Hermes: learning the meanings of realities

O Hurmuz! We hope that in the divine school you will be engaged, like Hermes, in learning the meanings of realities.

O my kind friend! They call Hermes "thrice great", and say he combined prophethood, wisdom and bounty together, and was confirmed and assisted with these three gifts. That was the Hermes of ancient times.

Furthermore, the objection of some to the words of the philosopher was without proof, for they understood not the speaker's intent. In truth, one cannot be content with the outward meaning of words and rise up in derision, except in the case of those who openly profess unbelief and idolatry, whose words admit of no interpretation. The philosophers have been and are of different schools. Some derived their statements from the Books of the Prophets. The first to study philosophy was Idris, hence he was named thus, and he was also called Hermes. In every tongue he has a name, and in every branch of wisdom he gave sufficient and complete explanations. After him, Balinus extracted certain sciences from the Hermetic tablets, and most philosophers derived their scientific and philosophical arts from his words and explanations. In any case, this philosopher's statement is susceptible to both praiseworthy and limited interpretations. Some of the mature ones, to safeguard God's Cause, have outwardly rejected it, but this imprisoned servant mentioneth naught but good.

It is said that Jesus, the Spirit of God and His Word, stated that it exists. When asked what it is, he said: "The Word of God." People were divided between religious law and wisdom concerning it, for he said "He who has no sword, let him buy one," and added nothing more to that. And Balinas the Wise mentioned this when describing the inscription on the tablet in Hermes' hand, saying with absolute certainty that the higher comes from the lower and the lower from the higher, performing wonders from the One, just as all things came from One - its father is the Sun and its mother is the Moon. He also said that the subtle is more noble than the gross, the Light of Lights through the Power of Powers ascends from earth to heaven, then descends becoming master over earth and heaven, the higher and the lower. Know that God, blessed and exalted, took a line and split it lengthwise, then turned one around the other, thus creating the world. The line is formed from the point when moved - understand what we say.

This man hath said: 'I am Balinus, the wise one, the performer of wonders, the producer of talismans.' He surpassed everyone else in the diffusion of arts and sciences and soared unto the loftiest heights of humility and supplication. Give ear unto that which he hath said, entreating the  148  All-Possessing, the Most Exalted: 'I stand in the presence of my Lord, extolling His gifts and bounties and praising Him with that wherewith He praiseth His Own Self, that I may become a source of blessing and guidance unto such men as acknowledge my words.' And further he saith: 'O Lord! Thou art God and no God is there but Thee. Thou art the Creator and no creator is there except Thee. Assist me by Thy grace and strengthen me. My heart is seized with alarm, my limbs tremble, I have lost my reason and my mind hath failed me. Bestow upon me strength and enable my tongue to speak forth with wisdom.' And still further he saith: 'Thou art in truth the Knowing, the Wise, the Powerful, the Compassionate.' It was this man of wisdom who became informed of the mysteries of creation and discerned the subtleties which lie enshrined in the Hermetic writings.