The Voice of the Devil Plate 4
Ulver Lyrics


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[plate 4]
all bibles or sacred codes have been the causes of the following errors:
1. that man has two real existing principles: viz: a body & a soul
2. that energy call'd evil is alone from the body,& that reason,
call'd good, is alone from the soul.
3. that god will torment man in eternity for following his energies.
but following contraries to these are true:
1. man has no body distinct from his soul; for that call'd body is a portion
of soul discern'd by the five senses, the chief inlets of soul in this age.
2. energy is the only life and is from the body




and reason is the bound and outward circumference of energy.
3. energy is eternal delight.

Overall Meaning

Ulver's song The Voice of the Devil Plate 4 is based on the 4th plate of William Blake's book The Marriage of Heaven and Hell. Blake's plate outlines the errors that are present in religious texts regarding human existence, morality and divinity. The lyrics delve into these errors and the contradictory truths that Blake believes are the reality of human existence.


The first error highlighted in the plate is the belief that man has two existing principles: the body and the soul. Blake argues that this is incorrect because man does not have a body that is distinct from his soul, as the body is simply a part of the soul that is discerned by the five senses. The five senses are the primary means by which the soul interacts with the physical world.


The second error highlighted is the belief that evil is solely from the body, and reason is solely from the soul. Blake asserts that this too is incorrect, and that energy is the only life that exists within the body. Reason is the outer circumference of energy, which means that it is how energy manifests itself in a way that is meaningful and understandable to the individual.


The final error outlines the idea that God will torment man for following his energies. Blake argues that this is also incorrect, and that energy is eternal delight. This means that the individual should follow their energies and desires, as this is where true happiness and contentment can be found.


Line by Line Meaning

all bibles or sacred codes have been the causes of the following errors:
All religious texts have been responsible for propagating the following misconceptions:


that man has two real existing principles: viz: a body & a soul
The idea that a human being is composed of two distinct entities, namely a physical body and a separate soul, is erroneous.


that energy call'd evil is alone from the body,& that reason, call'd good, is alone from the soul.
The notion that negative impulses emanate from the body while positive thoughts originate from the soul is flawed.


that god will torment man in eternity for following his energies.
The belief that a divine being will subject humans to perpetual suffering for succumbing to their impulses is unfounded.


but following contraries to these are true:
However, the following statements contradict the above misconceptions and are more accurate:


1. man has no body distinct from his soul; for that call'd body is a portion of soul discern'd by the five senses, the chief inlets of soul in this age.
Humans cannot be separated into a physical and non-physical component, as the body is merely an aspect of the soul that is perceived through sensory organs - the primary channels of the soul in the present era.


2. energy is the only life and is from the body and reason is the bound and outward circumference of energy.
Life is synonymous with energy, which is solely derived from the body, while rationality acts as a boundary and outer limit of this energy.


3. energy is eternal delight.
Energy is a source of perpetual joy and elation.




Contributed by Isaac H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

DevinJuularValentine

They utterly nailed it - energy is eternal delight. When it kicks in I always get such a rush of energy, every time, you can't help almost giving this song a freaking standing ovation. Ulver are masters!

Jörg Deifuß

I love this album.... another unique masterpiece

szeryfhl

Zajebioza. Płyta bomba !!

Nikolas De Giorgis

Best song from the album! Simply amazing! Garm incredible genius!

eggypickle

Takes me back to hearing this for the first time in Norway and being blown away by it, a couple of real black metal fans played it for me and I was just struck by its genius, what a perfect interpretation of the poem.

Carlos Pinto

This is not metal,but I love it!This is music for the stations before and after sleep.Headphones and darkness recommended...

Findulidas

William blake already has. I dont think this album will change that much even though ulver is often great.

Anjo desconhecido efeito virtual

Very good, i am felling a high voltage

meh tism

I'v been listening to shadows of the sun too much; the start of this song played and I thought 'thic can't be Ulver, it sounds happy'

Luis Quinzá Gil

Thanx Ulver!!

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