve
are simple; but the Spirit is first and above these. Third; from
the Air He formed the Waters, and from the formless and void
made mire and clay, and designed surfaces upon them, and hewed
recesses in them, and formed the strong material foundation.
Fourth; from the Water He formed Fire and made for Himself a
Throne of Glory with Auphanim, Seraphim and Kerubim, as his ministering
angels; and with these three he completed his dwelling, as it
is written, "Who maketh his angels spirits and his ministers
a flaming fire".' *
11. He selected three
letters from among the simple ones and sealed them and formed
them into a Great Name, I H V, and with this He sealed the universe
in six directions.
Fifth; He
looked above, and sealed the Height with I H V.
Sixth; He looked below, and sealed the Depth with I V H.
Seventh; He looked forward, and sealed the East with H I V.
Eighth; He looked backward, and sealed the West with H V I.
Ninth; He looked to the right, and sealed the South with V I
H.
Tenth; He looked to the left, and sealed the North with V H I.*
12. Behold! From the
Ten ineffable Sephiroth do proceed - the One Spirit of the Gods
of the living, Air, Water, Fire; and also Height, Depth, East,
West, North and South.*
Chapter
II
Section
1. The
twenty-two sounds and letters are the Foundation of all things.
Three mothers, seven doubles and twelve simples. The Three Mothers
are Aleph, Mem and Shin, they are Air, Water and Fire. Water
is silent, Fire is sibilant, and Air derived from the Spirit
is as the tongue of a balance standing between these contraries
which are in equilibrium, reconciling and mediating between them.*
2. He hath formed, weighed,
and composed with these twenty-two letters every soul, and the
soul of everything which shall hereafter be.*
3. These twenty-two
sounds or letters are formed by the voice, impressed on the air,
and audibly modified in five places; in the throat, in the mouth,
by the tongue, through the teeth, and by the lips.*
4. These twenty-two
letters, which are the foundation of all things, He arranged
as upon a sphere with two hundred and thirty-one gates, and the
sphere may be rotated forward or backward, whether for good or
for evil: from the good comes true pleasure, from evil nought
but torment.*
5. For He shewed the
combination of these letters, each with the other; Aleph with
all, and all with Aleph; Beth with all, and all with Beth. Thus
in combining all together in pairs are produced the two hundred
and thirty-one gates of knowledge.*
6. And from the non-existent
He made Some-Thing; and all forms of speech and everything that
has been produced; from the empty void He made the material world,
and from the inert earth He brought forth everything that hath
life. He hewed, as it were, vast columns out of the intangible
air, and by the power of His Name made every creature and everything
that is; and the production of all things from the twenty-two
letters is the proof that they are all but parts of one body.*
Chapter
III
Section
1. The
Foundation of all others is composed of the Three Mothers, Aleph,
Mem and Shin; they resemble a Balance, on the one hand the guilty,
on the other hand the purified, and Aleph the Air is like the
Tongue of a Balance standing between them.*
2. The Three Mothers
Aleph, Mem and Shin are a great Mystery, very admirable and most
recondite, and sealed as with six rings; and from them proceed
Air, Fire, and Water, which divide into male and female forces.
The Three Mothers Aleph, Mem and Shin are the Foundation, from
them spring three Fathers, and from these have proceeded all
things that are in the world.*
3. The Three Mothers
in the world are Aleph, Mem and Shin: the heavens were produced
from Fire; the earth from the Water; and the Air from the Spirit
is as a reconciler between the Fire and the Water.*
4. The Three Mothers
Aleph, Mem and Shin, Fire, Water and Air are shown in the Year;
from the fire was made heat, from the waters was made cold, and
from the air was produced the temperate state, again a mediator
between them. The Three Mothers, Aleph, Mem and Shin, Fire, Water
and Air are found in Man: from the fire was formed the head;
from the water the belly; and from the air was formed the chest
again placed as a mediator between the others.*
5. These Three Mothers
did He produce and design, and combined them; and He sealed them
as the three mothers in the Universe, in the Year and in Man
- both male and female. He caused the letter Aleph to reign in
Air and crowned it, and combining it with the others He sealed
it, as Air in the World, as the temperate (climate) of the Year,
and as the chest the lungs (for breathing air) in Man: the male
with A.M.S., the female with S.M.A. He caused the letter Mem
to reign in Water, crowned it, and combining it with the others
formed the earth in the world, cold in the year, and the belly
in man, male and female, the former with M.A.S., the latter with
M.S.A. He caused Shin to reign in Fire, and crowned it, and combining
it with the others, sealed with it the heavens in the universe,
heat in the year and the head in man, male and female.*
Chapter
IV
Section
1.
