,,the ,,book ,,of ,,the ,,lover ,,and   
,,the ,,beloved            ,,the ,,book 
,,of ,,the ,,lover    ,,and ,,the       
,,beloved      ,,translated ,,from ,,the
 ,,catalan    ,,of ,,ram,n ,,lull ,,with
 ,,an ,,introductory    ,,essay ,,by    
,e4 ,,allison ,,peers      ,illustration
      ,,london      ,,society ,,for     
,,promoting    ,,christian ,,knowledge  
,,new ,,york ,,and ,,toronto3 ,,the     
,,macmillan ,,company      #aibc        
,,preface      ,more than six centuries 
have passed since this little ,majorcan 
classic  was written1 and1 so far as ,i 
can find1 it has never once been        
translated into ,english4 ,such an      
omission can only be explained by  our  
comparative ignorance of the treasures  
of ,spanish ,mysticism1 and  perhaps in 
part by the fact that ,lull wrote1 not  
in ,castilian1 but in a  little-known   
though beautiful idiom1 that of         
,catalonia4    ,it would have been      
attractive to reproduce the original    
version of  the book together with this 

translation1 and even more so to have   
translated the whole of ,blanquerna1 of 
which it forms a part4 ,i hope  that    
both these projects may be realised in  
the future1 together with  the          
translations of 7at least7 ,els ,cent   
,noms de ,deu1 ,el ,desconort1  and some
 of the short hymns and poems4 ,but it  
seemed best to begin by  making known   
some of ,lull's best work to as wide a  
circle of readers  as possible4         
,accordingly1 while following1 as a     
rule1 the oldest text  7which is of the 
fourteenth century7 ,i have not scrupled
 to add to my  translation a few        
passages found only in the editions of  
,paris 7#aeje7  and ,valencia 7#aeba71  
which illuminate the author's thought1  
or seem in  other ways to be of real    
value4    ,on the other hand1 ,i have   
not allowed myself1 through a desire to 
expound ,lull's ideas1 to substitute    
paraphrase for faithful and exact       
translation4 ,very few liberties have   
been taken with the text1 and  these    

only where a slight expansion or change 
of construction has  served to bring out
 the meaning of an otherwise quite      
obscure word or  phrase4 ,essentially1  
therefore1 the reader has ,lull's own   
vivid and  forceful words1 with the     
impediment of a foreign language        
removed4                                
,e4 ,,allison ,,peers      ,the         
,university1 ,liverpool4      ,jan4 #ai1
 #aibc4          ,,introductory ,,essay 
,the average man has seldom understood  
the ,mystic4 ,he conceives  the ,mystic 
,life1 with its ceaseless spiritual     
activity1 and its  restlessness which   
knows no stay till it reaches its goal1 
as a life  of tranquillity1 if not of   
indolence and ease4 ,he has no          
conception  of what it really is1 and   
for that1 perhaps1 he should not be     
blamed4  ,but not content with          
misinterpreting the mystic's life1 he   
presently  becomes more daring2 he      
asserts that mysticism is essentially   
#8unpractical1' and that one whose aim  

is to reach the state of ,union  with   
,god must necessarily be as a fool in   
his relations with the world4  ,here the
 average man is grossly1 inexcusably    
mistaken4 ,his error has  again and     
again been exposed1 confuted1 disproved 
by example after  example to the        
contrary4 ,yet1 for all that1 it seems  
to thrive in the  average mind4    ,now1
 if the story of one man's career could 
suffice to destroy the  mistaken idea   
that the mystic is an unpractical       
dreamer1 that man  would surely be the  
,majorcan ,ramn ,lull1 the #8,apostle of
 ,africa4' ,lull  lived far back in the 
thirteenth century1 not long after the  
days  of ,st4 ,francis of ,assisi1 whose
 disciple he was4 ,he gives us1 as it   
were1 a prevision of the splendours of  
that ,golden ,age of ,mysticism  which  
dawned for ,spain three hundred years   
after his birth4 ,his mystic            
writings--and especially his ,,book ,,of
 ,,the ,,lover ,,and ,,the              
,,beloved--are  full of the purest and  

noblest spirituality1 compounded with   
the  quintessence of love4 #8,if ye will
 have fire1' he cries1 #8,o ye that     
love1 come light your lanterns at my    
heart4' ,his famous phrase1 #8,he  who  
loves not lives not1' sums up his       
inspiration4 ,yet ,lull was no          
cloistered visionary4 ,his life is full 
of romance and adventure3 so  crowded   
with incident is it that many pages will
 not suffice even to  summarise its     
principal happenings4 ,his capacities   
showed the rare  combination of scholar 
and man of affairs3 he was both these1  
and he  was also the man of ,god4 ,to   
the service of his ,master1 for ,whom   
alone  he lived1 and for ,whom he died1 
,lull was able to bring the full and    
complete tribute of an efficient and    
active body1 a superb mind1 and an      
ardent1 unconquerable spirit4      ,i   
,,ram,n ,,lull was born in ,palma1 the  
capital of ,majorca1 on ,january #be1   
#abce4 ,his father had taken part in the
 conquest of ,majorca from the          

,saracens some six years earlier1 and   
for his services had received  the gift 
of an estate1 which his son inherited4  
,the boy was brought  up as a page in   
the royal court of ,majorca1 and1 in    
spite of a sound  religious education   
and the interest and favour of the      
,king1 he had  hardly reached years of  
discretion when he began to lead a      
careless  and dissolute life4 ,his      
biographers tell of how the ,king1 to   
stop his  degrading practices1 married  
him to a certain ,da4 ,blanca ,picay1   
but  without thereby reforming him in   
the least4 ,lull was chiefly enamoured  
of a ,genoese lady1 so passionately that
 he dared one day to ride on  horseback 
into the ,church of ,st4 ,eulalia1 where
 she was engaged in  devotion4          
,eventually she herself arrested his    
intrigues4 ,receiving from  him some    
gallant verses on the theme of her      
bosom1 she called him into  her         
presence1 and1 uncovering herself before
 him1 disclosed a malignant  cancer by  

which her breast was slowly being       
consumed4    ,this terrible shock marked
 the first stage in ,lull's conversion4 
,he  went back to the palace another    
man--as taciturn and sombre as he had   
formerly been gay and jovial4 ,the      
tradition may well be true that he  saw 
at this time a vision of the ,crucified1
 saying1 #8,ramn1 follow  ,me'3 he      
himself in some lines of autobiography  
tells us of five such  visions1 though  
when they occurred is not certain4 ,be  
this as it may1  he turned from his evil
 life and fixed his affections on ,god3 
,when ,i was grown and knew the world   
and its vanities1 ,i began to do    evil
 and entered on sin4 ,forgetting the    
true ,god ,i went after carnal          
things4 ,but it pleased ,jesus ,christ  
in ,his great pity to present           
,himself to me five times as if         
crucified1 that ,i might remember ,him  
and set my love on ,him1 doing what ,i  
could that ,he might be known    through
 all the world and the truth be taught  

concerning the great    ,trinity and the
 ,incarnation4 ,and thus ,i was inspired
 and moved by    so great love1 that ,i 
loved no other thing but that ,he should
 be    honoured1 and ,i began to do ,him
 willing service4#a    ,from the first1 
as these lines significantly bear       
evidence1 ,lull's  new ideals were      
directed towards specific objects4 ,he  
was set upon  the conversion of the     
,jews and ,mohammedans who figured so   
largely  in thirteenth-century ,spain4  
,and setting aside emotional methods as 
resolutely as the idea--so general      
then--of conversion by force1 he  began 
to ponder what he conceived to be worthy
 means of compassing his  aim--a        
progressive and unanswerable appeal to  
the reason4 ,a sermon  heard on the     
,feast of ,st4 ,francis 7,october #d1   
#abff7 supplied the spark  which kindled
 ,lull's plans into action4 ,he sold all
 his land1 with the  exception of a     
portion retained for himself and his    
family1 gave up  his position of        

seneschal in the royal palace1 and      
retired first to a  ,cistercian         
monastery and later to ,mount ,randa1   
near ,palma1 living there  a life of    
study and meditation with the object of 
fitting himself to  become a missionary 
to the ,moslems4    ,the record of      
,lull's life in ,mount ,randa is one not
 only of prayer1  fast and vigil1       
ecstasy and vision1 but of the study of 
,arabic and the  elaboration of his     
scheme of a book which was to illuminate
 and convert  the world4 ,he believed   
this ,art ,general to be directly       
inspired  by the ,holy ,spirit4 ,once it
 was sufficiently developed he turned in
  his practical way to means by which   
its study could be advanced4 ,to  ,king 
,james ,,ii of ,majorca were explained  
the scholar's vast plans for  the       
conversion of ,islam2 the ,king         
submitted them to one ,bertram de       
,berengario1 a professor of theology1   
and1 when satisfied of their  orthodoxy1
 endowed a college in ,miramar for the  

training in sciences  and languages of  
thirteen ,franciscan missionaries to the
 ,saracens  7#abge74 ,thus one part of  
,lull's ideals was realised4    ,for a  
short time he remained at ,miramar1     
teaching ,arabic and the  ,art ,general4
 ,but before long we find him lecturing 
on the ,art in  ,montpellier1 which was 
part of the ,majorcan kingdom4 ,then he 
is at  ,rome1 where his enterprise is   
sanctioned by the ,pope1 and a ,school  
of ,oriental ,languages founded4 ,he    
spends two years lecturing in the       
,university of ,paris1 learning all the 
time as well as teaching4 ,a  college is
 founded in ,navarre through ,king      
,philip of ,france4 ,lull goes  farther 
afield--to ,palestine1 ,egypt1 ,ethiopia
 and ,morocco4 ,in #abhb we  read of his
 being back in ,france again1 at        
,perpignan4 ,success continues  to      
attend him1 but not in a measure that   
can satisfy his ardent  soul4 ,ever     
burning for more triumphs1 he resolves  
at last to put the  lukewarmness of     

