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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 [1] 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 [2] 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 [3] you. Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning.
Even as he ascends to your height and caresses [4] your tenderest branches that quiver [5] 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 [6] you to make you naked.
He sifts [7] you to free you from your husks [8] .
He grinds [9] you to whiteness.
He kneads [10] you until you are pliant [11] ;
And then he assigns [12] you to his sacred fire, that you may become sacred bread for God's sacred [13] 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 [14] 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 running brook that sings its melody [15] 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 [16] love's ecstasy [17] ;
To return home at eventide with gratitude [18] ;
And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips.
[1] beckon [ˈbekən] v. （以招手、点头）示意；召唤
[2] pinion [ˈpinjən] n. （鸟的）翅膀
[3] crucify [ˈkru:sifai] v． 虐待；折磨；迫害
[4] caress [kəˈres] v． 爱抚；抚摸
[5] quiver [ˈkwivə] v． 颤抖；抖动
[6] thresh [θreʃ] v． 打谷；使脱粒
[7] sift [sift] v． 筛选；过滤
[8] husk [hʌsk] n． 皮；外壳
[9] grind [ɡraind] v． 磨碎，碾碎
[10] knead [ni:d] v． 揉，捏
[11] pliant [ˈplaiənt] a． 柔韧的
[12] assign [əˈsain] v． 把……归于
[13] sacred [ˈseikrid] a． 神圣的；庄严的
[14] sufficient [səˈfiʃənt ] a． 充分的，足够的
[15] melody [ˈmelədi] n． 旋律；乐曲
[16] meditate [ˈmediteit] v． 深思；冥想
[17] ecstasy [ˈekstəsi] n． 狂喜，欢天喜地
[18] gratitude [ˈɡrætitju:d] n. 感谢，感激之情