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Chapter 1
1. I saw, I listened to a man—who preached in the fields, towns and cities.
2. And he said: ‘I am not the one who will signal the Hour, but I’ve come to announce the coming Hour.
3. ‘He who will signal the Hour is coming after me—he is greater than I, he is stronger than I.
4. ‘His name is PEOPLE—and right now he is sleeping.
5. ‘But I know he is going to awake—and it’s then that he will signal the Hour.
6. ‘He will not come to preach harmless words—his sign will be blood and fire.
7. ‘He will cut the throats of the sterile cow—and the bad grain will be cast into the fire.
8. ‘Then many things will be changed, from root to branch—and the first will be mixed up with the last.
9. ‘Fortunate are those who will be ready at that time—for the day of their reign will have come.
10. ‘Fortunate the poor, for they will have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Fortunate the servants, for they will taste the fresh air of freedom.
11. ‘Fortunate those who are hungry now, for they will be filled. Fortunate those who cry today, for they will have reason to laugh.
12. ‘But unfortunate will be those who are not ready—for they will groan, ‘It’s too late! It’s too late!’
13. ‘And some will want to pretend—and try to say: Here I am, I’m ready.
14. ‘But their voice will be shut up in their mouth—and Death will pass onto them.
15. ‘Then unfortunate will be the rich, for they will lose everything. Unfortunate those who command, for no one will obey them.
16. ‘Unfortunate those who stuff themselves to excess, for they will lack even the necessities. Unfortunate above all those who are laughing now, for they will have reason to cry.
17. ‘So I say to you: Prepare yourselves today, for now the Hour is approaching.
18. ‘So that your heart not tremble in your breast—and your mind not be troubled.
19. ‘But that you will rejoice with happiness—and you will know what you have to do.
20. ‘First unbind yourself from personal riches—and don’t dream of working for your profit alone.
21. ‘For he who seeks his personal fortune will lose it—and he who renounces it will find himself rich.
22. ‘For he who wants to be rich will become the enemy of all—and he who says, ‘I have nothing’ will be rich with everything in common.
23. ‘He who wants to work for his profit alone—can do nothing good or lasting.
24. ‘He doesn’t dare plant a tree or build a house—because many others will enjoy it after him, perhaps tomorrow.
25.’ But he who works for all—he benefits from the work of all.
26. ‘For at that time, nothing will belong to anyone—but all will belong to all.
27. ‘Suppress thoughts of pride and scorn as well—and of domination over your fellowmen.
28. ‘For he who wants to be seated in the first place will be pushed back to the last and mixed with the crowd.
29. ‘And he who wants to be raised above others and command will experience the insult of refusal to obey.
30. ‘Because at that time no one will obey men anymore—but only reason alone.’
31. Thus this man spoke—and the people gathered around him;
32. And they asked, ‘What is his name, what is his country, and what is this Hour he speaks about?’
33. And he said, ‘My name is: Someone; my country: the Earth; and the Hour is that of settling the accounts.’
Biography * Chapter 2
Black Lung
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