On Love

Then said Almitra, "Speak to us of Love."

And he raised his head and looked upon the people, and there fell a stillness1 upon them. And with a great voice he said:

When love beckons to you, follow him, though his ways are hard and steep.

And when his wings enfold2 you yield to him, though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you.

And when he speaks to you believe in him, though his voice may shatter your dreams as the north wind lays waste the garden.

For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify3 you. Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning.

Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun, so shall he descend to your roots and shake them in their clinging to the earth.

Like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto himself.

He threshes you to make you naked.

He sifts you to free you from your husks.

He grinds you to whiteness.

He kneads you until you are pliant;

And then he assigns you to his sacred fire, that you may become sacred bredad for God's sacred feast.

All these things shall love do unto you that you may know the secrets of your heart, and in that knowledge become a fragment of Life's heart.

But if in your fear you would seek only love's peace and love's pleasure,

Then it is better for you that you cover your nakedness and pass out of love's threshing-floor,

Into the seasonless world where you shall laugh, but not all of your laughter, and weep, but not all of your tears.On Love

Then said Almitra, "Speak to us of Love."

And he raised his head and looked upon the people, and there fell a stillness1 upon them. And with a great voice he said:

When love beckons to you, follow him, though his ways are hard and steep.

And when his wings enfold2 you yield to him, though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you.

And when he speaks to you believe in him, though his voice may shatter your dreams as the north wind lays waste the garden.

For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify3 you. Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning.

Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun, so shall he descend to your roots and shake them in their clinging to the earth.

Like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto himself.

He threshes you to make you naked.

He sifts you to free you from your husks.

He grinds you to whiteness.

He kneads you until you are pliant;

And then he assigns you to his sacred fire, that you may become sacred bredad for God's sacred feast.

All these things shall love do unto you that you may know the secrets of your heart, and in that knowledge become a fragment of Life's heart.

But if in your fear you would seek only love's peace and love's pleasure,

Then it is better for you that you cover your nakedness and pass out of love's threshing-floor,

Into the seasonless world where you shall laugh, but not all of your laughter, and weep, but not all of your tears.

Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself.

Love possesses not nor would it be possessed;

For love is sufficient unto love.

When you love you should not say, "God is in my heart," but rather, "I am in the heart of God."

And think not you can direct the course of love, for love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.

Love has no other desire but to fulfill itself.

But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires:

To melt and be like a running4 brook that sings its melody to the night.

To know the pain of too much tenderness.

To be wounded by your own understanding of love,

And to bleed willingly and joyfully.

To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving;

To rest at the noon hour and meditate love's ecstasy;

To return home at eventide with gratitude;

And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips.

热词天地

1.stillness ['stlns] n. 静止；沉静

2.enfold [n'fld] vt. 拥抱；包裹；折叠；围绕

3.crucify ['kru:sfa] vt. 折磨；十字架上钉死；克制

4.running ['rn] n. 运转；赛跑；流出adj. 连续的；流动的；跑着的；运转着的

lay waste 损毁；荒废

sacred fire 圣火；真挚的爱；天才

爱 (冰心 译)

于是爱尔美差说：“请给我们谈爱。”

他举头望着民众，他们一时静默了。他用洪亮的声音说：

当爱向你们召唤的时候，跟随着他，

虽然他的路程艰险而陡峻。

当他的翅翼围卷你们的时候，屈服于他，

虽然那藏在羽翮中间的剑刃许会伤毁你们。

当他对你们说话的时候，信从他，

虽然他的声音也许会把你们的梦魂击碎，如同北风吹荒了林园。

爱虽给你加冠，他也要将你钉在十字架上。他虽栽培你，他也刈剪你。

他虽升到你的较高处，抚惜你在日中颤动的枝叶，

他也要降到你的根下，摇动你的根柢的一切关节，使之归土。

如同一捆稻粟，他把你束聚起来。

他舂打你使你赤裸。

他筛分你使你脱壳。

他磨碾你直至洁白。

他揉搓你直至柔韧。

然后他送你到他的圣火上去，使你成为上帝圣筵上的圣饼。

这些都是爱要给你们做的事情，使你知道自己心中的秘密，在这知识中你便成了“生命”心中的一屑。

假如你在你的疑惧中，只寻求爱的和平与逸乐，

那不如掩盖你的裸露，而躲过爱的筛打，而走入那没有季候的世界，在那里你将欢笑，却不是尽量地笑悦；你将哭泣，却没有流干了眼泪。

爱除自身外无施与，除自身外无接受。

爱不占有，也不被占有。

因为爱在爱中满足了。

当你爱的时候，你不要说，“上帝在我的心中”，却要说“我在上帝的心里”。

不要想你能导引爱的路程，因为若是他觉得你配，他就导引你。

爱没有别的愿望，只要成全自己。

但若是你爱，而且需求愿望，就让以下的做你的愿望吧：

溶化了你自己，像溪流般对清夜吟唱着歌曲。

要知道过度温存的痛苦。

让你对爱的了解毁伤了你自己，

而且甘愿地喜乐地流血。

清晨醒起，以喜蜺的心来致谢这爱的又一日；

日中静息，默念爱的浓欢；

晚潮退时，感谢地回家；

然后在睡时祈祷，因为有被爱者在你的心中，有赞美之歌在你的唇上。