The emerald tablet, also known as the Smaragdine Tablet, is one of the most famous Hermetic texts. This has influenced much of magic and occultism going forward. If you ever heard the words “As Below So Above” and “As Above So Below” they are quoting the Emerald Tablet.
It’s not that old! It’s only around 750-850AD. While much of its concepts are from earlier texts and the earliest version we have found appears to be a translation of an even earlier text which cannot be found. The first full text is around this time and in Arabic.
There are a number of versions around some are slightly shorter than others.
For some this text describes the mystical ascent and descent of Hermes Trimegistus from realm to realm to the highest circles of heaven.
Arabic Versions
Truth, certainty, No doubt within (, correct).
The first line in the Pseudo-Apollonius of Tyana’s Sirr Al-Khaliqa has the word “SaHiiH” which simply means “correct” and adds very little extra meaning to the word “Haaq” meaning “true”. (I use capital H for an Arabic letter which is like a “h”, but with more breath. Don’t confuse this with the “kh” which sounds like someone trying to clear their throat or the small “h” which is close to just a normal “h” like in English.)
That which is the highest is from the lowest and the lowest is from the highest.
(That which is the lowest is from the highest and the highest is from the lowest)
The words “ala’alaa” and “alasfal”, which mean highest and lowest respectively, are reversed in Pseudo-Aristotle’s Sirr al-asraar.
He made the wonders from one. As there became things, all of them from one. (The one ruling them.)
(OR He made the wonders from one. One ruling them. As such they begat the things from the essence/gem of the one)
The continual references to one could indicate a definite one. Something that would be better translated as “the one”.
The third line of the Pseudo-Apollonius of Tyana’s Sirr Al-Khaliqa finishes with “betdeneer waaHid” which almost translate as “the one ruling them”. The root of this word implies management and measurement so I like the English word “rule” as it can imply both of these meanings. I think this is the origin of the later translation “by the mediation of one”.
Pseudo-Aristotle’s Sirr al-asraar also uses this phrase but in the middle. Followed by “as such [X] begat the things from the essence/gem of the one”. Essence is the most likely meaning of jawhir, but it’s related to words for gem and core. The subject of the verb which I have rendered “begat” is quite unclear here. It could be “I begat” or “she begat”, also in Arabic sometimes the third person feminine is used for plurals. Since the author rarely makes self-references in this piece, I doubt it is intended in the first person, there are no nearby feminine nouns, so I assume the subject is either the things or the wonders.
(and) its father is the sun (and) its mother is the moon
In Kitaab UsTuqus Aluss Althaanii (attributed to Jabir ibn Hayyan) the next line has a couple of additional prefixes, which translate to “and”, but have no substantial impact on the meaning of the piece.
the wind bore it in its abdomen, the earth nourished it (with her milk).
(OR the earth bore it in her abdomen and the air nourished it in her abdomen)
The next line is interesting because the additional words in the Kitaab UsTuqus al-uss al-thaanii (attributed to Jabir ibn Hayyan) text imply the nourished object was born in both the abdomen of the wind AND the earth where as Sirr Alkhalqa implies it was carried in the abdomen of the wind and just nurtured by the earth. In
Pseudo-Aristotle’s Sirr al-asraar of earth it says “nourished it with her milk” of the forth subject “earth” in place of “in her abdomen” which Sirr al-khalqa says of both the 3rd and 4th.
Since each element in this line provides a different aspect of raising a baby, I think it is unintentional that two elements would do the same thing. The is probably a copy error. baTnuhaa and bilabaanhaa both start and finish with the same characters. I personally interpret that the air bore it in the womb (the word Homiltuh suggests pregnancy, not just carrying) and the earth breastfed it.
The father of talismans, keeper of wonders, filled/completed with powers. (OR [Nothing])
Pseudo-Apollonius of Tyana’s Sirr Al-Khaliqa and Pseudo-Aristotle’s Sirr al-asraar both have the above line, but it doesn’t appear in Kitaab UsTuqus al-uss al-thaanii (attributed to Jabir ibn Hayyan).
Fire became earth. (or if it became earth) Separate the element of earth from that of (fine) fire
Then both read the above line. Note that the words for fire and light are obviously etymologically linked to readers in Arabic. They are “naar” and “noor”. Also, vowels are significantly more interchangeable in Arabic, which is an unpointed language where short vowels go unwritten and many words easily swap out one vowel for another. Consider modern rayyiH (going) which is associated with arooH (I go).
Pseudo-Aristotle’s Sirr al-asraar describes the fire as “fine” (like sand) or “nice”, which is understood to be the “subtle” mentioned in later translations. This makes it clear this author thinks of the fire as the fine and the earth as the thick if that wasn’t an assumption we already made. It’s also possible this word was carried up from the following line where it is then missing “the most noble fine form the thick” where instead it just reads “the most noble from the thick”.
