BOOK OF THE THREE WORDS
BY KALLID RACHADIS THE PHILOSOPHER
On the Nature of the Stone

Chapter 1:
Concerning the Quality of the Philosophers’ Stone

This stone, from which this work is made, contains within itself all colors. For it is white, red, intensely red, yellow, very yellow, sky-blue, green, and heavy. This stone contains the four elements: it is watery, airy, fiery, and earthy. Hidden within it are heat and dryness, while coldness and moisture are apparent. Therefore, we must conceal what is manifest and reveal what is hidden.

What is hidden — namely heat and dryness — is oil, and this oil is dry. That dryness alone produces the tincture — nothing else — for it is alkali, and only alkali tinges.

What is manifest — cold and moist — is an aqueous vapor that corrupts. Therefore, this moisture and cold must be brought into balance with heat and dryness, such that it does not flee from the fire. For within that cold and moist is a single particle of heat and dryness. Thus, the cold and moist must receive the heat and dryness that was hidden, and become one substance.

That cold and moisture is a corrupting and aqueous vapor, of which it is said that the watery and burning moisture corrupts the body and blackens it. These weaknesses, therefore, must be destroyed in the fire and through degrees of fire.

Chapter 2:
On the Properties of the Stone

This is the Book of the Three Words, the book of the precious stone, which is an airy and volatile body, cold and moist, watery and burning. In it are heat, dryness, coldness, and moisture. One power lies hidden, another is manifest.

So that what is hidden may become manifest, and what is manifest may become hidden — by the power of God and through heat and dryness.

For the Persian philosophers say that cold and moist, aqueous and burning, are not friendly to heat and dryness, because the heat and dryness destroy the cold and moist, the aqueous and the burning, by divine power. Then this spirit is transformed into the most noble body and does not flee from the fire. It flows like oil — a living tincture, multiplying, weighing, coloring, consolidating, most beautiful, preservative, and perpetual, brittle, and yet the precious Sun.

Chapter 3:
On the Hidden Heat and Dryness Within the Moist and Cold

The wondrous work of the Three Words is the work of the precious stone, in which there is cold and moisture, watery and burning, and in the same there is hidden heat. And thus that which is from the Three Words is read and interpreted differently by some, so that not all understand clearly and openly the meaning of the Three Words.

This is sought in the moist and cold, in which are hidden heat and dryness. And we must know this: to make the manifest hidden and the hidden manifest. That hidden thing is of the nature of the Sun and fire; it is the most precious oil of all secrets, the living tincture, the permanent water that always lives and remains, the vinegar of the philosophers, the penetrating spirit. It is the hidden tincture, the aggregator and revivifier, which rectifies and enlightens all the dead and makes them rise — after its heat and dryness no longer flee from the fire. But the watery and burning coldness flees from the fire and destroys itself.

Chapter 4:
On the Conversion of Spirit into Body, and Body into Spirit

So that we may make everything manifest — namely, the hidden — the spirit of this moist and cold thing must be turned into body, and this body back into spirit, and again the spirit into body. Then there is harmony between coldness and moisture, and heat and dryness.

Thus, the Persian philosophers say it is a wonder how this happens — but it can happen by the power of God, with gentle temperament and moderated fire. And this in the span of two and seven days. For from three, two are understood, and from two, five; but three are not understood.

And these are the three precious words, hidden and revealed — not given to the wicked, the impious, or the unfaithful, but to the faithful and the poor, from the first man to the last.

Chapter 5
On the Works of the Planets and Their Images Existing in Mercury

I say, therefore, that in Mercury reside the works of the planets and their images, acting in their respective places just as, in the fetus, each part operates in its time and order. For in the first month after the seed has been received by the womb, Saturn operates by congealing and constricting the matter into a single mass by his cold and dryness.

In the second month, Jupiter works with his heat to digest the material into a fleshy mass called the embryo.

In the third month, Mars acts upon the matter, and by his heat and dryness, separates and organizes the mass, forming the members.

In the fourth month, the Sun, as lord, breathes in the spirit, and thus life begins.

In the fifth month, Mercury operates, forming the openings and channels for breath.

In the sixth month, Venus arranges and shapes the eyebrows, eyes, testicles, and similar features.

In the seventh month, the Moon, through her cold and moist nature, labors to expel the fetus. If birth occurs then, it may live. But if not, the fetus is weakened, and Saturn, in the eighth month, again acts with cold and dryness to compress it. If birth occurs then, it cannot live.

In the ninth month, Jupiter once more operates, and through his heat and moisture, restores the fetus’ strength through nourishment. And thus, with the ninth month completed, it is born and lives well.

