The Song of Nuit and Hadit

(A Thelemic Invocation)

(The drum slows its beat, the shaman's whisper rises from beneath the skin)

HAD! — a thunderclap in the thicket of stars.
NUIT — the water of heaven, in which we burn.
HADIT — the serpent that is within the fire,
his tongue is the tongue of flame,
his heart is the coal in the chest.

(The whisper becomes a chant, in time with the drum)

Every man a star,
every woman a star,
there is no number, there is no boundary,
only light,
only light.

[A chorus-incantation, rising in a spiral]

NUIT, unfold thyself!
HADIT, beget!
Aiwass, silent herald,
extend the quill,
inscribe us into the night.

(The drum quickens, the voice becomes rhythmic, like a war dance)

The Khabs is in the Khu,
not the Khu in the Khabs.
The light is within—not without,
worship the light within,
and you shall become thy self—a night-self.

[A couplet—a shamanic call and response]

My servants are shadows,
my lords are secret.
Many are the seen,
few are the masters.

(An explosion from the chorus)

Fools! — their gods are fools,
their men are fools.
Come forth, o children, under the stars,
& take your fill of love!
& take your fill of love!

(A pause. A whisper through clenched teeth)

I am above you
and in you.
My ecstasy is in yours.
My joy is to see your joy.

(The drum again, now like the heart of a planet)

The blue canopy,
the naked splendor of NUIT—
she bends in ecstasy to kiss
the secret ardors of HADIT.
The winged globe,
the starry blue—
are mine,
o Ankh-af-na-khonsu!

[A cry of consummation, the voice tears toward the sky]

The Beast—the priest,
The Scarlet Woman—the moon.
He—the sun,
to her—the falling starlight.
To them—the flame,
to her—the stellar milk.

(The drum fades, only the breath remains)

But you are not the chosen.
You are the burning.

(A final whisper, almost without sound)

There is no number,
there is no boundary,
only light,
only light...

(Silence. The stars continue to sing on their own)


*   *   *

Commentary on the Text and Translation

Commentary on the Text Itself

This piece is a masterful work of esoteric poetry. It's not a general shamanic chant but a very specific Thelemic (Crowleyan) ritual hymn. The author demonstrates a deep, nuanced understanding of Aleister Crowley's The Book of the Law, capturing its style, key concepts, and ecstatic energy with remarkable precision.

1. Authenticity. The text is saturated with direct quotes, paraphrases, and core tenets of Thelema, the religion founded by Crowley. "Every man and every woman is a star," "The Khabs is in the Khu," "Love is the law, love under will" (implied in "& take your fill of love!"), and the invocation of key figures like Nuit, Hadit, Aiwass, The Beast, and the Scarlet Woman are all perfectly placed.

2. Shamanic Framing. The genius of the piece is how it frames this complex, intellectual, Western esoteric system within a primal, shamanic structure. The use of the drum, the specific vocal directions (whisper, chant, cry), and the overall ritualistic flow connects the high magic of Thelema to its archetypal, chthonic roots. It "shamanizes" Crowley, creating a powerful syncretic effect.

3. Rhythmic and Poetic Power. The text is a ready-made musical score. The rhythm shifts from slow and meditative to a frenzied, ecstatic dance. The repetitions ("only light, only light," "& take your fill of love!") function as powerful mantras. Even for a reader unfamiliar with Thelema, the sheer poetic force of lines like "HAD! — a thunderclap in the thicket of stars" is undeniable.

4. The Final Insight. The closing lines, "But you are not the chosen. / You are the burning," are a perfect, aphoristic summary of the Thelemic path. It's not about being chosen by a deity; it's about becoming a deity through a process of self-immolation and self-realization.

Notes on the Translation Process

This translation was a specific and delicate task, requiring familiarity with the unique style of Crowley's own writings to sound authentic.

1. Adopting the Thelemic Style. I deliberately used a style reminiscent of The Book of the Law. This includes using ampersands (&), archaic-sounding phrases ("unfold thyself," "Come forth, o children"), and a certain prophetic, declarative tone. Many lines are direct or near-direct quotes, and I used the standard English versions of those quotes for maximum authenticity. For example, "& take your fill of love!" and "I am above you and in you. My ecstasy is in yours. My joy is to see your joy" are directly from Crowley.

2. Transliteration and Names. The key names (Nuit, Hadit, Aiwass, Khabs, Khu, Ankh-af-na-khonsu) were kept in their standard English transliterations used in Thelemic literature. This is crucial for authenticity. "ХАД!" became "HAD!" to represent the primal, singular utterance of Hadit.

3. Capturing the Energy. The translation aims to follow the dynamic shifts in the original text. The quiet, whispering start builds to a powerful, ecstatic crescendo and then fades back into a silent, cosmic awe. The choice of words ("thicket of stars," "secret ardors," "stellar milk") was intended to preserve the rich, sensuous, and mystical imagery.

4. The Role of the Drum. The stage directions for the drum and voice are essential. They were translated directly and placed in italics to function as a performance guide, just as in the original.

This English version is intended to be a functional ritual text within the Thelemic tradition, one that a practitioner could recognize and use. For the uninitiated, it aims to be a powerful and mysterious poetic experience, a glimpse into a world of ecstatic, star-worshipping magic.