Inner Garden Emerald Tablet

Emerald Tablet

by Moreh

Title in English:	The Emerald Tablet
Original or alternative title:	Tabula Smaragdina, Smaragdine Table
Date:	~600 C.E.
Author:	Hermes Trismegistus
Referring to the following MS:	n.a.
Translated or transcribed by:	a.o. Isaac Newton
Comments:	Following Balinas, an early version of the Emerald Tablet appeared in Kitab Ustuqus al-Uss al-Thani (Second Book of the Elements of Foundation) attributed to Jabir ibn Hayyan. The Smaragdine Tablet was first translated into Latin in the twelfth century by Hugo von Santalla. The text is also in an enlarged thirteenth century edition of Secretum Secretorum (also known as Kitab Sirr al-Asrar).
Relevant links (from archive.org):	www.sofiatopia.org/equiaeon/emerald.htm www.abardoncompanion.de/EmeraldTablet.html

Newton's translation

A translation by Isaac Newton (~1680 C.E.) is found among his alchemical papers that are currently housed in King's College Library, Cambridge University.

Tis true without lying, certain & most true.
That which is below is like that which is above & that which is above is like that which is below to do the miracles of one only thing
And as all things have been & arose from one by the mediation of one: so all things have their birth from this one thing by adaptation.
The Sun is its father, the moon its mother, the wind hath carried it in its belly, the earth is its nurse.
The father of all perfection in the whole world is here.
Its force or power is entire if it be converted into earth.
Separate thou the earth from the fire, the subtle from the gross sweetly with great industry.
It ascends from the earth to the heaven & again it descends to the earth & receives the force of things superior & inferior.
By this means you shall have the glory of the whole world
& thereby all obscurity shall fly from you.
Its force is above all force. For it vanquishes every subtle thing & penetrates every solid thing.
So was the world created.
From this are & do come admirable adaptations whereof the means (or process) is here in this. Hence I am called Hermes Trismegist, having the three parts of the philosophy of the whole world
That which I have said of the operation of the Sun is accomplished & ended.

Jabir ibn Hayyan

Taken from "The Emerald Table" by Holmyard, E.J., in Nature, 1923, p.562

Balinas mentions the engraving on the table in the hand of Hermes, which says:

ruth! Certainty! That in which there is no doubt!
That which is above is from that which is below, and that which is below is from that which is above, working the miracles of one.
As all things were from one.
Its father is the Sun and its mother the Moon.
The Earth carried it in her belly,
Tand the Wind nourished it in her belly,
as Earth which shall become Fire. Feed the Earth from that which is subtle, with the greatest power.
It ascends from the earth to the heaven
and becomes ruler over that which is above and that which is below.
And I have already explained the meaning of the whole of this in two of these books of mine.

Another Arabic Version (from the German of Ruska, translated by 'Anonymous') is as follows:

Here is that which the priest Sagijus of Nabulus has dictated concerning the entrance of Balinas into the hidden chamber... After my entrance into the chamber, where the talisman was set up, I came up to an old man sitting on a golden throne, who was holding an emerald table in one hand. And behold the following - in Syriac, the primordial language- was written thereon:

Here (is) a true explanation, concerning which there can be no doubt.
It attests: The above from the below, and the below from the above -the work of the miracle of the One.
And things have been from this primal substance through a single act. How wonderful is this work! It is the main (principle) of the world and is its maintainer.
Its father is the sun and its mother the moon;
The wind has borne it in its body, and the earth has nourished it.
the father of talismen and the protector of miracles, whose powers are perfect, and whose lights are confirmed,
a fire that becomes earth, separate the earth from the fire, so you will attain the subtle as more inherent than the gross, with care and sagacity.
It rises from earth to heaven, so as to draw the lights of the heights to itself, and descends to the earth; thus within it are the forces of the above and the below;
because the light of lights within it, thus does the darkness flee before it.
The force of forces, which overcomes every subtle thing and penetrates into everything gross.
The structure of the microcosm is in accordance with the structure of the macrocosm.
And accordingly proceed the knowledgeable.
And to this aspired Hermes, who was threefold graced with wisdom.
And this is his last book, which he concealed in the chamber.

