The Book of the Vestment

Engraved in holiness and purity, filled with the secrets of wisdom, making known the outcomes of understanding.

It makes the humble wise, brightens the face, gladdens the heart, and teaches eloquent speech. It joins and refines the heart, becoming a healing for the body and a drink for the bones. It shines like a brilliant star, a light of strength and might, established for the world. It acts before its generation, delighting the mute from of old, the glory of His holy people on high. It is written in refined gold, flowing like a fountain of purity, established in the foundations of power, exalted above all deeds. It is more honorable than all pearls, more precious than all desires; gold and price cannot equal it, nor can it be valued with the gold of Ophir. There is no weight to its wisdom, no searching out its understanding, and no number to the words of its secrets. For God is the mouth of all who know it; those who honor it shall inherit honor. Everyone who searches into it will be like the worthy ones of the heights referring to angels or celestial beings. For all who read it, it is a tree of life to those who hold fast to it, and its guardians are preserved. Its honored ones shall inherit glory; those who find it find life. The wise who are able to grasp it are delivered from death, and their souls are filled from the pit. It strengthens their arm with the fear of the Lord, teaching prudent discipline, filling their hearts with intelligence, and drawing them toward the life of the World to Come. It increases their peace until the end of their deeds; their portion is in the Garden of Eden. For the living God is His treasure; the fear of the Lord fills all the earth with His glory. He established His throne in the heavens, yet the heavens and the highest heavens cannot contain Him. He inclined seven springs of the heights to saturate thousands upon thousands of His ministers and myriads upon myriads of His hosts, who are surrounded by flickering fire. Rivers of fire flow before Him; the mighty ones fear His majesty, and the foundations of the thresholds shake at His voice. His likeness is like the appearance of fire, His bow is like chrysolite and onyx, His arrows are swift as lightning. His throne is awesome like the sight of ice; His angels are girded with knots of flame, His wheels are sparks of fire. Power and dread are with Him; His word is fear and trembling. He is hidden from the eyes of all living, and eyes of fullness perhaps referring to the "eyes" on the wings of angels have not perceived Him. Clouds and thick darkness are around Him, and the Chashmal a mystical "electrum" or glowing substance described in Ezekiel's vision is His swaddling. He sits and dwells alone; hidden things are before Him in order, though they are concealed, and He brings deep things to light. He moves that which is hidden and reveals what is uncovered; things are not obscured from Him, and darkness does not darken Him. For the whole world is as nothing against Him; all ten referring to the ten spheres or emanations are by His will and desire. His word rules quickly, fulfilling His counsel; there is no one who can say to Him, "What are You doing?" and there is no reckoning with Him. The deposit of souls is in His hand; He humbles and exalts by His will. The sea flees before Him and from His rebuke; He dries up the depths, darkens the moon and sun, and dims all the stars. He moves mountains and they do not know it; He shakes the earth when He looks at it. Counsel and might belong to Him, and from Him come knowledge and understanding; He gives His wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who know understanding.

And it the wisdom or the book is in this holy book with seventy letters, and it was given to Michael, the Great Prince, who stands over the seven princes who minister before the face of the King, the King of kings. From him, the wisdom was given to Adam the first man at his beginning. With this wisdom, he became alert and called names for every beast, animal, fowl, creeping thing, and fish. In it, he prepared and engraved his wisdom regarding all that God created in the six days of Creation. Whenever he read from this book and mentioned its letters, his dread was cast upon the creatures, and all who saw him trembled before him. Thus, Adam understood that this book is truth, and all the holy letters in it are truth. He honored it greatly with all his strength, maintaining it in purity, secrecy, and humility. Thus he grew wise through the spirit of wisdom, understanding the "golden tongue." He refined it in fire multiple times and searched the letters of the holy book in purity and with grace at the "Point of the Rock" a mystical location, possibly related to the foundation of the world east of the Garden of Eden. For the earth was not able to contain its power; every place that Adam held it and read it would shake like a ship. If he mentioned it upon a mountain, it would melt like wax; if upon water, it would turn to ice; if upon fire, it would turn to dust. If he mentioned it against lions, leopards, bears, or any evil beasts, they would stand like mutes. If he mentioned it against a serpent or any creeping thing, it would silence them like a bird. If he spoke in the heavens and delivered this holy name with its letters and its holiness before the sun, the moon, and the constellations original: "Kesil" — the constellation Orion and all the luminaries of light, he would rule like a righteous man ruling in the fear of God. He also took dominion over the winds, demons, afflictions, and Satan, both male and female. If he mentioned it over a man or a woman, they would obey him according to his desire and will. If he mentioned it against a high tower or a fortified wall, it would fall to the ground suddenly. If he mentioned it against a fruit tree suddenly, it would fall before its time. In times of wrath, battle, or war, if he mentioned it, they would flee from before them. He knew every matter, and it was made known to him through this holy spirit—whether for death or life, whether for good or evil. Also, the four hours and moments, the times and the number of days, the investigation of the seasons, the calculation of the solstices and jubilees until the end of the world—from it he learned from one end to the other.

And when Seth his son stood, when he was ten years old, Adam trained him in its way and made him understand all the pure letters in this holy book. He told him all its mighty deeds, its power, and its wonders, and what had been done with him. He informed him that his name was established at the "Point of the Rock." He taught him that at the time he speaks with it, he must guard himself every day for six weeks of days. During them, he shall not eat any onion, garlic, or leeks original: "charpah" — likely a sharp herb or leek, nor any small spice, nor meat, nor anything that produces blood or any suffering. He would run to the ritual bath original: "rahatum" — a trough or flowing water source and wash in purity, once in the morning and once in the evening. He immersed him so that he would not behave with a haughty spirit or lightheadedness, but only with humility, fear, purity, and holiness; for such is the way of all who know it and are wise in its letters.

And after all this, Adam departed to his eternal home. Seth his son stood and held fast to it with all his strength, without turning right or left from anything he was commanded by Adam his father. For he too was wise, understanding, and knew intelligence and insight. From the wisdom of this holy book, the gates of wisdom and cunning were opened to him to understand between good and evil, to loathe evil and choose good. He saw that the early generations were following vanity and chaos and the work of their own hands. They began to call upon powers by the name of God, and they rebelled by carrying the burden of the "carried one" an obscure reference to idolatry or false gods. They did not know and did not understand, for they walked in darkness. Seth became wise through the secret of this book and through the letters of the Holy Name. All enemies and those who break boundaries were strengthened against him the text implies Seth used the book for protection. When the power of the Day the approaching flood or celestial judgment overflowed the whole world, he made a hollowed-out receptacle original: "glum qatum" — a sealed box or chest of ivory original: "nahav" and placed the book inside with all the chief spices. He hid it in a cave in the city called Enoch, which his brother Cain had built.