These words are true:

“Water preserves the fetus in the womb for three months;
Fire protects it the same length;
Air nurtures it for three more;
These complete the cycle of nine months.
Blood nourishes through the umbilical cord,
Flowing into the mother’s descending breasts.
And there, after the pangs of birth,
The whiteness of snow is drawn into the infant.
And the infant will not breathe until it exhales the airy vapors.
Once born, the mouth opens and it suckles.”

Chapter 6
On the Observation of the Planets in the Work of Alchemy

From these three months we must learn to understand — with a keen intellect — how to compose and extract two. For from two, the three are not understood; but from the three, the two and the seven are understood.

Thus, all who desire to know this art must sharpen their mind to unlock the treasure within the three words, in which is hidden the entire preparation and virtue of the stone — in which are heat and dryness. This dryness is the living oil, the living tincture, the dyed dryness, and the depth of tinctures. This is the union of the hot and moist.

All who have seen this from the beginning have known something of the Word that was spoken. And those who heard of the Three Words marveled greatly. This is the meaning: from the beginning of conception to the moment of natural birth, each planet gives its image in its appointed place by divine power creating so.

Thus I, Rachaidis, say truthfully: in all the works of alchemy, each planet forms its image in its time, until the work is complete — and then Alchemy is born by art. But more truly, it is born naturally according to the order of the planets, as God showed to the first-formed man, who naturally possessed the nature of all tinctures.

Thus is born Mercury, having in itself the four elements and the natures of all tinctures according to their degrees. In this work of Alchemy, many err, and few reach the end. For in this work there is:

The Leap of the Moon,

The Circle of the Sun,

Divided into three degrees:

Weak,

Stable,

Perfect.

There are also three termini (key phases):

When the Sun enters Aries, its exaltation.

When the Sun is in Leo.

When the Sun is in Sagittarius.

The Circle of the Sun is 28 years; 19 years are counted for the minerals and the others listed in the tables of Alchemy. Then Alchemy is completed.

By the number of the Moon’s leaps, we find degrees from 9 up to 12, and from 1 to 2, then from 163 up to 24, and so on.

In the Circle of the Sun, we find 7.
Therefore, understand that according to these degrees, the Work of Alchemy is completed.

Chapter 7
Exposition of the Three Words

Let us now return to the exposition of the Three Words, in which the whole art [of alchemy] consists.

Water, it is said, preserves the fetus in the womb for three months.
Air nurtures it for three.
Fire likewise guards it for three.

All of this is spoken of Mercury by analogy. And this word, and this saying, and this obscure term — is revealed for the understanding of truth.

Indeed, although there is one nature in a pregnant woman and another in Mercury, by analogy to the heat found in the womb, there is conceived a fire of 32 degrees. Hence, the third word — of which it is said, "fire likewise guards it" — is obscure, and many go astray in interpreting it, entering into a land unknown.

For from three, they derive two degrees — and from these two degrees, the remaining degrees are drawn out. And in 32 parts, the craticula (the furnace grid or gridiron) divides the little book, and in these degrees is fulfilled the entire third word, concerning which it is said, "likewise."

The first degree completes water and air.

The second degree completes all that we have spoken of — and the likewise.

And this is the gift of God.

Chapter 8
On the Degrees of Fire

The Philosopher of the King of Persia and the Prince of the Romans said:

"Divide the Three Words into two parts,
then divide these two parts once more into two parts.
And upon those two, distribute 32 degrees,
which are the degrees of fire,
and divide the parts of fire."

These are found in the portions of the furnace (archa), divided into 32 parts, called almeç.

All these degrees are scattered upon the first two parts, which are two termini (or key stages), and divided into four parts. The 32 degrees are distributed as follows:

The first degree is a particle of fire,
white, living, solitary, and simple —
it is called almost nothing,
and is a gentle fire.

With this gentle fire, we begin to work Mercury toward the red, as the masters of Persia guide toward death through the subtlety of their art.

Thus, the two words are completed in six maenchen (a Persian measure of weight or time).

After this, the third word is fulfilled — the obscure one, in which many err and lose their reason.

The Philosopher of the King of Persia said:

"Let us observe this through the middle."

The middle part is made of three maenchen,
governed by two degrees,
which are two particles of fire.
Thus are the three words fulfilled in 22 maenchen,
and this is the first terminus, without error.

The second terminus is of 16 maenchen, governed by 8 degrees of fire.
The third terminus is of 20 maenchen, governed by 16 degrees (particles of fire).
The fourth terminus is of 24 maenchen and four days, governed by 32 degrees of fire.

These are the particles of fire.