,europe to shame1 and to go himself to  
,africa as an  ,apostle of the ,faith4  
,after some delay 7the chronology of    
this period is very uncertain#b7  he set
 sail from ,genoa1 and landed in ,tunis 
about #abia4 ,professing only  a desire 
to learn the truth--to convert or be    
converted as events might  prove--he    
began to debate in public with the      
,moslems1 following his  own logical    
method4 ,he was only too successful4    
,many of the infidels1  attracted by his
 reasoning1 embraced ,christianity2 but 
the monarch  began to fear for his      
throne1 and before long ,lull found     
himself in  prison4 ,condemned to death 
for his preaching1 he was reprieved by  
the  intercession of a ,saracen of      
influence1 and banished from ,africa1   
leaving ,tunis amid insults and blows1  
on pain of being stoned to death  should
 he ever return4 ,for a time he evaded  
his enemies and remained in  the        
country1 but a year of this life showed 
him its futility1 and he  returned to   

,naples4 ,here he remained writing and  
teaching for a time2  then he went to   
,rome 7c4 #abif71 attempting            
unsuccessfully to obtain  sanction for  
new missionary projects2 again we find  
him in ,genoa1 next  in ,paris          
7#abig-h71 back in ,majorca1 once more  
in ,genoa 7#acjj71 then  on a new       
campaign in ,cyprus and ,armenia        
7#acjj-b71 back via ,rhodes  and ,malta1
 where he made stays1 to ,genoa and     
,paris 7#acjc71 ,palma1  ,barcelona1    
,lyon and ,montpellier 7#acje74c ,here  
he saw both the ,king  and ,pope        
,clement ,v4 ,with the former he planned
 a crusade for the ,holy  ,land1 but the
 latter1 much occupied in other affairs1
 gave him no  support4    ,everywhere   
and always evangelisation filled his    
thoughts4 ,no difficulty  or objection1 
as the records of these years show1     
could curb his zeal2  the thought of    
imprisonment or torture made no         
difference to his plans1  while to die a
 martyr's death when his work should be 

done was his  great ambition4 #8,foolish
 ,lover1' says an imaginary opponent to 
him  in his little classic1 #8why dost  
thou weary the body1 throw away thy     
wealth and leave the joys of this world1
 and go about as an outcast of  the     
people8' ,and his reply is the simplest 
imaginable4 #8,to honour my  ,beloved's 
,name1 for ,he is hated and dishonoured 
by more men than honour  and love ,him4'
    ,in #acjf ,lull determined to make  
an attempt to preach once more in       
,africa4 ,at the outset he was          
successful1 founding a school at ,bona1 
where he first went4 ,but on proceeding 
to ,bugia1 and beginning to  preach in  
the market-place1 he was promptly       
arrested1 all but stoned  by the crowds1
 summarily tried1 and imprisoned in a   
loathsome dungeon  with a view to later 
execution4 ,something in ,lull's        
personality1  however 7or1 as some say1 
the pleas of certain ,catalan and       
,genoese  inhabitants71 saved him once  
more2 he was even allowed the privilege 

of a disputation with a ,mohammedan     
champion1 and eventually was exiled     
again in the same year of his leaving   
,italy4    ,the ship in which he was    
returning suffered shipwreck off ,pisa1 
where he landed and remained for two    
years4 ,in ,pisa he wrote a book        
incorporating his memorable dispute with
 the ,saracen apologist and  other      
experiences in ,africa4 ,but it would   
seem that these experiences  had been   
modifying his belief in intellectual    
conversion1 for he  approached ,pope    
,clement ,v again with proposals for a  
new crusade4  ,enthusiasm for crusades1 
however1 was a thing of the past1 and   
neither  the ,pope nor ,italy as a whole
 gave the scheme any support4    ,so    
this dauntless fighter went once more to
 ,paris1 which at that time  was in the 
grip of ,averroism1 and hence provided a
 new field for  missionary effort4      
,seventy-three years old as he was1     
,lull lectured1  wrote1 and taught      
unceasingly against the infidel         

philosophy1 and won  for himself fresh  
glory1 accomplishing in ,europe what    
only physical  force withheld from him  
in ,africa4 ,king ,philip1 his royal    
admirer1 gave  him the name of docteur  
illumin1 by which1 in one or another of 
its  translations1 he is still known    
to-day4    ,the ,council of ,vienne     
7#acaa-b7 gave ,lull another of those   
opportunities  which he was never slow  
to take4 ,the picture of the venerable  
missionary at the feet of the ,head of  
the ,church1 pouring forth his          
impassioned pleas for those enterprises 
which authority so hesitated  to allow1 
is indeed a moving one4 ,he painted the 
glory of recovering  the ,holy ,places1 
the plight of the ,christians in        
,armenia1 and the  peril which the      
,greeks were in from the ,turks--themes 
not exhausted  even after seven hundred 
years4 ,these1 however1 were but a few  
of  ,lull's representations4 ,the number
 of his requests which were granted  was
 relatively small1 but among them was a 

wider scheme than any yet  sanctioned   
for a system of colleges for the        
teaching of missionary  languages4 ,this
 earnest of the continuance of his work 
must have  encouraged beyond measure one
 who1 in the natural course of life1 was
  nearing the end of his activities4    
,perhaps it was this1 indeed1 which     
inspired him to cross once more to      
,africa1 to brave its terrors and to    
suffer martyrdom for the ,faith at      
last--as from his conversion he had     
wished--if it might be the will  of     
,god4 ,and the will of ,god it proved to
 be4 ,on ,august #ad1 #acad1 he  set out
 from ,palma for ,bugia4 ,on his arrival
 he began his work less  openly than    
before1 and for some months contrived to
 preach secretly1  make conversions and 
confirm the faithful of earlier days4   
,he passed  to ,tunis1 where he had     
further success1 but for some unknown   
reason  was compelled to return to      
,bugia4 ,success made him bold4 ,feeling
  perhaps that the hour of supreme      

effort--even if it meant the supreme    
sacrifice--had come1 he threw prudence  
to the winds1 assembled a vast          
concourse1 and1 proclaiming himself that
 same ,ramn who had formerly  been      
condemned in ,bugia1 he preached once   
more the faith of the  ,saviour4 ,this  
time the crowd broke loose1 and not only
 clamoured for  ,lull's death1 but took 
him out of the city and stoned him      
7,june #cj1  #acae71 even as a ,jewish  
mob had stoned the first of ,christian  
martyrs4    ,various accounts are given 
of his burial4 ,it seems that two       
,genoese  merchants begged his body and 
carried it to ,majorca1 but some        
versions  have it that a great pyramid  
of light aided them in their search for 
it1 that life remained in the body until
 it reached ,palma1 and that  adverse   
winds forced the vessel1 which was      
making for ,genoa1 to land at  ,lull's  
birthplace4 ,here the body was received 
with the greatest sorrow  and mourning1 
and buried with due solemnity in the    

sacristy of the  convent of ,st4        
,francis of ,assisi4    ,ramn ,lull was 
beatified by ,pius ,,ix4 ,the title-page
 of his great  romance1 ,blanquerna1    
calls him #8,doctor illuminate1 ,martyr 
unconquered  of ,jesus ,christ1 ,master 
universal in all arts and sciences4'    
,but in his  own country ,lull receives 
the simpler homage of a saint4      ,,ii
    ,the foregoing sketch1 for all its  
brevity1 will have emphasised more      
forcibly than much argument the         
practical and the scholarly sides of    
,lull's temperament4 ,we shall say      
nothing here of the four hundred and    
eighty-six treatises#d which he is known
 to have written1 nor of the  thousands 
of other works1 no longer extant if     
indeed they ever existed1  with which he
 is credited4 ,nor is there need to     
describe his system  and doctrine1 at   
once scholastic and popular in          
character4 ,the ,libre  de ,amich e     
,amat1 which is here translated1 is     
purely a mystical work1  and this essay 

