MANICHAEAN LITERATURE 627
the sentinels on the towers who guard them,
tell me the message!
How is the mother of the living,^10
whom I left behind? How are her kin?
Tell me the message!
The first man on earth is happy
but is asking, and tells the envoy:
Tell me the message!THE CALL IS HEARD
The call, the call, is once again heard.
I came and they were gathered.
I came and the gods were happy.
I came and they were gathered round me.
Look, this is the message!
I came and the father was gathered.
The aeons were gathered round the father.
Look, this is the message!
I came and the aeons were gathered.
They were a garland around the father.
Look, this is the message!
The harpists were gathered and the pipes were sonorous.
I was sent out, and the father was happy.
He lived in the bridal chamberof the land of light so I might tell the message!
I was sent out, and the aeons of the aeons were gathered.
They played music for the father
of the lights so I might tell the message!- Or "mother of life." This epithet is also used to describe Eve in Genesis and gnostic texts.