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Diotimos Library · Esotericism & Spirituality Collection · Bilingual Edition

Attributed to Ali Puli

Centrum Naturae Concentratum

The Salt of Nature Regenerated

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Centrum Naturae ConcentratumThe Last Testament of a Father to His Beloved Son · Passage 4

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The Last Testament of a Father to His Beloved Son · Passage 4

German

Liebster Sohn! Noch ists übrig, daß ich dich warne, diesen so grossen Schatz in der Stille und einen schlechten bürgerlichen Leben und Stand ohne Pracht, Hoffarth und Überfluß zu geniessen, keinem Menschen davon etwas zu sagen, ja deinen eigenen Brüdern und Schwestern, Weib und Kindern, nichts zu sagen, damit du nicht in Leib- und Lebens-Gefahr, ja umb deine ewige Seligkeit kommest, halte deine Zunge im Zaum, und thue deinem armen Nechsten Hülffe in aller Stille und Verborgenheit, damit sie nicht erfahren, von wem ihnen solches herkomme, so wird solches GOtt, der ins Verborgene siehet, dir öffentlich vergelten. Offenbahre diese Wissenschafft deinen eigenen Kindern nicht, es wäre denn, daß dir GOtt einen Sohn gäbe, so fromm, Gottsfürchtig und von GOtt dazu beruffen, wo nicht, sage es lieber vor deinem Tode einem frembden, doch frommen, GOttfürchtigen, und würdigen Mann, welchen du durch lange Jahre hast kennen lernen und wol probiret, damit du das verliehene Talent nicht gantz mit dir in die Erde vergraben lässest, sondern wie andere damit wucherst, und ein Vater werdest Philosophischer Kinder: Das ist, daß es andre würdige aus deinen Schrifften nach GOttes Willen lernen und begreiffen mögen, und denen dürfftig Armen, da es nimmer an mangeln wird Gutes thun, und in ihrer Noth zu Hülffe kommen mögen; mir hat es kein lebendiger Mensch gesagt, noch durch Unterweisung gelernet, sondern habe es durch unaussprechliche Mühe und Arbeit, aus dem Büchern und tuncklen Schrifften der alten Weisen durch die Gnade und Liebe GOttes begriffen und gelernet.

English

Dearest son, it remains for me to warn you to enjoy this great treasure quietly, in a plain civic life and station, without splendour, pride or excess. Tell no one anything about it—not even your own brothers and sisters, wife and children—lest you endanger your body and life, and even your eternal salvation. Bridle your tongue, and help your poor neighbour quietly and secretly, so that they do not learn from whom the help comes; then God, who sees in secret, will reward you openly. Do not reveal this knowledge to your own children unless God gives you a son who is upright, God-fearing and called to it by God. Otherwise, before your death, tell it rather to an unrelated but upright, God-fearing and worthy man whom you have known and thoroughly tested over many years. Thus you will not have the talent entrusted to you buried entirely with you in the earth, but will put it to use, as others have, and become a father of philosophical children. That is, other worthy people may learn and understand it from your writings according to God’s will, and may do good to the needy poor—of whom there will never be a shortage—and help them in their distress. No living person told it to me or taught it to me by instruction. Through inexpressible toil and work, by God’s grace and love, I understood and learned it from the books and obscure writings of the ancient sages.

About This Reading Edition

The complete supplied German–English edition of the 1682 collection: the main treatise attributed to Ali Puli, Helbig’s preface, distinct companion discourses, the short potable-gold preparation and the anonymous Father’s Last Testament, with four historical figures, 103 annotations and the full Diotimos study apparatus.

Historical Text and Translation

The governing German witness is the complete 1682 collection in Badische Landesbibliothek Karlsruhe, shelfmark 87 B 76050, with an unnumbered title and printed pages 1–80. The historical title’s Arabic and Portuguese antecedents and its authorial persona are retained as claims, not authenticated originals. Johann Otto Helbig (Hellwig), Martin de Delle, J. J. F. and the anonymous testament retain their distinct historical roles.

About Diotimos Editions

This historical edition credits Diotimos Editions as its English translator.

Rights

The historical German source text and engraving are in the public domain. The English translation and editorial material were prepared with AI assistance for Diotimos Editions in 2026, with a supplied translation and sign commentary identified separately, and are published with the site owner’s authorization.