is concerned with the mystical side of  
,lull's mind1 so  wonderfully illumined 
by the flame which burnt through his    
long life of  self-sacrifice4    ,the   
,book of the ,lover and the ,beloved    
takes us from the ,african  preachings  
and the disputations of the ,sorbonne to
 those long  night-watches and days of  
retreat which must always have          
accompanied  them1 but which we are apt 
to forget in contemplating that form of 
activity which the world counts         
greatest4 ,or the thoughts which the    
,book gives us may first have come to   
the young convert in the  solitude of   
his monastery and the retreat of ,mount 
,randa4 ,rossell1 who  some sixty years 
ago first published ,lull's poems1      
interprets a passage  from ,blanquerna  
as autobiographical4 ,it may well be so4
      ,being then in his hermitage he   
would rise at midnight1 and1 opening    
the windows of his cell1 would fall to  
contemplating the heavens and    the    
stars1 and praying with all possible    

devotion1 that his soul    might be     
fixed upon ,god alone4444 ,after long   
contemplation and much    weeping1 his  
custom was to enter the church and ring 
for mattins1    and when his deacon     
appeared1 to help him say them4 ,at     
daybreak he    celebrated ,mass with    
devotion1 and spoke of ,god with his    
deacon1 that    on ,god he might set his
 love4 ,and as they talked together of  
,god and    ,his works1 they both wept  
for the greatness of the devotion which 
their argument inspired in them4 ,then  
the deacon went into the garden    and  
busied himself with the cultivation of  
the trees in it1 while    ,blanquerna   
left the church to recreate his mind    
which was wearied by    the work he had 
done1 to lift his eyes to the hills1 and
 to let them    rest on the plains      
beneath4 ,feeling rested at last1 he    
would betake    himself again to        
meditation and prayer1 and the reading  
of ,holy    ,scripture or the great book
 of ,contemplation1 and so he would be  

occupied until the hours of ,terce1     
,sext and ,nones4444 ,after this he     
dined 444 and went into the garden1     
visited the spring1 or walked in    the 
places he loved most1 afterwards giving 
himself up for a while    to sleep in   
order to gather strength for the labours
 of the night4    ,on awaking he said   
vespers with the deacon1 and then       
remained alone1    thinking on what     
pleased him most and was fittest        
preparation for his    hours of prayer4 
,after sunset1 he went up to the        
terrace1 and there    remained long in  
devout meditation1 his eyes fixed on the
 heavens and    the stars1 discoursing  
with himself on the greatness of ,god   
and man's    inconstancies4 ,in this    
state he remained until he retired to   
rest1    and such was the fervour of his
 contemplation that even upon his bed   
he found himself in mystic converse with
 the ,all-,powerful4    ,such a         
background as this we must almost of    
necessity assume in a life  at once so  

active and so spiritual4 ,no doubt ,lull
 was able often to  spend weeks1 or at  
the least days1 in some sacred retreat1 
and draw  from ,god and from ,nature    
strength and inspiration for his endless
  tasks4 ,to these seasons of           
refreshing1 it may be supposed1 we owe  
his  mystical writings4    ,of ,lull's  
verses many are narrative or doctrinal3 
the hymns entitled  #8,hours of ,our    
,lady ,st4 ,mary' 7,horas de ,nostra    
,dona ,sancta ,maria71  for example2 the
 #8,sin of ,adam' 7,lo ,peccat de       
n',adam71 written #8at  the request of  
the ,king of ,majorca'2 the short       
#8,song of ,ramn' 7,lo  ,cant de ,ramn71
 and above all the #8,medicine for ,sin'
 7,medicina de  ,peccat7 and the purely 
didactic verse #8,application' of the   
,art  ,general4 ,the collection of a    
hundred songs on the ,names of ,god     
7,els  ,cent ,noms de ,deu71 on the     
other hand1 is more mystical than       
doctrinal1  and suggests1 in matter as  
well as in title1 the mystical treatise 

#8,of the ,names of ,christ' 7,de los   
,nombres de ,cristo7 written almost     
exactly three hundred years later by the
 ,salamancan friar1 ,luis de  ,len4     
,mystical too1 as well as               
autobiographical1 is the dialogue poem  
,el ,desconort1 #8made in his old age1' 
though its spirit is that of            
disillusion at the refusal of those in  
high places to help forward his  schemes
 of evangelisation4 ,but neither of     
these has either the strength  or the   
beauty of the collection of prose poems 
here translated1 a  collection which    
forms part of the novel-like            
,blanquerna1 ,lull's  chief contribution
 to mystical literature4    ,his chief  
contribution it is1 mainly1 though not  
entirely1 by virtue  of the sections    
entitled the ,art of ,contemplation and 
our ,book of  the ,lover and the        
,beloved4 ,blanquerna1 as a whole1 is a 
somewhat  fantastic1 and in places      
extravagant1 religious romance--a       
religious  ,utopia1 if parallels to it  

must be found1 or a ,catholic ,pilgrim's
  ,progress4 ,the story is of a certain 
gallant and wealthy youth named  ,evast1
 who marries a beautiful and virtuous   
girl called ,aloma4 ,they  live together
 in great piety and happiness1 but have 
no children1 until  ,aloma in her sorrow
 prays to ,god1 and a boy1 ,blanquerna1 
is born to  them4 ,the child is brought 
up with great care1 and in the fear of  
,god2  and when his father sees that he 
is a youth of discretion1 he resolves   
to devote himself to the religious life4
 ,aloma1 however1 disapproves1  saying  
that they can both serve ,god best in   
the state to which ,he has  called them2
 they decide in the end to lead lives of
 greater austerity  in their home1 and  
to give ,blanquerna the oversight of the
 household4  ,but1 on proposing this to 
the boy1 they find that he has resolved 
to  become a hermit4    ,aloma is       
grieved1 and endeavours to marry        
,blanquerna to a beautiful  girl called 
,cana4 ,blanquerna's reply is to        

persuade ,cana to become a  nun1 while  
he himself retires to the desert to     
carry out his resolve4  ,the story then 
describes circumstantially and with some
 prolixity the  lives of ,evast and     
,aloma after ,blanquerna has left them2 
it passes on  to ,cana1 who eventually  
becomes abbess of her convent2 and      
finally1  after some long digressions   
upon convent life1 to the later history 
of  ,blanquerna1 which occupies the rest
 of the romance4    ,the second book of 
,blanquerna deals with the hero's life  
before he  is ordained priest and rises 
to the rank of abbot in the monastery   
which he has entered4 ,a digression     
follows1 entitled #8,the ,book of ,ave  
,maria1' purporting to be an account of 
the devotions to ,our ,lady which  the  
hero established4 ,the third book       
presents him as a bishop1 and the       
fourth as pope4    ,the various         
religious ideals presented by ,lull in  
succession lead  up to the great ideal  
of his life3 the evangelisation of the  

world4  ,blanquerna's supreme aim as    
pope is to strive #8that all infidels   
and  schismatics may be brought into the
 union of the ,holy ,catholic ,faith4'  
,his cardinals are quaintly named after 
the clauses of the ,gloria in  ,excelsis
 ,deo1 and every clause is expounded so 
as to illustrate the  activity which the
 ,church should show in converting the  
heathen4    ,to the court of the ,pope  
comes at length a jester1--one ,ramn the
  ,fool1--none other1 of course1 than   
,lull himself4 #8,i would be as a       
fool1' he says1 #8to do reverence and   
honour to ,jesus ,christ1 and by  reason
 of my exceeding love ,i would know no  
measure in my speech4' ,thus  disguised1
 the author can write much which he     
might not otherwise have  dared to put  
into words4 ,and above all he can       
deliver himself of the  shame he feels  
because the ,head of the ,church will   
grant so little aid  to those who aim at
 following ,christ's last recorded      
command to convert  all nations4    ,the

 story ends with the decision of        
,blanquerna1 the pope now grown old  in 
the service of the ,church and the      
conversion of the heathen1 to  renounce 
his high office1 retire to a hermitage1 
and devote his last  days to            
contemplation and prayer4 ,his new life 
is described in detail1  and it is      
interwoven with this description that we
 come upon the ,book  of the ,lover and 
the ,beloved and the ,art of            
,contemplation4    ,the former is by far
 the simpler and more appealing of the  
two1 the  ,art of ,contemplation being  
considerably longer and full of         
doctrinal  teaching4 ,it is1            
nevertheless1 still read1 less for its  
didactic  passages than for its close   
relation with the whole romance1 its    
mystical aspect1 and in particular its  
prayers1 which are of great  beauty4    
,the ,book of the ,lover and the        
,beloved is mystical throughout4  ,it   
was written1 the author himself         
declares1 #8that the hearts of  men     

