On Love

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

And he raised his head and looked upon the people, and there fell a stillness 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 enfold 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 crucify 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 bread 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 fulfil itself.

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

To melt and be like a running 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.

爱

　　于是艾尔梅特拉说，请给我们谈谈爱吧。

　　他抬头望着众人，人群一片寂静。他用洪亮的声音说道：

　　当爱挥手召唤你们时，跟随着他，

　　尽管他的道路艰难而险峻。

　　当他展翼拥抱你们时，依顺着他，

　　尽管他羽翼中的利刃会伤害你们。

　　当他对你们说话时，要相信他，

　　尽管他的声音会击碎你的梦，像狂风尽扫园中的花。

　　爱虽可为你们加冕，也能将你们钉上十字架。他虽可助你们成长，也能将你们削砍剪刈。

　　他会攀至你们的高处，轻抚你们在阳光下颤动的最柔嫩的枝条，

　　他也会降至你们的根柢，动摇你们紧紧依附着大地的根须。

　　爱把你们像麦捆般聚拢在身边。

　　他将你们脱粒，使你们赤裸。

　　他将你们筛选，使你们摆脱麸糠。

　　他碾磨你们，直至你们清白。

　　他揉捏你们，直至你们柔顺。

　　尔后，他把你们交与圣火，让你们成为上帝圣宴上的圣饼。

　　这一切都是爱为你们所做，使你们或许能从中领悟自己心中的秘密，从而成为生命之心的一小部分。

　　但是如果你们出于畏惧只去寻求爱的和美与爱的欢乐，

　　那你们最好掩起自己的赤裸，离开爱的打谷场，

　　踏入那没有季节的世界，在那里，你会开怀，但不是尽情欢笑；你会哭泣，但不是尽抛泪水。

　　爱除了自身别无所予，除了自身别无所取。

　　爱不占有，也不被占有；

　　因为爱有了自己就足够了。

　　当你爱了，你不应税'上帝在我心中"，而应说"我在上帝心中"。

　　别以为你可以指引爱的方向，因为爱，如果他认为你配，将指引你的方向。

　　爱别无他求，只求成全自己。

　　但如果你爱了，又必定有所渴求，那就让这些成为你的所求吧：

　　融化为一道奔流的溪水，在夜晚吟唱自己的清曲。

　　体会太多温柔带来的痛苦。

　　被自己对爱的体会所伤害。

　　心甘情愿地淌血。

　　清晨，带着一颗生翼的心醒来，感谢又一个充满爱的日子；

　　午休，沉思爱的心醉神怡；

　　黄昏，带着感激归家；

　　睡前，为你心中的挚爱祈祷，唇间吟诵着赞美诗。
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