Book of Enoch

iconChapter - 25

1After this law I beheld another law of an inferior luminary, the name of which is the moon, and the orb of which is as the orb of heaven.
2Its chariot, which it secretly ascends, the wind blows; and light is given to it by measure.
3Every month at its exit and entrance it becomes changed; and its periods are as the periods of the sun. And when the moon if full, its light is a seventh portion from the light of the sun.
4Thus it rises, and at its commencement towards the east goes forth for thirty days.
5At that time it appears, and becomes to you the beginning of the month. Thirty days it is with the sun in the gate from which the sun goes forth.
6Half of it is in extent seven portions, one half; and the whole of its orb is void of light, except a seventh portion out of the fourteen portions of its light.
7And in a day it receives a seventh portion, or half that portion, of its light. Its light is by sevens, by one portion, and by the half of a portion. Its sets with the sun.
8And when the sun rises, the moon rises with it; receiving half a portion of light.
9On that night, when it commences its period, previously to the day of the month, the moon sets with the sun.
10And on that night it is dark in its fourteen portions, that is, in each half; but it rises on that day with one seventh portion precisely, and in its progress declines from the rising of the sun.
11During the remainder of its period its light increases to fourteen portions.
12Then I saw another progress and regulation which He effected in the law of the moon. The progress of the moons, and everything relating to them, Uriel showed me, the holy angel who conducted them all.
13Their stations I wrote down as he showed them to me.
14I wrote down their months, as they occur, and the appearance of their light, until it is completed in fifteen days.
15In each of its two seven portions it completes all its light at rising and at setting.
16On stated months it changes its settings; and on stated months it makes its progress through each gate.
17In two gates the moon sets with the sun, viz. in those two gates which are in the midst, in the third and fourth gate. From the third gate it goes forth for seven days, and makes its circuit.
18Again it returns to the gate whence the sun goes forth, and in that completes the whole of its light. Then it declines from the sun, and enters in eight days into the sixth gate, and returns in seven days to the third gate, from which the sun goes forth.
19When the sun proceeds to the fourth gate, the moon goes forth for seven days, until it passes from the fifth gate.
20Again it returns in seven days to the fourth gate, and completing all its light, declines, and passes on by the first gate in eight days;
21And returns in seven days to the fourth gate, from which the sun goes forth.
22Thus I beheld their stations, as according to the fixed order of the months the sun rises and sets.
23At those times there is an excess of thirty days belonging to the sun in five years; all the days belonging to each year of the five years, when completed, amount to three hundred and sixty-four days; and to the sun and stars belong six days; six days in each of the five years; thus thirty days belonging to them;
24So that the moon has thirty days less than the sun and stars.
25The moon brings on all the years exactly, that their stations may come neither too forwards nor too backwards a single day; but that the years may be changed with correct precision in three hundred and sixty-four days.
26In three years the days are one thousand and ninety-two; in five years they are one thousand eight hundred and twenty; and in eight years two thousand nine hundred and twelve days.
27To the moon alone belong in three years one thousand and sixty-two days; in five years it has fifty days less than the sun, for an addition being made to the one thousand and sixty-two days, in five years there are one thousand seven hundred and seventy days; and the days of the moon in eight years are two thousand eight hundred and thirty-two days.
28For its days in eight years are less than those of the sun by eighty days, which eighty days are its diminution in eight years.
29The year then becomes truly complete according to the station of the moon, and the station of the sun; which rise in the different gates; which rise and set in them for thirty days.