might be moved to true contrition1 their
 eyes to abundance of  tears1 and their 
wills and understandings to loftier     
flights in the  contemplation of ,god4' 
,how well it attains its object1 and how
 truly it  reflects the mystic's being1 
the reader must judge4      ,,iii    ,we
 have no wish to add to these few notes 
a lengthy commentary upon the  substance
 of a book which1 probably for the first
 time1 is accessible  to those who read 
only ,english4 ,scholars have debated   
over ,lull's  probable debt to sufism1  
on the one hand1 and1 on the other1 his 
influence upon the long line of mystics 
who have followed him4 ,there is  much  
still to be said upon these and other   
topics1 much that will throw  fresh     
light on ,spain and ,spanish mysticism  
both4 ,but in this essay  enough has    
been said of ,lull's life and works to  
form the indispensable  prelude to his  
,book4 ,for the present1 therefore1 we  
prefer to stand  back1 and allow ,lull's
 ardent spirit to work its miracles     

still4 ,work  them it surely must4      
,writing in his native                  
#8catalan-provenzal1' that he  might    
appeal1 not to learned men1 but to the  
people1 by the people he  is read still4
 ,he needs none of the #8,expositions1' 
such as were written  in his own age and
 as late as the seventeenth century4    
,here and there  a passage confuses the 
modern mind by its medival subtleties2  
or the  frequent references to the will1
 understanding1 and memory 7so common   
in most of the mystics7 may puzzle the  
simple reader until he has  learned to  
interpret them4 ,but the vast majority  
of the three hundred  and sixty-six     
#8verses1' put together to be read one  
on each day of the  year1 may still so  
be read4 ,they speak to the twentieth   
century as  clearly1 picturesquely1 and 
forcibly as they spoke to the           
thirteenth4  ,have we perhaps even more 
need of their message8    ,they speak of
 elementals4 ,like his great successors 
,st4 ,teresa and ,st4  ,john of the     

,cross1 ,lull knows no ,master but his  
,beloved1 ,jesus ,christ2  he surpasses 
them perhaps in this1 that he is never  
unmindful of the  world his ,beloved    
came to save4 ,his is no cloistered     
love4 ,he could  never say1 with ,st4   
,john of the ,cross1 #8,live in the     
world as though  there were in it but   
,god and thy soul4' ,ringing for ever in
 his ears is  the ,beloved's last       
command4    ,never was #8,love's regal  
dalmatic' worn with more grace and      
fitness  than by this #8jester1' this   
#8fool of love4' ,it is no compliment   
to ,lull to call him1 as the great      
scholar ,menndez ,pelayo does1 a        
#8,spanish ,jacopone da ,todi4'         
,jacopone1 it is true1 sang of love with
  unsurpassable fervour3      ,amor1    
amore1 tanto tu me fai1    ,amore1 amor1
 che nol posso patire2    ,amor1 amore1 
tanto me te dai1    ,amor1 amore1 ben   
credo morire2    ,amore1 amore1 tanto   
preso m'hai1    ,amor1 amore1 famme 'n  
te transire2    ,amor1 dolce languire1  

,amor mio desioso1    ,amor mio         
delettoso1    ,annegame en amore4       
,but ,lull1 who1 like ,jacopone1 owed   
most of his fervour1 under ,god1 to     
,st4 ,francis1 has a note of his own1 no
 less deep1 no less pure4 ,his  key is  
perhaps in that eloquent definition1    
which has been slightly  expanded in    
translation that the full force of every
 phrase may be felt3      #8,what       
meanest thou by love8' said the         
,beloved4 ,and the ,lover    answered3  
#8,it is to bear on one's heart the     
sacred marks and the    sweet words of  
the ,beloved4 ,it is to long for ,him   
with desire and    with tears4 ,it is   
boldness4 ,it is fervour4 ,it is fear4  
,it is the    desire for the ,beloved   
above all things4 ,it is that which     
causes the    ,lover to grow faint when 
he hears the ,beloved's praises4 ,it is 
that    in which ,i die daily1 and in   
which is all my will4'    ,lull might   
well have written1 as did a late        
,franciscan1 ,john of the  ,angels1 of  

the #8,triumphs of the ,love of ,god4'  
,love impels him to tread the ,mystic   
,way #8in search of his ,beloved4'      
,much of his ,book1 therefore1 deals    
with the ,mystic ,life4 ,but it  has    
none of the exclusiveness of the ,living
 ,flame of ,love and the  ,spiritual    
,canticle4 ,there are passages for the  
beginner as well as  for the proficient1
 parables in three lines for the plain  
man1 sermons  in phrases1 reflections   
which1 by their very simplicity1 kindle 
the  devotion of the wayfaring man as he
 reads them4 ,as we read the brief      
records of imaginary conversations      
between the ,lover and #8those who      
asked him concerning his ,beloved1' we  
can imagine ourselves in some  ,african 
coast-town where the stranger who has   
just landed is being  pressed1 by the   
surging crowd which surrounds him1 to   
give reasons for  his faith4 ,the calm  
and confident answers supply the secret 
of ,lull's  power4    ,then we come upon
 some quaintly-worded1 paradoxical      

phrase which only  reflection will      
illumine and meditation make real4 ,and 
we know that we  are following in the   
path of ,lull when he composed his      
treatise4 ,for  it was the fruit1 not of
 subtleties1 but of silence4 #8,he would
 engage  in prayer1' runs the preface1  
#8and meditate upon ,god and ,his       
virtues1  after which he would write    
down the outcome of his contemplation4' 
,and again1 more concretely3 #8,at      
midnight he arose1 looked out upon  the 
heavens and the stars1 and cast away    
from him all thoughts of the  world4'   
,so1 between meditation and prayer1 he  
wrote this masterpiece in little1       
signed it with his ,beloved's ,sign1 and
 sent it out to a world which he  longed
 to save4 ,it has been potent in the    
past1 and we may believe that  it will  
be so again4 ,for it is as eternal and  
universal in its appeal  as the ,ideal  
,life which it extols4 ,nurtured by     
experience1 watered by  faith1 it is    
rooted and grounded in love4            

,,the ,,book ,,of ,,the ,,lover ,,and   
,,the ,,beloved      #a ,the ,lover     
asked his ,beloved if there remained in 
,him anything still  to be loved4 ,and  
the ,beloved replied that he had still  
to love that by  which his own love     
could be increased4    #b ,long and     
perilous are the paths by which the     
,lover seeks his ,beloved4  ,they are   
peopled by cares1 sighs and tears4 ,they
 are lit up by love4    #c ,many ,lovers
 came together to love ,one only1 their 
,beloved1 who made  them all to abound  
in love4 ,and each declared his ,beloved
 perfection1  and his thoughts of ,him  
were very pleasant1 making him to suffer
 pain  which brought delight4    #d ,the
 ,lover wept and said3 #8,how long shall
 it be till the darkness of  the world  
is past1 that the mad rush of men       
towards hell may cease8  ,when comes the
 hour in which water1 that flows        
downwards1 shall change  its nature and 
mount upwards8 ,when shall the innocent 
be more in number  than the guilty8 ,ah6

 ,when shall the ,lover with joy lay    
down his life  for the ,beloved8 ,and   
when shall the ,beloved see the ,lover  
grow faint  for love of ,him8'    #e    
,said the ,lover to the ,beloved3       
#8,thou that fillest the sun with       
splendour1 fill my heart with love4'    
,and the ,beloved answered3 #8,wert     
thou not filled with love1 thine eyes   
had not shed those tears1 nor  hadst    
thou come to this place to see thy      
,beloved4'    #f ,the ,beloved made     
trial of ,his ,lover to see if his love 
for ,him were  perfect1 and ,he asked   
him how the presence of the ,beloved    
differed from  ,his absence4 ,the ,lover
 answered3 #8,as knowledge and          
remembrance differ  from ignorance and  
oblivion4'    #g ,the ,beloved asked the
 ,lover3 #8,hast thou remembrance of    
anything with  which ,i have rewarded   
thee1 that thou wouldst love ,me thus8' 
#8,yea1'  replied the ,lover1 #8for ,i  
distinguish not between the trials that 
,thou  sendest me and the joys4'    #h  