Raxit Aedhanus, and all the Philosophers of Persia, be praised — and blessed be God and His holy name — for this teaching about the tempered fire, according to the three words and the nature of the impregnated woman, given as an example of the fire necessary for Mercury.

These two termini are both divided by halves — each consists of 23 maenchen and 7 diethen (another unit or perhaps a symbolic fraction of time/work).

At the end of the first terminus, the treasure is opened. Cast out what you find — and if it jumps and emits smoke upon a red-hot plate, it is not yet finished.

Return, then, to the fire of 16, which contains 8 degrees of fire.
Open the treasure again and place it on the red plate. If it still jumps and smokes, it is still not complete.

Then return to the fire of 20, which has 16 degrees. Again open the treasure — if it still smokes, it is not yet cooked.

Finally, return to the fire of 24 maenchen and four days, with its 32 degrees of fire — and now the stone will be complete: subtle, precious, green, or golden, or silver-white, or reddish.

In this moment, let God be praised,
and His holy name blessed above every name,
for this holy gift of His.

End of the Book of the Three Words by the Philosopher Kallid Rachaidis.

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LATIN VERSION

LIBER TRIUM VERBORUM KALLID
antissimi.
DE QUALITATE LAPIDIS

Philosophici.

Chapter 1.

Lapis iste de quo sit hoc opus, habet in se omnes colores. Est enim albus, rubeus, rubicundissimus; citrinus citrinissimus, coelestinus, viridis, gravis. In lapide isto sunt quatuor elementa. Est enim aquatieus, aereus, igneus, & terreus. In lapide isto in occulto est caliditas & siccitas, & in manifesto frigiditas & humiditas: oportet ergo nos occultare manifestum, & id quod est occultum, facere manifestum: illud autem quod est in occulto, scilicet caliditas & siccitas, est oleum, & istud oleum est siccum: illa siccitas tingit & non aliud, quia alkale & non aliud tingit.

Illud quod est in manifesto frigidum & humidum, est fumus aquosus corrumpens:
oportet ergo ut illa humiditas & frigiditas sit compar caliditati & siccitati, ita ut non fugiat ab igne: quia inter illa frigiditatem & humiditatem est una particula calida & sicca: oportet ergo quod frigidum & humidum recipiant caliditatem & siccitatem quod erat in occulto, & fiant una substantia. Illa autem frigiditas & humiditas est fumus corrumpens & aquosus, de quo dicitur, quod humiditas aquosa & adustiva corrumpit
corpus & tingit in nigredinem. Istas ergo infirmitates oportet destruere in igne & per gradus ignis.

De lapidis ipsius proprietate.
Chapter 2.

Hic est liber Trium verborum, liber lapidis pretiosi, qui est corpus aereum, & volatile, frigidum & humidum, aquosum & adustivum, & in eo est caliditas, siccitas, frigiditas, & humiditas: alia virtus est in occulto, & alia in manifesto. Quod ut illud quod est in occulto fi at manifestum: & illud quod est manifestum fiat occultū per virtutem Dei, & caliditatem, vt siccitas. Dicunt enim Philosophi Persæ, quod frigiditas & humiditas aquosa & adustiua, nō est amicalis caliditati & siccitati: quia caliditas & siccitas destruit frigidū & humidū, aquosum & adustiuum virtute diuina. Et tunc mutatur spiritus iste in nobilissimum corpus, & non fugit ab igne, & currit ut oleū, quod est tinctura viuā multiplicatua, ponderatiua, coloratiua, consolidatiua, pulcherrima, praeseruatiua, atque perpetua, frangitiua, & est tamen Sol pretiosus.

De occulta caliditate & siccitate in humido & frigido existentibus.
Chapter 3.

Opus mirabile Trium verborum, est opus lapidis pretiosi, in quo est frigiditas & humiditas aquosa & adustiva, & in eodem occulta caliditas: & sic illud quod est de tribus verbis legitur & aliter à quibusdā intelligitur, ut omnes clarè & aperte nō intelligant causā in tribus verbis. hoc inquiritur in humido & frigido, in quo est occulta caliditas & siccitas, & hoc scire nos oportet, ut faciamus de manifesto occultum, & de occulto manifestum, & illud occultum est de natura Solis & ignis, & est pretiosissimum oleum omniū occultorum, & tinctura viuā, & aqua permanens, quae semper viuit & permanet, & acetū Philosophorum, & spiritus penetratiuus: & est occultum tingitiuum, aggregatiuū
& reuiuisificatiuum: quod rectificat & illuminat omnes mortuos, & surgere eos facit, postquam non fugit ab igne eius caliditas & siccitas. Sed frigiditas aquosa & adustiua fugit ab igne & destruit se.

