Enoch - BOOK OF ENOCH, 1882

he book of the courses of the luminaries of heaven, how it is with each one of them, as to their classes, their governments, and their times, as to their names and origin, and as to their months, which their leader Uriêl, a holy angel who was with me, showed to me, and their whole description as it is he showed to me, and how it is with respect to all the years of the world and to eternity, till a new creation is made which will continue to eternity.

2. And this is the first law of the luminaries: the luminary sun has its ascent in the portals of the heavens which are towards the east, and his descent in the western portals of heaven.

3. And I saw six portals, out of which the sun ascends, and six portals into which the sun descends; the moon also rises and sets in these portals, and the leaders of the stars and those led by them; six in the east and six in the west, *) and all, each after the other, aright; also many windows to the right and to the left of these portals. *) Net edition: These 12 gates are the Zodiak, according to Laurences' remarks in his 1838 edition.

4. And first comes forth the great luminary called the sun; and his circuit is like the circuit of the heavens, and he is entirely filled with flaming and heating fire.

5. The wagons on which he ascends are driven by the wind, and the sun descending disappears from the heavens and returns through the north in order to reach the east, and is led that he comes to that portal and shines on the surface of heaven.

6. And thus he comes forth, in the first month, in the great portal, and he comes forth from the fourth of these six portals towards the east.

7. And in that fourth portal, from which the sun comes forth in the first month, there are twelve window openings, from which a flame proceeds when they are opened in their time.

8. When the sun rises from the heavens he comes out of that fourth portal thirty mornings, and descends directly into the fourth western portal of heaven.

9. And in those days the day is daily lengthened, and the nights nightly shortened to the thirtieth morning.

10. And in that day the day is two parts longer than the night, and the day is exactly ten parts and the night eight parts.

11. And the sun comes forth from this fourth portal and sets in the fourth and returns to the fifth portal of the east thirty mornings, and comes forth from it and descends into the fifth portal.

12. From then on the day is lengthened two parts, and the day is eleven parts, and the night is shortened and is seven parts.

13. And the sun returns to the east and goes into the sixth portal, and comes forth and descends into the sixth portal, thirty-one mornings on account of its sign.

14. And on that day the day is longer than the night, and the day will be double the night, and the day is twelve parts, and the night is shorter and is six parts.

15. And the sun is raised so that the day is shortened and the night is lengthened, and the sun returns to the east and enters the sixth portal and rises from it and sets thirty mornings.

16. And when the thirty mornings are completed the day diminishes by exactly one part, and the day is eleven parts and the night seven parts.

17. And the sun comes forth from this sixth portal in the west and goes to the east and rises in the fifth portal thirty mornings and sets in the west again in the fifth portal.

18. On that day the day diminishes two parts, and the day will be ten parts and the night eight parts.

19. And the sun comes forth from that fifth portal and descends into the fifth portal of the west and rises in the fourth portal, on account of its sign, thirty-one mornings and descends in the west.

20. On that day the day is equal to the night and becomes equal, and the night is nine parts and the day nine parts.

21. And the sun comes forth from that portal and sets in the west and returns to the east and comes forth from the third portal thirty mornings and sets in the west in the third portal.

22. And on that day the night is longer than the day to the thirtieth morning, and the day becomes shorter daily to the thirtieth morning, and the night is exactly ten parts and the day eight parts.

23. And the sun comes forth from that third portal and sets in the third portal in the west and returns to the east, and the sun goes into the second portal of the east thirty mornings, and in like manner into the second portal in the west of the heavens.

24. And on that day the night is eleven parts and the day seven parts.

25. And the sun comes forth on that day from the second portal and descends in the west into the second portal and returns to the east in the first portal thirty-one mornings and descends into the west into the first portal.

26. And on that day the night will be so long that it will be the double of the day, and the night is exactly twelve parts and the day six parts.

27. And with that the sun has completed his stations, and he again returns to his station and enters in this portal thirty mornings; he rises and sets opposite it in the west.

28. And on that day the night diminishes in length by one part, and is eleven parts and the day seven parts.

29. And the sun returns and goes into the second portal of the east and returns to his course thirty mornings, rising and setting.

30. And on that day the night diminishes in length, and the night is ten parts and the day eight parts.

31. And on that day the sun comes forth from the second portal and descends in the west and returns to the east and rises in the third portal thirty-one mornings and sets in the west of the heavens.

32. And on that day the night is shortened and is nine parts, and the day is nine parts, and the night is equal with the day, and the year has exactly three hundred and sixty-four days.

33. And the length of the day and of the night, and the shortness of the day and of the night — by the course of the sun they are made separated.

34. On that account the day-course becomes longer daily and the night-course shorter nightly.

35. And this is the law and the course of the sun and his return when he returns; sixty times he returns and comes out, that is the great, eternal luminary which is called the sun to all eternity.

36. And that which thus ascends is the great luminary, as it is called on account of its appearance, according to the command of the Lord.

37. And thus he ascends and descends, and is not diminished, and does not rest, but runs day and night in his chariot, and his light shines seven times stronger than that of the moon; but as regards size they are both equal.