Versão 1950

Original written in Russian and Armenian. Translations into other languages have been made under the personal direction of the author, by a group of translators chosen by him and specially trained according to their defined individualities, in conformity with the text to be translated and in relation to the philological particularities of each language.

This text is a faithful copy of the Tales as it was prepared for publication by G. Gurdjieff

FIRST SERIES: Three books under the title of “An Objectively Impartial Criticism of the Life of Man,” or, “BEELZEBUB’S Tales to His Grandson.” SECOND SERIES: Three books under the common title of “Meetings with Remarkable Men.” THIRD SERIES: Four books under the common title of “Life Is Real Only Then, When ‘I Am’ ”

All written according to entirely new principles of logical reasoning and strictly directed towards the solution of the following three cardinal problems: FIRST SERIES: To destroy, mercilessly, without any compromises whatsoever, in the mentation and feelings of the reader, the beliefs and views, by centuries rooted in him, about everything existing in the world. SECOND SERIES: To acquaint the reader with the material required for a new creation and to prove the soundness and good quality of it. THIRD SERIES: To assist the arising, in the mentation and in the feelings of the reader, of a veritable, nonfantastic representation not of that illusory world which he now perceives, but of the world existing in reality.

tradução

Escrito originalmente em russo e armênio. As traduções para outros idiomas foram feitas sob a direção pessoal do autor, por um grupo de tradutores escolhidos por ele e especialmente treinados de acordo com suas individualidades definidas, em conformidade com o texto a ser traduzido e em relação às particularidades filológicas de cada língua.

Este texto é uma cópia fiel dos Relatos, tal como foi preparado para publicação por G. Gurdjieff.

PRIMEIRA SÉRIE: Três livros sob o título de “Uma Crítica Objetivamente Imparcial da Vida do Homem”, ou, “Relatos de Belzebu ao Seu Neto”. SEGUNDA SÉRIE: Três livros sob o título comum de “Encontros com homens notáveis”. A vida é real só quando eu sou: Quatro livros sob o título comum de “A vida é real só quando eu sou Somente Quando 'Eu Sou'”.

Todos escritos segundo princípios inteiramente novos de raciocínio lógico e estritamente direcionados para a solução dos três problemas cardeais a seguir:

PRIMEIRA SÉRIE: Destruir, impiedosamente, sem qualquer compromisso, na mente e nos sentimentos do leitor, as crenças e visões, nele enraizadas há séculos, sobre tudo o que existe no mundo.

SEGUNDA SÉRIE: Familiarizar o leitor com o material necessário para uma nova criação e provar sua solidez e boa qualidade.

A vida é real só quando eu sou: Auxiliar o surgimento, na mente e nos sentimentos do leitor, de uma representação verdadeira, não fantasiosa, não daquele mundo ilusório que ele agora percebe, mas do mundo que existe na realidade.

Gurdjieff

*Registro de reunião em Paris, 1943*

“For example, in Beelzebub, I know, there is everything one must know. It is a very interesting book. Everything is there. All that exists, all that has existed, all that can exist. The beginning, the end, all the secrets of the creation of the world; all is there. But one must understand, and to understand depends on ones individuality. The more man can be instructed in a certain way, the more he can see. Subjectively, everyone is able to understand according to the level he occupies, for it is an objective book, and everyone should understand something in it. One person understands one part, another a thousand times more.”

“Now, find a way to put your attention on understanding all of Beelzebub. This will be your task, and it is a good way to fix a real attention. If you can put real attention on Beelzebub, you can have a real attention in life. You didn’t know this secret. In Beelzebub there is everything, I have said it, even how to make an omelette. Among other things, it is explained; and at the same time there isn’t a word in Beelzebub about cooking. So, you put your attention on Beelzebub, another attention than that to which you are accustomed, and you will he able to have the same attention in life.”

Orage

Orage said: ‘Some of you still criticize the faulty grammar and punctuation and ask why I do not do something about it. Well, although from the first writing the sense is in each chapter, Gurdjieff is constantly re-writing and revising. As you may know, he writes in pencil in Armenian; this is translated into Russian, and then into literal English by Russians; it is then gone over by one or two English and American pupils at the Prieure who have only a rough knowledge of the use of words. All I can do at present is to revise the English when it obscures the sense. Although I’ve talked over the chapters with Gurdjieff and discussed the sense of them, he will never explain the meaning of anything. His task is to write the book, ours to make the effort to understand. The style and sense are Gurdjieff’s. The surprising thing is that, in spite of the difficulties of translation the sense and style come through so well. It can be said that in English, this being a more flexible language than French, it is possible to play with words, so that the English translation will have a quality of its own.’

Orage cautioned us about attempting to explain to new pupils the meaning, as we understood it, of things in Beelzebub, one could only throw out hints. With those on the same level of understanding as oneself, discussion was useful. In the weeks that followed he reviewed the chapters; we, on our side, striving to contribute. And since we were all more or less on the same level of understanding the talks were very helpful indeed. What follows of his commentary is only an outline, so to say, of Beelzebub’s Tales to Hassein — hints of the richness and depths of the wisdom. Each reader will understand according to his own inner development; at first it is like a bud; then it opens out, like a flower.