雙語散文:當愛在召喚

當愛在召喚

When love beckons to you, follow her, though her ways are hard and steep. And when her wings enfold you, yield to her, though the sword hidden among her pinions may wound you. And when she speaks to you, believe in her, though her voice may shatter your dreams as the north wind lays waste the garden.

For even as love crowns you so shall she crucify you. Even as she is for your growth so is she for your pruning. Even as she ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun, so shall she descend to your 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 reasonless 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.

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 understandings of love;
　　And to 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.

當愛召喚你時，請追隨她，儘管愛的道路艱難險峻。當愛的羽翼擁抱你時，請順從她，儘管隱藏在其羽翼之下的劍可能會傷到你。當愛向你訴說時，請相信她，儘管她的聲音可能會打破你的夢想，就如同北風吹落花園裏所有的花瓣。
　　
愛會給你戴上桂冠，也會折磨你。愛會助你成長，也會給你修枝。愛會上升到枝頭，撫愛你在陽光下顫動的嫩枝，也會下潛至根部，撼動你緊抓泥土的根基。
　　
但是，如果你在恐懼中只想尋求愛的平和與快樂，那你就最好掩蓋住真實的自我，避開愛的考驗，進入不分季節的世界，在那裏你將歡笑，但並不是開懷大笑，你將哭泣，但並非盡情地哭。愛只將自己付出，也只得到自己。愛一無所有，也不會爲誰所有，因爲愛本身就已自足。
愛除了實現自我別無他求。但是如果你愛而又不得不有所求，那就請期望：
　
將自己融化並像奔流的溪水一般向夜晚吟唱自己優美的曲調。
　
明瞭過多的溫柔所帶來的苦痛。
被自己對愛的理解所傷害；
　　
並情願快樂地悲傷。
　
在黎明帶着輕快的心醒來並感謝又一個有愛的日子；
　
在中午休息並品味愛的喜悅；
在黃昏懷着感恩的心回家；
　　
然後爲內心所愛之人祈禱，吟唱讚美之歌，並帶着禱告和歌聲入眠。