The Book of Concealment First Chapter. It has been taught, the Book of Concealment is the book that weighs with a balance. (It has been taught) that before there was a balance, they were not paying attention face to face, and the first kings died and their weapons were not found, and the earth was abolished [a reference to the kings of Edom, Bereshit 36:31-43].
This balance hangs in a place that was not; with it are weighed those that were not found. The balance stands as it is, it is not held and it is not seen. In it rose and in it rise [those] that were, and are, and will be.
Mystery in mystery, is ordained and prepared in one skull, filled with crystal dew [possibly referring to Song of Songs 5:2], membrane of air is made bright and is hidden. These, [threads of] bright wool [Daniel 7:9], hang in the scale. The Will of Wills is revealed through the prayer of those below. The open contemplating that does not sleep and is always observing. The contemplation from below with the contemplation in the light from above. (In which are) two openings of a cupboard, (so) that breath is aroused for all.
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" [Bereshit 1:1]. Six (שיתא) [probably referring to the six words in this verse after the word בראשית], Bereshit (בראשית) above them, all of them downward, and they hang from seven of the skull until the Glroy of Gloriousness. "And the earth" (והארץ)[Bereshit 1:2], the second [time "earth" is mentioned] is not in the calculation, and this has been said [before]. And from this one that/who had been cursed she/it went out, as is written: "from the field that HaShem had cursed" [Bereshit 5:29]. "was waste (תהו) and empty (בהו), and darkness over the deep, and the breath of God hovering over the waters" [Bereshit 1:2]. Thirteen [words does this verse contain in Hebrew, when the first word "And the earth" is not taken into account] hang in the thirteen of the Glory of Gloriousness.
Six thousand years are hanging on the original six, the seventh above them, which only itself has been strengthened. And all will be destroyed in twelve hours, as is written: "was waste (תהו) and empty (בהו) etc." [Bereshit 1:2]. He will posit for them thirteen with mercy [probably referring to the 13 attributes of mercy], and they are renewed in their original state, and all these six stand. Because it is written "created", and afterwards is written "was", because it "was" for sure. And in the end "waste and empty, and darkness" [Bereshit 1:2], "And only HaShem will be exalted on that day" [Isaiah 2:11].
The engraving of engravings [is] as the appearance of a long snake, and it is stretched out to here and to there, tail in its head. The [back-]head connects [itself] to the shoulders, furious and angry [possibly a reference to Psalm 78:49], observing and hidden. Once for thousand short days the plowshare was revealed [another reading: was filled] through its smokes/knots, the fin in its parts, its head was broken in the waters of the ocean, as is written: "You broke the heads of the sea serpents on the waters" [Psalm 74:13]. There were two, one was turned around, sea-serpents תנינם, written in a reduced form [in Bereshit 1:21] [instead of תנינים], heads, as you say: "and an image on the heads of the creature: a firmament" [Ezekiel 1:22].
And God said: 'Let there be light', and there was [ויהי] light" [Bereshit 1:3]. This is what is written: "For He spoke and there was [ויהי]" [Psalm 33:9]. He by himself. Afterwards they returned [to] one יהוי, [to] יהו [to] וי [to] ו, the last one [is] the Shekhinah below, as the ה is found [as] the Shekhinah. And they were weighed in one balance.
"And the living beings went to and fro" [Ezekiel 1:14], as is written: "And God saw the light, that it was good" [Bereshit 1:4], "Say that the Righteous is good" [Isaiah 3:10]. This one, on the balance it goes up, the first one by itself, and all is returned to one, sister and [female] acquaintance are included this one in this one, in Yod [י] He [ה], as two lovers uniting.
Six [possibly referring to ו, which has the numerical value of 6] go out from the branch of the root of the body, a tong "speaking big things" [Daniel 7:8,20]. This tongue, hidden between י and ה, as it is written: "This one will say: 'I [am] for HaShem', and this one will call Jacob's name, and this one will [with] his hand write for HaShem, and he will name the name of Israel" [Isaiah 44:5]. "he will name" (יכנה) actually. "This one will say: 'I [am] for HaShem'': Sister, and all is said using יהו. All are included in the tongue, hidden for Mother. Since she is opened up for him who goes out from her. Father sits at the head, Mother in the middle, and is covering herself from there and from there. Woe to him who reveals their nakedness.
"And God said: 'Let there be lights in the firmament of heaven.'" [Bereshit 1:14]. Male having power over Female, as it is written: "And the righteous is the foundation of the world." [Proverbs 10:25]. Yod (י) illumines two, and illumines and impregnates the Female. Yod (י) is unified by itself (and after this) it ascends on its rungs higher and higher. The Female is darkened, and the Mother is illumined and is being opened by her gates. A key has come that consists of six, and it covers her opening, and closes/links downward this one and that one. Woe to the one who reveals her opening.
