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 our roots and shake them in their clinging to the earth.
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 it self and takes naught but from itself. Love possesses not, nor would it be possessed, for love is sufficient unto love.
Love has no other desire but to fulfill itself. But if you love and must 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 payer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips.
愛(ài)的召喚
當(dāng)愛(ài)召喚你時(shí)，請(qǐng)追隨她，盡管愛(ài)的道路艱難險(xiǎn)峻。當(dāng)愛(ài)的羽翼?yè)肀銜r(shí)，請(qǐng)順從她，盡管隱藏在其羽翼之下的劍可能會(huì)傷到你。當(dāng)愛(ài)向你訴說(shuō)時(shí)，請(qǐng)相信她，盡管她的聲音可能打破你的夢(mèng)想，就如同北風(fēng)吹落花園里所有的花瓣。
愛(ài)會(huì)給你戴上桂冠，也會(huì)折磨你。愛(ài)會(huì)助你成長(zhǎng)，也會(huì)給你修枝。愛(ài)會(huì)上升到枝頭，撫愛(ài)你在陽(yáng)光下顫動(dòng)力的嫩枝，也會(huì)下潛至根部，撼動(dòng)力你緊抓泥土的根基。
但是，如果你在恐懼之中只想尋求愛(ài)的平和與快樂(lè)，那你就最好掩蓋真實(shí)的自我，避開(kāi)愛(ài)的考驗(yàn)，進(jìn)入不分季節(jié)的世界，在那里你將歡笑，但并非開(kāi)懷大笑，你將哭泣，但并非盡情地哭。愛(ài)只將自己付出，也只得到自己。愛(ài)一無(wú)所有，也不會(huì)為誰(shuí)所有，因?yàn)閻?ài)本身就已自足。
愛(ài)除了實(shí)現(xiàn)自我別無(wú)他求。但是如果你愛(ài)而又不得不有所求，那就請(qǐng)期望：
將自己融化并像奔流的溪水一般向夜晚吟唱自己優(yōu)美的曲調(diào)。
明了過(guò)多的溫柔所帶來(lái)的苦痛。
被自己對(duì)愛(ài)的理解所傷害；
并情愿快樂(lè)地悲傷。
在黎明帶著輕快的心醒來(lái)并感謝又一個(gè)有家的日子；
在黃昏懷著感恩之心回家；
然后為內(nèi)心所愛(ài)之人祈禱，吟唱贊美之歌，并帶著禱告和歌聲入眠。
