LXXII. 1. The Book of the courses of the luminaries of the heaven, the
relations of each, according to their classes, their dominion and their
seasons, according to their names and places of origin, and according to
their months, which Uriel, the holy angel, who was with me, who is their
guide, showed me; and he showed me all their laws exactly as they are,
and how it is with regard to all the years of the world and unto
eternity, till the new creation is accomplished which dureth till
eternity. 2. And this is the first law of the luminaries: the luminary
the Sun has its rising in the eastern portals of the heaven, and its
setting in the western portals of the heaven. 3. And I saw six portals
in which the sun rises, and six portals in which the sun sets: and the
moon rises and sets in these portals, and the leaders of the stars and
those whom they lead: six in the east and six in the west, and all
following each other in accurately corresponding order: also many
windows to the right and left of these portals. 4. And first there goes
forth the great luminary, named the Sun, and his circumference is like
the circumference of the heaven, and he is quite filled with
illuminating and heating fire. 5. The chariot on which he ascends, the
wind drives, and the sun goes down from the heaven and returns through
the north in order to reach the east, and is so guided that he comes to
the appropriate (lit. ‘that’) portal and shines in the face of the
heaven. 6. In this way he rises in the first month in the great portal,
which is the fourth [those six portals in the east]. 7. And in that
fourth portal from which the sun rises in the first month are twelve
window-openings, from which proceed a flame when they are opened in
their season. 8. When the sun rises in the heaven, he comes forth
through that fourth portal thirty mornings in succession, and sets
accurately in the fourth portal in the west of the heaven. 9. And during
this period the day becomes daily longer and the night nightly shorter
to the thirtieth morning. 10. On that day the day is longer than the
night by a ninth part, and the day amounts exactly to ten parts and the
night to eight parts. 11. And the sun rises from that fourth portal, and
sets in the fourth and returns to the fifth portal of the east thirty
mornings, and rises from it and sets in the fifth portal. 12. And then
the day becomes longer by †two† parts and amounts to eleven parts, and
the night becomes shorter and amounts to seven parts. 13. And it returns
to the east and enters into the sixth portal, and rises and sets in the
sixth portal one and thirty mornings on account of its sign. 14. On that
day the day becomes longer than the night, and the day becomes double
the night, and the day becomes twelve parts, and the night is shortened
and becomes six parts. 15. And the sun mounts up to make the day shorter
and the night longer, and the sun returns to the east and enters into
the sixth portal, and rises from it and sets thirty mornings. 16. And
when thirty mornings are accomplished, the day decreases by exactly one
part, and becomes eleven parts, and the night seven. 17. And the sun
goes forth from that sixth portal in the west, and goes to the east and
rises in the fifth portal for thirty mornings, and sets in the west
again in the fifth western portal. 18. On that day the day decreases by
†two† parts, and amounts to ten parts and the night to eight parts. 19.
And the sun goes forth from that fifth portal and sets in the fifth
portal of the west, and rises in the fourth portal for one and thirty
mornings on account of its sign, and sets in the west. 20. On that day
the day is equalised with the night, [and becomes of equal length], and
the night amounts to nine parts and the day to nine parts. 21. And the
sun rises from that portal and sets in the west, and returns to the east
and rises thirty mornings in the third portal and sets in the west in
the third portal. 22. And on that day the night becomes longer than the
day, and night becomes longer than night, and day shorter than day till
the thirtieth morning, and the night amounts exactly to ten parts and
the day to eight parts. 23. And the sun rises from that third portal and
sets in the third portal in the west and returns to the east, and for
thirty mornings rises in the second portal in the east, and in like
manner sets in the second portal in the west of the heaven. 24. And on
that day the night amounts to eleven parts and the day to seven parts.
25. And the sun rises on that day from that second portal and sets in
the west in the second portal, and returns to the east into the first
portal for one and thirty mornings, and sets in the first portal in the
west of the heaven. 26. And on that day the night becomes longer and
amounts to the double of the day: and the night amounts exactly to
twelve parts and the day to six. 27. And the sun has (therewith)
traversed the divisions of his orbit and turns again on those divisions
of his orbit, and enters that portal thirty mornings and sets also in
the west opposite to it. 28. And on that night has the night decreased
in length by a †ninth† part, and the night has become eleven parts and
the day seven parts. 29. And the sun has returned and entered into the
second portal in the east, and returns on those his divisions of his
orbit for thirty mornings, rising and setting. 30. And on that day the
night decreases in length, and the night amounts to ten parts and the
day to eight. 31. And on that day the sun rises from that portal, and
sets in the west, and returns to the east, and rises in the third portal
for one and thirty mornings, and sets in the west of the heaven. 32. On
that day the night decreases and amounts to nine parts, and the day to
nine parts, and the night is equal to the day and the year is exactly as
to its days three hundred and sixty-four. 33. And the length of the day
and of the night, and the shortness of the day and of the night
arise—through the course of the sun these distinctions are made (lit.
‘they are separated’). 34. So it comes that its course becomes daily
longer, and its course nightly shorter. 35. And this is the law and the
course of the sun, and his return as often as he returns sixty times and
rises, _i. e._ the great luminary which is named the Sun, for ever and
ever. 36. And that which (thus) rises is the great luminary, and is so
named according to its appearance, according as the Lord commanded. 37.
As he rises, so he sets and decreases not, and rests not, but runs day
and night, and his light is sevenfold brighter than that of the moon;
but as regards size they are both equal.