¹ Nu! ^bthe hiding of Hadit.

² Come! ^ball ye, ^cand learn the secret that hath not yet been revealed. ^dI, Hadit, am the complement of Nu, my bride. ^eI am not extended, ^fand Khabs is the name of my House. ³ In the sphere I am everywhere the centre, ^bas she, the circumference, is nowhere found. ⁴ Yet she shall be known ^b& I never.

⁵ Behold! ^bthe rituals of the old time are black. ^cLet the evil ones be cast away; ^dlet the good ones be purged by the prophet! ^eThen shall this Knowledge go aright.

⁶ I am the flame that burns in every heart of man, ^band in the core of every star. ^cI am Life, ^dand the giver of Life, ^eyet therefore is the knowledge of me the knowledge of death. ⁷ I am the Magician and the Exorcist. ^bI am the axle of the wheel, ^cand the cube in the circle. ^d"Come unto me" is a foolish word: ^efor it is I that go. ⁸ Who worshipped Heru-pa-kraath have worshipped me; ^bill, for I am the worshipper.

⁹ Remember all ye that existence is pure joy; ^bthat all the sorrows are but as shadows; ^cthey pass & are done; ^dbut there is that which remains.

¹⁰ O prophet! ^bthou hast ill will to learn this writing. ¹¹ I see thee hate the hand & the pen; ^bbut I am stronger. ¹² Because of me in Thee which thou knewest not. ¹³ for why? ^bBecause thou wast the knower, ^cand me.

¹⁴ Now let there be a veiling of this shrine; ^bnow let the light devour men ^cand eat them up with blindness!

¹⁵ For I am perfect, being Not; ^band my number is nine by the fools; ^cbut with the just I am eight, and one in eight: ^dWhich is vital, ^efor I am none indeed. ^fThe Empress and the King are not of me; ^gfor there is a further secret. ¹⁶ I am The Empress & the Hierophant. ^bThus eleven, ^cas my bride is eleven.

¹⁷ Hear me, ye people of sighing! / ^bThe sorrows of pain and regret / ^cAre left to the dead and the dying, / ^dThe folks that not know me as yet.

¹⁸ These are dead, these fellows; ^bthey feel not. ^cWe are not for the poor and sad: ^dthe lords of the earth are our kinsfolk. ¹⁹ Is a God to live in a dog? ^bNo! ^cbut the highest are of us. ^dThey shall rejoice, our chosen: ^ewho sorroweth is not of us. ²⁰ Beauty and strength, leaping laughter and delicious languor, force and fire, are of us.

²¹ We have nothing with the outcast and the unfit: ^blet them die in their misery. ^cFor they feel not. ^dCompassion is the vice of kings: ^estamp down the wretched & the weak: ^fthis is the law of the strong: ^gthis is our law and the joy of the world. ^hThink not, o king, upon that lie: ⁱThat Thou Must Die: ^jverily thou shalt not die, but live. ^kNow let it be understood: ^lIf the body of the King dissolve, ^mhe shall remain in pure ecstasy for ever. ⁿNuit! Hadit! Ra-Hoor-Khuit! ^oThe Sun, Strength & Sight, Light; ^pthese are for the servants of the Star & the Snake.

²² I am the Snake that giveth Knowledge & Delight and bright glory, ^band stir the hearts of men with drunkenness. ^cTo worship me take wine and strange drugs whereof I will tell my prophet, & be drunk thereof! ^dThey shall not harm ye at all. ^eIt is a lie, this folly against self. ^fThe exposure of innocence is a lie. ^gBe strong, o man! ^hlust, enjoy all things of sense and rapture: ⁱfear not that any God shall deny thee for this. ²³ I am alone: ^bthere is no God where I am.

²⁴ Behold! ^bthese be grave mysteries; ^cfor there are also of my friends who be hermits. ^dNow think not to find them in the forest or on the mountain; ^ebut in beds of purple, caressed by magnificent beasts of women with large limbs, and fire and light in their eyes, and masses of flaming hair about them; ^fthere shall ye find them. ^gYe shall see them at rule, at victorious armies, ^hat all the joy; ⁱand there shall be in them a joy a million times greater than this. ^jBeware lest any force another, King against King! ^kLove one another with burning hearts; ^lon the low men trample in the fierce lust of your pride, in the day of your wrath. ²⁵ Ye are against the people, O my chosen!

