Stage 3 · Saadia Gaon (882–942)

Emunot v'Deot: X:19 · Musical Modes, Fragrances, and Synthesis

כתאב אלאמאנאת ואלאעתקאדאת — The Book of Beliefs and Opinions

Emunot v'Deot in the original Judeo-Arabic, with a working English translation by Eliyahu Freedman (working draft). Hover a phrase to see its English light up; tap any word for a gloss.

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the power of kingship and dominion.

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And when green is combined with yellow, the melancholic power is stirred, and from the soul there appears the power of cowardice and sorrow.

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Likewise, if these color mixtures are increased or decreased, the soul experiences movement of its powers accordingly.

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Similarly, a single tone, note, or melody moves only one of the soul's character-traits — and often harms it. But their mixture balances what appears of the soul's traits and powers.

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One must know their individual effects so the compound can be made accordingly. I say now: the melodic modes are eight, each with defined rhythmic measures from the scale.

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The first mode: three consecutive notes and one resting. The second: three consecutive notes, one resting, and one moving. These two modes together stir the blood-power and the character of kings and rulers.

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The third mode: two consecutive notes with no interval between them, one resting, and a low-high-low pattern spanning one note's duration. This alone stirs the bile and the powers of courage and boldness and their like.

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The fourth mode: three consecutive notes with no interval between them, and one note's duration between each group of three. This alone stirs phlegm — from the soul there appears the power of abasement, submissiveness, cowardice, and their like.

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The fifth mode: one single note then two differing notes with no interval between them, and one note's duration between high and low. The sixth: three moving notes. The seventh: two consecutive notes with no interval, and one note's duration between each pair.

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The eighth mode: two consecutive notes with no interval, and two notes' duration between each pair. These four [modes five through eight] all stir

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— the melancholic humor, and the soul displays divided traits — sometimes toward joy, sometimes toward grief.

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And it is the custom of kings to mix some of these with others until they are balanced — so that what is stirred in their traits when they hear is measured to suit their souls to govern the kingdom: not inclining them to excess mercy or harshness, or excess courage or cowardice, or excess or deficiency in joy and happiness.

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Similarly is the case of a single fragrance — each has its own particular power — and when they are mixed with each other, a compound state arises in proportion to the degree of mixing.

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Among these: musk is hot and dry; camphor is cold and subtle; saffron is hot and dry; sandalwood is cold and moist; ambergris is hot and moderate; rosewater is cold and subtle. When any one is mixed with another, their properties blend and become beneficial for people.

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Section XIX. Since it has become clear that balance in all sensory objects is most beneficial for a person, it is all the more so that balancing his character-traits and beloved pursuits should be most beneficial for him.

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The sum of what was established: a person should earn in this world to the extent he can succeed, and eat and drink from the lawful to the degree of his need.

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And devote his care in what goes beyond that to wisdom, worship, and true honest reputation — and take from each of the beloved pursuits mentioned according to the order we established: each thing at its proper time.

This praised choice is the essence of what Solomon son of David mentioned in his book, in three

English is a working draft — alignment is sentence-by-sentence.