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Diotimos Library · Esotericism & Spirituality Collection · Bilingual Edition

Anonymous

The Sophic Hydrolith

Water Stone of the Wise

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The Sophic HydrolithThe Way of Truth

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German & Latin Page · Branch 227 of 287

The Way of Truth

German & Latin

1619 pp. 259–260 · scans ER263, ER264

Derhalben sage ich dir fürwar, so lang du nit recht gründlich die Metallische Natur erkennest, so lang ist dir auch vnmüglich, daß du die wahre Kunst der Alchy: verstehest, oder zu der rechten wahren natürlichen Verwandlung kommest, denn der Verstand muß erst da seyn, ehe du die Sachen recht kanst erfahren, denn alles, was du ohn den Verstand in dem Weg zu der wahren Kunst ergreiffest, ist alles Betrug vnd Sophisterey, dafür ich dich trewlich gewarnet habe, vnnd gesagt, daß der Wege zu Verführung viel seyn, vnnd mancherly, aber zu der rechten wahren Kunst einsam vnd einig, da auch nit vieler Hand Arbeiten oder viel Mühe vonnöhten sey. Drumb, lieber Freund vnd Bruder, soltu dich befleissigen Tag vñ Nacht, daß du die Metallische Natur recht lernest erkennen, vnnd darinn nicht fehlest, so bistu schon tüchtig zu der wahren Kunst, denn erlernest von dir selber, was die Materia, auch was die rechte Arbeit sey, da du dich denn wol auff verlassen magst, als denn wirstu sehen, was viel vnnützer Arbeit du gethan hast, daß du dich gleichsam der grossen Blindheit, darinn du gesteckt, must verwundern.

1619 pp. 259–260 · scans ER263, ER264

The Sophic Hydrolith: The Way of Truth

1619 pp. 259–260 · scans ER263, ER264

I therefore tell you truly that as long as you lack a proper and thorough knowledge of metallic Nature, it is impossible for you to understand the true art of alchemy or attain true and proper natural transmutation. Understanding must come first, before you can experience these things correctly. Whatever you take up on the path to the true art without understanding is all deceit and sophistry. I have faithfully warned you against this and told you that the paths to deception are many and various, whereas the path to the true and proper art is one alone, requiring neither many kinds of manual operation nor great labour. Dear friend and brother, strive day and night to learn to understand metallic Nature correctly and without error. Then you will be fit for the true art, for you will discover for yourself what the matter is and what the proper work is, and can confidently rely on this. You will then see how much useless work you have done and will marvel at the great blindness in which you were trapped.

1619 pp. 259–260 · scans ER263, ER264

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.