1.
I behold a small dark orb, wheeling in an abyss of infinite space. It is minute among a myriad vast ones, dark amid a myriad bright ones.
我观照一个深暗圆球，旋转于无限空间之渊。它是无限巨大中的渺小，无限光明中的黑暗。
（注：这个“我”既不是克劳利，也不是V.V.V.V.V.）
2.
I who comprehend in myself all the vast and the minute, all the bright and the dark, have mitigated the brilliance of mine unutterable splendour, sending forth V.V.V.V.V. as a ray of my light, as a messenger unto that small dark orb.
我在自我中理解了一切巨大和渺小，一切光明与黑暗，调和了我那无法言喻的璀璨光芒，送出了V.V.V.V.V.作为我的一道光，作为降临于那深暗圆球的信使。
（注：V.V.V.V.V.是克劳利成为Magister Templi用的motto，这是深渊以上的存在，不能和克劳利这个人等同，全称Vi Veri Vniversum Vivus Vici，意思是By force of Truth I have conquered the Universe while living）
3.
Then V.V.V.V.V. taketh up the word, and sayeth:
于是V.V.V.V.V.拾起那个词，并且说到：
4.
Men and women of the Earth, to you am I come from the Ages beyond the Ages, from the Space beyond your vision; and I bring to you these words.
地上的人们，我来自那纪元以外的纪元，视界以上的空间，并且我带给你们这些言语。
5.
But they heard him not, for they were not ready to receive them.
但是人们无法听到，因为人们还没准备好去接收它们。
6.
But certain men heard and understood, and through them shall this Knowledge be made known.
但有些人听到并且理解了，于是通过他们，这份智慧将被知晓。
7.
The least therefore of them, the servant of them all, writeth this book.
他们中最平庸的一个，作为他们的仆人，写下了这本书。
(注：指克劳利)
8.
He writeth for them that are ready. Thus is it known if one be ready, if he be endowed with certain gifts, if he be fitted by birth, or by wealth, or by intelligence, or by some other manifest sign. And the servants of the master by his insight shall judge of these.
他为那些准备好的人而书。于是这样知道一个人是否已经准备好，如果他具有特定禀赋，如果他因为生辰适合，财富适合，智力适合，或是其他某些显现的征兆适合。而主人的仆从们将会根据他的睿智来判断。
9.
This Knowledge is not for all men; few indeed are called, but of these few many are chosen.
这份智慧不是给予所有人的。确实的，极少人受到了召唤，但极少之中，很多已被拣选。
10.
This is the nature of the Work.
这是伟大工作的本质。
11.
First, there are many and diverse conditions of life upon this earth. In all of these is some seed of sorrow. Who can escape from sickness and from old age and from death?
首先，地上的人生有着众多而迥异的情形。在所有之中都有着一定悲伤的种子。谁能逃避疾病，逃避衰老，逃避死亡？
12.
We are come to save our fellows from these things. For there is a life intense with knowledge and extreme bliss which is untouched by any of them.
我们将从这些之中拯救我们的同伴。因为存在这样一种人生，充盈着智慧与极乐，不被任何所触及。
13.
To this life we attain even here and now. The adepts, the servants of V.V.V.V.V., have attained thereunto.
这种人生甚至此时此地就能实现，那些成功的修行者，V.V.V.V.V.的仆从们，已经到达了那里。
（注：adept一词通常指到达了second order，进入了宏观宇宙Macrocosm的人，在Thelema体系中被称为实现了与神圣守护天使的对话，不同体系有不同叫法，这里就翻译作成功的修行者吧）
14.
It is impossible to tell you of the splendours of that to which they have attained.
Little by little, as your eyes grow stronger, will we unveil to you the ineffable glory of the Path of the Adepts, and its nameless goal.
他们到达的那份壮美无法言喻。
一步一步，随着你的视野逐渐开阔，我们将会向你揭示这条上升道路不可言说的光耀，以及那无名的目标。
15.
Even as a man ascending a steep mountain is lost to sight of his friends in the valley, so must the adept seem. They shall say: He is lost in the clouds. But he shall rejoice in the sunlight above them, and come to the eternal snows.
譬如一个登上陡峭山峰的人，他对于村庄里的朋友已经目不可及，修行者亦如是。他们说到：那个人已经消失在云端。然而他沐浴在更高的阳光中并喜悦，并且来到那永恒之雪。
16.
Or as a scholar may learn some secret language of the ancients, his friends shall say: “Look! he pretends to read this book. But it is unintelligible— it is nonsense.” Yet he delights in the Odyssey, while they read vain and vulgar things.
或者，一个学者学会了古老的秘密语言，他的朋友会说：“看啊！他假装能够读懂那本书。但它明明是无法理解的胡言乱语。” 然而他沉浸在奥德赛中的愉悦，而那些人只能阅读空洞庸俗之物。
17.
We shall bring you to Absolute Truth, Absolute Light, Absolute Bliss.
我们将带给你绝对真实，绝对光辉，绝对喜悦。
18.
Many adepts throughout the ages have sought to do this; but their words have been perverted by their successors, and again and again the Veil has fallen upon the Holy of Holies.
自古以来，许多成功的修行者都尝试去实现这个目标，但他们的言语被他们的继承者扭曲，于是一次又一次，帷幕又重新掩盖了那神圣中的神圣。
19.
To you who yet wander in the Court of the Profane we cannot yet reveal all; but you will easily understand that the religions of the world are but symbols and veils of the Absolute Truth. So also are the philosophies. To the adept, seeing all these things from above, there seems nothing to choose between Buddha and Mohammed, between Atheism and Theism.
对还在世俗徘徊的你，我们无法揭露全部。但你会轻易理解，这个世界的所有宗教，不过是由那绝对真实而来的符号和帷幕。同样还有哲学。对成功的修行者，从上往下看这一切，似乎没有意义去区分佛陀和穆圣，有神论和无神论。
20.
The many change and pass; the one remains. Even as wood and coal and iron burn up together in one great flame, if only that furnace be of transcendent heat; so in the alembic of this spiritual alchemy, if only the zelator blow sufficiently upon his furnace all the systems of earth are consumed in the One Knowledge.
诸相幻逝，真一长存。正如木材煤炭和铁块会在伟大的火焰中融合，只要那熔炉提供卓越的热量。同样在这灵性炼金的蒸馏瓶中，只要信仰者向他的熔炉用力鼓劲，地上所有的系统都将熔为同一智慧。
21.
Nevertheless, as a fire cannot be started with iron alone, in the beginning one system may be suited for one seeker, another for another.
然而，正如火焰无法仅仅依靠铁块燃起，在初始阶段，一种系统可能适合一个探寻者，另一种适合另一人。
22.
We therefore who are without the chains of ignorance, look closely into the heart of the seeker and lead him by the path which is best suited to his nature unto the ultimate end of all things, the supreme realization, the Life which abideth in Light, yea, the Life which abideth in Light.
因此，我们不为无知的锁链捆绑，细细关照探寻者的内心，用最适合他本性的方式来引导那通往万物终极的道路，那至高的领悟，那光辉中的人生，对，那光辉中的人生。
- 2019-03发于知乎