Sick of body, unable to rise up, vehemently intoxicated…
““Sick of body, unable to rise up, vehemently intoxicated without wine . . . And it is as though she who visits me were filled with modesty, For she does not pay her visits save under cover of darkness, I freely offered her my linen and my pillows, But she refused them, and spent the night in my bones. My skin is too contracted to contain both my breath and her, So she relaxes it with all sorts of sickness. When she leaves me, she washes me As though we had retired apart for some forbidden action. It is as though the morning drives her away, And her lachrymal ducts are flooded in their four channels. I watch for her time without desire, Yet with the watchfulness of the eager lover. And she is ever faithful to her appointed time, but faithfulness is an evil When it casts thee into grievous sufferings.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The speaker describes a relentless, consuming illness that visits at night, intertwining desire and suffering, suggesting that devotion can become painful.
In simple terms: A night illness feels like a lover, both comforting and tormenting.
Key Takeaway
Recognize when devotion turns harmful.
Themes
suffering
desire
illness
faithfulness
Mood
melancholic
poetic
introspective
Type
literary
philosophical
emotive
When to use this quote
- nighttime illness
- unrequited love
- spiritual crisis
- health decline
Key Concepts
existential anguish
spiritual metaphor
Questions to Reflect On
- How does longing for a painful presence affect wellbeing?
- When does devotion become self‑destruction?
A Different Perspective
The metaphor may romanticize illness, obscuring need for medical help.