#8,say1 ,o ,lover1' asked the ,beloved1 
#8if ,i double thy trials1 wilt thou    
still be patient8' #8,yea1' answered the
 ,lover1 #8so that ,thou double also  my
 love4'    #i ,said the ,beloved to the 
,lover3 #8,knowest thou yet what love   
meaneth8'  ,the ,lover replied3 #8,if ,i
 knew not the meaning of love1 ,i should
 know  the meaning of labour1 grief and 
sorrow4'    #aj ,they asked the ,lover3 
#8,why answerest thou not thy ,beloved  
when ,he  calleth thee8' ,he replied3   
#8,i brave great perils that ,he may    
come1 and  ,i speak to ,him begging ,his
 graces4'    #aa #8,foolish ,lover1 why 
dost thou weary thy body1 throw away thy
 wealth  and leave the joys of this     
world1 and go about as an outcast of the
  people8' #8,to honour my ,beloved's   
,name1' he replied1 #8for ,he is hated  
and dishonoured by more men than honour 
and love ,him4'    #ab #8,say1 ,fool of 
,love1 which can be the better seen1 the
 ,beloved in  the ,lover1 or the ,lover 
in the ,beloved8' ,the ,lover answered1 

and said3  #8,by love can the ,beloved  
be seen1 and the ,lover by sighs and    
tears1 by  grief and by labours4'    #ac
 ,the ,lover sought for one who should  
tell his ,beloved how great  trials he  
was enduring for love of ,him1 and how  
he was like to die4 ,and  he found his  
,beloved1 who was reading in a book     
wherein were written  all the griefs    
which love made him to suffer for his   
,beloved1 and the  graces which ,he gave
 him4    #ad ,our ,lady presented her   
,son to the ,lover1 that he might kiss  
,his  feet1 and that he might write in  
his book concerning ,our ,lady's        
virtues4    #ae #8,say1 thou bird that  
singest1 hast thou placed thyself in the
 care  of my ,beloved1 that ,he may     
guard thee from indifference1 and       
increase  in thee thy love8' ,the bird  
replied3 #8,and who makes me to sing but
 the  ,lord of love1 to whom not to love
 is to sin4'    #af ,between ,hope and  
,fear1 ,love made her home4 ,she lives  
on thought1  and1 when she is forgotten1

 dies4 ,so unlike the pleasures of this 
world  are her foundations4    #ag      
,there was a contention between the eyes
 and the memory of the  ,lover1 for the 
eyes said that it was better to see the 
,beloved than  to remember ,him4 ,but   
,memory said that remembrance brings    
tears to the  eyes1 and makes the heart 
to burn with love4    #ah ,the ,lover   
asked the ,understanding and the ,will  
which of them was  the nearer to his    
,beloved4 ,and the two ran1 and the     
,understanding came  nearer to the      
,beloved than did the ,will4    #ai     
,there was strife between the ,lover and
 the ,beloved1 and another who  loved   
,him saw it and wept1 till peace and    
concord were made between the  ,beloved 
and the ,lover4    #bj ,sighs and ,tears
 came to be judged by the ,beloved1 and 
asked ,him  which of them loved ,him the
 more deeply4 ,and the ,beloved gave    
judgment  that sighs were nearer to the 
seat of love1 and tears to the eyes4    
#ba ,the ,lover came to drink of the    

fountain which gives love to him who    
has none1 and his griefs redoubled4 ,and
 the ,beloved came to drink of  the same
 fountain1 that the love of one whose   
griefs were doubled might  be doubled   
also4    #bb ,the ,lover fell sick and  
thought on the ,beloved1 who fed him on 
,his  merits1 quenched his thirst with  
love1 made him to rest in patience1     
clothed him with humility1 and as       
medicine gave him truth4    #bc ,they   
asked the ,lover where his ,beloved was4
 ,and he answered3 #8,see  ,him for     
yourselves in a nobler house than all   
the nobility of creation2  but see ,him 
too in my love1 my griefs and my tears4'
    #bd ,they said to the ,lover3       
#8,whither goest thou8' ,he answered3   
#8,i come  from my ,beloved4' #8,whence 
comest thou8' #8,i go to my ,beloved4'  
#8,when  wilt thou return8' #8,i shall  
be with my ,beloved4' #8,how long wilt  
thou be  with thy ,beloved8' #8,as long 
as my thoughts remain on ,him4'    #be  
,the birds hymned the dawn1 and the     

,beloved1 who is the dawn1  awakened4   
,and the birds ended their song1 and the
 ,lover died in the  dawn for his       
,beloved4    #bf ,the bird sang in the  
garden of the ,beloved4 ,the ,lover     
came1 and he  said to the bird3 #8,if we
 understand not one another's speech1 we
 may  make ourselves understood by love2
 for in thy song ,i see my ,beloved     
before mine eyes4'    #bg ,the ,lover   
was wearied1 for he had laboured much in
 seeking for his  ,beloved2 and he      
feared lest he should forget ,him4 ,and 
he wept1 that he  might not fall asleep1
 and his ,beloved be absent from his    
remembrance4    #bh ,the ,lover and the 
,beloved met1 and the ,beloved said to  
the ,lover3  #8,thou needest not to     
speak to ,me4 ,look at ,me only1--for   
thine eyes  speak to ,my heart1--that ,i
 may give thee what thou willest4'      
#bi ,the ,lover was disobedient to his  
,beloved2 and the ,lover wept4 ,and  the
 ,beloved came in the venture of ,his   
,lover1 and died1 that ,his ,lover      

might regain what he had lost4 ,so ,he  
gave him a greater gift than that  which
 he had lost4    #cj ,the ,beloved      
filled ,his ,lover with gifts of love1  
and grieved not for  his tribulations1  
for they would but make him love the    
more deeply2  and the greater the       
,lover's tribulations1 the greater was  
his joy and  delight4    #ca ,the ,lover
 said3 #8,the secrets of my ,beloved    
torture me1 for my deeds  reveal them   
not1 and my mouth keeps silence and     
reveals them to none4'    #cb ,this is  
,love's contract3 the ,lover must be    
long-suffering1 patient1  humble1       
fearful1 diligent1 trustful2 he must be 
ready to face great  dangers for the    
honour of his ,beloved4 ,and his        
,beloved is pledged to be  true and     
free1 just and liberal with those that  
love ,him4    #cc ,the ,lover set forth 
over hill and plain in search of true   
devotion1  and to see if his ,beloved   
was well served4 ,but everywhere he     
found  nought but indifference4 ,and so 

he delved into the earth to see if      
there he could find the devotion which  
was lacking above ground4    #cd #8,say1
 thou bird that singest of love1 why    
does my ,beloved1 ,he who  has made me  
,his servant1 do nought but torture me  
now8' ,and the bird  replied3 #8,if     
,love made thee not to bear trials1 what
 couldst thou give  to show thy love for
 ,him8'    #ce ,pensively the ,lover    
trod those paths which lead to the      
,beloved4 ,now  he stumbled and fell    
among the thorns2 but they were to him  
as flowers1  and as a bed of love4      
#cf ,they asked the ,lover3 #8,wilt thou
 for another change thy ,beloved8'  ,and
 he answered3 #8,why1 what other is     
better or nobler than ,he8 ,for ,he  is 
the supreme ,good2 ,he is infinite and  
eternal1 in greatness1 wisdom  and love2
 nay1 ,he is perfection4'    #cg ,the   
,lover wept1 and sang of his ,beloved1  
and said3 #8,swifter is love  in the    
lover's heart than is the brilliance of 
the lightning to the  eye1 or the       

thunder to the ear4 ,the tears of love  
gather more swiftly  than the waves of  
the sea2 and sighing is more proper to  
love than is  whiteness to snow4'    #ch
 ,they asked the ,lover3 #8,wherein is  
the glory of thy ,beloved8' ,he         
answered3 #8,he is ,glory itself4' ,they
 asked him3 #8,wherein lies ,his        
power8' ,he answered3 #8,he is ,power   
itself4' #8,and wherein lies ,his       
wisdom8' #8,he is ,wisdom itself4'      
#8,and wherefore is ,he to be loved8'   
#8,because ,he is ,love itself4'    #ci 
,the ,lover rose early and went to seek 
his ,beloved4 ,he found  travellers on  
the road1 and he asked if they had seen 
his ,beloved4  ,they answered him3      
#8,when did the eyes of thy mind lose   
sight of thy  ,beloved8' ,the ,lover    
replied3 #8,since ,i first saw my       
,beloved in my  thoughts1 ,he has never 
been absent from the eyes of my body1   
for all  things that ,i see picture to  
me my ,beloved4'    #dj ,with eyes of   
thought and grief1 sighs and tears the  

,lover gazed  upon the ,beloved2 and    
with eyes of grace1 justice and piety1  
mercy and  bounty1 the ,beloved gazed   
upon ,his ,lover4 ,and the bird sang of 
that  ,countenance so full of delight1  
as we have already said4    #da ,the    
keys of the gates of love are gilded    
with cares and desires1  sighs and      
tears2 the cord which binds them is     
woven of conscience1  devotion1         
contrition and atonement2 the door is   
kept by justice and  mercy4    #db ,the 
,lover beat upon his ,beloved's door    
with blows of love and hope4  ,the      
,beloved heard ,his ,lover's blows1 with
 humility1 piety1 charity and  patience4
 ,deity and ,humanity opened the doors1 
and the ,lover went in to  his ,beloved4
    #dc ,deity and ,humanity met1 and   
joined together to make concord between 
,lover and ,beloved4    #dd ,there are  
two fires that warm the love of a true  
,lover3 one is of  pleasures1 desires   
and thoughts3 the other is of weeping   
and crying1 of  fear and grief4    #de  

