208
The Law is for All
& rapture! Come in our passionate peace, & write sweet 
words for the Kings!
65. I am the Master: thou art the Holy Chosen One.
66. Write, & find ecstasy in writing! Work, & be our bed in 
working! Thrill with the joy of life & death! Ah! thy death 
shall be lovely: whoso seeth it shall be glad. Thy death shall 
be the seal of the promise of our agelong love. Come! lift up 
thine heart & rejoice! We are one; we are none.
67. Hold! Hold! Bear up in thy rapture; fall not in swoon of the 
excellent kisses!
68. Harder! Hold up thyself! Lift thine head! breathe not so 
deep—die!
69. Ah! Ah! What do I feel? Is the word exhausted?
70. There is help & hope in other spells. Wisdom says: be 
strong! Then canst thou bear more joy. Be not animal; refine 
thy rapture! If thou drink, drink by the eight and ninety rules 
of art: if thou love, exceed by delicacy; and if thou do aught 
joyous, let there be subtlety therein!
71. But exceed! exceed!
72. Strive ever to more! and if thou art truly mine—and doubt it 
not, an if thou art ever joyous!—death is the crown of all.
73. Ah! Ah! Death! Death! thou shalt long for death. Death is 
forbidden, o man, unto thee.
74. The length of thy longing shall be the strength of its glory. 
He that lives long & desires death much is ever the King 
among the Kings.
75. Aye! listen to the numbers & the words:
76. 4638ABK24ALGMOR3YX 24 89 RPSTOV 
A L. What meaneth this, o prophet? Thou knowest not; nor 
shalt thou know ever. There cometh one to follow thee: he 
shall expound it. But remember, o chosen one, to be me; to 
follow the love of Nu in the star-lit heaven; to look forth 
upon men, to tell them this glad word.