Latin version

A 12th Century Latin version translated into English by Steele and Singer, The Emerald Table", 1928, p.492, is as follows

When I entered into the cave, I received the tablet zaradi, which was inscribed, from between the hands of Hermes, in which I discovered these words:

True, without falsehood, certain, most certain.
What is above is like what is below, and what is below is like that which is above. To make the miracle of the one thing.
And as all things were made from contemplation of one, so all things were born from one adaptation.
Its father is the Sun, its mother is the Moon.
The wind carried it in its womb, the earth breast fed it.
It is the father of all 'works of wonder' (Telesmi) in the world. Its power is complete (integra).
If cast to (turned towards- versa fuerit) earth, it will separate earth from fire, the subtile from the gross.
With great capacity it ascends from earth to heaven. Again it descends to earth, and takes back the power of the above and the below.
Thus you will receive the glory of the distinctiveness of the world. All obscurity will flee from you.
This is the whole most strong strength of all strength, for it overcomes all subtle things, and penetrates all solid things.
Thus was the world created.
From this comes marvelous adaptions of which this is the proceedure.
Therefore I am called Hermes, because I have three parts of the wisdom of the whole world.
And complete is what I had to say about the work of the Sun, from the book of Galieni Alfachimi.

A latin 'original' of the Emerald Tablet, from De Alchimia, Chrysogonus Polydorus, Nuremberg 1541:

Verum, sine mendacio, certum et verissimum:
Quod est inferius est sicut quod est superius, et quod est superius est sicut quod est inferius, ad perpetranda miracula rei unius.
Et sicut res omnes fuerunt ab uno, meditatione unius, sic omnes res natae ab hac una re, adaptatione.
Pater eius est Sol. Mater eius est Luna, portavit illud Ventus in ventre suo, nutrix eius terra est.
ater omnis telesmi[12] totius mundi est hic.
Virtus eius integra est si versa fuerit in terram.
Separabis terram ab igne, subtile ab spisso, suaviter, magno cum ingenio.
Ascendit a terra in coelum, iterumque descendit in terram, et recipit vim superiorum et inferiorum.
Sic habebis Gloriam totius mundi.
Ideo fugiet a te omnis obscuritas.
Haec est totius fortitudinis fortitudo fortis, quia vincet omnem rem subtilem, omnemque solidam penetrabit.
Sic mundus creatus est.
Hinc erunt adaptationes mirabiles, quarum modus est hic. Itaque vocatus sum Hermes Trismegistus, habens tres partes philosophiae totius mundi.
Completum est quod dixi de operatione Solis.

Georgio Beato

Translation from Aurelium Occultae Philosophorum, by Davis' "The Emerald Tablet of Hermes Tristmegistus: Three Latin versions which were current among later Alchemists", Journal of Chemical Education, Vol.3, no.8, 1926, p.874:

This is true and remote from all cover of falsehood
Whatever is below is similar to that which is above. Through this the marvels of the work of one thing are procured and perfected.
Also, as all things are made from one, by the condsideration of one, so all things were made from this one, by conjunction.
The father of it is the sun, the mother the moon.
The wind bore it in the womb. Its nurse is the earth, the mother of all perfection.
Its power is perfected.
If it is turned into earth, separate the earth from the fire, the subtle and thin from the crude and course, prudently, with modesty and wisdom.
This ascends from the earth into the sky and again descends from the sky to the earth, and receives the power and efficacy of things above and of things below.
By this means you will acquire the glory of the whole world, and so you will drive away all shadows and blindness.
For this by its fortitude snatches the palm from all other fortitude and power. For it is able to penetrate and subdue everything subtle and everything crude and hard.
By this means the world was founded
and hence the marvelous cojunctions of it and admirable effects, since this is the way by which these marvels may be brought about.
And because of this they have called me Hermes Tristmegistus since I have the three parts of the wisdom and Philsosphy of the whole universe.
My speech is finished which i have spoken concerning the solar work.