The Seven Double Letters, Beth, Gimel, Daleth, Kaph, Pé,
Resh, and Tau have each two sounds associated with them. They
are referred to Life, Peace, Wisdom, Riches, Grace, Fertility
and Power. The two sounds of each letter are the hard and the
soft - the aspirated and the softened. They are called Double,
because each letter presents a contrast or permutation; thus
Life and Death; Peace and War (Evil); Wisdom and Folly; Riches
and Poverty; Grace and Indignation; Fertility and Solitude (Desolation);
Power and Servitude.*
2. These Seven Double
Letters point out seven localities; Above, Below, East, West,
North, South, and the Palace of Holiness in the midst of them
sustaining all things.*
3. These Seven Double
Letters He designed, produced, and combined, and formed with
them the Planets (stars) of this Universe, the Days of the Week,
and the Gates of the soul (the orifices of perception) in Man.
From these Seven He hath produced the Seven Heavens, the Seven
Earths, the Seven Sabbaths: for this cause He has loved and blessed
the number Seven, more than all things under Heaven (His Throne).*
4. Two Letters produce
two houses; three form six; four form twenty-four; five form
one hundred and twenty; six form seven hundred and twenty ; seven
form five thousand and forty; and beyond this their numbers increase
so that the mouth can hardly utter them, nor the ear hear the
number of them. So now, behold the Stars of the Universe (Planets)
are Seven; the Sun, Venus, Mercury, Moon, Saturn, Jupiter and
Mars. The Seven are also the Seven Days of Creation; and the
Seven Gateways of the Soul of Man - the two eyes, the two ears,
the mouth and the two nostrils. So with the Seven are formed
the seven heavens, the seven earths, and the seven periods of
time; and so has He preferred the number Seven above all things
under Heaven.*
supplement
to chapter IV <Westcott's note: This is a modern
illustration of the allotment of the Seven Letters; it is not
found in the ancient copies of the " Sepher Yetzirah.">
1. He produced Beth,
and referred it to Wisdom; He crowned it, combined and formed
with it the Moon in the Universe, the first day of the week,
and the right eye of man.*
2. He produced Gimel,
and referred it to Health; He crowned it, combined and joined
with it Mars in the Universe, the second day of the week, and
the right ear of man.*
3. He produced Daleth,
and referred it to Fertility; He crowned it, combined and formed
with it the Sun in the Universe, the third day of the week, and
the right nostril of man. *
4. He produced Kaph,
and referred it to Life; He crowned it, combined and formed with
it Venus in the Universe, the fourth day of the week, and the
left eye of man.*
5. He produced Pe, and
referred it to Power; He crowned it, combined and formed with
it Mercury in the Universe, the fifth day of the week, and the
left ear of man.*
6. He produced Resh
and referred it to Peace; He crowned it, combined and formed
with it Saturn in the Universe, the sixth day of the week, and
the left nostril of man.*
7. He produced Tau,
and referred it to Beauty; He crowned it, combined and formed
with it Jupiter in the Universe, the Seventh Day of the week,
and the mouth of man.*
8. By these Seven letters
were also made seven worlds, seven heavens, seven earths, seven
seas, seven rivers, seven deserts, seven days, seven weeks from
Passover to Pentecost, and every seventh year a Jubilee.*
Chapter
V
Section
1.
The Twelve Simple Letters are Heh, Vau, Zain, Cheth, Teth, Yod,
Lamed, Nun, Samech, Oin, Tzaddi and Qoph: They are the foundations
of these twelve properties: Sight, Hearing, Smell, Speech, Taste,
Sexual Love, Work, Movement, Anger, Mirth, Imagination and Sleep.
These Twelve are also allotted to the directions in space: North-east,
South-east, the East above, the East below, the North above,
the North below, the South-west, the North-west, the West above,
the West below, the South above, and the South below; these diverge
to infinity, and are as the arms of the Universe.*
2. These Twelve Simple
Letters he designed, and combined, and formed with them the Twelve
celestial constellations of the Zodiac, whose signs are Teth,
Shin, Tau, Samech, Aleph, Beth, Mem, Oin, Qoph, Gimel, Daleth
and Daleth. The Twelve are also the Months of the Year: Nisan,
Yiar, Sivan, Tamuz, Ab, Elul, Tishri, Hesvan, Kislev, Tebet,
Sabat and Adar. The Twelve are also the Twelve organs of living
creatures, the two hands, the two feet, the two kidneys, the
spleen, the liver, the gall, private parts, stomach and intestines.*
He made these,
as it were provinces, and arranged them as in order of battle
for warfare. And also the Elohim made one from the region of
the other.*
Three Mothers
and Three Fathers; and thence issue Fire, Air, and Water. Three
Mothers, Seven Doubles and Twelve Simples.*
3. Behold now these
are the Twenty and Two Letters from which Jah, Jehovah Tzabaoth,
the Elohim of the living, the God of Israel, exalted and sublime,
the Dweller in eternity, formed and established all things; High
and Holy is His Name.*
supplement
to chapter V <Westcott's note: This is a modern
illustration of the allotment of the Twelve Letters; it is not
found in the ancient copies of the "Sepher Yetzirah."