²⁶ I am the secret Serpent coiled about to spring: ^bin my coiling there is joy. ^cIf I lift up my head, ^dI and my Nuit are one. ^eIf I droop down mine head, ^fand shoot forth venom, ^gthen is rapture of the earth, ^hand I and the earth are one.

²⁷ There is great danger in me; ^bfor who doth not understand these runes shall make a great miss. ^cHe shall fall down into the pit called Because, ^dand there he shall perish with the dogs of Reason. ²⁸ Now a curse upon Because and his kin! ²⁹ May Because be accursed for ever! ³⁰ If Will stops and cries Why, invoking Because, ^bthen Will stops & does nought. ³¹ If Power asks why, ^bthen is Power weakness. ³² Also reason is a lie; ^bfor there is a factor infinite & unknown; ^c& all their words are skew-wise. ³³ Enough of Because! ^bBe he damned for a dog!

³⁴ But ye, o my people, ^brise up & awake! ³⁵ Let the rituals be rightly performed ^bwith joy & beauty!

³⁶ There are rituals of the elements ^band feasts of the times. ³⁷ A feast for the first night of the Prophet and his Bride! ³⁸ A feast for the three days of the writing of the Book of the Law. ³⁹ A feast for Tahuti and the child of the Prophet— ^bsecret, O Prophet! ⁴⁰ A feast for the Supreme Ritual, ^band a feast for the Equinox of the Gods. ⁴¹ A feast for fire ^band a feast for water; ^ca feast for life ^dand a greater feast for death! ⁴² A feast every day in your hearts in the joy of my rapture! ⁴³ A feast every night unto Nu, ^band the pleasure of uttermost delight! ⁴⁴ Aye! feast! rejoice! ^bthere is no dread hereafter. ^cThere is the dissolution, and eternal ecstasy in the kisses of Nu.

⁴⁵ There is death for the dogs. ⁴⁶ Dost thou fail? ^bArt thou sorry? ^cIs fear in thine heart? ⁴⁷ Where I am these are not.

⁴⁸ Pity not the fallen! ^bI never knew them. ^cI am not for them. ^dI console not: ^eI hate the consoled & the consoler. ⁴⁹ I am unique & conqueror. ^bI am not of the slaves that perish. ^cBe they damned & dead! ^dAmen. ^e(This is of the 4: ^fthere is a fifth who is invisible, ^g& therein am I as a babe in an egg.)

⁵⁰ Blue am I and gold in the light of my bride: ^bbut the red gleam is in my eyes; ^c& my spangles are purple & green. ⁵¹ Purple beyond purple: ^bit is the light higher than eyesight.

⁵² There is a veil: ^bthat veil is black. ^cIt is the veil of the modest woman; ^dit is the veil of sorrow, ^e& the pall of death: ^fthis is none of me. ^gTear down that lying spectre of the centuries: ^hveil not your vices in virtuous words: ⁱthese vices are my service; ^jye do well, & I will reward you here and hereafter.

⁵³ Fear not, o prophet, ^bwhen these words are said, ^cthou shalt not be sorry. ^dThou art emphatically my chosen; ^eand blessed are the eyes that thou shalt look upon with gladness. ^fBut I will hide thee in a mask of sorrow: ^gthey that see thee shall fear thou art fallen: ^hbut I lift thee up.

⁵⁴ Nor shall they who cry aloud their folly that thou meanest nought avail; ^bthou shall reveal it: ^cthou availest: ^dthey are the slaves of because: ^eThey are not of me. ^fThe stops as thou wilt; ^gthe letters? change them not in style or value! ⁵⁵ Thou shalt obtain the order & value of the English Alphabet; ^bthou shalt find new symbols to attribute them unto.

⁵⁶ Begone! ye mockers; ^beven though ye laugh in my honour ye shall laugh not long; ^cthen when ye are sad know that I have forsaken you.

