The Nag Hammadi Library Las Enseñanzas de Sylvano
The Nag Hammadi Library Las Enseñanzas de Sylvano
The Nag Hammadi Library Las Enseñanzas de Sylvano
7.
8.
Listen, my son, to my advice! Do not show your back to enemies and flee, but
rather, pursue them as a strong one. Be not an animal, with men pursuing you; but
rather, be a man, with you pursuing the evil wild beasts, lest somehow they
become victorious over you and trample upon you as on a dead man, and you
perish due to their wickedness.
Oh wretched man, what will you do if you fall into their hands? Protect yourself,
lest you be delivered into the hands of your enemies. Entrust yourself to this pair of
friends, reason and mind, and no one will be victorious over you. May God dwell in
your camp, may his Spirit protect your gates, and may the mind of Divinity protect
the walls. Let holy reason become a torch in your mind, burning the wood which is
the whole of sin.
And if you do these things, O my son, you will be victorious over all your enemies,
and they will not be able to wage war against you, neither will they be able to
resist, nor will they be able to get in your way. For if you find these, you will
despise them as deniers of truth. They will speak to you, cajoling you and enticing
(you), not because they are afraid of you, but because they are afraid of those who
dwell within you, namely, the guardians of the divinity and the teaching.
My son, accept the education and the teaching. Do not flee from the education and
the teaching, but when you are taught, accept (it) with joy. And if you are educated
in any matter, do what is good. You will plait a crown of education by your guiding
principle. Put on the holy teaching like a robe. Make yourself noble-minded
through good conduct. Obtain the austerity of good discipline. Judge yourself like a
wise judge. Do not go astray from my teaching, and do not acquire ignorance, lest
you lead your people astray. Do not flee from the divine and the teaching which are
within you, for he who is teaching you loves you very much. For he shall bequeath
to you a worthy austerity. Cast out the animal nature which is within you, and do
not allow base thought to enter you. For ... you know the way which I teach.
10. If it is good to rule over the few, as you see it, how much better it is that you rule
over everyone, since you are exalted above every congregation and every people,
(are) prominent in every respect, and (are) a divine reason, having become master
over every power which kills the soul.
11. My son, does anyone want to be a slave? Why, then, do you trouble yourself
wrongly?
12. My son, do not fear anyone except God alone, the Exalted One. Cast the
deceitfulness of the Devil from you. Accept the light for your eyes, and cast the
darkness from you. Live in Christ, and you will acquire a treasure in heaven. Do
not become a sausage (made) of many things which are useless, and do not
become a guide in your blind ignorance.
throne of nescience. For while he is without reason, he leads only himself astray,
for he is guided by ignorance. And he goes the ways of the desire of every
passion. He swims in the desires of life and has sunk. To be sure, he thinks that he
finds profit when he does all the things which are without profit. The wretched man
who goes through all these things will die, because he does not have the mind, the
helmsman. But he is like a ship which the wind tosses to and fro, and like a loose
horse which has no rider. For this (man) needed the rider, which is reason. For the
wretched one went astray because he did not want advice. He was thrown to and
fro by these three misfortunes: he acquired death as a father, ignorance as a
mother, and evil counsels - he acquired them as friends and brothers. Therefore,
foolish one, you should mourn for yourself.
30. Accept Christ, who is able to set you free, and who has taken on the devices of
that one, so that through these he might destroy him by deceit. For this is the king
whom you have who is forever invincible, against whom no one will be able to fight
nor say a word. This is your king and your father, for there is no one like him. The
divine teacher is with you always. He is a helper, and he meets you because of the
good which is in you.
31. Do not put maliciousness in your judgment, for every malicious man harms his
heart. For only a foolish man is wont to his destruction, but a wise man knows his
way.
32. And a foolish man does not guard against speaking (a) mystery: A wise man
(however) does not blurt out every word, but he will be discriminating toward those
who hear. Do not mention everything in the presence of those whom you do not
know.
36. Live with Christ and he will save you. For he is the true light and the sun of life. For
just as the sun which is visible and makes light for the eyes of the flesh, so Christ
illuminates every mind and the heart. For (if) a wicked man (who is) in the body
(has) an evil death, how much more so (does) he who has his mind blind. For
every blind man goes along in such a way that he is seen just as one who does
not have his mind sane. He does not delight in acquiring the light of Christ, which
is reason.
37. For everything which is visible is a copy of that which is hidden. For as a fire which
burns in a place without being confined to it, so it is with the sun which is in the
sky, all of whose rays extend to places on the earth. Similarly, Christ has a single
being, and he gives light to every place. This is also the way in which he speaks of
our mind, as if it were a lamp which burns and lights up the place. (Being) in a part
of the soul, it gives light to all the parts.
