(58) Hail to thee, thou great god, who art in the domain of the water. I have come to thee. Grant me to take of thy water, to take of thy stream, as thou doest to this great god

(57) When the river is full and green like the flowing sap which comes out of Osiris, I take its water, I draw from its flood like the great god who is in the domain of the water, and who keeps watch over it for fear that the gods may drink from its water, and who inspires dread to the glorious ones

(62) Ye gods who live in the water of Cher-āba, ye powers of the high flood, open to me your ponds, open to me your lakes, that I may take of your water, and that I may rest in your stream, that I may eat of your corn, that I may be satisfied with your food

(1) "O thou who art beyond the sacred river," Turning to me the point of her discourse, That edgewise even had seemed to me so keen, She recommenced, continuing without pause, "Say, say if this be true; to such a charge, Thy own confession needs must be conjoined." My faculties were in so great confusion, That the voice moved, but sooner was extinct Than by its organs it was set at large. Awhile she waited; then she said: "What thinkest? Answer me; for the mournful memories In thee not yet are by the waters injured." Confusion and dismay together mingled Forced such a Yes! from out my mouth, that sight Was needful to the understanding of it. Even as a cross-bow breaks, when 'tis discharged Too tensely drawn the bowstring and the bow, And with less force the arrow hits the mark, So I gave way beneath that heavy burden, Outpouring in a torrent tears and sighs, And the voice flagged upon its passage forth. Whence she to me: "In those desires of mine Which led thee to the loving of that good, Beyond which there is nothing to aspire to,

(4) I am he who produceth the water which balanceth his throne, and who maketh his way from the Great Valley

(8) As the flowing rivers disappear in the sea, losing their name and their form, thus a wise man, freed from name and form, goes to the divine Person, who is greater than the great.

(3) O thou who art called aloud, thou who art called aloud, thou the lamented, thou art glorified, thou art exalted, thou art glorious, thou art strong

(2) Grant ye that I may have the command of water even as the mighty Sut had the command of his enemies on the Day of Disaster to the Earth. May I prevail over the Long-armed ones in their corners, [69] even as that glorious and ready god prevaileth over them, whose name they know not. May I prevail over the Long-armed ones

(2) O thou great Coverer of Heaven, in thy name of Stretcher [of Heaven], grant that I may have the command of water, even as Sut hath command of force on the night of the Great Disaster: grant that I may prevail over those who preside at the Inundation, even as that venerable god prevaileth over them, whose name they know not. May I prevail over them

(5) And behold how the sea and the rivers in like manner accomplish and ⌈change not⌉ their tasks ⌈from His commandments⌉.

(1) O thou who art devoid of moisture in coming forth from the stream; and who restest upon the deck of thy Bark: as thou proceedest in the direction of Yesterday, and restest upon the deck of thy Bark, let me join thy boatmen

(7) I am the savour of waters, Ο son of Kunti, the radiance of the sun and moon; I am the syllable Om in all the Vedas, the sound in ether, the manliness in man.

