theosis
Member
An interesting (and ancient) Gnostic prayer, thought I might share (I've loosely translated a few Mandaean-specific words into a more traditional Abrahamic language):
The Soul's Deliverance
Hail to you, hail to you, soul,
for you have departed from the world.
You have left corruption behind
and the stinking body in which you found yourself,
the abode, the abode of the wicked,
the place which is all sin,
the World of Darkness,
of hatred, envy, and strife,
the abode in which the planets live,
bringing sorrows and infirmities;
they bring sorrows and infirmities,
and every day they cause unrest.
Rise up, rise up, soul,
ascend to your first earth.
To your first earth, ascend,
to the place from which you were transplanted,
to the place from which you were transplanted,
to the fine abode of the angels.
Bestir yourself, put on your garment of radiance
and put on your resplendent wreath.
Sit on your throne of radiance,
which the Life set up for you in the Place of Light.
Rise up, inhabit the heavenly abodes,
among the angels, your brothers.
As you have learnt, pronounce the blessing
over your first father's [Adam's] house.
And curse this place
the house of your earthly guardian [demiurge].
For the years that you spent in it,
the Seven* were your enemies,
the Seven were your enemies.
Your enemies were the Seven,
and the Twelve were your persecutors.
*The planets, demons in Mandaean astrology.
Mandaean Prayers - The Soul's Deliverance
The Soul's Deliverance
Hail to you, hail to you, soul,
for you have departed from the world.
You have left corruption behind
and the stinking body in which you found yourself,
the abode, the abode of the wicked,
the place which is all sin,
the World of Darkness,
of hatred, envy, and strife,
the abode in which the planets live,
bringing sorrows and infirmities;
they bring sorrows and infirmities,
and every day they cause unrest.
Rise up, rise up, soul,
ascend to your first earth.
To your first earth, ascend,
to the place from which you were transplanted,
to the place from which you were transplanted,
to the fine abode of the angels.
Bestir yourself, put on your garment of radiance
and put on your resplendent wreath.
Sit on your throne of radiance,
which the Life set up for you in the Place of Light.
Rise up, inhabit the heavenly abodes,
among the angels, your brothers.
As you have learnt, pronounce the blessing
over your first father's [Adam's] house.
And curse this place
the house of your earthly guardian [demiurge].
For the years that you spent in it,
the Seven* were your enemies,
the Seven were your enemies.
Your enemies were the Seven,
and the Twelve were your persecutors.
*The planets, demons in Mandaean astrology.
Mandaean Prayers - The Soul's Deliverance
