
Uriel, a holy angel, shows the courses of the luminaries in the heaven. There are six portals in the east and six in the west for the sun and moon to rise and set. The sun rises first, driven by the wind, and sets in the west, returning to the east through the north. It rises in the first month through the fourth eastern portal, which has twelve window-openings that release flame in their season. The sun rises and sets through this portal for thirty mornings, making the days longer and the nights shorter. It then moves to the fifth and sixth portals, with the days becoming longer and the nights shorter until the day is double the night. The sun then starts to make the days shorter and the nights longer, moving back through the portals. The days and nights become equal when the sun rises through the fourth portal. The sun continues to move through the portals, making the nights longer and the days shorter until the night is double the day. The sun then starts to make the nights shorter and the days longer again. This cycle repeats sixty times, with the sun's light being seven times brighter than the moon's, but both being the same size. The length and shortness of the days and nights are determined by the sun's course.
Uriel, the holy angel who was with me and guides them, showed me the book of the paths of the heavenly lights. He explained their relationships, groups, authority, and seasons, including their names, origins, and months. He showed me all their laws exactly as they are, and how things will be for all the years of the world and forever, until the new creation is completed and lasts forever.
Here's the rewritten verse in simple modern English: The first rule about the lights in the sky is this: the Sun rises in the east and sets in the west.
I saw six gates where the sun comes up and six gates where the sun goes down. The moon also rises and sets through these gates. The stars and their leaders go in and out through these gates, six in the east and six in the west, all moving in perfect order. There are also many windows to the right and left of these gates.
The first great light to appear is the Sun. It is as wide as the sky, and it is completely filled with light and heat.
The chariot that God rides is pushed by the wind. The sun sets in the west, travels through the north to get to the east, and then goes to the right gate to rise and shine in the sky.
In this way, it rises in the first month through the great gate, which is the fourth of the six gates in the east.
In the fourth opening where the sun rises in the first month, there are twelve windows. When these windows open at the right time, flames come out of them.
When the sun rises in the sky, it comes up through the fourth opening for thirty days in a row, and sets exactly in the fourth opening in the west of the sky.
During this time, each day becomes longer and each night becomes shorter until the thirtieth morning.
On that day, the day is longer than the night by a ninth part, making the day exactly ten parts long and the night eight parts long.
The sun comes up from the fourth opening and goes down at the fourth one, then it returns to the fifth opening in the east after thirty days. It rises from there and sets at the fifth opening.
Here's the rewritten verse in simple modern English: Then the day becomes longer by two parts, making it eleven parts in total, while the night becomes shorter, making it seven parts in total.
It goes back to the east and enters the sixth gate, then rises and sets in the sixth gate for thirty-one days because of its sign.
On that day, the day becomes longer than the night. The day becomes twice as long as the night, with the day having twelve parts and the night having six parts.
The sun rises from the sixth portal and sets thirty times, making the days shorter and the nights longer as it moves back towards the east.
After thirty days, the day shortens by one part, becoming eleven parts, while the night becomes seven parts.
The sun leaves the sixth opening in the west and travels to the east, rising in the fifth opening for thirty mornings, then sets again in the fifth western opening.
On that day, the day becomes two parts shorter, making it ten parts long, while the night is eight parts long.
The sun comes out of the fifth opening in the east and goes down in the fifth opening in the west. Then it rises from the fourth opening for thirty-one mornings, following its designated path, and sets in the west.
On that day, the day and night become equal in length. Each has nine parts.
The sun comes up through that opening and goes down in the west, then goes back to the east and rises thirty times through the third opening, and goes down in the west through the third opening.
On that day, the night becomes longer than the day, and each night grows longer than the previous one, while each day grows shorter than the one before it. This continues until the thirtieth morning, when the night is exactly ten parts long and the day is eight parts long.
The sun comes up through the third opening and goes down through the third opening in the west, then goes back to the east. For thirty days, it rises through the second opening in the east and sets through the second opening in the west of the sky.
On that day, the night will last eleven parts and the day will last seven parts.
On that day, the sun rises from the second opening and sets in the west through the second opening. Then it returns to the east, entering the first opening for thirty-one mornings, and sets in the first opening in the western part of the sky.
On that day, the night becomes much longer, lasting twice as long as the day. The night is exactly twelve hours long, while the day is only six hours.
The sun travels through its path and returns to the same point, entering a specific gateway for thirty mornings and setting in the west directly opposite to it.
On that night, the length of the night decreased by a ninth, making the night eleven parts and the day seven parts.
The sun goes back and enters the second gate in the east, then travels along its path for thirty days, rising and setting each day.
On that day, the night becomes shorter, lasting ten hours while the day lasts eight.
On that day, the sun comes up through that opening, goes down in the west, and comes back to the east. It rises through the third opening for thirty-one mornings and goes down in the west of the sky.
On that day, the night becomes shorter, lasting nine parts, and the day lasts nine parts, making the night and day equal in length. The year then has exactly 364 days.
The length of the day and night, and the shortness of the day and night happen because of the sun's path.
So it happens that its daytime path gets longer each day, and its nighttime path gets shorter each night.
This is the rule for the sun's journey and its return. It rises sixty times, and this great light we call the sun will continue to do so forever.
The brightest light that rises is called the sun, as the Lord named it based on how it looks.
As it rises, it also sets, never diminishing or resting, but always moving day and night. Its light is seven times brighter than the moon's, but in size, they are equal.