Pistis Sophia
translated by G. S. R. Mead
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Pistis Sophia
translated by G. S. R. Mead
It came to pass then, when Jesus had spoken
these words unto his disciples, that he said unto them: "This is the song of praise which Pistis Sophia uttered in her first repentance, repenting of her sin, and reciting all which had befallen her. Now, therefore: 'Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.'"
Mary again came forward and said: "My Lord, my indweller of light hath ears, and I hear with my light-power, and thy spirit which is with me, hath sobered me. Hearken then that I may speak concerning the repentance which Pistis Sophia hath uttered, speaking of |53. her sin and all that befell her. Thy light-power hath prophesied thereof aforetime through the prophet David in the sixty-eighth Psalm:
Mary interpreteth the first repentance from Psalm lxviii"'1. Save me, O God, for the waters are come in even unto my soul.
"'2. I sank, or am submerged, in the slime of the abyss, and power was not. I have gone-down into the depths of the sea; a tempest hath submerged me.
"'3. I have kept on crying; my throat is gone, my eyes faded, waiting patiently for God.
"'4. They who hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head; mighty are my foes, who violently pursued me. They required of me that which I took not from them.
"'5. God, thou hast known my foolishness, and my faults are not hid from thee.
"'6. Let not them that wait on thee, O Lord, Lord of powers, be ashamed for my sake; let not those who seek thee be ashamed for my sake, O Lord, God of Israel, God of powers.
"'7. For thy sake have I endured shame; shame hath covered my face.
"'8. I am become a stranger to my brethren, a stranger unto the sons of my mother.
"'9. For the zeal of thy house hath consumed me; the revilings of them that revile thee have fallen upon me.
"'10. I bowed my soul with fasting, and it was turned to my reproach.
"'11. I put on sackcloth; I became unto them a bye-word.
"'12. They who sit at the gates, chattered at me; and they who drink wine, harped about me.
"'13. But I prayed with my soul unto thee, |54. O Lord; the time of thy well-liking is [now], O God. In the fulness of thy grace give ear unto my salvation in truth.
"'14. Save me out of this slime, that I sink not therein; let me be saved from them that hate me, and from the deep of waters.
"'15. Let not a water-flood submerge me, let not the deep swallow me, let not a well close its mouth above me.
"'16. Hear me, O Lord, for thy grace is good; according to the fulness of thy compassion look down upon me.
"'17. Turn not thy face away from thy servant, for I am oppressed.
"'18. Hear me quickly, give heed to my soul and deliver it.
"'19. Save me because of my foes, for thou knowest my disgrace, my shame and my dishonour; all my oppressors are before thee.
"'20. My heart awaiteth disgrace and misery; I waited for him who should sorrow with me, but I could not come at him, and for him who should comfort me, and I found him not.
"'21. They gave me gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
"'22. Let their table be unto them for a trap and for a snare and for a retribution and for a stumbling-block.
"'23. Mayest thou bend their backs at all time.
"'24. Pour out thy anger upon them, and let the wrath of thy anger lay hold upon them.
"'25. Let their encampment be desolate, let there be no dweller in their habitations.
"'26. For they persecuted him whom thou hast smitten, and added to the smart of their woundings.
"'27. They added iniquity to their iniquities; let them not come into |55. thy righteousness.
"'28. Let them be wiped out of the book of the living, and let them not be written in among the righteous.
"'29. I am a poor wretch who is heart-broken too; it is the salvation of thy face which hath taken me unto itself.
"'30. I will praise the name of God in the ode, and exalt it in the song of thanksgiving.
"'31. This shall please God better than a young bull which putteth forth horns and hoofs.
"'32. May the wretched see and make merry; seek ye God, that your souls may live.
"'33. For God hath heard the wretched and despiseth not the prisoners.
"'34. Let heaven and earth praise the Lord, the sea and all that is therein.
"'35. For God will save Zion, and the cities of Judæa will be built up, and they will dwell there and inherit it.
"'36. The seed of his servants shall possess it, and they who love his name shall dwell therein.'"