Pistis Sophia
translated by G. S. R. Mead
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Pistis Sophia
translated by G. S. R. Mead
"And Pistis Sophia cried out most exceedingly, she cried to the Light of lights which she had seen from the beginning, in which she had had faith, and uttered this repentance, saying thus:
The first repentance of Sophia."'1. O Light of lights, in whom I have had faith from the beginning, hearken now then, O Light, unto my repentance. Save me, O Light, for evil thoughts have entered into me.
"'2. I gazed, O Light, into the lower parts and saw there a light. thinking: I will go to that region, in order that I may take that light. And I went and found myself in the darkness which is in the chaos below, and I could no more speed thence and go to my region, for I was sore pressed by all the emanations of Self-willed, and the lion-faced power took away my light in me.
"'3. And I cried for help, but my voice hath not reached out of the darkness. And I looked
unto the height, that the Light, in which I had had faith, might help me.
"'4. And when I looked unto the height, I saw all the rulers of the æons, how in their numbers they looked down on me and rejoiced over me, though I had done them no ill; but they hated me without a cause. And when the emanations of Self-willed saw the rulers of the æons rejoicing over me, they knew that the rulers of the æons would not come to my aid; and those emanations which sore pressed me with violence, took courage, and the light which I had not taken from them, they have taken from me.
"'5. Now, therefore, O Light of Truth, thou knowest that I have done this in my innocence, thinking that the lion-faced light-power belonged to thee; and the sin which I have done is open before thee.
"'6. Suffer me no more to lack, O Lord, for I have had faith in thy light from the beginning; O Lord, O Light of the powers, suffer me no more to lack my light.
"'7. For because of thy inducement and for the sake of thy light am I fallen into this oppression, and shame hath covered me.
"'8. And because of |49. the illusion of thy light, I am become a stranger to my brethren, the invisibles, and to the great emanations of Barbēlō.
"'9. This hath befallen me, O Light, because I have been zealous for thy abode; and the wrath of Self-willed is come upon me--of him who had not hearkened unto thy command to emanate from the emanation of his power--because I was in his æon without performing his mystery.
"'10. And all the rulers of the æons mocked me.
"'11. And I was in that region, mourning and seeking after the light which I had seen in the height.
"'12. And the guards of the gates of the æons searched for me, and all who remain in their mystery mocked me.
"'13. But I looked up unto the height towards thee and had faith in thee. Now, therefore, O Light of lights, I am sore pressed in the darkness of chaos. If now thou wilt come to save me,--great is thy mercy,--then hear me in truth and save me.
"'14. Save me out of the matter of this darkness, that I may not be submerged therein, that I may be saved from the emanations of god Self-willed which press me sore, and from their evil doings.
"'15. Let not this darkness submerge me, and let not this lion-faced power entirely devour the whole of my power, and |50. let not this chaos shroud my power.
"'16. Hear me, O Light, for thy grace is precious, and look down upon me according to the great mercy of thy Light.
"'17. Turn not thy face from me, for I am exceedingly tormented.
"'18. Haste thee, hearken unto me and save my power.
"'19. Save me because of the rulers who hate me, for thou knowest my sore oppression and my torment and the torment of my power which they have taken from me. They who have set me in all this evil are before thee; deal with them according to thy good pleasure.
"'20. My power looked forth from the midst
of the chaos and from the midst of the darkness, and I waited for my pair, that he should come and fight for me, and he came not, and I looked that he should come and lend me power, and I found him not.
"'21. And when I sought the light, they gave me darkness; and when I sought my power, they gave me matter.
"'22. Now, therefore, O Light of lights, may the darkness and the matter which the emanations of Self-willed have brought upon me, be unto them for a snare, and may they be ensnared therein, and recompense them and may they be made to stumble and not come into the region of their Self-willed.
"'23. May they remain in the darkness and not behold the light; may they behold the chaos for ever, and let them not look unto the height.
"'24. Bring upon them their revenge, and may thy judgment lay hold upon them.
"'25. Let them not henceforth |51. come into their region to their god Self-willed, and let not his emanations henceforth come into their regions; for their god is impious and self-willed, and he thought that he had done this evil of himself, not knowing that, had I not been brought low according to thy command, he would not have had any authority over me.
"'26. But when thou hadst by thy command brought me low, they pursued me the more, and their emanations added pain to my humiliation.
"'27. And they have taken light-power from me and fallen again to pressing me sore, in order to take away all the light in me. Because of this in which they have set me, let them not
ascend to the thirteenth æon, the region of Righteousness.
"'28. But let them not be reckoned in the lot of those who purify themselves and the light, and let them not be reckoned with those who will quickly repent, that they may quickly receive mysteries in the Light.
"'29. For they have taken my light from me, and my power hath begun to cease in me and I am destitute of my light.
"'30. Now, therefore, O Light, which is in thee and is with me, I sing praises to thy name, O Light, in glory.
"'31. May my song of praise please thee, O Light, as an excellent mystery, which leadeth to the gates of the Light, which they who shall repent will utter, and the light of which will purify them.
"'32. Now, therefore, let |52. all matters rejoice; seek ye all the Light, that the power of the stars which is in you, may live.
"'33. For the Light hath heard the matters, nor will it leave any without having purified them.
"'34. Let the souls and the matters praise the Lord of all æons, and [let] the matters and all that is in them [praise him].
"'35. For God shall save their soul from all matters, and a city shall be prepared in the Light, and all the souls who are saved, will dwell in that city and will inherit it.
"'36. And the soul of them who shall receive mysteries will abide in that region, and they who have received mysteries in its name will abide therein.'"