ፍትሐ ነገሥት (Law of the Kings — Legal Code of the Ethiopian Empire)

Fetha Nagast

In the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit,
One God, we begin with the
help of God, and I have composed it in
writing as a preface to the assembly
which the Liqawunt scholars/learned fathers gathered; may their
blessing be with us forever and
ever, Amen.
He who has no end said,
forever and ever, Amen. Concerning the other land,
the ancient testimonies of the
martyrs, King Constantine, and the 318 fathers
who were with him, he also
said to them: "I desire the kingdom,
for the path of the Christians
and the path of the world are
different, and the path of
Christ and his commandments are
true. He said, Love your
enemies and do
good to those who hate
you." This and
what resembles it, for this
commandment is the law of love;
it is the second...

this, that they may be patient,
and that they may forgive, and
be compassionate, and show kindness,
and do good to the children of men,
and manifest them in
their souls. 1 2 It is possible
for us to interpret this
commandment and to command
all who do [this], and he desired the preservation of
his time without perversion,
and he avenged the one who was brought
forth from his face. For
everyone who is perfect, it is fitting for him
to act so that it is ordered
for those who follow. And because of this,
our Lord established the law
for the one who precedes [it]; this
law is fitting to be established,
for there is nothing that is
more honorable than it. For it is
a law of perfection and completion,
for there is nothing that
is more honorable than the path of
mercy, and kindness, and the keeping of the
commandment of our Lord. All
hear, the word was answered
to Constantine [by the]
318 scholars; they prayed
a prayer to our Lord

Jesus Christ, to Him
be praise, while saying,
"O Lord, there is no
beginning to your primacy, and to
your end there is no
completion. For You are exalted
above the heavens,
and there is no foundation for your
throne, and there is no length or
width to your divinity;
your kingdom is a
kingdom of eternity, and
your judgment is for
generation after generation. O Lord,
grant all to Constantine,
the righteous, and
to his children, so that
he may rule over your people
in righteousness and for your needy
with justice." And this
psalm they prayed, those who...
its completion. And others
also prayed many prayers,
and petitioned, while
saying, "O Lord, do not
leave naked this
throne, behold, share with
it the power of your kingdom
so that it may bear fruit..."