The Hymn of Jesus · 2 of 3

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.

Another reading has:

I would be dissolved (or consumed for love); and I would dissolve.]

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).

[The first cause I have supplied; the last is probably a gloss.]

I would be washed; and I would wash.

Amen!

(Grace leadeth the dance.)

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.)