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Book of the Goddess, by Anna Livia Plurabelle, [© 2002 Anna Livia Plurabelle, All rights reserved], at sacred-texts.com


III.

Remember now your Creatrix in the days of your youth,
While the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh,
When thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;
While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened,
Nor the clouds return after the rain: In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble,
Vanity of vanities, said the Goddess, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
What profit has one of all her labor which they take under the sun?
One generation passes away, and another generation comes:
But the Earth abides for ever.
The sun also arises, and the sun goes down, and hastens to the place where She arose.
The wind goes toward the south, and turns about to the north;
It whirls about continually, and the wind returns again according to Her circuits.
All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full;
Unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.
All things are full of labor; none cannot utter it:
The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be;
And that which is done is that which shall be done:
And there is no new thing under the sun.
Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new?
It has been already in the depths of time, which was before us.
There is no remembrance of former things;
Neither shall there be any remembrance of things
That are to come with those that shall come after.
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
What profit hath they that work in that wherein they labor?
I have seen the travail, which the Goddess hath given
To the daughters of women to be exercised in it.
She has made every thing beautiful in her time:
Also she has set the world in their heart,
So that nobody can find out the work that the Goddess created from the beginning to the end.
I know that there is no good in them, but for a woman to rejoice, and to do good in her life.
And also that every woman should eat and drink,
And enjoy the good of all her labor, it is the gift of the Goddess.
Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labor.
For if they fall, the one will lift up her lover:
And three are better than two, for three shall make the circle complete.
But woe to her that is alone when she falls; for she hath not another to help her up.
Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?
And if one prevail against her, two shall withstand her;
And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
And when three lie together, there is no harm and much joy;
Go your way, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart;
For the Goddess now accepts your love.
Live joyfully with the lovers who you love
All the days of your life which She hath given you under the sun,
All the days of your life: for that is your portion in this life,
And in your labor which thou take under the sun.
Whatsoever your hand find to do, do it with your might;
For there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge,
Nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou go
I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift,
Nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise,
Nor yet riches to those of understanding,
Nor yet favor to women of skill; but time and chance happen to them all.
Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength:
Nevertheless the poor woman's wisdom is despised, and her words are not heard.
The words of wise women are heard in quiet more than the cry of she that rules among fools.
Wisdom is better than weapons of war: and hatred much good.
If the spirit of the ruler rise up against you, leave not your place;
For yielding pacifies great offences.
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceeds from the ruler:
Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low places.
Cast your bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.
Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for you know not what evil shall be upon the earth.
If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth:
And if the tree fall toward the south,
Or toward the north, in the place where the tree falls, there it shall be.
She that observes the wind shall not sow; and she that regards the clouds shall not reap.
While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened,
Nor the clouds return after the rain:
In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble,
Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return to Goddess who gave it.
Vanity of vanities, said the Goddess; all is vanity.


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