The Library · A Beginning
The Sacred Codex
Six scriptures, each in the original language it was written in, with the English translation that keeps it as literal as possible. A beginning — more passages to come.
Verse of the day
Your preferred language:
Daily readings
One reading from each scripture, in English, on the same page. The set changes daily and cycles every seven days; more readings will be added as the codex grows. Bible readings are KJV; Book of Mormon readings are the published text; Qur'an readings are Sahih International, except Al-Fatiha 1:1, which is the codex's literal line; Tao Te Ching, I Ching, and Dhammapada readings are new literal renderings in the codex's style, drafts for Timothy's line-by-line check.
Instructions
- Translation carries what the text carries; interpretation is always marked as such.
- Guesses only when announced as guesses; blanks as STOP — never fill a gap by invention.
- Attestation present with every body of the work: what is stated, separated from what is added.
- The private part stays private; the attestation is the public part.
How the reader receives it
The reader may receive a personal reading from the codex in their preferred method of transmission — spoken voice or written text, as they choose. The preference is the reader's, not the codex's.
Holy Bible
Original languages: Hebrew (Old Testament, with Aramaic portions) and Greek (New Testament).
Opening — Genesis 1:1, Hebrew:
בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ
Literal English:
In beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
Book of Mormon
Original language: none extant.
The published text is English (1830). The book's own account names its source language as “reformed Egyptian,” but no manuscript exists to quote, so no original-language line is invented here. The English below is the text as published.
Opening — 1 Nephi 1:1:
I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father; and having seen many afflictions in the course of my days, nevertheless, having been highly favored of the Lord in all my days; yea, having had a great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God, therefore I make a record of my proceedings in my days.
Tao Te Ching
Original language: Classical Chinese.
Opening — Chapter 1:
道可道，非常道。名可名，非常名。
Literal English:
The Way that can be wayed is not the constant Way. The name that can be named is not the constant name.
I Ching
Original language: Classical Chinese.
Opening — Hexagram 1, 乾 (The Creative), the Judgment:
乾：元，亨，利，貞。
Literal English:
The Creative: origin, penetration, advantage, correctness.
Qur'an
Original language: Classical Arabic.
Opening — Al-Fatiha 1:1:
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
Literal English:
In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate.
Dhammapada
Original language: Pali.
Opening — Verse 1:
Manopubbaṅgamā dhammā, manoseṭṭhā manomayā; manasā ce paduṭṭhena bhāsati vā karoti vā; tato naṃ dukkham anveti cakkaṃ va vahato padaṃ.
Literal English:
Mind-foremost are all phenomena, mind-chief, mind-made. If with a corrupted mind one speaks or acts, suffering follows him as the wheel follows the foot of the ox that pulls.