Phoenician version

Translation from Kriegsmann, alledgedly from the Phoenician:

I speak truly, not falsely, certainly and most truly
These things below with those above and those with these join forces again so that they produce a single thing the most wonderful of all.
And as the whole universe was brought forth from one by the word of one GOD, so also all things are regenerated perpetually from this one according to the disposition of Nature.
It has the Sun for father and the Moon for mother:
it is carried by the air as if in a womb, it is nursed by the earth.
It is the cause, this, of all perfection of all things throughout the universe.
This will attain the highest perfection of powers if it shall be reduced into earth.
Distribute here the earth and there the fire, thin out the density of this the suavest (suavissima) thing of all.
Ascend with the greatest sagacity of genius from the earth into the sky, and thence descend again to the earth, and recognise that the forces of things above and of things below are one, so as to posses the glory of the whole world- and beyond this man of abject fate may have nothing further.
This thing itself presently comes forth stronger by reasons of this fortitude: it subdues all bodies surely, whether tenuous or solid, by penetrating them.
And so everything whatsoever that the world contains was created.
Hence admirable works are accomplished which are instituted (carried out- instituuntur) according to the same mode.
To me therefor the name of Hermes Trismegistus has been awarded because I am discovered as the Teacher of the three parts of the wisdom of the world.
These then are the considerations which I have concluded ought to be written down concerning the readiest operations of the Chymic art.

Chaldean version

From Sigismund Bacstrom (allegedly translated from Chaldean)

The Secret Works of CHIRAM ONE in essence, but three in aspect.

It is true, no lie, certain and to be depended upon,
the superior agrees with the inferior, and the inferior agrees with the superior, to effect that one truly wonderful work.
As all things owe their existence to the will of the only one, so all things owe their origin to the one only thing, the most hidden by the arrangement of the only God.
The father of that one only thing is the sun its mother is the moon, the wind carries it in its belly; but its nourse is a spirituous earth.
That one only thing is the father of all things in the Universe.
Its power is perfect, after it has been united with a spirituous earth.
Separate that spirituous earth from the dense or crude by means of a gentle heat, with much attention.
In great measure it ascends from the earth up to heaven, and descends again, newborn, on the earth, and the superior and the inferior are increased in power.
By this wilt thou partake of the honours of the whole world. And Darkness will fly from thee.
This is the strength of all powers. With this thou wilt be able to overcome all things and transmute all what is fine and what is coarse.
In this manner the world was created;
the arrangements to follow this road are hidden.
For this reason I am called Chiram Telat Mechasot, one in essence, but three in aspect. In this trinity is hidden the wisdom of the whole world.
It is ended now, what I have said concerning the effects of the sun. Finish of the Tabula Smaragdina.

Madame Blavatsky

From "Isis Unveiled", H.P. Blavatsky, 1972, p. 507-514:

What is below is like that which is above, and what is above is similar to that which is below to accomplish the wonders of the one thing.
As all things were produced by the mediation of one being, so all things were produced from this one by adaption.
Its father is the sun, its mother the moon.
It is the cause of all perfection throughout the whole earth.
Its power is perfect if it is changed into earth.
Separate the earth from the fire, the subtile from the gross, acting prudently and with judgement.
Ascend with the greatest sagacity from earth to heaven, and unite together the power of things inferior and superior;
thus you will possess the light of the whole world, and all obscurity will fly away from you.
This thing has more fortitude than fortitude itself, because it will overcome every subtile thing and penetrate every solid thing.
By it the world was formed.