De conuersone spiritus in corpus, & corporis in
spiritum.
Chapter 4.

Ut igitur omnia manifestemus, scilicet occultum: huius humidi & frigidi spiritus iste vertatur in corpus & hoc corpus in spiritum, & iterum spiritus iste fiat corpus, & tunc facta est amicitia inter frigiditatem & humiditatem & caliditate & siccitatem. Unde dicunt Philosophi Persæ, quod mirum est, quomodo hoc fiat, sed virtute Dei fieri potest cu molli temperamento & moderatiuo termino ignis. Et huius longitudinis dierum duorum & septem. Nam a tribus duo intelliguntur, & a duobus quinque, tria non intelliguntur. Et haec sunt tria verba preciosa, occulta & aperta data non prauis, non impijs, non infidelibus, sed fidelibus & pauperibus a primo homine usque ad ultimum.

De Planetarum & eorum imaginum operibus in Mercurio existentibus.
Chapter 5.

Dico ergo quòd in Mercurio sunt opera Planetarū, & eorum imaginationes in suis locis, sicut in foetu suis partibus & temporibus operantur. Nam in foetu primo mense cùm semen à matrice acceptum est, Saturnus operatur congelando, & constringendo suâ frigiditate & siccitate ipsam materiam in unam massam. Secundo mense operatur Jupiter suâ caliditate digerendo in quandam massam carneam, quae embrio vocatur.

Tertio mense operatur Mars, agens in materiam, & suâ caliditate & siccitate diuidit & sequestrat illâ massam & membra disponit. Quarto mense Sol, vt dominus immittit spiritū, & sic incipit viuere. Quinto mense operatur Mercurius, qui foramina & spiracula facit.
Sexto mense Venus disponit, & ordinat supercilia & oculos, testiculos, & similia. Septimo mense Luna suâ frigiditate & humiditate laborat ad expellendum foetum. si tunc nasceretur, viuere posset: si verò non nasceretur, tunc debilitatur, & iterum Saturnus octauo mense suâ frigiditate & siccitate incipit operari, tunc constringēdo ipsum foetum usque ad acceptionem in matrice, & si tunc nasceretur, viuere non posset. Nono mense Jupiter iterum operatur, & suâ caliditate & humiditate iterum nutriendo reducit vires ipsi foetui: & sic completo nono mēse nascitur, & bene viuit. Et haec sunt verba vera: Aqua foetum tribus mensibus in matrice conseruat: ignis totidem custodit. Aer quoque tribus mensibus fovet: qui totidem complet qui fouetur sanguis in vmbilico, qui ingreditur preciosus ad maternas condescendentes mammas. Ibique post partus angustias niuis candorem assumit Infanti vero nunquam patebit egressus, quousque aereos flatus exhauriat. Egressus tandem os aperit & lactatur.


De observatione Planetarum in opere Alchimiæ.
Chapter 6.

Ab istis tribus mensibus oportet nos intelligere, tecum acuto ingenio scire, & componere ac extrahere duo: nam à duobus non intelliguntur tria: sed ab istis tribus intelliguntur duo & septem. Unde omnes qui cupiunt scire hanc artem, acuunt ingenium suum ad aperiendum thesaurum ex tribus verbis, in quibus occultatur tota praeparatio & virtus lapidis, in quo est caliditas & siccitas, quae siccitas est oleum vivum, & tinctura viva, & est siccitas tincta & profunditas tincturarum, & hoc est calidum & humidum coniunctium.
Omnes autem à principio hoc videntes cognoverunt de verbo, quod dictum est, & qui audierunt de tribus verbis, mirati sunt valde, quorum haec est expositio: quia sic à principio conceptionis usq; ad naturae instantis, quilibet Planeta suo loco dat imaginem virtute divina sic creante: ita ego Rachaideh dico: & verù est, quod in omnibus operibus alchimicis quilibet Planeta suo loco suam facit imaginem usq; ad complementum operis: & tunc nascitur Alchimia artificiose. Sed si verius dicam, naturaliter nascitur secundum omnes planetas sicut Deus ostendit protoplasto hominis naturaliter habens naturam omnium tincturarum: & sic nascitur Mercurius habens in se quatuor elementa, & naturas omnium tincturarum secundum suos gradus: & in hoc opere Alchimiæ multi errant, & pauci perveniunt ad finem. Nam in hoc opere est saltus Lunae, & circulus Solis, ad gradus tres. Primus debilis: Secundus firmus: Tertius perfectus. & termini tres. Primus, quando Sol intrat in Ariete, & est in sua exaltatione: Secundus, quando Sol est in Leone: Tertius, quando Sol est in Sagittario. Circulus autem Solis est viginti octo annorum. XIX. annorum in his mineris, & aliis qui in tabulis Alchimiæ sunt, cōpletur Alchimia. Nam numero saltus Lunae inuenimus gradus, a noue gradibus usque in duo decim gradus, & ab uno in duos gradus CLXIII usque ad XXIIII &c. VII in circulo Solis inuenimus. Intellige ergo quia secundum istos gradus completur Opus Alchemiae.

