love

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.

　　当爱召唤你时,跟随他,虽然他的道路艰难而险峻。当他展翅拥抱你时,依顺他,虽然他羽翼中的利刃会伤害你。当他开口对你说话时,相信他,虽然他的声音会像狂风尽扫园中花似地击碎你的梦。

　　for even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you. even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning. duanwenw.com 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.

　　爱虽然可以为你加冕,但也能将你钉上十字架。他虽然可以帮助你成长,但也能将你削砍剪刈。它会攀至你们的高处,慰抚着你在阳光下颤动的最柔嫩的枝条,但也会潜至你的根部,动摇你紧紧依附着大地的根须。

　　like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto himself.

　　爱把你像麦捆般聚拢在身边。

　　he threshes you to make you naked.

　　它将你们脱离,使你们赤裸。

　　he sifts you to free you from your husks.

　　它将你们筛选,使你们摆脱麸糠。

　　he grinds you to whiteness.

　　它碾磨你们,直至你们清白。

　　he kneads you until you are pliant;

　　它揉捏你们,直至你们柔顺。

　　and then he assigns you to his sacred fire, that you may become sacred bread for god’s sacred feast.

　　而后,爱用神圣的火烘焙你,让你成为上帝圣宴上的圣饼。

　　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.

　　这—切都是爱为你们所做的,使你们能从中领悟自己内心的秘密,从而成为生命本质的一小部分。

　　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.

　　但是,在恐惧中,你若只是追求爱的平和与欢乐,那倒不如遮盖住自己的赤裸,躲避爱的筛选;躲进那没有季节更迭的世界,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。

　　love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself. duanwenw.com love possesses not nor would it be possessed, for love is sufficient unto love.

　　爱,除了自身别无所欲,也别无所求;爱,不占有也不被占有。因为,在爱里一切都足够了。