The Aramaic Prayer of Jesus

(The Aramaic Lord's Prayer)
Six Possible "Renderings" by Mark Hathaway

These six possible "renderings" of the Aramaic Lord's Prayer are based on the work of Saadi Neil Douglas-Klotz (see "Prayers of the Cosmos" and www.abwoon.com). They are not literal translations, but rather something between a poetic translation and "midrash" based on the ancient roots of the Aramaic words of the prayer. Find out more about each line in the prayer by reading the introductory article here. Please do not reproduce these renderings without:

a)Written permission by the author, Mark Hathaway (contact here), and

b)an explicit aknowledgement of the work of Mark Hathaway and Neil Douglas-Klotz and a link to their respective websites (www.taoofliberation.com and www.abwoon.com).

§ 1

O Divine Womb,

birthing forth the river of blessing which runs through all,

Soften the ground of our being,

and hallow in us a space for the planting of thy presence.

In our depths,

sow thy seed with its greening-power

that we might be midwives to thy Reign.

Then, let each of our actions

bear fruit in accordance with thy desire.

Impart to us the wisdom to bring forth the gifts of the earth

and share them daily according to the needs of each being,

And restore that which has been usurped

by injustice to its rightful owners,

as we restore to others that which is not our own.

Do not let us be seduced

by that which would divert us from our purpose,

but make us sensitive to the moment at hand.

For from thy fertile soil is born the creativity,

the life-energy, and the dance,

from birthing to birthing. Ameyn.

* * * * * * * * *

§ 2

O Source of the Wave,

which envelops and embraces the cosmos,

sustaining and renewing it at each moment,

Penetrate the deepest recesses of our hearts,

and there create a space for thy holy shrine.

In this nuptial chamber,

conceive the creative potency of thy Reign,

So that we may give birth to the embodiment of thy desire:

as from the emanation, so too in form.

With passion and soul let us generate

that which is needed to sustain life this day.

Release us from the bondage of our karma,

as we free others from the captivity of their guilt.

And do not let superficiality cause us to vacillate,

but rather free us from all that impedes growth.

For from thee bursts forth all that

dignifies, gives life, and astonishes,

from cycle to cycle, restoring wholeness. Ameyn.

* * * * * * * * *

§ 3

O creative Breath,

ebbing and flowing through all forms,

Free us from all constrictions,

so that the current of thy life

may move in us without hinderance.

Empower us with thy creativity,

and clothe us with royal dignity,

So that,fully at one with the vortex of thy desire,

sacred actions pour forth from us

with each breath we release.

Renew in us this day

our lifebreath, vigour, and passion,

And untie the tangled threads of destiny which bind us,

as we release others from the entanglement of past mistakes.

Do not let us lose ourselves in distraction,

but by the way of the breath,

lead us into mindfulness.

For from thy depths pour forth

the Way, the Life, and the Splendour,

from age to age, it is so. Ameyn.

* * * * * * * * *

§ 4

O Source of the Radiance,

dancing in and about all-that-is,

Shine forth into the depths of our beings,

and enkindle there the flame of thy essence.

Grant that it may blaze forth

and fill us with its searing creativity,

Until, fully united with thy fiery desire,

light pours out from us, taking form.

May we be revitalised each day

with nourishment for body and spirit,

And be liberated from all that oppresses us,

as we struggle to mend the fabric of our world.

Let us not be enmeshed in the nets of illusion,

but illuminate the opportunities of the present moment.

For from thee shine forth

the precepts, the sustenance, and the generative fire,

from centring to centring. Ameyn.

* * * * * * * * *

§ 5

O Silent Sound,

whose shimmering music pulsates

at the heart of each and all,

Clear a space in us where thy melody

may be perceived in its purity.

Let the rhythm of thy counsel reverberate through our lives,

so that we move to the beat of justice, love, and peace.

Then, our whole being at one with thy song,

grant that the Earth may be filled

with the beauty of thy voice.

Endow us with the wisdom to produce and share

what each being needs to grow and flourish,

And give us courage to embrace our shadow with emptiness,

as we embrace others in their darkness.

But let us not be captive to uncertainty,

nor cling to fruitless pursuits.

For from thee springs forth

the rhythm, the melody, and the harmony,

which restores all to balance, again and again. Ameyn.

* * * * * * * * *

§ 6

O Parent of the Universe,

manifesting thyself as generative energy,

Bend over us and remove all that clutters our being

and set apart a place where thy sacredness may dwell.

Fill us with thy creativity,

so that we may be empowered to bear

the fruit of thy vision.

Then, moving to the heartbeat of thy desire,

make us the embodiment of thy compassion.

Drawing from the ground of our humanity

grant that we may renew each other

with love, understanding, and sustenance.

Empty us of frustrated hopes and despair,

as we restore others to a renewal of vision.

And let us not fall into agitation,

but save us from precipitous actions.

For thou art the ground

of the fruitful vision, the birthing-power, and the fulfilment,

as all is gathered and made whole once again. Ameyn.

* * * * * * * * *

Mark Hathaway is an author, web designer, and freelance "ecologian" studying the inter-relationships between ecology, economics, spirituality, and cosmology.

Those interested in learning more about the Aramaic version of Jesus' sayings should read Prayers of the Cosmos by Neil Douglas-Klotz (Harper and Row, 1990).