| |
THE LITANY OF THE ANGELS
A
. the angels that minister to the Presence of
God1s Glory1 in that compartment of
heaven2 where abide [the beings who possess
(true)] knowledge.3 They fall4 before the
[cherubim and intone their blessings.5 While they are
soaring aloft,6 there sounds a murmur of angel voices
[ ],7 and the lifting of their wings is
accompanied by a clamor of joyous song. It is the murmur of angels
blessing the Chariot-like Throne8 above the firmament of
the cherubim,9 while they themselves, from be-low the
place where the Glory dwells, go acclaiming in joyous song the
[splendor of that radiant expanse (Whenever the wheels (of that
Chariot) are in motion,10 angels of sanctificafion11
dart to and fro12 all around it, between its
glorious wheels. Like fiery apparitions are they,18
spirits most holy, looking like streams of fire, in the
likeness of burnished metal14 or of lustrous ware; clothed
in garments opalescent, a riot of wondrous hues, a
diffusion(?)15 of brightness; live angelic
spirits,16constantly coming and going beside the glorious
wonderful Chariot.17 Amid all the noise of their progress
sounds also that murmured intonation of blessings, and whenever they
come round, they shout their holy hallelujahs.) When (the angels)
soar aloft, they soar in wondrous wise; and when they alight,18
they stay standing.19
Then the sound of the paean is hushed, and the murmur of angelic
benedictions pervades all the camps20 of those godly
beings. Anon, from the midst of their every contingent,21
they [give forth] a sound of praise, as, in
[holy] wor(ship), each of their several ranks22
breaks forth into joyous song, one after another, in their
several stations.23
B
4
Next, with seven words1 of nobility2 the
fourth of the arch-princes3 blesses4 in the
name of His5 kingly nobility all who have walked
uprightly; and with seven words of [ ] he blesses all who
have laid foundations for [nobility]; and with seven words of
vindication6 he blesses all those godly beings who have
upreared the structure of true knowledge;7 that they may
be blessed with His glorious mercy.
.
5
Next, with seven words of sublime truth the fifth of the
arch-princes blesses in the name of His mystical powers8
all who have [led lives of] purity; and with seven words of
[ ] he blesses all who have been eager to do His will; and
with seven words of majesty he blesses all who have acknowledged His
majesty;9 that they may be blessed with [ ]
majesty.
.
6
Next, with seven words of His mystical prowess the sixth of the
arch-princes blesses in the name of angelic prowess10 all
who have shown prowess of mind;11 and with seven mystical
words he blesses all whose way has been blameless;12 that
they may take their stand beside the beings eternal;13 and
(again) with seven mystical words he blesses all who have waited on
Him;14 that they may obtain in return15 the
mercy of His tender love.
7
(Finally,) with seven words of His mystical holiness the seventh
of the arch-princes blesses in the name of His holiness all the
saintly beings among those who have laid foundations for (true)
knowledge; and with seven mystical words he blesses all who have
avouched the sublimity of His judgments;16 that they may
be blessed with stout shields; and with seven words of [
]17 he blesses all who have enlisted in the cause of
righteousness,18 who have sung continually the praises of
His glorious kingdom;19 that they may be blessed with
peace.20
THEREUPON all the arch-princes (in concert) [acclaim the
praise of] the God of the angels, and all the [
|
|