Discourse

engraved such knowledge original: Wissenschafft—here meaning the hidden science or art of alchemy into an emerald? This refers to the Tabula Smaragdina or Emerald Tablet, a foundational text of Hermeticism said to contain the secrets of the universe and the Great Work. Or whether Noah's sons found such a thing after the death of Hermes Hermes Trismegistus, and thus inherited the wisdom? Or whether the Egyptians—where Moses attended this school—or the Arabs were the inventors of this magic original: Magiæ—referring to the high art of natural philosophy and alchemy? Rather, he wished only to testify in a simple manner that without divine light—whether it be given immediately by God, or else taught mediately by a Hermetic Magus a master teacher of the Hermetic arts, or obtained through heartfelt prayer and diligent investigation of nature—it is impossible to obtain the secret.

Note. Not that the Tincture original: Tinctur—the potent substance or elixir used to transmute metals or heal the body would occur by chance, as the author of the Wonder-Matter original: Wunder-Materie—likely a reference to a specific alchemical treatise claims and wishes to persuade people; but rather because the created fire and light are so innumerably "clothed" meaning the spiritual essence is hidden deep within physical matter.

And granted, that even if a person were provided with manifold instruction, he would still neither grasp nor obtain the secret unless God gave the blessing and opened the inner understanding—which does not happen outside of Rebirth original: Wieder-Geburth—the spiritual transformation or "second birth" of the alchemist and without fervent invocation of God.