ספרא דצניעותא פרקא קדמאה תָּאנָא. סִפְרָא דְּצְנִיעוּתָא, סִפְרָא, דְּשָׁקִיל (רל"ה ע"א) בְּמַתְקְלָא. (תאנא) דְּעַד דְּלָא הֲוָה מַתְקְלָא, לָא הֲווֹ מַשְׁגִּיחִין אַפִּין בְּאַפִּין, וּמַלְכִין קַדְמָאִין מִיתוּ, וְזִיוּנֵיהוֹן לָא אִשְׁתַּכְּחוּ, וְאַרְעָא אִתְבַּטְּלָת.
The Book of Concealment First Chapter. It has been taught, the Book of Concealment is the book that weighs with a balance. (It has been taught) that before there was a balance, they were not paying attention face to face, and the first kings died and their weapons were not found, and the earth was abolished [a reference to the kings of Edom, Bereshit 36:31-43].
עַד דְּרֵישָׁא דְּכִסּוּפָא דְּכָל כִּסוּפִין, לְבוּשֵׁי דִּיקָר אַתְקִין, וְאַחֲסִין.
until the head of the desire of all desires ordained the robes of glory, and took possession.
הַאי מַתְקְלָא תָּלֵי בַּאֲתַר דְּלָא הֲוָה, אִתְּקָלוּ בֵּיהּ אִינּוּן דְּלָא אִשְׁתַּכְּחוּ. מַתְקְלָא קָאִים בְּגוּפֵיהּ. לָא אִתְאֲחָד, וְלָא אִתְחָזֵי. בֵּיהּ סְלִיקוּ, וּבֵיהּ סָלְקִין דְּלָא הֲווֹ, וַהֲווּ, וְיְהוְיָּין.
This balance hangs in a place that was not; with it are weighed those that were not found. The balance stands as it is, it is not held and it is not seen. In it rose and in it rise [those] that were, and are, and will be.
סִתְרָא גּוֹ סִתְרָא, אִתְתְּקָּן ואִזְדְּמַן, (אד"ר קכ"ח ע"ב, באד"ז רפ"ז, רפ"ח ע"א) בְּחַד גּוּלְגַלְתָּא, מַלְיָיא טַלָּא דִּבְדוֹלְחָא. (שם אד"ר קכ"ט) קְרוּמָא דְּאַוִּירָא אִזְדָּכָךְ וְסָתִים, אִינּוּן עֲמָר נְקֵי תַּלְיָין בְּשִּׁקוּלָא. רַעֲוָא (אד"ז שם) דְּרַעֲוִין אִתְגַּלְיָא בִּצְלוֹתָא דְּתַתָּאֵי. אַשְׁגָּחָא פְּקִיחָא דְּלָא נָאִים, וְנָטִיר תְּדִירָא. אַשְׁגָּחוּתָא דְּתַתָּא בְּאַשְׁגָּחוּתָא דִּנְהִירוּ דְּעִלָּאָה. (דביה) תְּרִין נוּקְבִין דְּפַרְדַּשְׂקָא, דְּאִתְּעַר רוּחָא לְכֹלָּא.
Mystery in mystery, is ordained and prepared in one skull, filled with crystal dew [possibly referring to Song of Songs 5:2], membrane of air is made bright and is hidden. These, [threads of] bright wool [Daniel 7:9], hang in the scale. The Will of Wills is revealed through the prayer of those below. The open contemplating that does not sleep and is always observing. The contemplation from below with the contemplation in the light from above. (In which are) two openings of a cupboard, (so) that breath is aroused for all.
בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ, שִׁיתָא בְּרֵאשִׁית (ברא שית) עָלַיְיהוּ, כּוּלְהוּ לְתַתָּא, וְתַלְיָין מִשִּׁבְעָה דְּגּוּלְגְלָתָא עַד יְקִירוּ דְּיַקִירוּתָא, וְהָאָרֶץ תִּנְיָינָא לָאו בְּחוּשְׁבָּן וְהָא אִתְּמַר. וּמֵהַהִיא דְּאִתְלַטְּיָיא נָפְקָא, דְּכְתִּיב (בראשית ה׳:כ״ט) מִן הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר אֵרַרָה יְיָ'. הָיְתָה תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ וְחֹשֶׁךְ עַל פְּנֵי תְּהוֹם וְרוּחַ אֱלהִים מְרַחֶפֶת עַל פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם. תְּלֵיסַר, תַּלְיָין בִּתְלֵיסָר יְקִירוּ דְּיַקִירוּתָא.
