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English Page · Branch 175 of 287
Nature’s Demonstration
German & Latin
1619 pp. 170–172 · scans ER174, ER175, ER176Derwegen / da jhn einer schon die Mühe nehmen / vnd sich eben hart peinigen wolte / die Elementa also zu reduciren, der wird sie gewißlich ohne mich in primam materiam nit bringen: denn allein in mir ist die macht die Element vnd jhre Gestalten zu transmutiren, wer anders davon helt / der betreuget sich. Denn du würdest einer Substantz nimmermehr jre eigene influentz zueignen / noch die Elementa proportioniren oder in eine formam, wie es die Materia erfordert / zu geben wissen. Ich nur bin es / so die Creaturen formiret, vnd jhnen Natur / Eigenschafft / vnnd Materi gibet. Durch meine himmelische Geheimnüssen / mach ich vollkommene Werck / die nicht vnbillich für miracula gehalten werden / wie in dem Elixire, vnd dem so viel herrlich gutes fleußt / zu sehen / dessen Tugenden vnnd Qualiteten ich beschlossen habe: auch ist keine Kunst auff Erden / so da möge etwas vermehren vnd so fürtreffliche Werck verrichten / als ich. Mag derwegen ein jeder verständiger dafür halten / daß sich dergleichen Werck vnd Wissenschafften ohne Beystand vnser himmlischen Cörper zu ende bringen / oder ohne jre Krafft vollziehen lassen: alles andere ist Mißbrauch vnd Jrrthumb. Wer sich aber etwas dißfalls vnterstehen wolte / wo würde er seine influentz nehmen / solches Substantz zu geben? Wie würde er die Element recht vermischen vnd sie proportioniren mögen? keinem ist es müglich / wie Avicenna in seinem Buch de viribus cordis 2. cap. bezeuget / wann er auch zehen noch so langes Leben hette / hierzu zu kommen. Dann dieses Secretum ist allein mir vnd sonsten keinem Menschen gegeben: Ich mache durch meine Krafft das vnvolkommene vollkommen / es sey Metall oder Menschlicher Leib / so perficire ich es / vnnd mache es gesund. Ich gebe das Temperament, vnd dieweil ich die vier Element vnd widerwertige Ding vereinige ich / daß sie eines mahls vereiniget werden. Das ist die güldene Ketten / da ich ringßweise mit meinen himmlischen Tugenden vnd substantialischen formis gezieret. Ich versüße meine Werck so wol / daß sich in denselben alle meine Krafft an Tag gibet / vnd dieselbe so herrlich als sonsten ohne mich keinem Menschen / er sey so vernünfftig als er immer wolle / noch seiner Kunst müglich ist. So trit nun herfür / der du dich für kunstreich außgibst / vnnd vermeinest nach meiner Wissenschafft durch Kolenfewer vñ Marienbad in meinen Ofen das aurum potabile zu machen: wisse / daß ich mich vber deinen Jrrthum dem entsetze. Schämest du dich nicht / wann du meine Werck betrachtest / vnnd darneben dein sudlerisches kochen in deinen angefärbten Phiolen vnnd Geschirren darzu gehältest / dabey du Zeit vnd Vnkost verlierest? Ich weiß nicht / was du gedenckest: erbarme dich deiner selbst / ich bitte dich / vñ betrachte mich. Verstehe nun recht / was ich dir sage / dann ich dir in nichts liegen wil. Nimb in acht / wie das herrliche Gold seine schöne Gestalt genommen hat von dem Himmel / vnd seine gute Materi von der Erden. Ingleichen thut auch ein Edelgestein / als Rubin / Demant.
The Sophic Hydrolith: Nature’s Demonstration
1619 pp. 170–172 · scans ER174, ER175, ER176Therefore, even if someone undertook the trouble and tormented himself severely in order to reduce the elements in this way, he would certainly not bring them into first matter without me. For the power to transmute the elements and their forms resides in me alone; whoever thinks otherwise deceives himself. You would never know how to assign a substance its proper influence, proportion the elements, or give them the form required by matter. I alone form creatures and give them nature, property and matter. Through my heavenly secrets I make perfect works, rightly regarded as wonders, as can be seen in the elixir, from which so much splendid good flows and within which I have enclosed virtues and qualities. Nor is there any art on earth that can increase anything and perform such excellent works as I. Let every intelligent person therefore consider whether such works and sciences can be brought to completion without the assistance of our heavenly bodies or accomplished without their power. Everything else is misuse and error. If someone wished to attempt anything in this matter, where would he obtain the influence to give it substance? How could he mix and proportion the elements correctly? It is impossible for anyone to attain this even if he had ten lives of such length, as Avicenna attests in chapter two of his book On the Powers of the Heart. For this secret has been given to me alone and to no human being. By my power I make the imperfect perfect: whether metal or human body, I perfect it and make it healthy. I impart temperament, and since I join the four elements and contrary things, I unite them so that they become united at once. This is the golden chain, where I am adorned in a circle with my heavenly virtues and substantial forms. I sweeten my works so well that all my power is revealed within them, and so splendidly that without me it is impossible for any person, however rational, or for their art. Now come forward, you who profess skill and suppose that, according to my knowledge, you can make potable gold with charcoal fire and a water bath in my furnace. Know that I am appalled at your error. Are you not ashamed when you consider my works and compare them with your messy cooking in your stained phials and vessels, wasting time and money? I do not know what you are thinking. Have pity on yourself, I beg you, and consider me. Understand correctly what I tell you, for I will lie to you in nothing. Observe how splendid gold has received its beautiful form from heaven and its good matter from earth. A precious stone such as ruby or diamond does likewise.
Socrates
Reading The Sophic Hydrolith · Nature’s Demonstration · Nature’s Demonstration · Unit 7
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.
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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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