38. Furthermore, I shall speak of what is more exalted than this: the mind, with respect
to actual being, is in a place, which means it is in the body; but with respect to
thought, the mind is not in a place. For how can it be in a place, when it
contemplates every place?
as ello es con el sol que est en el cielo, porque todas sus rayos se
extienden a lugares de la tierra. Del mismo modo, Cristo tiene un
solo ser, y alumbra a todos los lugares. Esta es tambin la forma en
la que el habla de nuestra mente, como si fuera una lmpara que
arde e ilumina el lugar. (Estando) en una parte del alma, para que
alumbre a todas las partes.
200. Por otra parte, voy a hablar de lo que es ms exaltado que
esto: la mente, con respecto a ser real, est en un lugar, lo que
significa que est en el cuerpo; pero con respecto al pensamiento, la
mente no est en un lugar. Porque, cmo puede estar en un lugar,
cuando se contempla cada lugar?
39. But we are able to mention what is more exalted than this: for do not think in your
heart that God exists in a place. If you localize the Lord of all in a place, then it is
fitting for you to say that the place is more exalted than he who dwells in it. For that
which contains is more exalted than that which is contained. For there is no place
which is called incorporeal. For it is not right for us to say that God is corporeal.
For the consequence (would be) that we (must) attribute both increase and
decrease to the corporeal, but also that he (God) who is subject to these will not
remain imperishable.
40. Now, it is not difficult to know the Creator of all creatures, but it is impossible to
comprehend the likeness of this One. For it is difficult not only for men to
comprehend God, but it is (also) difficult for every divine being, (both) the angels
and the archangels. It is necessary to know God as he is. You cannot know God
through anyone except Christ, who has the image of the Father, for this image
reveals the true likeness in correspondence to that which is revealed. A king is not
usually known apart from an image.
41. Consider these things about God: he is in every place; on the other hand, he is in
no place. With respect to power, to be sure, he is in every place; but with respect
to divinity, he is in no place. So then, it is possible to know God a little. With
respect to his power, he fills every place, but in the exaltation of his divinity, nothing
contains him. Everything is in God, but God is not in anything.
42. Now what is it to know God? God is all which is in the truth. But it is as impossible
to look at Christ as at the sun. God sees everyone; no one looks at him. But Christ,
without being jealous, receives and gives. He is the Light of the Father, as he gives
light without being jealous. In this manner he gives light to every place.
43. And all is Christ, he who has inherited all from the Existent One. For Christ is the
idea of incorruptibility, and he is the Light which is shining undefiled. For the sun
(shines) on every impure place, and yet it is not defiled. So it is with Christ: even if
he is in the deficiency, yet he is without deficiency. And even if he has been
begotten, he is (still) unbegotten. So it is with Christ: if, on the one hand, he is
comprehensible, on the other, he is incomprehensible with respect to his actual
being. Christ is all. He who does not possess all is unable to know Christ.
44. My son, do not dare to say a word about this One, and do not confine the God of
all to mental images. For he who condemns may not be condemned by the one
who condemns. Indeed, it is good to ask and to know who God is. Reason and
mind are male names. Indeed, let him who wishes to know about this One, quietly
and reverently ask. For there is no small danger in speaking about these things,
since you know that you will be judged on the basis of everything that you say.
things, you may understand how you will escape. For many are seeking in
darkness, and they grope about, wishing to understand, since there is no light for
them.
46. My son, do not allow your mind to stare downward, but rather, let it look by means
of the light at things above. For the light will always come from above. Even if it
(the mind) is upon the earth, let it seek to pursue the things above. Enlighten your
mind with the light of heaven, so that you may turn to the light of heaven.
47. Do not tire of knocking on the door of reason, and do not cease walking in the way
of Christ. Walk in it so that you may receive rest from your labors. If you walk in
another way, there will be no profit in it. For also those who walk in the broad way
will go down at their end to the perdition of the mire. For the Underworld is open
wide for the soul, and the place of perdition is broad. Accept Christ, the narrow
way. For he is oppressed and bears affliction for your sin.
48. O soul, persistent one, in what ignorance you exist! For who is your guide into the
darkness? How many likenesses did Christ take on because of you! Although he
was God, he was found among men as a man. He descended to the Underworld.
He released the children of death. They were in travail, as the scripture of God has
said. And he sealed up the (very) heart of it (the Underworld). And he broke its (the
Underworld's) strong bows completely. And when all the powers had seen him,
they fled, so that he might bring you, wretched one, up from the Abyss, and might
die for you as a ransom for your sin. He saved you from the strong hand of the
Underworld.
49. But you, yourself, difficult (though it be) give to him your fundamental assent with
(even so much as) a hint that he may take you up with joy! Now the fundamental
choice, which is humility of heart, is the gift of Christ. A contrite heart is the
acceptable sacrifice. If you humble yourself, you will be greatly exalted; and if you
exalt yourself, you will be exceedingly humbled.