>
1. God produced Hé,
predominant in Speech, crowned it, combined and formed with it
Aries in the Universe, Nisan in the Year, and the right foot
of Man.*
2. He produced Vau,
predominant in mind, crowned it, combined and formed with it
Taurus in the Universe, Aiar in the Year, and the right kidney
of Man.*
3. He produced Zain,
predominant in Movement, crowned it, combined and formed with
it Gemini in the Universe, Sivan in the Year and the left foot
of Man.*
4. He produced Cheth,
predominant in Sight, crowned it, combined and formed with it
Cancer in the Universe, Tamuz in the Year, and the right hand
of Man.*
5. He produced Teth,
predominant in Hearing, crowned it, combined and formed with
it Leo in the Universe, Ab in the Year, and the left Kidney in
Man.*
6. He produced Yod,
predominant in Work, crowned it, combined and formed with it
Virgo in the Universe, Elul in the Year, and the left hand of
Man.*
7. He produced Lamed,
predominant in Sexual desire, crowned it, combined and formed
with it Libra in the Universe, Tishri in the Year, and the private
parts of Man. (Kalisch gives "gall").*
8. He produced Nun,
predominant in Smell, crowned it, combined and formed with it
Scorpio in the Universe, Heshvan in the Year, and the intestines
of Man.*
9. He produced Samech,
predominant in Sleep, crowned it, combined and formed with it
Sagittarius in the Universe, Kislev in the Year, and the stomach
of Man.*
10. He produced Oin,
predominant in Anger, crowned it, combined and formed with it
Capricornus in the Universe, Tebet in the Year, and the liver
of Man.*
11. He produced Tzaddi,
predominant in Taste, crowned it, combined and formed with it
Aquarius in the Universe, Sabat in the Year, and the gullet in
Man.*
12. He produced Qoph,
predominant in Mirth, crowned it, combined and formed with it
Pisces in the Universe, Adar in the Year, and the spleen of Man.*
Chapter
VI
Section
1. Three
Fathers and their generations, Seven conquerors and their armies,
and Twelve bounds of the Universe. See now, of these words, the
faithful witnesses are the Universe, the Year and Man. The dodecad,
the heptad, and the triad with their provinces; above in the
Celestial Dragon, T L I, and below is the World, and lastly the
heart of Man. The Three are Water, Air and Fire; Fire above,
Water below, and Air conciliating between them; and the sign
of these things is that the Fire sustains (volatilizes) the waters;
Mem is mute, Shin is sibilant, and AIeph is the Mediator and
as it were a friend placed between them.*
2. The Celestial Dragon,
T L I, is placed over the universe like a king upon the throne;
the revolution of the year is as a king over his dominion; the
heart of man is as a king in warfare. Moreover, He made all things
one from the other; and the Elohim set good over against evil,
and made good things from good, and evil things from evil: with
the good tested He the evil, and with the evil did He try the
good. Happiness is reserved for the good, and misery is kept
for the wicked.*
3. The Three are One,
and that One stands above. The Seven are divided; three are over
against three, and one stands between the triads. The Twelve
stand as in warfare; three are friends, three are enemies; three
are life givers; three are destroyers. The three friends are
the heart, the ears, and the mouth; the three enemies are the
liver, the gall, and the tongue; while God the faithful king
rules over all. One above Three, Three above Seven, and Seven
above Twelve; and all are connected the one with the other.*
4. And after that our
father Abraham had perceived, and understood, and had taken down
and engraved all these things, the Lord most high revealed Himself,
and called him His beloved, and made a Covenant with him and
his seed; and Abraham believed on Him and it was imputed unto
him for righteousness. And He made this Covenant between the
ten toes of the feet this is like that of circumcision; and between
the ten fingers of the hands and this is like that of the tongue.
And He bound the twenty-two letters unto his speech and shewed
him all the mysteries of them. He drew them through the Waters;
He burned them in the Fire; He vibrated them in the Air; Seven
in the highest heavens; and Twelve in the celestial constellations
of the Zodiac.*
The End
of the "Book of Formation."*
back to * copenhagen qabalah