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" [Bereshit 1:1]. Six (שיתא) [probably referring to the six words in this verse after the word בראשית], Bereshit (בראשית) above them, all of them downward, and they hang from seven of the skull until the Glroy of Gloriousness. "And the earth" (והארץ)[Bereshit 1:2], the second [time "earth" is mentioned] is not in the calculation, and this has been said [before]. And from this one that/who had been cursed she/it went out, as is written: "from the field that HaShem had cursed" [Bereshit 5:29]. "was waste (תהו) and empty (בהו), and darkness over the deep, and the breath of God hovering over the waters" [Bereshit 1:2]. Thirteen [words does this verse contain in Hebrew, when the first word "And the earth" is not taken into account] hang in the thirteen of the Glory of Gloriousness.
שִׁיתָא אַלְפֵי שְׁנִין, תַּלְיָין בְּשִׁיתָא קַדְמָאֵי, שְׁבִיעָאָה עָלַיְיהוּ, דְּאִתְתָּקַּף בִּלְחוֹדוֹי. וְאִתְחָרִיב כֹּלָּא בִּתְרֵיסַר שַׁעְתֵּי, דְּכְתִּיב הָיְתָה תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ וְגוֹ'. תְּלֵיסַר יְקִים לוֹן בְּרַחֲמֵי, וּמִתְחַדְּשָׁן בְּקַדְמִיתָא, וְקָמוּ (ס"י קמו) כָּל אִינּוּן שִׁיתָא. בְּגִין דְּכְתִּיב בָּרָא, וּלְבָתַר כְּתִיב הָיְתָה, דְּהָא הֲוַת וַדַּאי, וּלְבַסּוֹף תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ וְחֹשֶׁךְ, (ישעיהו ב׳:י״א) וְנִשְׂגַּב יְיָ' לְבַדּוֹ בְּיוֹם הַהוּא.
Six thousand years are hanging on the original six, the seventh above them, which only itself has been strengthened. And all will be destroyed in twelve hours, as is written: "was waste (תהו) and empty (בהו) etc." [Bereshit 1:2]. He will posit for them thirteen with mercy [probably referring to the 13 attributes of mercy], and they are renewed in their original state, and all these six stand. Because it is written "created", and afterwards is written "was", because it "was" for sure. And in the end "waste and empty, and darkness" [Bereshit 1:2], "And only HaShem will be exalted on that day" [Isaiah 2:11].
גִּלוּפֵי דִּגְלִיפִין כְּחֵיזוּ דְּחִוְיָא אָרִיךְ, וּמִתְפָּשַּׁט לְכָאן וּלְכָאן, זַנְבָא בְּרֵישָׁא. רֵישָׁא (אחורא) אָחִיד אַכַתְפִין, אַעְבַּר וְזָעִים, נְטַר וְגָנִיז. חַד לְאֶלֶף יוֹמִין זְעִירִין אִתְגָּלְיָיא, (נ"א אתמלייא) קוּלְטְרָא בְּקִטְרוֹי, סְנַפִּירָא בְּעַדְבוֹי, אִתְבַּר רֵישֵׁיהּ בְּמַיִין דְיַמָּא רַבָּא, דְּכְתִּיב (תהילים ע״ד:י״ג) שִׁבַּרְתָּ רָאשֵׁי תַּנִּינִים עַל הַמָּיִם. תְּרֵין הֲווֹ, חַד אִתְחֲזָרֵי, (ל"ד ע"ב) תַּנִּינָם כְּתִיב חָסֵר. רָאשֵׁי, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר (יחזקאל א׳:כ״ב) וּדְמוּת עַל רָאשֵׁי הַחַיָּה רָקִיעַ.
The engraving of engravings [is] as the appearance of a long snake, and it is stretched out to here and to there, tail in its head. The [back-]head connects [itself] to the shoulders, furious and angry [possibly a reference to Psalm 78:49], observing and hidden. Once for thousand short days the plowshare was revealed [another reading: was filled] through its smokes/knots, the fin in its parts, its head was broken in the waters of the ocean, as is written: "You broke the heads of the sea serpents on the waters" [Psalm 74:13]. There were two, one was turned around, sea-serpents תנינם, written in a reduced form [in Bereshit 1:21] [instead of תנינים], heads, as you say: "and an image on the heads of the creature: a firmament" [Ezekiel 1:22].
וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלהִים יְהִי אוֹר וַיְהִי אוֹר, הַיְינוּ דְּכְתִּיב (תהלים לג) כִּי הוּא אָמַר וַיֶּהִי, הוּא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי. לְבָתַר אִתְחַזְרוּ חַד יהו"י יה"ו ו"י ו' בַּתְרָאָה שְׁכִינְתָּא לְתַתָּא. כְּמָה דְּה' שְׁכִינְתָּא אִשְׁתְּכַח וּבְחַד מַתְקְלָא אִתְּקָלוּ.
And God said: 'Let there be light', and there was [ויהי] light" [Bereshit 1:3]. This is what is written: "For He spoke and there was [ויהי]" [Psalm 33:9]. He by himself. Afterwards they returned [to] one יהוי, [to] יהו [to] וי [to] ו, the last one [is] the Shekhinah below, as the ה is found [as] the Shekhinah. And they were weighed in one balance.