50. My son, guard yourself against wickedness, and do not let the Spirit of
Wickedness cast you down into the Abyss. For he is mad and bitter. He is
terrifying, and he casts everyone down into a pit of mire.
54. Light the light within you. Do not extinguish it! Certainly, no one lights a lamp for
wild beasts or their young. Raise your dead who have died, for they lived and have
died for you. Give them life. They shall live again!
55. For the Tree of Life is Christ. He is Wisdom. For he is Wisdom; he is also the
Word. he is the Life, the Power, and the Door. He is the Light, the Angel, and the
Good Shepherd. Entrust yourself to this one who became all for your sake.
56. Knock on yourself as upon a door, and walk upon yourself as on a straight road.
For if you walk on the road, it is impossible for you to go astray. And if you knock
with this one (Wisdom), you knock on hidden treasures.
57. For since he (Christ) is Wisdom, he makes the foolish man wise. He (Wisdom) is a
holy kingdom and a shining robe. For it (Wisdom) is much gold, which gives you
great honor. The Wisdom of God became a type of fool for you, so that it might
take you up, O foolish one, and make you a wise man. And the Life died for you
when he was powerless, so that through his death, he might give life to you who
have died.
58. Entrust yourself to reason and remove yourself from animalism. For the animal
which has no reason is made manifest. For many think that they have reason, but
if you look at them attentively, their speech is animalistic.
59. Give yourself gladness from the true vine of Christ. Satisfy yourself with the true
wine, in which there is no drunkenness nor error. For it (the true wine) marks the
end of drinking, since there is usually in it what gives joy to the soul and the mind,
through the Spirit of God. But first, nurture your reasoning powers before you drink
of it (the true wine).
tumba. Dejar de ser una tumba, y llegar a ser (de nuevo) un templo,
para que la rectitud y la divinidad pueden permanecer en ti.
216. Ilumina la luz dentro de ti. No la extingas! Ciertamente, nadie
enciende una lmpara para las bestias salvajes o sus cras. Levante
su muertos que han muerto, porque ellos vivieron y murieron por ti.
Dales vida. Ellos vivirn otra vez!
217. Porque el rbol de la Vida es Cristo. l es la Sabidura. Porque
l es Sabidura; tambin es la Palabra. l es la Vida, el Poder, y la
Puerta. l es la Luz, el ngel, y el Buen Pastor. Entrgate a ste que
hizo todo por tu bien.
218. Golpea en t mismo como en una puerta, y camina sobre ti
mismo como en una carretera recta. Porque si usted camina en el
camino, es imposible que vayas por mal camino. Y si tu golpeas con
sta (Sabidura), llamas a tesoros escondidos.
219. Pues ya que l (Cristo) es la Sabidura, que hace que el hombre
tonto, sabio. l (Sabidura) es un reino santo y una tnica brillante.
Pues ella (Sabidura) es mucho oro, que te da gran honor. La
Sabidura de Dios se convirti en una especie de tonto para ti, as
que puede ser que te levante, oh necio, y hacerte un hombre sabio.
Y la vida muri para ti cuando l era impotente, as que a travs de
su muerte, el podra darle vida a ustedes que han muerto.
220. Entrgate a la razn y da de baja de la animalidad. Pues el
animal que no tiene ninguna razn se manifiesta. Porque muchos
piensan que tienen razn, pero si nos fijamos en ellos con atencin,
su discurso es bestial o animalistico.
221. Dse el placer del verdadero vino de Cristo. Satisfagase a s
mismo con el verdadero vino, en la que no hay ni la embriaguez ni
el error. Porque este (el verdadero vino) marca el final de la bebida,
ya que por lo general hay en ella lo que da alegra al alma y la
mente, a travs del Espritu de Dios. Pero primero, nutre tus poderes
de razonamiento antes de beber de ello (el verdadero vino).
60. Do not pierce yourself with the sword of sin. Do not burn yourself, O wretched one,
with the fire of lust. Do not surrender yourself to barbarians like a prisoner, nor to
savage beasts which want to trample upon you. For they are as lions which roar
very loudly. Be not dead lest they trample upon you. You shall be man! It is
possible for you through reasoning to conquer them.
61. But the man who does nothing is unworthy of (being called) rational man. The
rational man is he who fears God. He who fears God does nothing insolent. And
he who guards himself against doing anything insolent is one who keeps his
guiding principle. Although he is a man who exists on earth, he makes himself like
God.
62. But he who makes himself like God is one who does nothing unworthy of God,
according to the statement of Paul, who has become like Christ.
63. For who shows reverence for God while not wanting to do things which are
pleasing to him? For piety is that which is from the heart, and piety from the heart
(characterizes) every soul which is near to God.
