Jerusalem. The Emanation of the Giant Albion/Plate 32

by William Blake

Jerusalem The Emanation of The Giant Albion, copy A, object 32, "Reuben returnd to his place..."

[ PLATE 32 [36a] ]

Reuben return'd to his place, in vain he sought beautiful TirzahFor his Eyelids were narrowd, & his Nostrils scented the groundAnd Sixty Winters Los raged in the Divisions of Reuben:Building the Moon of Ulro, plank by plank & rib by rib5Reuben slept in the Cave of Adam, and Los folded his TongueBetween Lips of mire & clay, then sent him forth over JordanIn the love of Tirzah he said Doubt is my food day & night—All that beheld him fled howling and gnawed their tonguesFor pain: they became what they beheld[.] In reasonings Reuben returned10To Heshbon. disconsolate he walkd thro Moab & he stoodBefore the Furnaces of Los in a horrible dreamful slumber,On Mount Gilead looking toward Gilgal: and Los bendedHis Ear in a spiral circle outward; then sent him over Jordan.

The Seven Nations fled before him they became what they beheld15Hand, Hyle & Coban fled: they became what they beheldGwantock & Peachy hid in Damascus beneath Mount LebanonBrereton & Slade in Egypt. Hutton & Skofeld & KoxFled over Chaldea in terror in pains in every nerveKotope & Bowen became what they beheld, fleeing over the Earth20And the Twelve Female Emanations fled with them agonizing.

Jerusalem trembled seeing her Children drivn by Los's HammerIn the visions of the dreams of Beulah on the edge of Non-EntityHand stood between Reuben & Merlin, as the Reasoning SpectreStands between the Vegetative Man & his Immortal Imagination

25And the Four Zoa's clouded rage East & West & North & SouthThey change their situations, in the Universal Man.Albion groans, he sees the Elements divide before his face.And England who is Brittannia divided into Jerusalem & ValaAnd Urizen assumes the East, Luvah assumes the South30In his dark Spectre ravening from his open Sepulcher

And the Four Zoa's who are the Four Eternal Senses of ManBecame Four Elements separating from the Limbs of AlbionThese are their names in the Vegetative Generation[West Weighing East & North dividing Generation South bounding]35And Accident & Chance were found hidden in Length Bredth & HighthAnd they divided into Four ravening deathlike FormsFairies & Genii & Nymphs & Gnomes of the Elements.These are States Permanently Fixed by the Divine Power

The Atlantic Continent sunk round Albions cliffy shore40And the Sea poured in amain upon the Giants of AlbionAs Los bended the Senses of Reuben Reuben is MerlinExploring the Three States of Ulro; Creation; Redemption. & Judgment

And many of the Eternal Ones laughed after their manner

Have you known the judgment that is arisen among the45Zoa's of Albion? where a Man dare hardly to embraceHis own Wife, for the terrors of Chastity that they callBy the name of Morality. their Daughters govern allIn hidden deceit! they are Vegetable only fit for burningArt & Science cannot exist but by Naked Beauty displayd

50Then those in Great Eternity who contemplate on DeathSaid thus. What seems to Be: Is: To those to whomIt seems to Be, & is productive of the most dreadfulConsequences to those to whom it seems to Be: even ofTorments, Despair, Eternal Death; but the Divine Mercy55Steps beyond and Redeems Man in the Body of Jesus AmenAnd Length Bredth Highth again Obey the Divine Vision Hallelujah