⁵⁷ He that is righteous shall be righteous still; ^bhe that is filthy shall be filthy still. ⁵⁸ Yea! deem not of change: ^bye shall be as ye are, ^c& not other. ^dTherefore the kings of the earth shall be Kings for ever; ^ethe slaves shall serve. ^fThere is none that shall be cast down or lifted up: ^gall is ever as it was. ^hYet there are masked ones my servants; ⁱit may be that yonder beggar is a King. ^jA King may choose his garment as he will: ^kthere is no certain test: ^lbut a beggar cannot hide his poverty.

⁵⁹ Beware therefore! ^bLove all, ^clest perchance is a King concealed! ^dSay you so? ^eFool! ^fIf he be a King, ^gthou canst not hurt him. ⁶⁰ Therefore strike hard & low, ^band to hell with them, master!

⁶¹ There is a light before thine eyes, o prophet, ^ba light undesired, most desirable. ⁶² I am uplifted in thine heart; ^band the kisses of the stars rain hard upon thy body. ⁶³ Thou art exhaust in the voluptuous fullness of the inspiration; ^bthe expiration is sweeter than death, ^cmore rapid and laughterful than a caress of Hell's own worm. ⁶⁴ Oh! thou art overcome: ^bwe are upon thee; ^cour delight is all over thee: ^dhail! hail: ^eprophet of Nu! ^fprophet of Had! ^gprophet of Ra-Hoor-Khu! ^hNow rejoice! ⁱnow come in our splendour & rapture! ^jCome in our passionate peace, ^k& write sweet words for the Kings! ⁶⁵ I am the Master: ^bthou art the Holy Chosen One.

⁶⁶ Write, & find ecstasy in writing! ^bWork, & be our bed in working! ^cThrill with the joy of life & death! ^dAh! thy death shall be lovely: ^ewhoso seeth it shall be glad. ^fThy death shall be the seal of the promise of our agelong love. ^gCome! lift up thine heart ^h& rejoice! ⁱWe are one; ^jwe are none.

⁶⁷ Hold! Hold! ^bBear up in thy rapture; ^cfall not in swoon of the excellent kisses! ⁶⁸ Harder! ^bHold up thyself! ^cLift thine head! ^dbreathe not so deep— ^edie! ⁶⁹ Ah! Ah! ^bWhat do I feel? ^cIs the word exhausted?

⁷⁰ There is help & hope in other spells. ^bWisdom says: be strong! ^cThen canst thou bear more joy. ^dBe not animal; ^erefine thy rapture! ^fIf thou drink, drink by the eight and ninety rules of art: ^gif thou love, exceed by delicacy; ^hand if thou do aught joyous, let there be subtlety therein! ⁷¹ But exceed! exceed! ⁷² Strive ever to more! ^band if thou art truly mine— ^cand doubt it not, ^dan if thou art ever joyous!— ^edeath is the crown of all.

⁷³ Ah! Ah! ^bDeath! Death! ^cthou shalt long for death. ^dDeath is forbidden, o man, unto thee. ⁷⁴ The length of thy longing shall be the strength of its glory. ^bHe that lives long & desires death much is ever the King among the Kings.

⁷⁵ Aye! listen to the numbers & the words. ⁷⁶ 4 6 3 8 A B K 2 4 A L G M O R 3 Y X 24 89 R P S T O V A L. ^bWhat meaneth this, o prophet? ^cThou knowest not; ^dnor shalt thou know ever. ^eThere cometh one to follow thee: ^fhe shall expound it. ^gBut remember, o chosen one, to be me; ^hto follow the love of Nu in the star-lit heaven; ⁱto look forth upon men, ^jto tell them this glad word.

⁷⁷ O be thou proud and mighty among men! ⁷⁸ Lift up thyself! ^bfor there is none like unto thee among men or among Gods! ^cLift up thyself, o my prophet, ^dthy stature shall surpass the stars. ^eThey shall worship thy name, foursquare, mystic, wonderful, the number of the man; ^fand the name of thy house 418.

⁷⁹ The end of the hiding of Hadit; ^band blessing & worship to the prophet of the lovely Star!

¹ Abrahadabra; ^bthe reward of Ra Hoor Khut.

² There is division hither homeward; ^bthere is a word not known. ^cSpelling is defunct; ^dall is not aught. ^eBeware! Hold! ^fRaise the spell of Ra-Hoor-Khuit!

