p. 1

THE FIRST BOOK

OF THE

HOLY MAGIC,

WHICH GOD GAVE UNTO MOSES, AARON, DAVID, SOLOMON, AND OTHER
SAINTS, PATRIARCHS AND PROPHETS; WHICH TEACHETH
THE TRUE DIVINE WISDOM.

_________

BEQUEATHED BY ABRAHAM UNTO LAMECH HIS SON.

_________

TRANSLATED FROM THE HEBREW.

_________

1458

p. 3

THE FIRST BOOK OF THE HOLY MAGIC.

LTHOUGH this First Book serveth rather for prologue than for the actual rules to acquire this Divine and Sacred Magic nevertheless, O! Lamech, my son, thou wilt therein find certain examples and other matters 1 which will be none the less useful and profitable unto thee than the precepts and dogmas which I shall give thee in the Second and Third Books. Wherefore thou shalt not neglect the study of this First Book, which shall serve thee for an introduction 2 unto the Veritable and Sacred Magic, and unto the practice of that which I, ABRAHAM, THE SON OF SIMON, have learned, in part from my father, and in part also from other Wise and faithful Men, and which I have found true and real, having submitted it unto proof and experiment. And having written this with mine own hand, I have placed it within this casket, and locked it up, as a most precious treasure; in order that when thou hast arrived at a proper age thou mayest be able to admire, to consider, and to enjoy the marvels of the Lord; as well as thine elder brother Joseph, who, as the first-born, hath received from me the Holy Tradition of the Qabalah. 3

Footnotes

3:1 Des exemples et des circonstances.

3:2 D'acheminement.

3:3 I consider this a truer orthography of the word than the usual rendering of "Cabala".