Aramaic Levi Document
Levi's prayer for the spirit of holiness and his vision in Abel-Mayyin — the heavens opened, the angel of the presence, and his washing in the running waters.
1Then I, Levi, washed myself in running waters at Abel-Mayyin. I cleansed all my flesh from every defilement. I lifted up mine eyes and my face unto heaven; I opened my mouth, and I spake. I stretched out the fingers of my hands; even my hands lifted up in truth, in the face of the holy ones.
2I prayed, and said: O Lord, Thou knowest all hearts. Thou alone understandest all the thoughts of the children of men. Now my children are with me. Grant me all the ways of truth. Make far from me, O Lord, the unrighteous spirit, and evil thought, and harlotry; turn pride away from me.
3Let there be shown unto me, O Lord, the holy spirit; and grant me counsel, and wisdom, and knowledge, and strength — that I may do what is pleasing in Thy sight, and may find favour before Thee, and may praise Thy words with me, O Lord. Let no satan have power over me to make me to stray from Thy path.
4And have mercy upon me, and bring me near to be Thy servant, and to minister well unto Thee. The wall of Thy peace be about me; and let the shelter of Thy might be over me, against all evil. Wipe away iniquity from beneath the heavens; and end iniquity from the face of the earth.
5Cleanse my heart, O Lord, from all impurity, and lift me up unto Thee. Hide not Thy face from the son of Thy servant Jacob. Thou, O Lord, hast blessed Abraham my father, and Sarah my mother. Thou hast spoken of giving us the seed of righteousness for ever and ever. Hear, also, the voice of Thy servant Levi — that he may be near Thee. Make me a partaker of Thy words, that I may do true judgment for all time, even I and my sons, for all the generations of the ages.
6Hide not Thy face from the son of Thy servant. And I, Levi, ceased speaking; and I prayed unto the Lord. And then I went unto my father Jacob; and when I had departed from Abel-Mayyin, I lay down upon a mount; and I slept. And I beheld a vision in the height of the heavens.
7Behold, the heavens were opened. And an angel of the Lord said unto me: Levi, come thou in. And I entered into the first heaven; and I beheld there great waters, suspended. And I entered into the second heaven; and I beheld a clearer light, brighter than the first. And I said unto the angel: Wherefore is this so? And the angel said unto me: Marvel not at this, for thou shalt see another heaven brighter, and incomparable; and when thou hast ascended thither, thou shalt stand by the Lord, and thou shalt be His minister, and thou shalt declare His mysteries unto men.