³ Now let it be first understood that I am a god of War and of Vengeance. ^bI shall deal hardly with them.

⁴ Choose ye an island! ⁵ Fortify it! ⁶ Dung it about with enginery of war! ⁷ I will give you a war-engine. ⁸ With it ye shall smite the peoples; ^band none shall stand before you. ⁹ Lurk! Withdraw! Upon them! ^bthis is the Law of the Battle of Conquest: ^cthus shall my worship be about my secret house.

¹⁰ Get the stele of revealing itself; ^bset it in thy secret temple—^cand that temple is already aright disposed—^d& it shall be your Kiblah for ever. ^eIt shall not fade, ^fbut miraculous colour shall come back to it day after day. ^gClose it in locked glass for a proof to the world.

¹¹ This shall be your only proof. ^bI forbid argument. ^cConquer! ^dThat is enough. ^eI will make easy to you the abstruction from the ill-ordered house in the Victorious City. ^fThou shalt thyself convey it with worship, o prophet, though thou likest it not. ^gThou shalt have danger & trouble. ^hRa-Hoor-Khu is with thee. ⁱWorship me with fire & blood; ^jworship me with swords & with spears. ^kLet the woman be girt with a sword before me: ^llet blood flow to my name. ^mTrample down the Heathen; ⁿbe upon them, o warrior, ^oI will give you of their flesh to eat!

¹² Sacrifice cattle, little and big: ^bafter a child. ¹³ But not now. ¹⁴ Ye shall see that hour, o blessed Beast, ^band thou the Scarlet Concubine of his desire! ¹⁵ Ye shall be sad thereof. ¹⁶ Deem not too eagerly to catch the promises; ^bfear not to undergo the curses. ^cYe, even ye, know not this meaning all.

¹⁷ Fear not at all; ^bfear neither men nor Fates, nor gods, nor anything. ^cMoney fear not, ^dnor laughter of the folk folly, ^enor any other power in heaven or upon the earth or under the earth. ^fNu is your refuge as Hadit your light; ^gand I am the strength, force, vigour, of your arms.

¹⁸ Mercy let be off: ^bdamn them who pity! ^cKill and torture; ^dspare not; ^ebe upon them!

¹⁹ That stele they shall call the Abomination of Desolation; ^bcount well its name, ^c& it shall be to you as 718. ²⁰ Why? ^bBecause of the fall of Because, ^cthat he is not there again.

²¹ Set up my image in the East: ^bthou shalt buy thee an image which I will show thee, especial, not unlike the one thou knowest. ^cAnd it shall be suddenly easy for thee to do this. ²² The other images group around me to support me: ^blet all be worshipped, ^cfor they shall cluster to exalt me. ^dI am the visible object of worship; ^ethe others are secret; ^ffor the Beast & his Bride are they: ^gand for the winners of the Ordeal x. ^hWhat is this? ⁱThou shalt know.

²³ For perfume mix meal & honey & thick leavings of red wine: ^bthen oil of Abramelin and olive oil, ^cand afterward soften & smooth down with rich fresh blood. ²⁴ The best blood is of the moon, monthly: ^bthen the fresh blood of a child, ^cor dropping from the host of heaven: ^dthen of enemies; ^ethen of the priest or of the worshippers: ^flast of some beast, no matter what. ²⁵ This burn: ^bof this make cakes & eat unto me. ^cThis hath also another use; ^dlet it be laid before me, ^eand kept thick with perfumes of your orison: ^fit shall become full of beetles as it were and creeping things sacred unto me. ²⁶ These slay, naming your enemies, ^b& they shall fall before you. ²⁷ Also these shall breed lust & power of lust in you at the eating thereof. ²⁸ Also ye shall be strong in war. ²⁹ Moreover, be they long kept, it is better; ^bfor they swell with my force. ^cAll before me. ³⁰ My altar is of open brass work: ^bburn thereon in silver or gold!

³¹ There cometh a rich man from the West who shall pour his gold upon thee. ³² From gold forge steel! ³³ Be ready to fly or to smite!

