Diotimos Library · Esotericism & Spirituality Collection · Bilingual Edition
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The Way of Truth
German & Latin
1619 pp. 255–256 · scans ER259, ER260Drumb bitte ich dich, lieber Bruder, wollest mir nicht vor vngut auffnemen, sondern zum besten andeuten, daß ich deine vorige Arbeit, die du gethan, vnnd noch täglich thust in der Alchimy, so gantz vnnd gar verstosse vnd verachte, denn ich thu es dir warlich zum besten, weil ich weiß, daß kein Mensch in der gantzen Welt, so mit solcher Arbeit (darinnen du bist) procedirt, was guts außrichtet, oder zu der warhafftigen verwandlung der Metallen (da du nachtrachtest) kommen können. Derwegen sag ich dir noch zum vberfluß, das du solcher Arbeit müssest müssig gehen, vnd mir gehöre geben, denn ich schreibe dir die ware Warheit, die ich begehre für Gott zu verantworten, vnd nit mit ohnnot die Welt mit mehr Lügen anzufüllen, denn jhrer hinmehr als zu viel durch vnvorgeständige Leuth, die selbst in dem natürlichen Wercken der Natur blind gewesen, geschrieben sein, dieselben haben sich durch falsche Bücher verführen lassen, vnd an die Sophistische Arbeit so gegeben, damit sie Haab vnd Gut verthan, haben auch nichts zu der wahren Kunst dienlich damit können außrichten, sind darinnen gleich als im Labyrinth bestecken blieben, vnd an der Kunst Warheit gantz vnd gar verzweiffelt.
The Sophic Hydrolith: The Way of Truth
1619 pp. 255–256 · scans ER259, ER260I therefore ask you, dear brother, not to take it amiss but to understand it for the best when I so entirely reject and despise your earlier work in alchemy, which you still practise daily. I truly do it for your benefit, because I know that no one in the whole world who proceeds with the kind of work in which you are engaged can achieve anything good or attain the genuine transmutation of metals you seek. To repeat myself, you must cease such work and give me a hearing. I write you the true truth, for which I am willing to answer before God, rather than needlessly fill the world with more lies. Far too many have already been written by ignorant people who were themselves blind to the natural works of Nature. They let themselves be misled by false books and became so devoted to sophistical work that they squandered their possessions. They achieved nothing useful for the true art, remained stuck as in a labyrinth, and utterly despaired of the art’s truth.
Socrates
Reading The Sophic Hydrolith · The Way of Truth · The Way of Truth · Unit 23
Ask about a concept, passage, contradiction, or connection.
Socrates will begin with this book and its sources.About This Reading Edition
The anonymous Water Stone of the Wise of 1619, with German text, a new English translation, 240 annotations, three companion treatises from the original volume, two separately identified responses of 1661, and the complete supplied study apparatus.
Historical Text and Translation
Anonymous, Wasserstein der Weysen. Frankfurt: Lucas Jennis, 1619. The governing e-rara copy belongs to the Stiftung der Werke von C. G. Jung, Zürich (DOI 10.3931/e-rara-8968). The work is traditionally attributed to Johann Siebmacher; this remains an attribution, not a name printed in the anonymous witness. The separately sourced First and Second Responses use the 1661 Wolfenbüttel witness, qun-642-1s, pp. 200–206.
About Diotimos Editions
This historical edition credits Diotimos Editions as its English translator.
Rights
Historical texts printed in 1619 and 1661 are in the public domain. The supplied 2026 German reading text, new English translation, introduction, notes and complete study apparatus are published with the site owner’s authorization. The original triangle is credited to the Stiftung der Werke von C. G. Jung, Zürich, and e-rara, Public Domain Mark.
- Governing historical witnesse-rara: 1619 witness
- Separately identified later response sourceHerzog August Bibliothek: 1661 responses
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