Fulcanelli

Taken from "Alchemists and Gold", by J. Sadoul, 1972, p. 25,26:

This is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth:-
As below, so above; and as above so below. With this knowledge alone you may work miracles.
And since all things exist in and eminate from the ONE Who is the ultimate Cause, so all things are born after their kind from this ONE.
The Sun is the father, the Moon the mother;
the wind carried it in his belly. Earth is its nurse and its guardian.
It is the Father of all things, the eternal Will is contained in it.
Here, on earth, its strength, its power remain one and undivded. Earth must be separated from fire, the subtle from the dense, gently with unremitting care.
It arises from the earth and descends from heaven; it gathers to itself the strength of things above and things below.
By means of this one thing all the glory of the world shall be yours and all obscurity flee from you.
It is power, strong with the strength of all power, for it will penetrate all mysteries and dispel all ignorance.
By it the world was created.
From it are born manifold wonders, the means to achieving which are here given
It is for this reason that I am called Hermes Trismegistus; for I possess the three essentials of the philosophy of the universe.
This is is the sum total of the work of the Sun.

Idres Shah

From "The Sufis", Idres Shah, 1977, p. 198:

The truth, certainty, truest, without untruth.
What is above is like what is below. What is below is like what is above. The miracle of unity is to be attained.
Everything is formed from the contemplation of unity, and all things come about from unity, by means of adaptation.
Its parents are the Sun and Moon.
It was borne by the wind and nurtured by the Earth.
Every wonder is from it and its power is complete.
Throw it upon earth, and earth will separate from fire. The impalbable separated from the palpable.
Through wisdom it rises slowly from the world to heaven. Then it descends to the world combining the power of the upper and the lower.
Thus you will have the illumination of all the world, and darkness will disappear.
his is the power of all strength- it overcomes that which is delicate and penetrates through solids.
This was the means of the creation of the world.
And in the future wonderful developements will be made, and this is the way.
I am Hermes the Threefold Sage, so named because I hold the three elements of all wisdom.
And thus ends the revelation of the work of the Sun.

Hypothetical Chinese Original

From "Science and Civilisation in China vol 5, part 4: Spagyrical discovery and invention: Apparatus, Theories and gifts.", J. Needham, 1980 p.371:

True, true, with no room for doubt, certain, worthy of all trust.
See, the highest comes from the lowest, and the lowest from the highest; indeed a marvelous work of the tao.
See how all things originated from It by a single process.
The father of it (the elixir) is the sun (Yang), its mother the moon (Yin).
The wind bore it in its belly, and the earth nourished it.
This is the father of wondrous works (changes and transformations), the guardian of mysteries, perfect in its powers, the animator of lights.
This fire will be poured upon the earth...
So separate the earth from the fire, the subtle from the gross, acting prudently and with art.
It ascends from the earth to the heavens (and orders the lights above), then descends again to the earth; and in it is the power of the highest and the lowest.
Thus when you have the light of lights darkness will flee away from you.
With this power of powers (the elixir) you shall be able to get the mastery of every subtle thing, and be able to penetrate everything that is gross.
In this way was the great world itself formed.
Hence thus and thus marvellous operations will be acheived.

Theatrum Chemicum translation

The following translation can be found in Theatrum Chemicum, Volume IV, 1613, in Georg Beatus' Aureliae Occultae Philosophorum:

This is true and remote from all cover of falsehood
Whatever is below is similar to that which is above. Through this the marvels of the work of one thing are procured and perfected.
Also, as all things are made from one, by the [consideration] of one, so all things were made from this one, by conjunction.
The father of it is the sun, the mother the moon. The wind bore it in the womb. Its nurse is the earth, the mother of all perfection.
Its power is perfected. If it is turned into earth,
Separate the earth from the fire, the subtle and thin from the crude and [coarse], prudently, with modesty and wisdom.
This ascends from the earth into the sky and again descends from the sky to the earth, and receives the power and efficacy of things above and of things below.
By this means you will acquire the glory of the whole world,
And so you will drive away all shadows and blindness.
For this by its fortitude snatches the palm from all other fortitude and power. For it is able to penetrate and subdue everything subtle and everything crude and hard.
By this means the world was founded
And hence the marvelous conjunctions of it and admirable effects, since this is the way by which these marvels may be brought about.
And because of this they have called me Hermes Tristmegistus since I have the three parts of the wisdom and philosophy of the whole universe.
My speech is finished which I have spoken concerning the solar work