understanding the prehistoric language of The Book ofThe Law
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Ive got the book of the law. excuse my very horrible humor but "thou" and all these fancy shmanshy prehistoric words confuse the F out of me. can anyone help me understand the way this book is written? is there a modern rough translation? I seriously hope i dont sound rude but man, this is hard to read and i want to know it
.thanks
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Broaden your language familiarity, young man!
"Thou" is the singular of "you." "Ye" is the plural. "Thy" or "thine" means "your."
Are there any other words you'd like help with? (A dictionary helps, of course.)
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Due to my antediluvian education, people who write "Ive" and "dont" for "I've" and "don't" confuse the F out of me, but I've learned to deal with it.
Seriously -- you're upset because the Book of the Law isn't written in the misspelled, sloppily punctuated, slipshod, solecism-ridden, crapulous English of the Internet? Crowley was born and educated in the 19th century, and the Book of the Law (along with much of Crowley's writing) is in the elevated literary style of the 19th century. Would it offend you to learn that people of the 18th century wrote in 18th century English, people of the 17th century wrote in 17th century English, and people of the 16th century had the unmitigated gall to write in 16th century English? (Not to mention the numerous miscreants who inexplicably fail to write English at all.)
I'm sure, what with all the YouTube videos there are to watch, you don't have time to learn a foreign language like English. Don't worry -- "There is help and hope in other spells." Get yourself a copy of the Goetia -- I'm sure it's on the Internet -- and conjure a demon named Forneus. He can help you out.
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Something in this style maybe?
Had!!1 Teh mani festation of nuit .the unvaling of the compny of heaven Every man n every woman is a star every number is infinite their is no difference.. Help me!! oh warrior lord of thebes in my unvaling b4 teh children of men, u be hadit my secret center my hart and my tounge.Sick! it is revealed by aiwass the minister of hoor pakraat.
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I particularly enjoyed the use of "prehistoric." We have more history of the Elizabethan period than almost any other.
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But seriously, it might be worth pointing out that Liber AL is quite a difficult read for the beginner on this path, even if one understands the language at the most direct level and grasps the basic references. Keep working at it. Pick up a copy of the The Law is for All (I'd reccomend the older, Regardie edited edition). Study Crowley. Study the other Thelemic Holy Books. Meditate on it. Let it sink into your subconscious.
Over the course of a year and a half of study and magical work this book has transformed itself from something not far from nonsense (however, I, perhaps like you, felt that there was something there, something worth the time and effort) to a work of almost unimaginable beauty and power.
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@Jim Eshelman said
"I particularly enjoyed the use of "prehistoric." We have more history of the Elizabethan period than almost any other."
@gmugmble said
"Had!!1 Teh mani festation of nuit .the unvaling of the compny of heaven Every man n every woman is a star every number is infinite their is no difference.. Help me!! oh warrior lord of thebes in my unvaling b4 teh children of men, u be hadit my secret center my hart and my tounge.Sick! it is revealed by aiwass the minister of hoor pakraat."
@Iamus said
"Over the course of a year and a half of study and magical work this book has transformed itself from something not far from nonsense (however, I, perhaps like you, felt that there was something there, something worth the time and effort) to a work of almost unimaginable beauty and power."
Meeeee toooo! kthxbai!
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Right-- "decideth" is 3rd person (singular or plural)