The Law is for All

136 The Law is for All 38. Thou hast brought me into great delight. Thou hast given me of Thy flesh to eat and of Thy blood for an offering of intoxication. 39. Thou hast fastened the fangs of Eternity in my soul, and the Poison of the Infinite hath consumed me utterly. 40. I am become like a luscious devil of Italy; a fair strong woman with worn cheeks, eaten out with hunger for kisses. She hath played the harlot in divers palaces; she hath given her body to the beasts. 41. She hath slain her kinsfolk with strong venom of toads; she hath been scourged with many rods. 42. She hath been broken in pieces upon the Wheel; the hands of the hangman have bound her unto it. 43. The fountains of water have been loosed upon her; she hath struggled with exceeding torment. 44. She hath burst in sunder with the weight of the waters; she hath sunk into the awful Sea. 45. So am I, O Adonai, my lord, and such are the waters of Thine intolerable Essence. 46. So am I, O Adonai, my beloved, and Thou hast burst me utterly in sunder. 47. I am shed out like spilt blood upon the mountains; the Ravens of Dispersion have borne me utterly away. 48. Therefore is the seal unloosed, that guarded the Eighth abyss; therefore is the vast sea as a veil; therefore is there a rending asunder of all things.1 1 “Liber LXV,” 111:38-48. 2 “Liber LXV,” 1:64. * 64. Intoxicate the inmost, O my lover, not the outermost!1 2 68. Harder! Hold up thyself! Lift thine head! breathe not so deep—die!