Proverbs of Hell – William Blake – Literary Podcasts

Podcast Transcript: Welcome to the Inspirational Living podcast. On today’s podcast, we are going to read some proverbs and text from William Blake’s famous work The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, first published in 1793. If you enjoy unique proverbs and sayings, you will undoubtedly enjoy the Book of Zen collection, which is a collection of t-shirts, fashion, and accessories, which all feature inspirational (sometimes humorous) sayings and proverbs that I personally have written over the years.

Book of Zen shirts, jackets, scarves, posters, stickers, and smart-phone cases make for an original gift or unique way to express your own originality, while spreading epiphanies of insight. And by purchasing an item, you also help support our podcast. To learn more, please visit BookofZen.com.

Now on to today’s reading”¦..

As I was walking among the fires of hell, delighted with the enjoyments of Genius (which to Angels look like torment and insanity), I collected some of their Proverbs: thinking that as the sayings used in a nation, mark its character, so the Proverbs of Hell, show the nature of Infernal wisdom better than any description of buildings or garments.

How do you know but ev’ry Bird that cuts the airy way,

Is an immense world of delight, clos’d by your senses five?

In seed time learn, in harvest teach, in winter enjoy.

Drive your cart and your plow over the bones of the dead.

The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom.

Prudence is a rich ugly old maid courted by Incapacity.

Those who desire but act not, breed pestilence.

The cut worm forgives the plow.

Dip those in the river who loves water.

A fool sees not the same tree that a wise person sees.

Those whose face gives no light, shall never become a star.

Eternity is in love with the productions of time.

The busy bee has no time for sorrow.

The hours of folly are measured by the clock, but of wisdom: no clock can measure.

All wholesome food is caught without a net or a trap.

Bring out the number, the weight & measure in a year of dearth.

No bird soars too high, if it soars with its own wings.

A dead body revenges not injuries.

The most sublime act is to set another before you.

If the fool would persist in their folly, they would become wise.

Folly is the cloke of knavery.

Shame is Pride’s cloke.

Prisons are built with stones of Law, Brothels with bricks of Religion.

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