³⁴ But your holy place shall be untouched throughout the centuries: ^bthough with fire and sword it be burnt down & shattered, ^cyet an invisible house there standeth, ^dand shall stand until the fall of the Great Equinox; ^ewhen Hrumachis shall arise ^fand the double-wanded one assume my throne and place. ^gAnother prophet shall arise, ^hand bring fresh fever from the skies; ⁱanother woman shall awake the lust & worship of the Snake; ^janother soul of God and beast shall mingle in the globid priest; ^kanother sacrifice shall stain the tomb; ^lanother king shall reign; ^mand blessing no longer be poured To the Hawk-headed mystical Lord!

³⁵ The half of the word of Heru-ra-ha, called Hoor-pa-kraat and Ra-Hoor-Khut.

³⁶ Then said the prophet unto the God: ³⁷ I adore thee in the song—
^bI am the Lord of Thebes, and I
^cThe inspired forth-speaker of Mentu;
^dFor me unveils the veiled sky,
^eThe self-slain Ankh-af-na-khonsu
^fWhose words are truth. ^gI invoke, I greet
^hThy presence, O Ra-Hoor-Khuit!

ⁱUnity uttermost showed!
^jI adore the might of Thy breath,
^kSupreme and terrible God,
^lWho makest the gods and death
^mTo tremble before Thee:—
ⁿI, I adore thee!
 
^oAppear on the throne of Ra!
^pOpen the ways of the Khu!
^qLighten the ways of the Ka!
^rThe ways of the Khabs run through
^sTo stir me or still me!
^tAum! let it fill me!

³⁸ So that thy light is in me; ^b& its red flame is as a sword in my hand to push thy order. ^cThere is a secret door that I shall make to establish thy way in all the quarters, ^d(these are the adorations, as thou hast written), ^eas it is said:
^fThe light is mine; ^gits rays consume
Me: ^hI have made a secret door
ⁱInto the House of Ra and Tum,
^jOf Khephra and of Ahathoor.
 
^kI am thy Theban, O Mentu,
^lThe prophet Ankh-af-na-khonsu!
^mBy Bes-na-Maut my breast I beat;
ⁿBy wise Ta-Nech I weave my spell.
 
^oShow thy star-splendour, O Nuit!
^pBid me within thine House to dwell,
^qO winged snake of light, Hadit!
^rAbide with me, Ra-Hoor-Khuit!

³⁹ All this and a book to say how thou didst come hither and a reproduction of this ink and paper for ever—^bfor in it is the word secret & not only in the English—^cand thy comment upon this the Book of the Law shall be printed beautifully in red ink and black upon beautiful paper made by hand; ^dand to each man and woman that thou meetest, were it but to dine or to drink at them, it is the Law to give. ^eThen they shall chance to abide in this bliss or no; ^fit is no odds. ^gDo this quickly!

⁴⁰ But the work of the comment? ^bThat is easy; ^cand Hadit burning in thy heart shall make swift and secure thy pen.

⁴¹ Establish at thy Kaaba a clerk-house: ^ball must be done well and with business way.

⁴² The ordeals thou shalt oversee thyself, ^bsave only the blind ones. ^cRefuse none, ^dbut thou shalt know & destroy the traitors. ^eI am Ra-Hoor-Khuit; ^fand I am powerful to protect my servant. ^gSuccess is thy proof: ^hargue not; ⁱconvert not; ^jtalk not overmuch! ^kThem that seek to entrap thee, to overthrow thee, them attack without pity or quarter; ^l& destroy them utterly. ^mSwift as a trodden serpent turn and strike! ⁿBe thou yet deadlier than he! ^oDrag down their souls to awful torment: ^plaugh at their fear: ^qspit upon them!

⁴³ Let the Scarlet Woman beware! ^bIf pity and compassion and tenderness visit her heart; ^cif she leave my work to toy with old sweetnesses; ^dthen shall my vengeance be known. ^eI will slay me her child: ^fI will alienate her heart: ^gI will cast her out from men: ^has a shrinking and despised harlot shall she crawl through dusk wet streets, ⁱand die cold and an-hungered.

