Fulcanelli’s Version (translated from the French)
It is true without untruth, certain and most true: that which is below is like that which is on high, and that which is on high is like that which is below; by these things are made the miracles of one thing. And as all things are, and come from One, by the mediation of One, So all things are born from this unique thing by adaption. The Sun is the father and the Moon the mother. The wind carries it in its stomach. The earth is its nourisher and its receptacle. The Father of all the Theleme of the universal world is here. Its force, or power, remains entire, if it is converted into earth. You separate the earth from the fire, the subtle from the gross, gently with great industry. It climbs from the earth and descends from the sky, and receives the force of things superior and things inferior. You will have by this way, the glory of the world and all obscurity will flee from you. It is the power strong with all power, for it will defeat every subtle thing and penetrate every solid thing In this way the world was created. From it are born wonderful adaptations, of which the way here is given. That is why I have been called Hermes Tristmegistus, having the three parts of the universal philosophy. This, that I have called the solar Work, is complete.
Line by Line
It is true without untruth, certain and most true: that which is below is like that which is on high, and that which is on high is like that which is below; by these things are made the miracles of one thing.
Truth is Truth This is a statement that this is LAW and TRUTH REMEMBER THIS. This is important and eternal
The microcosm is a holographic miniature of the macrocosm
By this principle of correspondence, of “as above, so below” are all things done. Understanding this is essential for the Alchemist Philosopher
You act on earth in harmony with God. If you as the earthly Man make yourself as the Divine you will accomplish miracles.
And as all things are, and come from One, by the mediation of One, So all things are born from this unique thing by adaption.
Everything is of the One, from the One, exists in and by virtue of One
Everything is born from it and in it. Things are born from the one “by adaption” - by changing the form
The Sun is the father and the Moon the mother. The wind carries it in its stomach. The earth is its nourisher and its receptacle.
The sun is the solar principle The moon is the lunar principle Everything is a result of the marriage of sun/moon, yin/yang, darkness/light
Sun = Fire Moon = Water Wind = Air Earth = Earth
From the light/heat of Sol and the darkness/coolness of Luna carried by the active spirit of air and growing within the soil of the earth
By "the wind carried him in its belly" Hermes means: " ‘He, whose father is the Sun, and whose mother is the Moon, will be carried before he is born, by wind and vapour, just as a flying bird is carried by air'. From the vapours of winds, which are nothing else but wind in motion, water proceeds, when condensed, and from that water, mixed with earth, all minerals and metals arise". The substance carried by the wind is "in chemical respect.. the sulphur, which is carried in mercury". Lull says "‘The stone is the fire, carried in the belly of the air'. In physical respect it is the unborn child that will soon be born". To be clearer, "‘All mercury is composed of vapours, that is to say of water, which the earth raises along with it into the thin air, and of earth, which the air compels to return into watery earth or earthy water" As the elements contained within are each reduced to a watery condition, they either follow the volatile elements upward as in common mercury, or they stay below with the solid elements as in philosophical Mercury "and in the solid metals". So "Mercury is the wind which receives the sulphur... as the unripe fruit from the mothers womb, or from the ashes of the burnt mother's body and takes it to a place where it may ripen". Ripley says "our child shall be born in the air, that is the belly of the wind"” - Michael Maier: de Jong 1969: 55- 7.
on "The earth is its nurse": Food changes into the substance of the eater and is then assimilated. "This harmony dominates the whole of nature, for the like enjoys the like". The same happens in the Work and Nature "just as is the growth of the child in the mother's womb. So also a father, a mother and a nurse have been attributed to the philosophical child... it comes into being from the twofold seed and then grows as an embryo does". As a woman must moderate her diet to avoid miscarriage, "in the same way one must set about philosophical work with moderation". The Seeds also have to be united. "Philosophers say that the one comes from the East and the other from the West and become one; what does this mean but combining in a retort, a moderate temperature and nourishment?". "One may wonder why the earth is referred to as the nurse of the philosophic child, since barreness and dryness are the main properties of the element earth". The answer is that not the element, but the whole Earth is meant. "It is the nurse of Heaven not because it resolves, washes and moistens the foetus, but because it coagulates, fastens and colours the latter and changes it into sap and blood... The Earth contains a wonderful juice which changes the nature of the one who feeds on it, as Romulus is believed to have been changed by the wolf's milk into a bellicose individual” - Michael Maier: de Jong 1969: 63 -5.
The Father of all the Theleme of the universal world is here. Its force, or power, remains entire, if it is converted into earth.
The highest spirit and creator is present and here in its full force Yet it must be transformed into this moment, into grounding in physical expression
You separate the earth from the fire, the subtle from the gross, gently with great industry. It climbs from the earth and descends from the sky, and receives the force of things superior and things inferior.
There must be a separation of the lower and the higher, the dross and gold, the darkness and divine. Do it gently yet totally
The lower things must be brought from earth to sky and the higher things must be brought from the heavens down to earth. So that both extreme states are fully experienced and moved through and integrated. It becomes imbued with the best of those qualities.
You will have by this way, the glory of the world and all obscurity will flee from you. It is the power strong with all power, for it will defeat every subtle thing and penetrate every solid thing
In accomplishing and doing this, you will attain royalty and glory, all ignorance and darkness and unhappiness will leave and never return.
It is absolute power - for all thing subtle or material will be conquered by it
In this way the world was created. From it are born wonderful adaptations, of which the way here is given.
This is how God Created/Creates
Through this Work, anything and everything wonderful may be created and birthed through the Alchemist
That is why I have been called Hermes Tristmegistus, having the three parts of the universal philosophy.
Tristmegistus = Hermes was the greatest philosopher, the greatest priest, and the greatest king. Also, master of Astrology, Alchemy, & Theurgy.
Through this Opus, you too may be a Thrice-Great Master of the universal Philosophy
This, that I have called the solar Work, is complete.
This is the Solar Work, the way of the Sun. Having accomplished this, the Opus is complete.
Story of Balinas Mythic story of the tablet
Reading of the tablet text Interpretation of text
Its centrality to alchemy
Translation by Paul Foster Case
True, without error, certain and most true; that which is above is as that which is below, and that which is below is as that which is above, for performing the miracles of the One Thing; and as all things are from one, by the mediation of one, so all things arose from this one thing by adaptation; the father of it is the Sun, the mother of it is the Moon; the wind carried it in its belly; the name thereof is the Earth.
This is the father of all perfection, or consummation of the whole world. The power of it is integral, if it is turned into earth: Thou shalt separate the earth from the fire, the subtle from the gross, gently, with much sagacity; it ascends from Earth to heaven, and again descends to Earth: and revives the strength of the superiors and of the inferiors.
So thou hast the glory of the whole world; therefore let all obscurity flee before thee. This is the strong fortitude of all fortitudes, overcoming every subtle, and penetrating every solid, thing. So the world was created. Hence were all wonderful adaptations of which this is the manner. Therefore am I called Thrice-Great Hermes, having the three parts of the Philosophy of the whole world. That which I have written is consummated concerning the Operation of the Sun.
Translation by Isaac Newton
Tis true without lying, certain and most true. That which is below is like that which is above and that which is above is like that which is below to do the miracle of one only thing. And as all things have been and 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 and again it descends to the earth and receives the force of things superior and inferior. By this means you shall have the glory of the whole world and thereby all obscurity shall fly from you. Its force is above all force, for it vanquishes every subtle thing and penetrates every solid thing. So was the world created. From this are and do come admirable adaptations where of the means 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 and ended.
Resouces
- Translations of the tablet and commentaries: https://sacred-texts.com/alc/emerald.htm