Thou art a man God is no more Thy own humanity Learn to adore
William BlakeRead
England! awake! awake! awake! Jerusalem thy sister calls! Why wilt thou sleep the sleep of death And close her from thy ancient walls?
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote urges England to awaken and not remain passive in the face of suffering or injustice, as personified by Jerusalem calling for help.
In this quote, William Blake implores England to recognize and respond to the plight of Jerusalem, symbolizing a call to action against complacency and inaction. The 'sleep of death' suggests a metaphorical slumber in which a society ignores its moral obligations, while the mention of 'ancient walls' evokes a sense of historical responsibility to protect and uplift those in need. Blake challenges the nation to awaken from its indifference and engage with the calls for justice and solidarity.
Themes
EnglandJerusalemActionJusticeSleepAwaken
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a speech advocating for social justice and community engagement.
More from William Blake
All quotes βIn seed time learn, in harvest teach, in winter enjoy.
William BlakeRead
O thou who passest through our valleys in Thy strength, curb thy fierce steeds, allay the heat That flames from their large nostrils! Thou, O Summer, Oft pitchest here thy golden tent, and oft Beneath our oaks hast slept, while we beheld With joy thy ruddy limbs and flourishing hair.
William BlakeRead
Every Night and every Morn Some to Misery are born. Every Morn and every Night Some are born to Sweet Delight, Some are born to Endless Night.
William BlakeRead
As the caterpillar chooses the fairest leaves to lay her eggs on, so the priest lays his curse on the fairest joys.
William BlakeRead
He who would do good to another must do it in minute particulars.
William BlakeRead
Similar quotes
An independant reality in the ordinary physical sense can neither be ascribed to the phenomenon nor to the agencies of observation.
Niels BohrRead
A squat grey building of only thirty-four stories. Over the main entrance the words, CENTRAL LONDON HATCHERY AND CONDITIONING CENTRE, and, in a shield, the World State's motto, COMMUNITY, IDENTITY, STABILITY.
Aldous HuxleyRead
Sometimes when I think of life, I feel like a piece of driftwood washed up on shore.
Haruki MurakamiRead
St. Paul introduced an entirely novel view of marriage, that it existed primarily to prevent the sin of fornication. It is just as if one were to maintain that the sole reason for baking bread is to prevent people from stealing cake.
Bertrand RussellRead
we unwittingly project onto God our own attitudes and feelings toward ourselves... But we cannot assume that He feels about us the way we feel about ourselves -- unless we love ourselves compassionately, intensely, and freely.
Brennan ManningRead
Christianity is at its best when it is peculiar, marginalized, suffering, and it is at its worst when it is popular, credible, triumphal, and powerful.
Shane ClaiborneRead