,the ,lover longed for solitude1 and    
went away to live alone1 that he  might 
gain the companionship of his ,beloved1 
for amid many people he  was lonely4    
#df ,the ,lover was all alone1 in the   
shade of a great tree4 ,men passed by   
that place1 and asked him why he was    
alone4 ,and the ,lover replied3 #8,i  am
 alone1 now that ,i have seen you and   
heard you2 until now1 ,i was in  the    
company of my ,beloved4'    #dg ,by     
signs of love1 the ,lover held converse 
with the ,beloved2 by means  of fear and
 thought1 weeping and crying1 the ,lover
 recounted his griefs  to the ,beloved4 
#dh ,the ,lover feared whether his      
,beloved would fail him in his greatest 
need2 and he ceased from loving ,him4   
,then he had contrition and  repentance 
of heart2 and the ,beloved restored hope
 and charity to the  ,lover's heart1 and
 tears to his eyes1 that love might     
return to him4    #di ,whether ,lover   
and ,beloved are near or far is all one2
 for their love  mingles as water       

mingles with wine4 ,they are linked as  
heat with light2  they approach and are 
united as ,essence and ,being4    #ej   
,said the ,lover to the ,beloved3 #8,my 
grief and its healing are both in       
,thee3 the more surely ,thou healed me1 
the greater grows my grief2 when  ,thou 
dost wound me1 even then dost ,thou give
 me health4'    #ea ,the ,lover sighed  
and said3 #8,ah6 ,what is my love8' ,the
 ,beloved  answered3 #8,thy love is a   
mark and a seal by which thou dost show 
forth  ,my honour before men4'    #eb   
,the ,lover saw himself taken and bound1
 wounded and killed1 for the  love of   
his ,beloved2 and those who tortured him
 asked him3 #8,where is  thy ,beloved8' 
,he answered3 #8,see ,him here in the   
increase of my love1  and the ,strength 
which it gives me to bear my torments4' 
#ec ,said the ,lover to the ,beloved3   
#8,i have never fled from ,thee1 nor    
ceased to love ,thee1 since ,i knew     
,thee1 for ,i was ever in ,thee1 by     
,thee  and with ,thee wheresoever ,i    

went4' ,the ,beloved answered3 #8,nor   
since  thou hast known ,me and loved ,me
 have ,i once forgotten thee2 never once
  have ,i deceived or failed thee4'     
#ed ,as though mad went the ,lover      
through a city1 singing of his love2    
and they asked him if he had lost his   
senses4 #8,my ,beloved1' he  answered1  
#8has taken my will1 and ,i myself have 
yielded up to ,him my  understanding2 so
 that there is left in me naught but    
memory1 with  which ,i remember my      
,beloved4'    #ee ,the ,beloved said3   
#8,it would be a miracle that the ,lover
 should sleep  and forget the love of   
the ,beloved4' ,the ,lover replied3     
#8,it would be  a greater miracle yet if
 the ,beloved did not awaken him1 since 
,he has  desired his love4'    #ef ,the 
heart of the ,lover soared to the       
heights of the ,beloved's  abode1 so    
that he might not lose his love for ,him
 in the deep places of  this world4 ,and
 when he reached his ,beloved he        
contemplated ,him with  joy and delight4

 ,but the ,beloved led him down again to
 this world to  make trial of him with  
tribulations and adversities4    #eg    
,they asked the ,lover3 #8,wherein is   
all thy wealth8' ,he answered3 #8,in    
the poverty which ,i bear for my        
,beloved4' #8,and where dost thou rest8'
  #8,in the afflictions of love4' #8,who
 is thy physician8' #8,the trust ,i     
have in my ,beloved4' #8,and who is thy 
master8' #8,the signs which in all      
creatures ,i see of my ,beloved4'    #eh
 ,the bird sang upon a branch in leaf   
and flower1 and the breeze  caused the  
leaves to tremble1 and bore away the    
scent of the flowers4  #8,what means the
 trembling of the leaves1 and the scent 
of the flowers8'  asked the bird of the 
,lover4 ,he answered3 #8,the trembling  
of the leaves  signifies obedience1 and 
the scent of the flowers1 adversity4'   
#ei ,the ,lover went in desire of his   
,beloved and met two friends1 who       
greeted each other lovingly1 with       
kisses1 embraces and tears4 ,and the    

,lover swooned1 so strongly did these   
two lovers call to his memory his       
,beloved4    #fj ,the ,lover thought on 
death1 and was afraid1 till he          
remembered his  ,beloved4 ,then in a    
loud voice he cried to those who were   
near3 #8,ah1  sirs6 have love1 that you 
may fear neither death nor danger1 in   
doing  honour to my ,beloved4'    #fa   
,they asked the ,lover where his love   
first began4 ,and he replied3 #8,it     
began in the glory of my ,beloved2 and  
from that beginning ,i was led to  love 
my neighbour even as myself1 and to     
cease to care for deception  and        
falsehood4'    #fb #8,say1 ,fool of     
,love1 if thy ,beloved no longer cared  
for thee1 what  wouldst thou do8' #8,i  
should love ,him still1' he replied4    
#8,else must ,i  die2 seeing that to    
cease to love is death and love is      
life4'    #fc ,they asked the ,lover    
what he meant by perseverance4 #8,it is 
both  happiness and sorrow1' he         
answered1 #8in the ,lover who ever      

loves1  honours and serves his ,beloved 
with courage1 patience and hope4'    #fd
 ,the ,lover desired his ,beloved to    
recompense him for the time of his      
service4 ,and the ,beloved reckoned the 
thoughts1 tears1 longings1 perils  and  
trials which ,his ,lover had borne for  
love of ,him2 and the ,beloved  added to
 the account eternal bliss1 and gave    
,himself for a recompense  to ,his      
,lover4    #fe ,they asked the ,lover   
what he meant by happiness4 #8,it is    
sorrow1' he  replied1 #8borne for       
,love's sake4' #8,o ,fool1' they        
answered1 #8what1 then1  is sorrow8'    
#8,it is the remembrance of dishonour   
done to my ,beloved1 who  is worthy of  
all honour4' ,and they asked him again3 
#8,what is misery8'  #8,to get one's    
desires in this world1' he replied1     
#8for such fleeting  joys are followed  
by perpetual torment4'    #ff ,the      
,lover was gazing on a ,place where he  
had seen his ,beloved4 ,and  he said3   
#8,ah1 place that recalled the blessed  

haunts of my ,beloved6  ,thou wilt tell 
my ,beloved that ,i suffer trials and   
griefs for ,his  sake4' ,and that ,place
 made reply3 #8,when thy ,beloved hung  
upon me1 ,he  bore for thy love greater 
trials and sorrows than all other trials
 and  sorrows that ,love could give to  
its servants4'    #fg ,said the ,lover  
to his ,beloved3 #8,thou art all1 and   
through all1 and  in all1 and with all4 
,i would give ,thee all of myself that  
,i may have  all of ,thee1 and ,thou all
 of me4' ,the ,beloved answered3 #8,thou
 canst not  have ,me wholly unless thou 
art wholly ,mine4' ,and the ,lover said3
 #8,let  me be wholly ,thine and be     
,thou wholly mine4' ,the ,beloved       
answered3 #8,if  ,i am wholly thine1    
what part in ,me will thy son have1 thy 
brother1 thy  sister and thy father8'   
,the ,lover replied3 #8,thou1 ,o my     
,beloved6 art so  great a ,whole1 that  
,thou canst abound1 and yet be wholly of
 each one  who gives himself wholly to  
,thee4'    #fh ,the ,lover thought long 

and deeply on the greatness and         
everlastingness of his ,beloved1 and he 
found in ,him neither beginning1  nor   
mean1 nor end4 ,and the ,beloved said3  
#8,what art thou measuring1  ,o ,fool8' 
,the ,lover answered3 #8,i am measuring 
greater with lesser1  fullness with     
want1 infinity with quantity1 and       
eternity with time4 ,and  this ,i do    
that humility and patience1 faith1 love 
and hope may enter  more deeply into my 
mind4'    #fi ,the paths of love are    
both long and short4 ,for love is clear1
  pure and bright1 subtle yet simple1   
strong1 diligent1 brilliant1 and        
abounding both in fresh thoughts and in 
old memories4    #gj ,they asked the    
,lover3 #8,what are the fruits of love8'
 ,and the ,lover  made answer3 #8,they  
are pleasures1 thoughts1 desires1       
trials1 perils1  torments1 sighs and    
griefs4 ,and without these fruits       
,love's servants  have no part in her4' 
#ga ,many persons were with the ,lover1 
who was complaining of his ,beloved     

that ,he increased not his love1 and of 
,love1 that it gave him so many  trials 
and sorrows4 ,the ,beloved made reply   
that the trials and sorrows  for which  
he reproached ,love were that very      
increase of love4    #gb ,the ,lover    
entered a delightful meadow1 and saw in 
the meadow many  children who were      
pursuing butterflies1 and trampling down
 the flowers2  and1 the more the        
children laboured to catch the          
butterflies1 the  higher did these fly4 
,and the ,lover1 as he watched them1    
said3 #8,such  are they who with subtle 
reasoning attempt to comprehend the     
,beloved1  ,who opens the doors to the  
simple and closes them to the subtle4   
,and  ,faith reveals the secrets of the 
,beloved through the casement of love4' 
#gc #8,say1 ,fool of ,love1 why dost    
thou not speak1 and what is this for    
which thou art thoughtful and           
perplexed8' ,the ,lover answered3 #8,i  
am  thinking of the beauties of my      
,beloved1 and the likeness between the  

