The Charge of the Goddess was found in the Gardnerian Book of Shadows and is attributed to Doreen Valiente.  Over the years the Charge has been adapted and there are now several versions.  On this page you will find the Gardnerian version as well as a few others.

Doreen Valiente

Starhawk

Stewart Farrar

Silver RavenWolf

Charles G. Leland

by Doreen Valiente

Listen to the words of the Great Mother;
she who of old was also called among men
Artemis, Astarte, Athene, Dione, Melusine,
Aphrodite, Cerridwen, Cybele, Arianrhod,
Isis, Dana, Bride
and by many other names:

Whenever ye have need of anything,
once in the month, and better it be when the moon is full,
then shall ye assemble in some secret place
and adore the spirit of me,
who am Queen of all the witches.

There shall ye assemble,
ye who are fain to learn all sorcery,
yet have not won its deepest secrets;
to these will I teach things that are yet unknown.
And ye shall be free from slavery;
and as a sign that ye be really free,
ye shall be naked in your rites;
and ye shall dance, sing, feast,
make music and love,
all in my praise.
For mine is the ecstasy of the spirit,
and mine also is joy on earth;
for my law is love unto all beings.
Keep pure your highest ideal;
strive ever towards it;
let naught stop you or turn you aside.
For mine is the secret door
which opens upon the Land of Youth,
and mine is the cup of the wine of life,
and the Cauldron of Cerridwen,
which is the Holy Grail of immortality.

I am the Gracious Goddess,
who gives the gift of joy unto the heart of man.
Upon earth, I give the knowledge of the spirit eternal;
and beyond death, I give peace and freedom
and reunion with those who have gone before.
Nor do I demand aught in sacrifice;
for behold,
I am the Mother of all living,
and my love is poured out upon the earth.

Hear ye the words of the Star Goddess;
she in the dust of whose feet are the hosts of heaven,
and whose body encircles the Universe.
I who am the beauty of the green earth,
and the white Moon among the stars,
and the mystery of the waters,
and the desire of the heart of man,
call unto thy soul.
Arise, and come unto me.
For I am the soul of nature, who gives life to the universe.
From me all things proceed,
and unto me all things must return;
and before my face, beloved of Gods and of men,
let thine innermost divine self be enfolded in the rapture of the infinite.
Let my worship be within the heart that rejoiceth;
for behold,
all acts of love and pleasure are my rituals.
And therefore let there be beauty and strength,
power and compassion, honour and humility,
mirth and reverence within you.

And thou who thinkest to seek for me,
know thy seeking and yearning shall avail thee not
unless thou knowest the mystery;
that if that which thou seekest
thee findest not within thee,
thou wilt never find it without thee.
For behold,
I have been with thee from the beginning;
and I am that which is attained
at the end of desire.

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by Starhawk

Listen to the words of the Great Mother,
who of old was called
Artemis, Astarte, Dione, Melusine, Aphrodite,
Cerridwen, Diana, Arionrhod, Brigid,
and by many other names:

Whenever you have need of anything,
once a month, and better it be when the moon is full,
you shall assemble in some secret place
and adore the spirit of Me Who is Queen of all the Wise.

You shall be free from slavery,
and as a sign that you be free you
shall be naked in your rites.
Sing, feast, dance, make music and love,
all in My presence,
for Mine is the ecstasy of the spirit
and Mine also is joy on Earth.

For My law is love unto all things.
Mine is the secret that opens
the door of youth,
and Mine is the cup of wine of life that is
the Cauldron of Cerridwen,
that is the holy grail of immortality.

I give the knowledge of the spirit eternal,
and beyond death I give peace and freedom
and reunion with those that have gone before.

Nor do I demand aught of sacrifice, for behold,
I am the Mother of all things
and My love is poured out upon the Earth.

Hear the words of the Star Goddess,
the dust of Whose feet are the hosts of Heaven,
Whose body encircles the universe.

I who am the beauty of the green earth
and the white moon among the stars
and the mysteries of the waters,
I call upon your soul to arise and come unto me.

For I am the soul of nature that gives life to the universe.
From Me all things proceed and unto Me they must return.
Let My worship be in the heart that rejoices,
for behold, all acts of love and pleasure are My rituals.
Let there be beauty and strength,
power and compassion,
honour and humility,
mirth and reverence within you.

