Visions of the Eighth and Ninth

“O my son, let us warmly embrace each other.
Rejoice on account of this, because the power, which is light, is coming to us, because I see, I see unutterable profundities.
How can I tell you, O my son?
[Now have we begun to behold the seven] places.
How [do you] portray the all?
I am [mind, and] I see another mind, one that [animates] the soul.
I see the one that moves me from sheer oblivion.
You bestow power on me. I behold myself.
I desire to speak. Fear holds me back.
I have discovered the summit of the power above every power, the one without a beginning.
I see a fountain bubbling up with life.⁠a
O my son, I have said that I am Mind.
I have witnessed (it).
Language is incapable of revealing this, because, O my son, the entire Eighth and the souls that dwell inside it, as well as the angels, silently sing a hymn, and I, Mind, understand.”
“How does one sing a hymn that way?”
“Are you now like one who cannot even be addressed?”
“I remain silent, O my father. I desire to sing a hymn to you while I remain silent.”
“Sing it, then, because I am Mind.”
“I understand Mind, (which is) Hermes, who is beyond interpretation, because he remains inside of himself,
and I rejoice, O my father, because I see you are smiling, and the universe [rejoices].
This is why no creature will be without your life, because you are the lord of the citizens everywhere.
Your Providence guards.
I call you ‘Father,’ ‘Greatest of the Aeons,’ ‘Great Divine Spirit,’ and with a wind he bestows rain on everyone.
What will you say to me, O my father, O Hermes?”
“About these matters, I will say nothing, O my son, because it is fitting that in the presence of God, we remain silent about what is hidden.”
“O Trismegistus, do not allow my soul to be deprived of the great divine vision, because as Lord of the universe everything is possible for you.”
“O my son, return to ‹praising›, and sing while remaining silent.
Silently petition for what you desire.”
When he had finished praising, he cried out: “Father Trismegistus! What am I to say?
We have obtained this light, and I behold for myself this very same vision inside of you,
and I behold the Eighth, and the souls dwelling inside of it, and the angels singing a hymn to the Ninth and to its powers,
and I behold him who possesses all of their power, who creates those ‹who dwell› inside the Spirit.”
“It would be beneficial from [now on] to maintain silence with a reverential posture. From now on, do not talk about the vision.
It is fitting to sing a hymn to the Father until the day one departs from the body.”
“Whatever you sing, O my father, I want to sing also.”
“I sing a hymn inside myself.
While you are refreshing yourself, remain active praising, because you have found what you are seeking.”
“O My father, is it, however, appropriate for me to praise when in my heart I am filled?”
“The appropriate thing is your praise that you will sing to God, so that it can be inscribed in this indestructible book.”
“With my heart I will send up praise while I pray to the goal of the universe, and the greatest beginning, to the purpose of humanity’s quest, the deathless discovery, the begetter of light and truth, the sower of reason, the love of deathless life.
No concealed speech is capable of speaking about you, Lord.
This is why my mind daily desires to sing a hymn to you.
I am the musical instrument of your Spirit. Mind is your plectrum, and your counsel is what musically plucks me.
I behold myself. I have obtained power from you, because your love has reached us.”
“Correct, O my son, O (my) gift.”
“After all this, I offer thanks by singing a hymn to you,
because when you rendered me wise, I obtained life from you.
I praise you. I invoke your name that is concealed inside me:
A Ō EE Ō ĒĒĒ ŌŌŌ III ŌŌŌŌ OOOOO ŌŌŌŌŌ UUUUUU ŌŌŌŌŌŌ ŌŌŌŌŌ ŌŌŌŌŌŌŌ ŌŌŌŌ
You exist together with the spirit.
I sing a hymn to you with reverence.”