(2) After them eighteen rivers flowed forth from the same source, just as the remaining waters have flowed forth from them in great multitude; as they say that they flowed out so very fast, one from the other, as when a man recites one Ashem-vohû of a series (padîsâr). All of those, with the same water, are again mingled with these rivers, that is, the Arag river and Vêh river. 4. Both of them continually circulate through the two extremities of the earth, and pass into the sea; and all the regions feast owing to the discharge (zahâk) of both, which, after both arrive together at the wide-formed ocean, returns to the sources whence they flowed out; as it says in revelation, that just as the light comes in through Albûrz and goes out through Albûrz, the water also comes out through Albûrz and goes away through Albûrz. 5. This, too, it says, that the spirit of the Arag begged of Aûharmazd thus: 'O first omniscient creative power! from whom the Vêh river begged for the welfare that thou mightest grant, do thou then grant it in my quantity!' 6. The spirit of the Vêh river similarly begged of Aûharmazd for the Arag river; and on account of loving assistance, one towards the other, they flowed forth with equal strength, as before the coming of the destroyer they proceeded without rapids, and when the fiend shall be destroyed they will again be without rapids. 7. Of those eighteen principal rivers, distinct from the Arag river and Vêh river, and the other rivers which flow out from them, I will mention the more famous: the Arag river, the Vêh river, the Diglat river they call also again the Vêh river, the Frât river, the Dâîtîk river, the Dargâm river, the Zôndak river, the Harôî river, the Marv river, the Hêtûmand river, the Akhôshir river, the Nâvadâ river, the Zîsmand river, the Khvegand river, the Balkh river, the Mehrvâ river they call the Hendvâ river, the Spêd river, the Rad river which they call also the Koir, the Khvaraê river which they call also the Mesrgân, the Harhaz river, the Teremet river, the Khvanaîdis river, the Dâraga river, the Kâsîk river, the Sêd ('shining') river Pêdâ-meyan or Katru-meyan river of Mokarstân. 8. I will mention them also a second time: the Arag river is that of which it is said that it comes out from Albûrz in the land of Sûrâk, in which they call it also the Âmi; it passes on through the land of Spêtos, which they also call Mesr, and they call it there the river Niv. 9. The Vêh river passes on in the east, goes through the land of Sînd, and flows to the sea in Hindûstân, and they call it there the Mehrâ river. 10. The sources of the Frât river are from the frontier of Arûm, they feed upon it in Sûristân, and it flows to the Diglat river; and of this Frât it is that they produce irrigation over the land. 11. It is declared that Mânûskîhar excavated the sources, and cast back the water all to one place, as it says thus 'I reverence the Frât, full of fish, which Mânûskîhar excavated for the benefit of his own soul, and he seized the water and gave to drink,' 12. The Diglat river comes out from Salmân, and flows to the sea in Khûgîstân. 13. The Dâîtîk river is the river which comes out from Aîrân-vêg, and goes out through the hill-country; of all rivers the noxious creatures in it are most, as it says, that the Dâîtîk river is full of noxious creatures. 14. The Dargâm river is in Sûde. 15. The Zend river passes through the mountains of Pangistân, and flows away to the Haro river. 16. The Haro river flows out from the Apârsên range. 17. The Hêtûmand river is in Sagastân, and its sources are from the Apârsên range; this is distinct from that which Frâsîyâv conducted away. 18. The river Akhôshir is in Kûmîs. 19. The Zîsmand river, in the direction of Soghd, flows away towards the Khvegand river. 20. The Khvegand river goes on through the midst of Samarkand and Pargâna, and they call it also the river Ashârd. 21. The Marv river, a glorious river in the east, flows out from the Apârsên range. 22. The Balkh river comes out from the Apârsên mountain of Bâmîkân, and flows on to the Vêh river. 23. The Spêd river is in Âtarô-pâtakân; they say that Dahâk begged a favour here from Aharman and the demons. 24. The Tort river, which they call also the Koir, comes out from the sea of Gîklân, and flows to the sea of Vergân. 25. The Zahâvayi is the river which comes out from Âtarô-pâtakân, and flows to the sea in Pârs. 26. The sources of the Khvaraê river are from Spâhân; it passes on through Khûgîstân, flows forth to the Diglat river, and in Spâhân they call it the Mesrkân river. 27. The Harhaz river is in Taparîstân, and its sources are from Mount Dimâvand. 28. The Teremet river flows away to the Vêh river. 29. The Vendeses river is in that part of Pârs which they call Sagastân. 30. The Kâsak river comes out through a ravine (kâf) in the province of Tûs, and they call it there the Kasp river; moreover, the river, which is there the Vêh, they call the Kâsak; even in Sînd they call it the Kâsak. 31. The Pêdâk-mîyân, which is the river Katru-mîyân, is that which is in Kangdez. 32. The Dâraga river is in Aîrân-vêg, on the bank (bâr) of which was the dwelling of Pôrûshasp, the father of Zaratûst. 33. The other innumerable waters and rivers, springs and channels are one in origin with those; so in various districts and various places they call them by various names. 34. Regarding Frâsîyâv they say, that a thousand springs were conducted away by him into the sea Kyânsîh, suitable for horses, suitable for camels, suitable for oxen, suitable for asses, both great and small; and he conducted the spring Zarînmand (or golden source), which is the Hêtûmand river they say, into the same sea; and he conducted the seven navigable waters of the source of the Vakaêni river into the same sea, and made men settle there.

(1) Oh thou Leg in the Northern Sky, and in that most conspicuous but inaccessible Stream; I rise up and come to light as a god, I am conspicuous but inaccessible

(3) Thou fishest with the net on the river, the water of which thou drinkest; thou walkest on thy feet, and thou dost not walk headlong. Thou appearest on the surface of the earth, and thou doest not come forth from under solid ground, the strength which is in thee will not be shaken through the action of the god of thy domain

(11) As the many torrents of the rivers rush toward the ocean, so do the heroes of the mortal world rush into Thy fiercely flaming mouths.