Expositio trium Verborum.
Chapter 7.

Redeamus nunc ad expositionem trium Verborum, in quibus tota ars consistit. Aqua enim dicitur tribus mensibus foetum in matrice conseruare. Aër tribus mensibus fouet. Ignis totidem, custodit. Hoc totum dictum est de Mercurio per similitudinem. Et verbum istud & sermo iste, & terminus obscurus, est apertus ad intelligendum verum. Nam & alia natura est in muliere praegnante, & alia in Mercurio: tamen per similitudinem caloris qui in matrice inuentus est: estimatus est ignis qui est triginta duorum graduum. Unde istud tertium verbum de quo dicitur, ignis totidem custodit, obscurum est. & multi errant in eo, & intrant terram regionem nescientem, quia à tribus accipiunt duos gradus, & ab istis duobus gradibus extrahuntur reliqui gradus, & in 32. particulis Craticulae partitur libellus: & in istis gradibus expletus est verbum tertium totum, de quo dicitur totidem. Primus gradus complet aquam & aërem. Secundus gradus complet totum hoc quod diximus & totidem. & hoc est donum Dei.

De gradibus ignis.
Chapter 8.

Philosophus Regis Persarum & principis Romanorum dixit: Ita divide tria verba in duas partes, & iterum istæ duæ partes diuidantur in duas partes, & super illa duo diuidantur 32. gradus, qui sunt termini ignis, & diuiduntur particulae ignis, & haec inveniuntur à portionibus archaæ quae diuiditur in 32. partes, & dicuntur almeç. Omnes isti gradus sparguntur super primas duas partes, quæ sunt termini duo, & partiti in 4. partibus 32. gradus partitur, sicut primus gradus est particula ignis, viva albescit, & est sola & simplex, & dicitur quasi nulla, & quod est leuis ignis, & cum isto igne incipimus apprehendere Mercurium ad rubeum, cum ad mortem ducunt magistri Persarum per subtilitatem ingenij, & ita complentur verba duo in 6. maenchen. Post haec expletur verbum tertium, quod est obscurum, & in quo multi errant & perdunt sensum suum. Philosophus Regis Persarum dixit: videamus istud per medium. Medietas est ex tribus maenchen, & ista medietas regitur cum duobus gradibus, qui sunt duae particulae ignis, & ita expletum est illa tria verba in 22. maenchen, & hic est primus terminus & est sine errore. Secundus terminus est de 16. maenchen, & regitur cum octo ignis gradibus. Tertius terminus est de 20. maenchen, & regitur cum 16. gradibus, id est, particulis ignis. Quartus terminus est de 24. maenchen, & quatuor diebus, & regitur cum 32. ignis gradibus, qui sunt particula ignis.

Raxit Aedhanus, & omnes Philosophi Persarum, laudetur Deus, & sanctum nomen eius, quia hoc dictum est de temperato igne super verbis tribus de natura mulieris impraegnatae, ad exemplum ignis quod oportet in Mercurio. Dividuntur omnes isti duo termini, quilibet per medium, quia ambo sunt 23. maenchen, & 7. diethen: & in fine primi termini aperit thesaurum, projice quod inveneris; quod si salierit, & fumum emiserit super rubeam laminam, nondum factum est.

Reduce ergo ad ignem de 16. qui habet in se octo ignis gradus: & iterum aperi thesaurum, & pone super rubentem laminam, & vide si salierit & fumum fecerit, quia nondum factum erit. Reduce ergo ad ignem de 20. qui habet in se 16. gradus: Iterum aperi thesaurum, & si adhuc fumum fecerit, nondum coctum erit. Reduce ergo ad ignem de 24. maenchen, & quatuor diebus, qui habet in se 32. gradus ignis, & modo factus erit subtilis pretiosus lapis viridis, sive aureus, sive alneus, sive rubeundus.

In hac hora laudetur Deus & sanctum nomen eius, quod est benedictum super omne nomen de hoc suo sancto dono.

Libri Trium Verborum Kallid Rachaidis Philosophi finis.