The Emerald Tablet

True it is, without falsehood, certain and most true. That which is above is like to that which is below, and that which is below is like that which is above, to accomplish the miracles of one thing.

And as all things were by contemplation of one, so all things arose from this one thing by a single act of adaptation.

The father thereof is the Sun, and the mother the Moon.

The wind carried in its womb, the earth is the nurse thereof.

If is the father of all works of wonder throughout the world.

The power thereof is perfect.

If it be cast on the earth, it will separate the element of the earth from that of fire, the subtle from the gross.

With great sagacity it doth ascent gently from earth to heaven.

Again it doth descend to earth, and uniteth in itself the force from things superior and things inferior.

Thus thou wilt possess the glory of the brightness of the whole world, and all obscurity will fly far from thee.

This thing is the strong fortitude of all strength, for it overcometh every subtle thing and doth penetrate every solid substance.

Thus was this world created.

Hence will there be marvellous adaptations achieved, of which the manner is this.

For this reason I am called Hermes Trismegistus, because I hold the three parts of the wisdom of the world.

That which I had to say about the operations of Sol is completed.