“Let us create Adam that he’ may be king of the world,”
when he had thus spoken to them, they all conferred’ together:
“We shall tell him that we want to create Adam and Eve, because he belongs to us.”
They said to him:
“Come now, we will create Adam and Eve, the head of the whole family.”
When the planets spoke thus to him Ptahil was grieved in his heart and said:
“If I by myself create Adam and Eve, the head of the whole family, what will Adam then do in the world?”
Ptahil-Uthra spoke to the planets’ and said:
“What do we con-fide and rely on, and what is our au-thority in the world?”
Ptahil answered and said to them:
“You shall be his guardians and’ render him full service.”
They created Adam and laid him down but there was no soul in him.
When they created Adam they were unable to cast a soul into him.
They appealed to the ether wind, that it might hollow out his bones.
That it might hollow out his bones, and marrow be formed in them.
That marrow be formed in them, that he might become strong and stand on his feet.
They summoned the splendor of the’ living’ fire, that it might illuminate his raiment.
That it might illuminate his raiment, and he become strong and stand on his feet.
They summoned the vapors of the streams and the fumes of the consuming fire that they might enter into his trunk.
That he might clench his fists and beat with his wings [arms].
That he might make a noise in anger and shake himself, and that he might become strong and stand on his feet.
The Planets gave utterance and spoke to Ptahil:
“Grant us, that we may cast into him some of the spirit (ruha) which you brought with you from thy father’s house.”
All the planets exerted themselves, and the lord of the world ) exerted himself.
Despite their exertions, they could not set him on his feet.
Ptahil went in his illumination and ascended to the Place of Light.
He entered the presence of the “father of the uthras,” and his father said to him:
“What have you accomplished?”
He answered him:
“Everything that I formerly made has been successful, but my counterpart and yours has not been successful”
The “father of the uthras” raised himself up, went forth, and hastened to the secret place.
He fetched the great Mana, that he might illuminate, that he might illuminate at corruptible things; that he might illuminate the coat of the body ) of every type and variety.
He wrapped him in his pure turban under invocation of the name, which the Life gave to him.
He grasped him by the ends of his turban, brought him hither, and gave him to Ptahil his son.
When he had given him to Ptahil-Uthra the Life summoned the helpers.
He summoned Hibil, Sitil, and Anos, the uthras, who are outstanding and without defect.
He summoned them and gave them their orders, and issued warnings to them concerning the souls.
He said to them:
“You, be a guardian over them, so that all the worlds may know nothing shout them.
Let not the wicked Ptahil know how the soul falls into the body,
How the soul falls into the body and how the blood speaks in it.
How the blood in it speaks and how the channels [veins] permeate it.
The supporter of Adakas-Mana, let him be its protector.
When Adam is clothed in the radiance of life, shows stability and stands on his feet,
When he speaks with a pure mouth you restore him to his place once more.
Restore him to his place once more and protect him against all and sundry.”
Ptahil enveloped him in his pure turban, he wrapped him in his garment.
The uthra hastens and goes down and his helpers go down with him.
His helpers, who go down with him, are men who have been set in charge of souls.
When they reached the Tibil and the bodily trunk when Ptahil wanted to cast it into the trunk, I, Manda d’Haiye, took it out of his pocket.
While Ptahil lifted Adam up it was I who raised up his bones.
While he laid his hands on him, it was I who made him breathe the breath of life.
His body filled with marrow, and the radiance of the Life spoke in him.
When the radiance of the Life spoke in him, he opened his eyes in the bodily trunk.
When the radiance of the Life spoke in him, Adakas-Ziwa ascended to his place.
I made him ascend to his place, to the house of the Mighty Life to the place where the Great Life is enthroned.
I committed him to the charge of the treasurers, the uthras who take care of the jordans.
The Life thanked the uthra who had brought the soul.
The Great Life summoned me and commanded me he said to me:
“Go down, bestow a sublime call. Bestow a sublime call so that the wicked may learn nothing of the soul.”
I came and found the wicked, all of them, as they sit there.
As they sit there, and discharge witchcraft over the soul.
Over it they discharge witchcraft, and the wicked desire to chop the soul into single pieces.
As for me, when I beheld it I shone forth in my pure raiment.
I appeared to the worlds in my abundant radiance, which my father had given me.
I appeared to Ptahil-Uthra, who then howled and lamented.
He howled and lamented, because of what he had done.
I appeared to Ruha the seductress who seduces all the worlds.
I showed her the great mystery, by which rebels are subdued.
I showed her the great mystery yet she remained blind and did not see it.
I showed her a second mystery, then I put a camel’s bridle on her.
I showed her a third mystery and split her head open with a blow.
When they saw me, they were all afraid and declared themselves guilty, -the Seven declared themselves guilty.
They declared themselves guilty, fell down headlong, and tumbled on their faces.
They fell down headlong and tumbled on their faces, they put their hands before their faces.
And they said:
“Our master! We have erred and sinned, forgive us all our sins.”
However, when the wicked said this, I made a breach in their phalanx.
I adjured them by the Great Mystery, that they should do no wrong against the soul.
I concealed myself before the souls, I restrained myself:
I took on a bodily form.
I took on a bodily form and told myself I would not frighten the soul.
I would not frighten the soul and it would not be alarmed in its garment.
I assumed bodily for it’s sake and sat down beside it in splendor.
I spread the radiance of the great Mana over it of which Adam had been planted.
I sat beside him and instructed him in that with which the Life charged me.
I sang hymns to him in a sublime voice, more sublime and luminous than all the worlds.
I sang hymns to him in a soft voice and roused his heart from sleep.
I spoke to him in the speech of the uthras and taught him my wisdom.
I taught him from my wisdom and said to him that I should arise and prostrate himself and praise the Mighty Life.
That he should praise the lofty place the abode which the good sit.
That he should praise Adakas-Ziwa, the Father from whom he came Into being.
As I sat there and gave him instruction, he rose up, bowed down, and praised the Mighty Life.
He praised his father Adakas-Ziwa, the Mana, by whom he bud been planted.
When he bowed down and-praised his father, the uthra he appeared to him out of the secret place.
When he beheld his father, the uthra, he was filled with the most sublime praises.
He sang hymns in a loud voice and overturned the planets.
He overturned the planets and overturned the lord of the world.
He disowned the sons of the house (this world) and all the deeds that they had done.
He bore witness to the name of the Life and the uthra who had let him hear his voice.
He disowned the works ) of the Tibil and raised his eyes to the Place of Light.
When he did this, the “uthra of life” was full of kindness towards him.
He was full of kindness towards him and commanded a building to be erected for him.
He commanded a building to be erected for him and commanded a planting to be planted for him.
He commanded a jordan to be prepared for him so that, when his measure was foil, he might make him ascend and be set in his building.
That he might set him up in the Place of Light with his father Adakas-Ziwa and make him an uthra in the Place of Light.
(Ox-ford: (Word University Press, 1974),
