The Book of the Luminaries

1 This book describes the courses of the heavenly bodies, detailing each according to their classes, control, seasons, names, origins, and months as shown to me by Uriel,⁠a the holy angel guiding me. He explained precisely all their laws and the eternal progression until a new creation is established forever.⁠b 2 The first rule of the lights: the Sun rises from the eastern portals of the heavens and sets in the western portals.⁠c 3 I observed six portals for the sun's rising and setting, and for the moon's rising and setting. The leaders of the stars and their groups also follow this path:⁠d six portals in the east and six in the west, all precisely aligned, with numerous windows on either side. 4 The great light, the Sun, follows first. His circuit is as vast as the circumference of the heavens, and he is completely filled with illuminating and heating fire. 5 The chariot that carries the Sun is driven by the wind. The Sun descends from the heavens and circles through the north to reach the east,⁠e guided to enter the proper portal and shine across the heavens. 6 Specifically, he rises from the fourth portal, one of the six eastern portals, in the first month. 7 From this fourth portal during the first month, twelve windows open to release flames when it is their season. 8 The Sun rises through this fourth portal for thirty consecutive mornings and sets precisely in the fourth portal in the western sky. 9 Over this period, the day progressively lengthens, and the night correspondingly shortens, until the thirtieth morning. 10 On that day, daylight lasts a ninth part longer than the night. The day measures exactly ten parts, and the night measures eight parts. 11 The Sun then moves from the fourth portal, rises from the fifth eastern portal for thirty mornings, and sets in the fifth western portal. 12 The day then extends by two parts, totaling eleven parts, while the night shortens to seven parts. 13 The Sun continues to the sixth eastern portal, where it rises and sets for thirty-one mornings due to its astronomical position. 14 On this particular day, daylight doubles the duration of the night, totaling twelve parts for the day and six for the night. 15 The Sun then ascends to shorten the day and lengthen the night, returning through the sixth portal and rising from it for thirty mornings. 16 After these thirty mornings, daylight decreases by one part, totaling eleven parts, and the night lasts seven parts. 17 The Sun then sets in the sixth western portal and returns to rise from the fifth eastern portal for thirty mornings, setting again in the fifth western portal. 18 On that day, daylight reduces by two parts, resulting in ten parts of day and eight parts of night. 19 It then moves to rise from the fourth portal for thirty-one mornings due to its sign, setting in the western counterpart. 20 The day and night balance equally on this day, each spanning nine parts. 21 Subsequently, the Sun rises from the third eastern portal and sets in the third western portal for thirty mornings. 22 During this phase, the night becomes longer than the day: night extends to ten parts while the day shortens to eight parts. 23 The Sun then rises from the second eastern portal for thirty mornings and sets in the second western portal. 24 On that day, night lengthens to eleven parts, and day shortens to seven parts. 25 The Sun continues to rise from the second portal and sets in the western second portal, then returns to rise from the first eastern portal for thirty-one mornings, setting in the first western portal. 26 Consequently, the night extends to twice the length of the day: twelve parts for the night and six for the day. 27 The Sun follows its orbital divisions, returning through these divisions, entering the first portal for thirty mornings and setting in its western opposite. 28 The night then shortens by a ninth part, totaling eleven parts of night and seven parts of day. 29 The Sun returns to the second eastern portal, traversing its orbit for thirty mornings, rising and setting. 30 The night then shortens to ten parts and the day extends to eight parts. 31 The Sun rises from the third eastern portal and sets in the western sky for thirty-one mornings. 32 On that day, both day and night equalize at nine parts each, rounding the year to exactly 364 days. 33 The variation in day and night lengths arises through the Sun's journey. 34 As a result, the Sun's path gradually extends the day and shortens the night. 35 This is the law and path of the Sun, and upon completing its cycle sixty times, it continues, named the great light, forever. 36 This rising great light is named according to its appearance, as commanded by the Lord, maintaining constant brightness and equal size with the Moon. 37 As it rises and sets, it does not diminish; it runs both day and night. Its light is sevenfold brighter than the moon, yet they appear the same size.⁠f