Enoch 72

1 The book of the courses of the luminaries of heaven — the relations of each of them, according to their classes, their dominion and their seasons, according to their names and places of origin, and according to their months — which Uriel, the holy messenger who was with me and who is their guide, showed me. And he showed me all their laws exactly as they are, and how it stands with all the years of the world and on to eternity, until the new creation is accomplished, which lasts to eternity. [a] 2 And this is the first law of the luminaries: the luminary the Sun has its rising in the eastern portals of heaven, and its setting in the western portals of heaven. 3 And I saw six portals in which the sun rises, and six portals in which the sun sets; and the moon rises and sets in these portals, and so do the leaders of the stars and those whom they lead: six in the east and six in the west, all following one another in accurately corresponding order. I saw also many windows to the right and to the left of these portals.

4 And first there goes out the great luminary, named the Sun, and his circumference is like the circumference of heaven, and he is completely filled with fire that gives light and heat. 5 The chariot on which he mounts up is driven by the wind, and the sun goes down from heaven and returns through the north in order to reach the east, and he is guided so that he comes to the appropriate portal and shines in the face of heaven. [b] 6 In this way he rises in the first month in the great portal, which is the fourth of those six portals in the east. 7 And in that fourth portal, from which the sun rises in the first month, there are twelve window-openings, and out of them comes a flame when they are opened in their season.

8 When the sun rises in heaven, he comes out through that fourth portal thirty mornings in a row, and sets exactly in the fourth portal in the west of heaven. 9 And during this period the day becomes daily longer and the night nightly shorter, up to the thirtieth morning. 10 On that day the day is longer than the night by a ninth part, and the day amounts exactly to ten parts and the night to eight parts. [c]

11 And the sun rises from that fourth portal and sets in the fourth, and returns to the fifth portal of the east for thirty mornings, and rises from it and sets in the fifth portal. 12 And then the day becomes longer by two parts and amounts to eleven parts, and the night becomes shorter and amounts to seven parts. 13 And it returns to the east and enters the sixth portal, and rises and sets in the sixth portal thirty-one mornings, on account of its sign. 14 On that day the day becomes longer than the night, and the day becomes double the night, and the day becomes twelve parts, and the night is shortened and becomes six parts.

15 And the sun mounts up to make the day shorter and the night longer, and the sun returns to the east and enters the sixth portal, and rises from it and sets for thirty mornings. 16 And when thirty mornings are completed, the day decreases by exactly one part, and becomes eleven parts, and the night seven. 17 And the sun goes out from that sixth portal in the west, and goes to the east and rises in the fifth portal for thirty mornings, and sets again in the west in the fifth western portal. 18 On that day the day decreases by two parts, and amounts to ten parts and the night to eight parts. 19 And the sun goes out from that fifth portal and sets in the fifth portal of the west, and rises in the fourth portal for thirty-one mornings on account of its sign, and sets in the west. 20 On that day the day is equalized with the night and becomes of equal length, and the night amounts to nine parts and the day to nine parts.

21 And the sun rises from that portal and sets in the west, and returns to the east and rises for thirty mornings in the third portal, and sets in the west in the third portal. 22 And on that day the night becomes longer than the day, and night becomes longer than night and day shorter than day, till the thirtieth morning; and the night amounts exactly to ten parts and the day to eight parts. 23 And the sun rises from that third portal and sets in the third portal in the west, and returns to the east, and for thirty mornings rises in the second portal in the east, and in the same way sets in the second portal in the west of heaven. 24 And on that day the night amounts to eleven parts and the day to seven parts. 25 And the sun rises on that day from that second portal and sets in the west in the second portal, and returns to the east into the first portal for thirty-one mornings, and sets in the first portal in the west of heaven. 26 And on that day the night becomes longer and amounts to double the day: the night amounts exactly to twelve parts and the day to six.

27 And the sun has in this way traversed the divisions of his orbit, and he turns again on those divisions of his orbit, and enters that portal for thirty mornings and sets also in the west opposite it. 28 And on that night the night has decreased in length by a ninth part, and the night has become eleven parts and the day seven parts. 29 And the sun has returned and entered the second portal in the east, and returns on those divisions of his orbit for thirty mornings, rising and setting. 30 And on that day the night decreases in length, and the night amounts to ten parts and the day to eight. 31 And on that day the sun rises from that portal and sets in the west, and returns to the east, and rises in the third portal for thirty-one mornings, and sets in the west of heaven. 32 On that day the night decreases and amounts to nine parts, and the day to nine parts, and the night is equal to the day; and the year is exactly 364 days.

33 And the length of the day and of the night, and the shortness of the day and of the night, arise — through the course of the sun these distinctions are made. [d] 34 So it comes about that its course becomes daily longer, and its course nightly shorter. 35 And this is the law and the course of the sun, and his return as often as he returns sixty times and rises — that is, the great luminary which is named the sun — for ever and ever. [e] 36 And that which rises in this way is the great luminary, and it is named so according to its appearance, just as the Lord commanded. 37 As he rises, so he sets; he does not decrease and does not rest, but runs day and night, and his light is sevenfold brighter than that of the moon. But as regards size, the two are equal.