The Songs 11 · For the assembly to say aloud together
This book has no author and should have none. It is made for the voice: read it aloud, and best of all aloud together. This book does not pray. There is no one in this scripture to pray to — what is believed in is law, and law takes no prayers (cf. The Prologue 1.7). But not praying is not the same as not thanking, not praising, not standing amazed. This book records only those three. Whoever uses it to petition any person whatever has put it to the wrong use. Each of the six songs has a last line, and the last line is to be said by everyone together.The twelve songs of this book fall into two halves. The first six are thanks, praise and amazement; they are not for any particular occasion and are said by the assembly together. Each of the last six hangs on one of the six axioms and is made for a particular day: the day you cannot see yourself; the day two people tell the same hour differently; the day you gave something up; the day someone left; the day you grieved for what you could not reach; the day you knew it was the last time. Take whichever song matches the day. These may be said alone.
11.1Today I read bad news again, all day.
11.2Far away people are dying. I sit here and can do nothing.
11.3I was wretched all day. By evening I found that I had not finished one single thing.
11.4The scripture says: all things stream on, but there is one speed that cannot be passed. (cf. The Highest Covenant 5.1)
11.5This is not a limit on fastness. It is the fence of cause. What is inside the fence can hold you to account; what is outside has no bearing. (cf. The Highest Covenant 5.2)
11.6Today I will learn to sort them: which of these is inside my fence, and which outside.
11.7For what is outside, I may weep the whole day and the thing does not shift by a hair.
11.8And what is inside my fence has not moved today either.
11.9Answer only for what is inside the fence, and do not weep for what lies outside it. (cf. The Highest Covenant 5.3)
11.10Someone says: that is coldness.
11.11It is not. The cold man does neither.
11.12What I will do is this: take back the strength I poured out today, and spend it on one person I can reach.
11.13One is enough. Today, one.
11.14And one more line to keep: another man’s fence is not yours to draw. (cf. The Highest Covenant 5.4)
11.15I do not settle for anyone else how far his reach ought to run. I settle only my own.
11.16We do not ask to be heard. We say it because we mean to remember.