bliss and the sorrow which are brought  
me by the gifts of ,love4'    #gd       
#8,say1 ,fool1 which was in being first1
 thy heart or thy love8' ,he  answered  
and said3 #8,both came into being       
together2 for were it not so1  the heart
 had not been made for love1 nor love   
for reflection4'    #ge ,they asked the 
,fool3 #8,where did thy love have its   
birth3 in the  secrets of the ,beloved1 
or in the revelation of them8' ,he      
replied3  #8,love in its fullness makes 
no such distinction as this2 for        
secretly  the ,lover hides the secrets  
of his ,beloved2 secretly also he       
reveals  them1 and yet when they are    
revealed he keeps them secret still4'   
#gf ,the secrets of love1 unrevealed1   
cause anguish and grief2 revelation  of 
love brings fervour and fear4 ,and for  
this cause the ,lover must ever  be     
suffering4    #gg ,love called his      
lovers1 and bade them ask of him the    
most desirable  and pleasing gifts4 ,and
 they asked of ,love that he would      

clothe and  adorn them after his own    
manner1 that they might be more         
acceptable to  the ,beloved4    #gh ,the
 ,lover cried aloud to all men1 and     
said3 #8,love bids you ever  love3 in   
walking and sitting1 in sleeping and    
waking1 in buying and  selling1 in      
weeping and laughing1 in speech and in  
silence1 in gain  and in loss--in short1
 in whatsoever you do1 for this is      
,love's  commandment4'    #gi #8,say1   
,fool1 when did ,love first come to     
thee8' #8,in that time1' he  replied1   
#8when my heart was filled and enriched 
with thoughts and  desires1 sighs and   
griefs1 and my eyes with tears4' #8,and 
what did ,love  bring thee8' #8,the     
wondrous ways of my ,beloved1 ,his      
honours and ,his  exceeding worth4'     
#8,how did these things come8'          
#8,through my memory and                
understanding4' #8,how didst thou       
receive them8' #8,with love and hope4'  
#8,how dost thou keep them8' #8,with    
justice and prudence1 temperance and    

courage4'    #hj ,the ,beloved sang1 and
 said3 #8,little the ,lover knows of    
love1 if he  is ashamed to praise his   
,beloved1 or if he fears to do ,him     
honour in  that place where ,he is most 
dishonoured2 and little has he learned  
to  love who is impatient of            
tribulations2 and he who loses trust in 
his  ,beloved loses also his love and   
hope4'    #ha ,the ,lover wrote to his  
,beloved1 and asked ,him if there were  
others  who could help him to suffer and
 bear the grievous trials which he      
endured for love of ,him4 ,and the      
,beloved replied to the ,lover3 #8,there
  is nought in ,me that can forsake nor 
fail thee4'    #hb ,they asked the      
,beloved concerning the love of ,his    
,lover4 ,he  answered3 #8,it is a       
mingling of joy and sorrow1 of fervency 
and fear4'  ,they asked the ,lover      
concerning the love of his ,beloved4    
,and he  answered3 #8,it is the         
inflowing of infinite goodness1 eternal 
life1  power1 wisdom1 charity and       

perfection4 ,this is that which flows to
 the  ,lover from the ,beloved4'    #hc 
#8,say1 ,o ,fool1 what meanest thou by a
 marvel8' ,he replied3 #8,it is a       
marvel to love things absent more than  
things present2 and no less to  love    
things seen and things corruptible more 
than things unseen and  incorruptible4' 
#hd ,the ,lover went to seek his        
,beloved1 and he found a man who was    
dying without love4 ,and he said3 #8,how
 great a sadness is it that any  man    
should die without love6' ,so the ,lover
 said to him that was dying3  #8,say1   
why dost thou die without love8' ,and he
 replied3 #8,because ,i lived  without  
love4'    #he ,the ,lover asked his     
,beloved3 #8,which is the               
greater--loving1 or love  itself8' ,the 
,beloved answered3 #8,in this mortal    
life1 love is the tree1  the fruit of   
which is loving2 the flowers and the    
leaves are trials and  griefs4 ,and in  
,god1 love and loving are one and the   
same thing1 without  either griefs or   

trials4'    #hf ,the ,lover was         
sorrowful1 and wearied with overmuch    
thought4 ,and  therefore he begged his  
,beloved to send him a book1 in which he
 might  see ,him in ,his virtues1 that  
his sorrow might thereby be relieved4   
,so  the ,beloved sent that book to the 
,lover1 and his trials and griefs were  
doubled4    #hg ,sick with love was the 
,lover1 and a physician came in to see  
him who  doubled his sorrows and his    
thoughts4 ,and in that same hour the    
,lover  was healed4    #hh ,love went   
apart with the ,lover1 and they had     
great joy of the  ,beloved as they      
communed of ,him4 ,the ,lover wept1 and 
afterwards was in  rapture1 and ,love   
swooned thereat4 ,but the ,beloved      
brought life to ,his  ,lover by         
revealing to him ,his ,countenance4     
#hi ,the ,lover said to the ,beloved3   
#8,by many ways dost ,thou come to my   
heart1 and revealest ,thyself to my     
sight4 ,and by many names do ,i name    
,thee4 ,but the love by which ,thou     

sustainest me and humblest me is one1   
and one alone4'    #ij ,the ,beloved    
revealed ,himself to ,his ,lover1       
clothed in new and  scarlet robes4 ,he  
stretched out ,his ,arms to embrace him2
 ,he inclined  ,his ,head to kiss him2  
and ,he remained on high that he might  
ever seek  ,him4    #ia ,the ,beloved   
was absent from ,his ,lover1 and the    
,lover sought his  ,beloved with his    
memory and understanding1 that he might 
worthily love  ,him4 ,the ,lover found  
his ,beloved1 and asked ,him whither ,he
 had been4  #8,far from thy memory1'    
answered the ,beloved1 #8and in a place 
which thy  understanding knew not4'     
#ib #8,say1 ,o ,fool1 hast thou shame   
when men see thee weep for thy          
,beloved8' #8,shame apart from sin1'    
answered the ,lover1 #8signifies want   
of love in one who knows not how to     
love4'    #ic ,the ,beloved planted in  
the heart of the ,lover sighs and       
longings1  virtue and love4 ,the ,lover 
watered the seed with his tears4 ,in the

  body of the ,lover the ,beloved       
planted trials1 tribulations and griefs4
  ,and the ,lover tended his body with  
hope and devotion1 consolation and      
patience4    #id ,the ,beloved made a   
great feast1 gathered an assembly of    
many noble  knights1 sent many          
invitations and gave great gifts4 ,to   
this assembly  came the ,lover1 and the 
,beloved said to him3 #8,who called thee
 to come  to this assembly8' ,the ,lover
 answered3 #8,need and love compelled me
 to  come1 that ,i might behold ,thy    
face1 ,thy wonders1 ,thy adornments and 
,thy  glory4'    #ie ,they asked the    
,lover3 #8,whence art thou8' ,he        
answered3 #8,from love4'  #8,to whom    
dost thou belong8' #8,i belong to love4'
 #8,who gave thee birth8'  #8,love4'    
#8,where wast thou born8' #8,in love4'  
#8,who brought thee up8'  #8,love4'     
#8,how dost thou live8' #8,by love4'    
#8,what is thy name8' #8,love4'         
#8,whence comest thou8' #8,from love4'  
#8,whither goest thou8' #8,to love4'    

#8,where dwelled thou8' #8,in love4'    
#8,hast thou aught but love8' #8,yea1'  
he answered1 #8,i have faults2 and ,i   
have sins against my ,beloved4' #8,is   
there pardon in thy ,beloved8' #8,yea1' 
answered the ,lover1 #8in my ,beloved   
there is justice and mercy1 and         
therefore am ,i lodged between fear and 
hope2 for mercy causes me to hope and   
justice to fear4'    #if ,the ,beloved  
left the ,lover1 and the ,lover sought  
,him in his  thoughts1 and inquired for 
,him of men in the language of love4    
,the  ,lover found his ,beloved1 who was
 despised among the people1 and he told 
the ,beloved what great wrong was done  
to ,his ,name4 ,the ,beloved answered   
him1 and said3 #8,lo1 ,i suffer these   
wrongs for want of fervent and  devoted 
lovers4' ,the ,lover wept1 and his      
sorrow was increased1 but the  ,beloved 
comforted him1 by revealing to him ,his 
,presence4    #ig ,the light of the     
,beloved's abode came to illumine the   
,lover's  dwelling1 which was full of   

darkness1 and to fill it with joy1 with 
grief and with thoughts4 ,and the ,lover
 cast out all things from his  dwelling1
 that the ,beloved might be lodged      
there4    #ih ,they asked the ,lover    
what sign the ,beloved bore upon ,his   
banner4  ,he replied3 #8,the sign of    
,one dead4' ,they asked him why ,he bore
 such a  sign4 ,he answered3 #8,because 
,he was once crucified1 and was dead1   
and  because those who glory in being   
,his lovers must follow ,his steps4'    
#ii ,the ,beloved came to lodge in the  
dwelling of ,his ,lover1 and the        
steward demanded of ,him the reckoning4 
,but the ,lover said3 #8,my ,beloved  is
 to be lodged freely1--yea1 with a      
gift1--for long ago ,he paid the  price 
of all men4'    #ajj ,memory and ,will  
met together1 and climbed into the      
mountain of the  ,beloved1 that         
understanding might be exalted and love 
for the ,beloved  might be increased4   
#aja ,every day sighs and tears are     
messengers between the ,lover and the   

