LXXIII. The Moon and its Phases.
Project Gutenberg EPUB edition
Charles, R. H. (Robert Henry)
LXXIII.
1. And after this law I saw another law dealing with the smaller luminary, which is named the Moon.
2. And her circumference is like the circumference of the heaven, and her chariot in which she rides is driven by the wind, and light is given to her in (definite) measure.
3. And her rising and setting changes every month: and her days are like the days of the sun, and when her light is uniform (i. e. full) it amounts to the seventh part of the light of the sun.
4. And thus she rises. And her first phase in the east comes forth on the thirtieth morning: and on that day she becomes visible, and constitutes for you the first phase of the moon on the thirtieth day together with the sun in the portal where the sun rises.
5. And the one half of her goes forth by a seventh part, and her whole circumference is empty, without light, with the exception of one-seventh part of it, (and) the fourteenth part of her light.
6. And when she receives one-seventh part of the half of her light, her light amounts to one-seventh part and the half thereof.
7. And she sets with the sun, and when the sun rises the moon rises with him and receives the half of one part of light, and in that night in the beginning of her morning [in the commencement of the lunar day] the moon sets with the sun, and is invisible that night with the fourteen parts and the half of one of them.
8. And she rises on that day with exactly a seventh part, and comes forth and recedes from the rising of the sun, and in her remaining days she becomes bright in the (remaining) thirteen parts.