⁴⁴ But let her raise herself in pride! ^bLet her follow me in my way! ^cLet her work the work of wickedness! ^dLet her kill her heart! ^eLet her be loud and adulterous! ^fLet her be covered with jewels, and rich garments, ^gand let her be shameless before all men! ⁴⁵ Then will I lift her to pinnacles of power: ^bthen will I breed from her a child mightier than all the kings of the earth. ^cI will fill her with joy: ^dwith my force shall she see & strike at the worship of Nu: ^eshe shall achieve Hadit.

⁴⁶ I am the warrior Lord of the Forties: ^bthe Eighties cower before me, ^c& are abased. ^dI will bring you to victory & joy: ^eI will be at your arms in battle ^f& ye shall delight to slay. ^gSuccess is your proof; ^hcourage is your armour; ⁱgo on, go on, in my strength; ^j& ye shall turn not back for any!

⁴⁷ This book shall be translated into all tongues: ^bbut always with the original in the writing of the Beast; ^cfor in the chance shape of the letters and their position to one another; ^din these are mysteries that no Beast shall divine. ^eLet him not seek to try: ^fbut one cometh after him, ^gwhence I say not, ^hwho shall discover the Key of it all. ⁱThen this line drawn is a key: ^jthen this circle squared in its failure is a key also. ^kAnd Abrahadabra. ^lIt shall be his child & that strangely. ^mLet him not seek after this; ⁿfor thereby alone can he fall from it.

⁴⁸ Now this mystery of the letters is done, ^band I want to go on to the holier place.

⁴⁹ I am in a secret fourfold word, ^bthe blasphemy against all gods of men. ⁵⁰ Curse them! Curse them! Curse them!

⁵¹ With my Hawk's head I peck at the eyes of Jesus as he hangs upon the cross. ⁵² I flap my wings in the face of Mohammed & blind him. ⁵³ With my claws I tear out the flesh of the Indian and the Buddhist, Mongol and Din. ⁵⁴ Bahlasti! Ompehda! ^bI spit on your crapulous creeds. ⁵⁵ Let Mary inviolate be torn upon wheels: ^bfor her sake let all chaste women be utterly despised among you! ⁵⁶ Also for beauty's sake and love's!

⁵⁷ Despise also all cowards; ^bprofessional soldiers who dare not fight, but play; ^call fools despise! ⁵⁸ But the keen and the proud, ^bhe royal and the lofty; ^cye are brothers! ⁵⁹ As brothers fight ye!

⁶⁰ There is no law beyond Do what thou wilt.

⁶¹ There is an end of the word of the God enthroned in Ra's seat, lightening the girders of the soul.

⁶² To Me do ye reverence! ^bto me come ye through tribulation of ordeal, ^cwhich is bliss.

⁶³ The fool readeth this Book of the Law, ^band its comment; ^c& he understandeth it not. ⁶⁴ Let him come through the first ordeal, ^b& it will be to him as silver. ⁶⁵ Through the second, gold. ⁶⁶ Through the third, stones of precious water. ⁶⁷ Through the fourth, ultimate sparks of the intimate fire. ⁶⁸ Yet to all it shall seem beautiful. ^bIts enemies who say not so, are mere liars. ⁶⁹ There is success.

⁷⁰ I am the Hawk-Headed Lord of Silence & of Strength; ^bmy nemyss shrouds the night-blue sky. ⁷¹ Hail! ye twin warriors about the pillars of the world! ^bfor your time is nigh at hand. ⁷² I am the Lord of the Double Wand of Power; ^bthe wand of the Force of Coph Nia—^cbut my left hand is empty, ^dfor I have crushed an Universe; ^e& nought remains.

⁷³ Paste the sheets from right to left and from top to bottom: ^bthen behold! ⁷⁴ There is a splendour in my name hidden and glorious, ^bas the sun of midnight is ever the son.

⁷⁵ The ending of the words is the Word Abrahadabra. ^bThe Book of the Law is Written and Concealed. ^cAum. Ha.

¹Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.

^bThe study of this Book is forbidden. ^cIt is wise to destroy this copy after the first reading. ^dWhosoever disregards this does so at his own risk and peril. ^eThese are most dire.

^fThose who discuss the contents of this Book are to be shunned by all, ^gas centres of pestilence. ^hAll questions of the Law are to be decided only by appeal to my writings, ⁱeach for himself.

^jThere is no law beyond Do what thou wilt.

^kLove is the law, love under will.