10
The Chapter known as
The Twelvefold Humiliation of God
and the Unity thereof
I
adore
Thee by the
Twelve Humiliations
and by the Unity thereof.
1
O my God, behold me fully and be merciful unto me, as I humble
myself before Thee; for all my searching is as a bat that seeks
some hollow of night upon a sun-parched wilderness.
2
O my God, order me justly and be merciful unto me, as I humble
myself before Thee; for all my thoughts are as a dust-clad serpent
wind at noon that danceth through the ashen grass of law.
3
O my God, conquer me with love and be merciful unto me, as
I humble myself before Thee; for all the striving of my spirit
is as a child's kiss that struggles through a cloud of tangled hair.
4
O my God, suckle me with truth and be merciful unto me, as
I humble myself before Thee; for all my agony of anguish is but
as a quail struggling in the jaws of an hungry wolf.
5
O my God, comfort me with ease and be merciful unto me, as
I humble myself before Thee; for all the toil of my life is but
as a small white mouse swimming through a vast sea of crimson blood.
6
O my God, entreat me gently and be merciful unto me, as I
humble myself before Thee; for all my toil is but as a threadless
shuttle of steel thrust here and there in the black loom of night.
7
O my God, fondle me with kisses and be merciful unto me,
as I humble myself before Thee; for all my desires are as dewdrops
that are sucked from silver lilies by the throat of a young god.
8
O my God, exalt me with blood and be merciful unto me, as
I humble myself before Thee; for all my courage is but as the
fang of a viper that striketh at the rosy heel of dawn.
9
O my God, teach me with patience and be merciful unto me,
as I humble myself before Thee; for all my knowledge is but as
the refuse of the chaff that is flung to the darkness of the
void.
10
O my God, measure me rightly and be merciful unto me, as
I humble myself before Thee; for all my praise is but as a single
letter of lead lost in the gilded scriptures of the rocks.
11
O my God, fill me with slumber and be merciful unto me, as
I humble myself before Thee; for all my wakefulness is but as
a cloud at sunset that is like a snake gliding through the dew.
12
O my God, kindle me with joy and be merciful unto me, as
I humble myself before Thee; for all the strength of my mind
is but as a web of silk that bindeth the milky breasts of the stars.
13
O my God, consume me with fire and be merciful unto me, as
I humble myself before Thee; for all mine understanding is but
as a spider's thread drawn from star to star of a young galaxy.
O Glory be unto Thee through all Time
and through all Space: Glory,
and Glory upon Glory,
Everlastingly. Amen,
and Amen, and
Amen.
