DiotimosReading Desk

Diotimos Library · Esotericism & Spirituality Collection · Bilingual Edition

Attributed to Ali Puli

Centrum Naturae Concentratum

The Salt of Nature Regenerated

Explore the Lexicon
Centrum Naturae ConcentratumThe Concentrated Centre of Nature · Passage 10

Swipe or use the arrow keys.

Facing Pages · Branch 26 of 175

The Concentrated Centre of Nature · Passage 10

German

Mein guter Freund, köntestu den Geist fangen, der in animalibus alles was drein kommt, durch die Bewegung animalisch machet, was soltestu wol damit nicht können ausrichten, wenn er in die Metallen zum agens durch Kunst gesetzet wird. Viele kluge neubegierige Liebhaber der Natur haben dieses zu thun zwar probiret, aber mit unglücklichem Ausgange. Darumb lieben Freunde, lernet erst verstehen, was euch vor der Nasen liegt, ehe ihr frembde und in der Erden liegende Sachen examiniren und begreiffen wollet. Seyd vergnügt, GOtt und den Menschen zu erkennen, webet mit Freuden die wahre heilige und unverfälschte Liebe: es ist gnug, ihr solt euch so Schätze im Himmel sammlen, da sie weder Motten noch Rost fressen, und da sie die Diebe nicht suchen oder wegtragen; höre auf mit Alchimistischem laboriren, und stillet eure Begierde den Philosophischen Stein zu finden; eure Arbeit und Unkosten werden täglich grösser, und die Hoffnung kleiner.

English

My good friend, if you could capture the spirit that through movement makes everything entering animals become animal in nature, what could you not accomplish with it if art introduced it into metals as an agent? Many clever and curious lovers of nature have indeed attempted this, but with an unhappy outcome. Therefore, dear friends, first learn to understand what lies before your noses before you seek to examine and comprehend unfamiliar things lying in the earth. Be content to know God and humanity; joyfully weave true, holy, unadulterated love. That is enough. In this way you will gather treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes them and thieves neither seek them out nor carry them away. Cease your alchemical labour and still your desire to find the philosophers’ stone. Your labour and expenses increase daily, while your hope diminishes.

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.