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The Emerald Tablet (Attributed to Hermes Trismegistus) An ancient alchemical text presenting the principles of Hermetic philosophy. It explores the concept of "as above, so below," emphasizing unity between the material and spiritual worlds. The tablet offers symbolic insights into transformation, enlightenment, and the pursuit of divine wisdom.
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EMERALD TABLET
OF
HERMES
Contents
History Of The Tablet
Translations
Textual Remarks
Commentaries
General
A Commentary Of Ibn Umail
Appendix
Bibliography
History Of The Tablet
History of the Tablet (largely summarised from Needham 1980, & Holmyard 1957)
The Tablet probably first appeared in the West in editions of the psuedo-Aristotlean Secretum Secretorum which was actually a translation of the Kitab Sirr al-Asar, a book of advice to kings which was translated into latin by Johannes Hispalensis c. 1140 and by Philip of Tripoli c.1243. Other translations of the Tablet may have been made during the same period by Plato of Tivoli and Hugh of Santalla, perhaps from different sources.
The date of the Kitab Sirr al-Asar is uncertain, though c.800 has been suggested and it is not clear when the tablet became part of this work.Holmyard was the first to find another early arabic version (Ruska found a 12th centruy recension claiming to have been dictated by Sergius of Nablus) in the Kitab Ustuqus al-Uss al-Thani (Second Book of the Elements of Foundation) attributed to Jabir. Shortly after Ruska found another version appended to the Kitab Sirr al-Khaliqa wa San`at al-Tabi`a (Book of the Secret of Creation and the Art of Nature), which is also known as the Kitab Balaniyus al-Hakim fi'l-`Ilal (book of Balinas the wise on the Causes). It has been proposed that this book was written may have been written as early as 650, and was definitely finished by the Caliphate of al-Ma'mun (813-33).Scholars have seen similarities between this book and the Syriac Book of
Treasures written by Job of Odessa (9th century) and more interestingly the Greek writings of the bishop Nemesius of Emesa in Syria from the mid fourth century. However though this suggests a possible Syriac source, none of these writings contain the tablet.Balinas is usually identified with Apollonius of Tyna, but there is little evidence to connect him with the Kitab Balabiyus, and even if there was, the story implies that Balinas found the tablet rather than wrote it, and the recent discoveries of the dead sea scrolls and the nag hamamdi texts suggest that hiding texts in caves is not impossible, even if we did not have the pyramids before us.
Ruska has suggested an origin further east, and Needham has proposed an origin in China.
Holmyard, Davis and Anon all consider that this Tablet may be one of the earliest of all alchemical works we have that survives.It should be remarked that apparently the Greeks and Egyptians used the term translated as `emerald' for emeralds, green granites, "and perhaps green jasper". In medieval times the emerald table of the Gothic kings of Spain, and the Sacro catino- a dish said to have belonged to the Queen of Sheba, to have been used at the last supper, and to be made of emerald, were made of green glass [Steele and Singer: 488].
Translations
From Jabir ibn Hayyan.
0) Balinas mentions the engraving on the table in the hand of Hermes, which says:1) Truth! Certainty! That in which there is no doubt!2) 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.3) As all things were from one.4) Its father is the Sun and its mother the Moon.5) The Earth carried it in her belly, and the Wind nourished it in her belly,7) as Earth which shall become Fire.7a) Feed the Earth from that which is subtle, with the greatest power.8) It ascends from the earth to the heaven and becomes ruler over that which is above and that which is below.14) And I have already explained the meaning of the whole of this in two of these books of mine.[Holmyard 1923: 562.]Another Arabic Version (from the German of Ruska, translated by ‘Anonymous').
0) 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:1) Here (is) a true explanation, concerning which there can be no doubt.2) It attests: The above from the below, and the below from the above -the work of the miracle of the One.3) 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.4) Its father is the sun and its mother the moon; the5) wind has borne it in its body, and the earth has nourished it.6) the father of talismen and the protector of miracles6a) whose powers are perfect, and whose lights are confirmed (?),7) a fire that becomes earth.
