Thunder: Perfect Mind

Thunder: Perfect Mind

I was sent forth from the Power And I have come to those who meditate upon me. And I have been found among those who pursue me.

Gaze upon me, all you who meditate on me; And you who listen, hear me! You who abide (tarry) for me, take me into yourselves. And do not turn your gaze away from me. And do not make your voice hate me (do not say you hate me), nor your hearing (nor hate my sound when you hear it). Do not be ignorant of me at any place or any time (Do not stop thinking of me at any place or during any time). Be on guard! Do not take your mind off me.

For I am the first and the last. I am the honored and the scorned, I am the whore and the holy one. I am the wife and the virgin. I am the mother and the daughter. I am the members of my mother's family.

I am the barren one and the one with many sons.

I am she who had many marriages, and I have not taken a husband. I am the midwife and she who does not give birth. I am the place of comfort from labor pains.

I am the bride and the bridegroom. It is my husband who brought me forth. I am the mother of my father and the sister of my husband (grandfather and sister-in-law). And he (my husband) is my offspring.

I am the slave of him who prepared me and I am the king of my offspring. But he is the one who brought me forth before the time on a day of birth and he is my offspring in (the fullness of) time. My power is from him. I am the rod of his power in his youth and he is the rod of my old age. And whatever he wills shall happen to me.

I am the silence that cannot be comprehended, and I am the thought that repeats in your mind. I am the voice of many sounds and the word (logos) whose appearance takes many forms. I am the vocalization (sound / utterance) of my name (I am the manifestation of my name uttered).

You who hate me, why do you love me

And why do you hate those who love me? You who deny me, proclaim (confess) me, And you who proclaim (confess) me, deny me. You who speak the truth about me, tell lies about me, And you who have lied about me, speak the truth about me. You who know me, become ignorant of me, and those who have been ignorant of me, will come to know me.

For I am knowledge and ignorance. I am timidity (shame) and boldness. I am unashamed, I am ashamed. I am strength and I am fear. I am war and peace. Give heed to me.

I am disgraced and the exalted one. Give notice of my poverty and my wealth. Do not look down on me when I am discarded upon the ground (earth), And you will find me among those who are to come. And when you see me on the garbage-heap, do not leave me there discarded. And you will find me in the kingdoms.

And do not look upon me now laugh at me when I am thrown away with those who are disgraced and in the lowest (least) places. And do not discard me (cast me down) among those who are killed violently.

I am merciful and I am cruel. So be on your guard! Do not hate my obedience, And do not love my self-control. Do not forsake me in my (time of) weakness. And do not be afraid of my power. Why then do you despise my fear And curse my pride?

I am she who exists in all fears and in boldness and in trembling. I am she who is weak, and I do well in a place of pleasure. I am foolish (senseless - beyond your senses) and I am wise.

Why have you hated me in your places of discussion and debate (counsels)? For this reason I shall be silent among those who are silent, And then I shall appear and speak?

Why have you hated me, you Greeks? Because I am a non-Greek among non-Greeks?

For I am the Wisdom (Sophia) of the Greeks And the Gnosis (Knowledge) of foreigners (non-Greeks / barbarians). I am the judgment for Greeks and foreigners (non-Greeks / barbarians).

I am the one whose multiple images are in Egypt. (the one whose image is great in Egypt) And the one who has no image among foreigners (non-Greeks / barbarians). I am she who has been hated everywhere and she who has been loved everywhere.

I am she who is called Life and you have called Death. I am she who is called Law and you have called Lawlessness. I am the one you have pursued, and I am the one you have caught (seized / restrained). I am the one you have scattered and the one you have gathered together. Before me you have been ashamed and you have been shameless to me (unashamed).

I am she who observes no holy days (festival) and I am she whose holy days (festivals) are many. I am the one who is godless and I am she whose God is great (multiple).

I am the one you meditate one and the one whom you have rejected (scorned). I am ignorant, and yet it is from me they learn.

I am she whom you have despised but it is me you think of. I am the one you hide from, yet you appear to me (are made manifest to me). But whenever you hide yourselves, I will be made manifest. For whenever you are manifest, I will hide myself from you.