And you who seek to know Me,
know that the seeking and yearning will avail you not,
unless you know the Mystery:
for if that which you seek,
you find not within yourself,
you will never find it without.

For behold,
I have been with you from the beginning,
and I am That which is attained at the end of desire.

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by Stewart Farrar

There shall ye assemble, ye who are fain to learn all sorcery, yet have not won its deeper secrets;
to these will I teach all things that are as yet unknown,
And ye shall be free from slavery;
and as a sign ye be truly free,
you shall be naked in your rites,
and ye shall dance, sing and feast,
make music and love, all in my praise.

For mine is the ecstasy of the spirit, and more
and mine is also Joy on Earth;
for my law is love unto all beings.
Keep pure your highest ideals;
strive ever towards them,
let nothing stop you or turn you aside.
For mine is the secret door
which opens upon the Land of Youth,
and mine is the cup of the of the wine of life,
and the Cauldron of Cerridwen,
which is the Holy Vessel of Immortality.

I am the Gracious Goddess,
who gives the gift of joy unto the heart of man.
Upon Earth, I give the knowledge of the spirit eternal;
and beyond death, I give peace and freedom,
and reunion with those who have gone before.
Nor do I demand sacrifice for behold,
I am the Mother of all living,
and my love is poured out onto the Earth.

I am the beauty of green earth,
and the white moon among the stars,
and the mystery of the waters,
and the desire of the heart of man.
Call unto thy soul, arise, and come unto me.
For I am the soul of nature.
Who gives life to the universe.
From me all things proceed,
and unto me all things must return;
and before my face, beloved of Gods and men,
let thine innermost divine self
be enfolded in the rapture of the infinite.

Let my worship be within the heart that rejoiceth;
for behold all acts of love and pleasure are my rituals. Therefore, let there be beauty and strength,
power and compassion, honour and humility,
mirth and reverence within you.
And thou who thinketh to seek for me,
know thy seeking and yearning
shall avail thee not unless thou knoweth the mystery;
that if that which thy seekest thou findest not within thee, thou wilt never it without thee.
For behold,
I have been with thee from the beginning;
and I am that which is attained at the end of desire.

So says the Goddess...

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by Silver RavenWolf

Hear my words and know me!
I shall be called a million names by all who speak!
I am Eternal Maiden! I am Great Mother!
I am the Old One who holds the immortal key!
I am shrouded in Mystery, but am known to every soul.

Hear my words and know me!
Whenever the moon rises in the Heavens
shall my children come to me.
Better it be once a month when the moon is full,
shall ye assemble in some secret place, such as this,
and adore the spirit of I.
I, who am the Queen of Witches!

And under my watchful eye,
my children shall be taught the mysteries of Earth
and Nature, of the ways of all Magick!
That which is unknown shall be known,
and that which is hidden shall be revealed,
even the secluded soul shall be pierced with my Light.
From my cauldron shall be drunk all knowledge and immortality!

Ye shall be free from slavery
and ye shall dance, sing, and feast.
Music shall surround you,
for mine is the ecstasy of the spirit,
and mine is also the joy of the earth!

I do not demand sacrifice!
For behold, I am the Mother of all living things!

Create and heal!
Be strong, yet gentle.
Be noble, yet reverent.
Bring forth and replenish.

And, as does the cycle of the Moon
ever begin to wax and wane and to grow forth again,
as do the seasons
from one to the next flow in smooth rhythm,
from sowing to reaping,
to seeming death and rebirth.....
so will my children know their own pattern in both worlds!

And ye shall say these words...
I Will love and harm none.
I Will live, love, die, and live again.
I Will meet, remember, know.
and embrace once more.
For the free will of ALL, and with harm to None
As I will
It now is done
So mote it be!

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And lastly here is my favourite version.

by Charles G. Leland - Aradia

Whenever you have need of anything,
one in the month and be it better when the moon is full, then shall you assemble in some secret place and adore
the spirit of me, who am the Queen of all witches.

When I have departed from this world,
Whenever you have need of anything,
Once a month, and when the moon is full,
Ye shall assemble in some desert place
or in a forest all together join
To adore the potent spirit of your Queen
My mother, great Diana, She who fain
Would learn all sorcery yet has not won
Its deepest secrets, then my mother will
Teach her, in truth all things as yet unknown.