וְהַחַיּוֹת רָצוֹא וָשׁוֹב, דְּכְתִּיב וַיַּרְא אֱלהִים אֶת הָאוֹר כִּי טוֹב. (ישעיהו ג׳:י׳) אִמְרוּ צַדִּיק כִּי טוֹב. הַאי, בְּמַתְקְלֵּיה סַלְּקָא. קַדְמָאָה בִּלְחוֹדוֹי. וְכֹלָּא לְחָד אִתְחֲזְרֵי. אֲחַתָא וּמוֹדַעְתָּא כְּלִילָן דָּא בְּדָא בְּיו"ד הֵ"א, כִּתְרֵין רְחִימִין דְּמִתְחַבְּקָן.
"And the living beings went to and fro" [Ezekiel 1:14], as is written: "And God saw the light, that it was good" [Bereshit 1:4], "Say that the Righteous is good" [Isaiah 3:10]. This one, on the balance it goes up, the first one by itself, and all is returned to one, sister and [female] acquaintance are included this one in this one, in Yod [י] He [ה], as two lovers uniting.
שִׁיתָא נָפְקִין מֵעַנְפָא דְּשָׁרְשָׁא דְּגוּפָא, לִישָׁן מְמַלֵּל רַבְרְבָן. לִישָׁן דָּא, סָתִים בֵּין יוֹ"ד וְהֵ"א, דְּכְתִּיב (ישעיהו מ״ד:ה׳) זֶה יֹאמַר לַה' אָנִי וְזֶה יִקְרָא בְּשֵׁם יַעֲקֹב וְזֶה יִכְתּוֹב יָדוֹ לַיְיָ' וּבְשֵׁם יִשְׂרָאֵל יְכַנֶּה (יכנה) מַמָּשׁ. זֶה יֹאמַר לַה' אָנִי: אֲחַתָא. וְכֹלָּא אִתְּמַר בְּיה"ו. כֹּלָּא כְּלִילָן בְּלִישָׁן סָתִים לְאִימָא. דְּהָא אִתְפַּתְּחַת לֵיהּ דְּנָפִיק מִינָּהּ. אַבָּא יָתִיב בְּרֵישָׁא, אִימָא בְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא, וּמִתְכַּסְיָּיא מִכָּאן וּמִכָּאן וַוי לְמַאן דְּגַלֵּי עֲרָיַיתְהוֹן.
Six [possibly referring to ו, which has the numerical value of 6] go out from the branch of the root of the body, a tong "speaking big things" [Daniel 7:8,20]. This tongue, hidden between י and ה, as it is written: "This one will say: 'I [am] for HaShem', and this one will call Jacob's name, and this one will [with] his hand write for HaShem, and he will name the name of Israel" [Isaiah 44:5]. "he will name" (יכנה) actually. "This one will say: 'I [am] for HaShem'': Sister, and all is said using יהו. All are included in the tongue, hidden for Mother. Since she is opened up for him who goes out from her. Father sits at the head, Mother in the middle, and is covering herself from there and from there. Woe to him who reveals their nakedness.
וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי מְאֹרֹת בִּרְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמַיִם, שַׁלִּיט דְּכַר בְּנוּקְבָא. (ס"י שלימו דכר ונוקבא) דְּכְתִּיב (משלי י׳:כ״ה) וְצַדִּיק יְסוֹד עוֹלָם, נָהִיר יוֹ"ד בִּתְרֵין, וְנָהִיר וּמְעָבַּר לְנוּקְבָא. אִתְיְיחָד יוֹ"ד בִּלְחוֹדוֹי, (ובתר כן) סָלִיק בְּדַרְגּוֹי לְעֵילָּא לְעֵילָּא. אִתְחַשְׁכָא נוּקְבָּא, וְאִתְנְהִירַת אִימָא וּמִתְפַּתְּחָא בְּתַרְעוֹי. אָתָא מַפְתְּחָא דְּכָלִיל בְּשִׁית, וּמְכַסְיָא פִּתְחָהָא, וְאָחִיד לְתַתָּא לְהַאי וּלְהַאי, ווי לְמַאן דְּגַלֵּי פִּתְחָהָא.
"And God said: 'Let there be lights in the firmament of heaven.'" [Bereshit 1:14]. Male having power over Female, as it is written: "And the righteous is the foundation of the world." [Proverbs 10:25]. Yod (י) illumines two, and illumines and impregnates the Female. Yod (י) is unified by itself (and after this) it ascends on its rungs higher and higher. The Female is darkened, and the Mother is illumined and is being opened by her gates. A key has come that consists of six, and it covers her opening, and closes/links downward this one and that one. Woe to the one who reveals her opening.