(4) Let me speak to the divine Boatman at the gloaming, let me enter in and let me go out; that I may see who is there; that I may raise him up and speak my words to him

(56) The gods and the glorious ones look at its water from afar, they do not quench their thirst, and their heart is not set at rest, because they may not go near it

(1) Peter came forward and said: "My Lord, concerning the solution of the words which thou hast spoken, thus hath thy light-power prophesied aforetime through Solomon in his Odes: "'1. A stream came forth and became a great wide flood. "'2. It tore away all to itself and turned itself against the temple. "'3. Dams and buildings could not hold it, nor could the art of them who hold the waters. "'4. It was led over the whole land and laid hold of all. "'5. They who were on the dry sand, drank; their thirst was quieted and quenched, when the draught from the hand of the Highest was given. "'6. Blessed are the ministers of that draught, to whom the water of the Lord is entrusted. "'7. They have refreshed parched lips; they whose power was taken away, have gotten joy of heart and they have laid hold of souls, having poured in the breath, so that they should not die. "'8. They have raised up limbs which were fallen; they have given power to their openness and light unto their eyes. "'9. For they all have known themselves in the Lord and are saved through the water of Life eternal.' "Hearken, therefore, my Lord, that I may set forth the word in openness. As thy power hath prophesied through Solomon: 'A stream came forth and became a great wide flood,'--this is: The light-stream hath spread itself out in the chaos over all the regions of the emanations of Self-willed. "And again the word which thy power hath spoken through Solomon: 'It tore away all to itself and led it over the temple,'--that is: It drew all the light-powers out of the emanations of Self-willed, which they had taken from Pistis Sophia, and poured them anew into Pistis Sophia. "And again the word thy power hath spoken: 'The dams and buildings could not hold it,'--that is: The emanations of Self-willed could not hold the light-stream within the walls of the darkness of the chaos. "And again the word which it hath spoken: It was led over the whole land and filled all,'--that is: When Gabriēl and Michaēl had led it over the body of Pistis Sophia, they poured into her all the lights which the emanations of Self-willed had taken from her, and the body of her matter shone. "And the word which it hath spoken: 'They who were in the dry sand, drank,'--that is: All in Pistis Sophia whose light had before been taken away, got light. "And the word which it hath spoken: 'Their thirst was quieted and quenched,'--that is: Her powers ceased to lack the light, because their light, which had been taken from them, was given them [again]. "And again as thy power hath spoken: 'The draught through the Highest was given them,'--that is: The light was given unto them through the light-stream, which came forth out of thee, the First Mystery." "And as thy power hath spoken: 'Blessed are the ministers of that draught,'--this is the word which thou hast spoken: 'Michaēl and Gabriēl, who have ministered, have brought the light-stream into the chaos and also led it forth again. They will give them the mysteries of the Light of the Height, they to whom the light-stream is entrusted.' "And again as thy power hath spoken: 'They have refreshed parched lips,'--that is: Gabriēl and Michaēl have not taken for themselves from the lights of Pistis Sophia, which they had spoiled from the emanations of Self-willed, but they have poured them into Pistis Sophia. "And again the word which it hath spoken: They whose power was taken away, have gotten joy of heart,'--that is: All the other powers of Pistis Sophia, which the emanations of Self-willed have not taken, are become exceedingly merry and have filled themselves with light from their light-fellows, for these have poured it into them. "And the word which thy power hath spoken: 'They have quickened souls, having poured in the breath, so that they should not die,'--that is: When they had poured the lights into Pistis Sophia, they quickened the body of her matter, from which they had before taken its lights, and which was on the point of perishing. "And again the word which thy power hath spoken: 'They have raised up limbs which were fallen, or that they should not fall,'--that is: When they poured into her her lights, they raised up all her powers which were on the point of being dissolved. "And again as thy light-power hath spoken: They have received again their light and have become as they were before '; and again the word which it hath spoken: 'They have given light unto their eyes,'--that is: They have received sense in the Light and known the light-stream, that it belongeth to the Height. "And again the word which it hath spoken: 'They all have known themselves in the Lord,'--that is: All the powers of Pistis Sophia have known one another through the light-stream. "And again the word which it hath spoken: 'They are saved through water of Life eternal,'--that is: They are saved through the whole light-stream. "And again the word which it hath spoken: 'The light-stream tore all to itself and drew it over the temple,'--that is: When the light-stream had taken all the light-powers of Pistis Sophia and had spoiled them from the emanations of Self-willed, it poured them into Pistis Sophia and turned itself about and went out of the chaos and came over thee,--thou who art the temple. "This is the solution of all the words which thy light-power hath spoken through the Ode of Solomon." It came to pass then, when the First Mystery had heard Peter speak these words, that he said unto him: "Well said, blessed Peter. This is the solution of the words which have been spoken."

(3) This, too, they say, that of these three rivers, that is, the Arag river, the Marv river, and the Vêh river, the spirits were dissatisfied, so that they would not flow into the world, owing to the defilement of stagnant water (armêst) which they beheld, so that they were in tribulation through it until Zaratûst was exhibited to them, whom I (Aûharmazd) will create, who will pour sixfold holy-water (zôr) into it and make it again wholesome; he will preach carefulness.