The Fourth Repentance of Pistis Sophia

MacDermot Translation:

I. 0 Light whom I have trusted, hear my repentance; and Iet my voice come into thy dwelling-place.

2. Do not turn thy image of light away from me, but give heed to me. If they oppress me, save me quickly at the time when I cry to thee.

3. For my time has vanished like a breath, and I have become matter.

4. My light has been taken from me, and my power has dried up. I have forgotten my mystery which I performed at first.

5. Through the voice of fear and the power of the Authades, my power has diminished within me.

6. I have become like a peculiar demon, which dwells in matter, in whom is no light. And I have become like a spirit counterpart which is in a material body, in which there is no light-power.

7. And I have become like a decan, which is upon the air alone.

8. The emanations of the Authades have afflicted me greatly; and my partner has spoken of it thus: in place of the light within her, they have filled her with Chaos.

9. I have swallowed the sweat of my matter myself and the anguish of the tears of the matter of my eyes, lest those that oppress me take away these things also.

10. All these things have happened to me, 0 Light, through thy ordinance and with thy command. And it is thy ordinance that I should be among these things.

11. Thy ordinance has brought me down, and I have come down like a power of the Chaos; and my power has congealed within me.

12. But thou, 0 Lord, art eternal light; and at all times thou dost seek those who are oppressed.

13. Now at this time, 0 Light, arise and seek after my power and my soul within me. Thy ordinance is completed, which thou hast ordained for me in my affliction. My time has come, that thou shouldst seek after my power and my soul, and this is the time which thou hast ordained to seek me;

14. For thy saviours have sought after the power which is in my soul, because the number is completed, and that they should save its matter also.

15. And then in that time all the archons of the material aeons will fear before thy light; I and all the emanations of the thirteenth material aeon will fear before the mystery of thy light, that the others may put on themselves what is purified of their light.

16. For the Lord will seek after the power of your souls; he has revealed his mystery.

17. For he will Iook at the repentance of those who are in the places below; and he has not overlooked their repentance.

18. This is that mystery which has become a type for the race which will be born; and the race which will be born will sing praises to the height.

19. For the light has looked forth from the height of his light. He will Iook down upon all matter;

20. To hear the groaning of those that are bound; to release the power of the souls whose power is bound.

21. To place his name in the soul, and his mystery in the power’.

Mead Translation:

1. O Light, in whom I have trusted, give ear to my repentance, and let my voice reach unto thy dwelling-place.

2. Turn not away thy light-image from me, but have heed unto me, if they oppress me; and save me quickly at the time when I shall cry unto thee.

3. For my time is vanished like a breath and I am become matter.

4. They have taken my light from me, and my power is dried up. I have forgotten my mystery which heretofore I was wont to accomplish.

5. Because of the voice of the fear and the power of Self-willed my power is vanished.

6. I am become as a demon apart, who dwelleth in matter and light is not in him, and I am become as a counterfeiting spirit, which is in a material body and light-power is not in it.

7. And I am become as a decan who is alone in the air.

8. The emanations of Self-willed have sore oppressed me, and my pair hath said unto himself:

9. Instead of with light which was in her, they have filled her with chaos. I have devoured the sweat of my own matter and the anguish of the tears from the matter of my eyes, so that they who oppress me may not take the rest.

10. All this hath befallen me, O Light, by thy commandment and thy command, and it is thy commandment that I am here.

11. Thy commandment hath brought me down, and I am descended as a power of the chaos, and my power is numbed in me.

12. But thou, O Lord, art Light eternal, and dost visit them who are for ever oppressed.

13. Now, therefore, O Light, arise and seek my power and the soul in me. Thy commandment is accomplished, which thou didst decree for me in my afflictions. My time is come, that thou shouldst seek my power and my soul, and this is the time which thou didst decree to seek me.

14. For thy saviours have sought the power which is in my soul, because the number is completed, and in order that also its matter may be saved.

15. And then at that time shall all the rulers of the material æons be in fear of thy light, and all the emanations of the thirteenth material æon shall be in fear of the mystery of thy light, so that the others may put on the purification of their light.

16. For the Lord will seek the power of your soul. He hath revealed his mystery,

17. So that he may regard the repentance of them who are in the regions below; and he hath not disregarded their repentance.

18. This is then that mystery which is become the type in respect of the race which shall be born; and the race which shall be born will sing praises to the height.

19. For the Light hath looked down from the height of its light. It will look down on the total matter,

20. To hear the sighing of those in chains, to loose the power of the souls whose power is bound,

21. So that it may lay its name in the soul and its mystery in the power.