MANDAEAN LITERATURE 545
He gave him to his son, Ptahil. When he gave him
to the light being Ptahil,
life summoned his helpers.
He summoned the light beings Hibil, Sitil, and Anosh,^23
who are astonishing and immaculate.
He called them, ordered them, and warned them
about their souls.
He told them, "Guard them and let no one know."
Don't let evil Ptahil learn how soul falls into body,
how soul falls into body
and the blood speaks in it as the radiance fills him.^24
How the blood speaks in it and how the vein channels
permeate it.
Let the carrier of Adakas Mana, the hidden Adam,^25
be his soul's^26 protector.
When Adam is clothed in the radiance of life
and stands firm on his feet,
when he speaks with a clean mouth,
you, Adakas, restore him to his place and protect him
against enemies.PTAHIL AND MANDA DHAYYE WORK ON ADAM
Ptahil wrapped Adam in his clean turban.
He wrapped him in his robe.
The light being quickly descended, and his helpers
all went down with him.
His helpers who went down are men in charge of souls.
When they reached the Tibil,^27 which is the world
and where his bodily torso is,
when Ptahil wanted to cast soul into his body,
I, Manda dHayye, removed the soul from his pocket.- Heavenly Abel, Seth, Enosh.
- Conjectural reading.
- Adakas is Adam Kasya, hidden Adam.
- "Soul" is uncertain here. "His" may refer back to Adakas Mana.
- Physical world.