[NOTE: Here, the codex is damaged and the some of the text is missing.] Those who have […] to it […] […] senselessly Take me […] understanding out of grief (pain), and receive me to yourselves in understanding and in grief (pain). Receive me to yourselves in disgraceful places and places in ruin. And seize (take / rob) from me those (things) which are good even though in disgrace. Note: Another rendering could be: Lay hold on me from those who are good, even though you do so in disgrace.

Out of shame, receive me to yourselves without shame. And out of shamelessness and shame, blame my members among yourselves. And come toward (closer to) me, you who know me and who know my members. Establish the mighty ones from among the small first creatures.

Come forward into childhood and do not hate it because it is tiny and small. And do not turn your back even slightly on greatnesses (which are) in parts from smallnesses, for the things of smallness are known from the things of greatness.

Why do you curse me and honor me?

You have wounded and you have had mercy.

Do not separate me from the first ones whom you have known. And do not cast anyone out and do not bring anyone back […] (Note: Here the codex is damaged and letters are missing.) …Throw you away (brought you back ) and … know him not. [I…] what is mine […] I know the first ones and those after them know me. But I am the perfect mind and the respite of the […] I am the gnosis of my seeking, and the discovery of those who seek me. And the command of those who inquire of me. And the power of the powers by my gnosis of the angels who have been sent at my logos (word/command), And the gods in their seasons (times) by my command, And it is of (with) me that the spirits of all humans exist, and it is within me that women live.

I am she who is honored and praised and who is scornfully hated. I am peace but because of me war has come. And I am a foreigner and a citizen.

I am substance and she who has no substance.

Those who come into being from my synousia (intercourse – congress – social interaction) are ignorant of me, And those who are in my substance know me. Those who are close to me have been ignorant of me And those who are far from me have known me.

On the day when I am close, you are far away from me And on the day when I am far away from you, I am close to you. I am [….] within. [I am] ….. of the natures. I am [……] of the creation of spirits ….inquiry of the souls. I am controlled and unrestraint. I am union and disintegration. I am the enduring and I am the releasing (letting go / cease). I am the one below and they ascend to me. I am the judgment and the acquittal.

I am the one who is sinless and the root of sin initiates (evolves, springs, develops) from me. I am desire and lust in outward manifestation (appearance) and inner self-control exists within me. I am the hearing which everyone is able to understand and the utterance that cannot be understood (unable to be grasped). I am a silent mute and great is the multitude of my words (utterances). Hear me in gentleness (softness) and learn from me in harshness.

I am she who cries out, And I am thrown out upon the face of the earth. I prepare the bread and my mind within. I am the gnosis of my name. I am she who shouts and I am the one who listens.

I appear and […] walk in […] seal of my […]… sign of the I am […] the defense. I am she who is called Truth. And sin (lies / iniquity / violence) […].

You honor me […] (with your words) and you whisper against me. You who are defeated, judge those who defeated you before they judge you, Because judgement (the judge) and prejudice exist within you. If you are condemned by this one, who will acquit you? Or if you are acquitted by him, who will be able to detain (arrest) you?

Whatever is inside of you is also what is outside of you. And the one who fashioned you on the outside is also the one who has molded the inside of you. And that which you see outside of you, you see inside of you. It is manifest (visible) and it is your garment.

Hear me, listeners, and be taught my word, you who know me!

I am the hearing that is able to be understood (acceptable) in all matters; I am the words (sound) that cannot be held back (restrained / grasped). I am the name of the sound (voice) and the sound (voice) of the name. I am the sign (shape) of writing (letters) and the existence of separation (visage of difference).

(Note: the codex is damaged here and three lines are missing. Also note the change is gender here as the subject shifts from female to male.) And I … […] light […] and […] […] listeners […] to you. […] the great power. And […] will not move the name. […] the one who created me. But I shall speak his name.

Behold, his words and all the writings that have been completed. Give heed you listeners, and you also, you angels who have been sent, And you, spirits who have arisen from the dead, For I am the one who singularly exists (alone exists). I have no one who will judge me. Many sweet and desirable forms exist in numerous sins,

And unrestrained indulgent acts and disgraceful passions, and passing (temporal) pleasures, Which men hold on to (grasp) until they become sober And go up to their place of rest. And they will find me there, And they will live and they will not die again.