To me, however, did the heart writhe with laughter, and was like to break; it knew not where to go, and sunk into the midriff.

Verily, it will be my death yet⁠—to choke with laughter when I see asses drunken, and hear night-watchmen thus doubt about God.

Hath the time not long since passed for all such doubts? Who may nowadays awaken such old slumbering, light-shunning things!

With the old Deities hath it long since come to an end:⁠—and verily, a good joyful Deity-end had they!

They did not “begloom” themselves to death⁠—that do people fabricate! On the contrary, they⁠— laughed themselves to death once on a time!

That took place when the unGodliest utterance came from a God himself⁠—the utterance: “There is but one God! Thou shalt have no other Gods before me!”⁠—