64. The soul which is a member of God's household is one which is kept pure, and the
soul which has put on Christ is one which is pure. It is impossible for it to sin. Now
where Christ is, there sin is idle.
65. Let Christ alone enter your world, and let him bring to naught all powers which
have come upon you. Let him enter the temple which is within you, so that he may
cast out all the merchants. Let him dwell in the temple which is within you, and
may you become for him a priest and a Levite, entering in purity.
66. Blessed are you, O soul, if you find this one in your temple.
Blessed are you still more if you perform his service.
But he who will defile the temple of God, that one God will destroy. For you lay
yourself open, O man, if you cast this one out of your temple. For whenever the
enemies do not see Christ in you, then they will come into you armed in order to
crush you.
67. O my son, I have given you orders concerning these things many times so that you
would always guard your soul. It is not you who will cast him (Christ) out, but he
will cast you out. For if you flee from him, you will fall into great sin. Again, if you
flee from him, you will become food for your enemies. For all base persons flee
from their lord, and the (man) base in virtue and wisdom flees from Christ. For
every man who is separated (from him) falls into the claws of wild beasts.
68. Know who Christ is, and acquire him as a friend, for this is the friend who is
faithful. He is also God and Teacher. This one, being God, became man for your
sake. It is this one who broke the iron bars of the Underworld, and the bronze
bolts. It is this one who attacked and cast down every haughty tyrant. It is he who
loosened from himself the chains of which he had taken hold. He brought up the
poor from the Abyss and the mourners from the Underworld. It is he who humbled
the haughty powers; he who put to shame haughtiness through humility; he who
has cast down the strong and the boaster through weakness; he who, in his
contempt, scorned that which is considered an honor, so that humility for God's
sake might be highly exalted; (and) he who has put on humanity.
69. And yet, the divine Word is God, he who bears patiently with man always. He
wished to produce humility in the exalted. He (Christ), who has exalted man
became like God, not in order that he might bring God down to man, but that man
might become like God.
70. O this great goodness of God! O Christ, King, who has revealed to men the Great
Divinity, King of every virtue and King of life, King of ages and Great One of the
heavens, hear my words and forgive me!
71. Furthermore, he manifested a great zeal for Divinity.
72. Where is a man (who is) wise or powerful in intelligence, or a man whose devices
are many because he knows wisdom? Let him speak wisdom; let him utter great
boasting! For every man has become a fool and has spoken out of his (own)
knowledge. For he (Christ) confounded the counsels of guileful people, and he
prevailed over those wise in their own understanding.
73. Who will be able to discover the counsel of the Almighty, or to speak of the Divinity,
or to proclaim it correctly? If we have not even been able to understand the
counsels of our companions, who will be able to comprehend the Divinity, or the
divinities of the heavens? If we scarcely find things on earth, who will search for
the things of heaven? A great power and great glory has made the world known.
74. And the Life of Heaven wishes to renew all, that he may cast out that which is
weak, and every black form, that everyone may shine forth in heavenly garments
in order to make manifest the command of the Father (who) is exceedingly brilliant,
and that he (Christ) may crown those wishing to contend well. Christ, being judge
of the contest, is he who crowned every one, teaching every one to contend. This
one who contended first received the crown, gained dominion, and appeared,
giving light to everyone. And all were made new through the Holy Spirit and the
Mind.
75. O Lord Almighty, how much glory shall I give Thee? No one has been able to
glorify God adequately. It is Thou who hast given glory to Thy Word in order to
save everyone, O Merciful God. (It is) he who has come from Thy mouth and has
risen from Thy heart, the First-born, the Wisdom, the Prototype, the First Light.
76. For he is light from the power of God, and he is an emanation of the pure glory of
the Almighty. He is the spotless mirror of the working of God, and he is the image
of his goodness. For he is also the light of the Eternal Light. He is the eye which
looks at the invisible Father, always serving and forming by the Father's will. He
alone was begotten by the Father's good pleasure. For he is an incomprehensible
Word, and he is Wisdom and Life. He gives life to, and nourishes, all living things
and powers. Just as the soul gives life to all the members, he rules all with power
and gives life to them. For he is the beginning and the end of everyone, watching
over all and encompassing them. He is troubled on behalf of everyone, and he
rejoices and also mourns. On the one hand, he mourns for those who have gotten
as their lot the place of punishment; on the other, he is troubled about every one
whom he arduously brings to instruction. But he rejoices over everyone who is in
purity.
89. My son, first purify yourself toward the outward life, in order that you may be able
to purify the inward.
90. And be not as the merchants of the Word of God.
91. Put all words to the test before you utter them.
92. Do not wish to acquire honors which are insecure, nor the boastfulness which
brings you to ruin.
93. Accept the wisdom of Christ, (who is) patient and mild, and guard this, O my son,
knowing that God's way is always profitable.