The most noble fine stuff, from thick stuff.
(OR nourish the earth from the fine)
Then Pseudo-Apollonius of Tyana’s Sirr Al-Khaliqa reads “the most noble Fine stuff from thick stuff.” seeming to continue the idea that one should separate things. However, Kitaab UsTuqus Aluss Althaanii (attributed to Jabir ibn Hayyan), reads “nourish the earth from the fine”. It’s kind of funny reading it because the word “LuTiif” which I have translated as “fine” which sort of means “nice” and “fine” as in sand, has a strong etymological link to the modern polite word for “gay” in the Egyptian dialect. Some people have translated this word as “subtle” and the word that has connotations of “thickness” must therefore be the equivalent of “gross” in later translations.
With grace and wisdom, it ascends from the earth to the heavens and settles to the earth (from the heavens) (OR With the power of powers, it ascends from the earth to the heavens)
Pseudo-Apollonius of Tyana’s Sirr Al-Khaliqa reads “With grace and wisdom, it ascends from the earth to the heavens and settles to the earth from the heavens”. Kitaab UsTuqus Aluss Althaanii (attributed to Jabir ibn Hayyan) alternatively says “With the power of powers, it ascends from the earth to the heavens” and it admits the line about the descent.
Pseudo-Aristotle’s Sirr al-asraar ommits “from the heavens”, but this is implied from the previous sentence. Also in Sirr Al-Asraar the verb is in the feminine again instead of masculine. So this is not the same “it” which had the sun as a father etc, but it could be the earth or the fire.
And there is the power of the highest and the lowest.
(OR there becomes ruling power over the highest and the lowest)
(OR in receiving the power of the highest and the lowest).
In Kitaab UsTuqus Aluss Althaanii it uses the word “musalTaa” for power where it has been using “qowa” through the earlier lines. This could indicate applied power rather than stored energy, but on the previous line, the text uses “qowa”. In Pseudo-Aristotle’s Sirr al-asraar this line begins with “in receiving” (“fatqabal”). The word here has similar roots to receiving a guest, a wedding reception and the Hebrew word Qabalah.
The following appears only on the Pseudo-Apollonius of Tyana’s Sirr Al-Khaliqa and Pseudo-Aristotle’s Sirr al-asraar. Kitaab UsTuqus Aluss Althaanii ends here.
For with him is the light of lights (or “His is the light of lights.”)
Therefore, fleeing him is the darkness.
(OR with you is the light of lights (or “Yours is the light of lights.”)
Therefore, fleeing you is the darkness.)
The Pseudo-Aristotle’s Sirr al-asraar uses the second person singular for this line. Suggesting that the reader already has the light of lights to help him.
Power of powers.
The fine things overcome and penetrate all things thick.
(OR you overcome all fine things, it enters all things dense)
Sirr al-asraar continues in the second person singlar and uses a slightly different work for “gross”.
Upon the world becoming the greatest, she becomes done (OR she becomes the work).
(OR upon the world being estimated the greatest.)
Due to the poor breaks in sentences, it’s really hard to decipher the exact intended meaning here. Also il-‘aamal can mean “the made”, “the finished”, “the work” and more.
In this is my pride, and for that, I am called Hermes the thrice-d with the wisdom (the mystic).
The word mystic appears only in Pseudo-Aristotle’s Sirr al-asraar. Note similarity to the name of Alaaddin the word is al-ladduniya though probably not etymologically linked, Alaaddin means Ala of the faith.
Recompiled Arabic text
If they were all taken from a single text then this would be my attempt to estimate the original. However, they appear many years apart which suggests the earlier one should be taken more authoritative of an original source. But if this text symbolises an alchemical process with which the authors were having success then a later version might resemble a more refined and accessible version.
This is truth, it is a certainty without any doubt and it is correct.
That which is the highest is from the lowest and the lowest is from the highest.
He made the wonders from the “one”. All things came from the “one” and have the “one” ruling them.
They were formed from the core essence of the “one”.
Its father is the sun and its mother is the moon.
The wind bore it in its abdomen, the earth nourished it with her milk.
The father of talismans, keeper of wonders, is completed with powers.
Fire became earth. He separated the element of earth from that of fire
The most noble fine stuff, from the thicker stuff.
He nourished the earth from the fine stuff.
With grace and wisdom, the power of powers ascends from the earth to the heavens and settles to the earth from the heavens
And there is the power of the highest and the lowest.
For with him is the light of lights
Therefore, fleeing him is the darkness.
This is the Power of powers.
The fine things overcome and penetrate all things thick.
Upon the world becoming the greatest, she becomes done.
In this is my pride, and for that, I am called Hermes the thrice gifted with wisdom, the mystic.