,beloved1 that between them there may be
 solace and companionship1 love  and    
goodwill4    #ajb ,the ,lover desired   
his ,beloved1 and sent to ,him his      
thoughts1 that  they might bring him    
back from his ,beloved the joys which   
for so long  had been his4    #ajc ,the 
,beloved gave to ,his ,lover the gift of
 tears1 sighs1 thoughts1  weariness and 
grief1 with which gift the ,lover served
 his ,beloved4    #ajd ,the ,lover      
begged his ,beloved to give him riches1 
peace and honour  in this world2 and the
 ,beloved revealed ,his ,countenance to 
the memory  and understanding of the    
,lover1 and gave ,himself as the        
,supreme ,aim to  his will4    #aje     
,they asked the ,lover3 #8,in what      
consists honour8' ,he answered3 #8,in   
comprehending and loving my ,beloved4'  
,and they asked him also3 #8,in  what   
consists dishonour8' ,he answered3 #8,in
 forgetting and ceasing to  love ,him4' 
#ajf #8,o my ,beloved1 ,i was tormented 
by love1 until ,i cried that ,thou  wast

 present in my torments2 and then did   
love ease my griefs1 and  ,thou as a    
guerdon didst increase my love1 even as 
,thou didst double my  torment4'    #ajg
 ,in the path of love the ,lover found  
another who was silent1 and who  with   
tears1 grief1 and a sad countenance made
 accusation and reproach  against ,love4
 ,and ,love made excuse1 saying that he 
had given him noble  gifts3 loyalty1    
hope1 patience1 devotion1 courage1      
temperance and  happiness2 and he blamed
 the ,lover who cried out upon ,love1   
for that he  had given him such gifts as
 these4    #ajh ,the ,lover sang and    
said3 #8,ah1 what great affliction is   
love6 ,ah1  what great happiness it is  
to love my ,beloved1 who loves ,his     
lovers  with infinite and eternal love1 
perfect and complete in everything6'    
#aji ,the ,lover went into a far country
 seeking his ,beloved1 and in  the way  
he met two lions4 ,the ,lover was       
afraid1 even to death1 for  he desired  
to live and serve his ,beloved4 ,so he  

sent ,memory to his  ,beloved1 that     
,love might be present at his passing1  
for with ,love  he could better endure  
death4 ,and while the ,lover thought    
upon his  ,beloved1 the two lions came  
humbly to the ,lover1 licked the tears  
from  his eyes1 and caressed his hands  
and feet4 ,so the ,lover went on his way
  in search of his ,beloved4    #aaj    
,the ,lover journeyed over hill and     
dale1 but he could find no way of       
escape from the imprisonment in which   
,love had for so long enthralled  his   
body and his thoughts and all his       
desires and joys4 ,while the ,lover     
went labouring thus1 he found a hermit  
who was sleeping near to a fair  spring4
 ,the ,lover wakened the hermit1 and    
asked him if in his dreams he  had seen 
the ,beloved4 ,the hermit replied that  
his own thoughts also1  whether he was  
sleeping or waking1 were imprisoned by  
,love4 ,and the  ,lover joyed greatly at
 finding a fellow-prisoner2 so they both
 wept1  for the ,beloved has few such   

lovers as these4    #aaa ,there is      
naught in the ,beloved which is not care
 and sorrow for the  ,lover1 nor has the
 ,lover aught in himself in which the   
,beloved joys not  and has no part4 ,and
 therefore is the love of the ,beloved  
ever active1  while that of the ,lover  
is grief and suffering4    #aab ,a bird 
was singing upon a branch3 #8,i will    
give a fresh thought to  the lover who  
will give me two4' ,the bird gave that  
fresh thought to  the ,lover1 and the   
,lover gave two to the bird1 that its   
grief might be  assuaged2 and the ,lover
 felt his griefs increased4    #aac ,the
 ,lover and the ,beloved met together1  
and their caresses and  embraces1 their 
weeping and crying1 bore witness to     
their meeting4 ,then  the ,beloved asked
 the ,lover concerning his state1 and   
the ,lover was  speechless before his   
,beloved4    #aad ,the ,lover and the   
,beloved strove1 and their love made    
peace between  them4 ,which of them1    
think you1 bore the stronger love toward

 the other8    #aae ,the ,lover loved   
all who feared his ,beloved1 and he     
feared all who  feared ,him not4 ,and   
there arose this doubt3 ,had the ,lover 
more of love  or of fear8    #aaf ,the  
,lover thought to follow his ,beloved1  
and he passed along a  road where there 
was a fierce lion which killed all who  
passed by it  carelessly and without    
devotion4 ,then the ,lover said3 #8,he  
who fears not  my ,beloved must fear    
everything1 and he who fears ,him may be
 bold and  fervent in all things        
beside4'    #aag ,they asked the ,lover3
 #8,what meanest thou by occasion of    
love8'  ,he answered3 #8,it is to have  
pleasure in penance1 understanding in   
knowledge1 hope in patience1 health in  
abstinence1 consolation in  remembrance1
 love in diligence1 loyalty in          
destitution1 riches in  poverty1 peace  
in obedience1 strife in malevolence4'   
#aah ,love shone through the cloud which
 came between the ,lover and the        
,beloved1 and made it as bright and     

resplendent as is the moon by night1  as
 the day-star at dawn1 the sun at       
midday1 the understanding in the  will2 
and through that bright cloud the ,lover
 and the ,beloved held  converse4       
#aai ,they asked the ,lover3 #8,what is 
the greatest darkness8' ,he replied3    
#8,the absence of my ,beloved4' #8,and  
what is the greatest light8' #8,the     
presence of my ,beloved4'    #abj ,the  
marks of the ,beloved are seen in the   
,lover1 who for love's sake  is in      
thought and grief1 sighs and tears1 and 
contempt of the people4    #aba ,the    
,lover wrote these words3 #8,my ,beloved
 delighteth because ,i raise  my        
thoughts to ,him1 and my eyes are in    
grief and tears1 and ,i neither  live   
nor feel1 nor taste nor see nor hear4'  
#abb ,ah1 understanding and will1 cry   
out and awaken the watchdogs who  sleep1
 forgetting my ,beloved4 ,weep1 ,o eyes6
 ,sigh1 ,o heart6 ,and1  memory1 forget 
not the dishonour which is done to my   
,beloved by those  whom ,he has so      

greatly honoured4    #abc ,the enmity of
 men to my ,beloved increases4 ,yet my  
,beloved promises  gifts and rewards1   
and threatens with justice and wisdom4  
,and memory  and will despise both ,his 
threats and ,his promises4    #abd ,the 
,beloved drew near to the ,lover1 to    
comfort and console him for  the grief  
which he suffered and the tears which he
 shed4 ,and the nearer  was the ,lover  
to the ,beloved1 the more he grieved and
 wept1 crying out  upon the dishonour   
which his ,beloved endured4    #abe     
,with the pen of love1 with the water of
 his tears1 and on paper of  suffering1 
the ,lover wrote letters to his         
,beloved4 ,and in these he told  how    
devotion tarried1 how love was dying1   
and how falsehood and error  were       
increasing the number of ,his enemies4  
#abf ,the ,lover and the ,beloved were  
bound in love with the bonds of  memory1
 understanding1 and will1 that they     
might never be parted2 and  the cord    
with which these two loves were bound   

was woven of thoughts  and griefs1 sighs
 and tears4    #abg ,the ,lover lay in  
the bed of love3 his sheets were of joy1
 his  coverlet was of griefs1 his pillow
 of tears4 ,and none knew if the  fabric
 of the pillow was that of the sheets or
 of the coverlet4    #abh ,the ,beloved 
clothed ,his ,lover in vest1 coat and   
mantle1 and gave  him a helmet of love4 
,his body ,he clothed with thoughts1 his
 feet with  tribulations1 and his head  
with a garland of tears4    #abi ,the   
,beloved adjured ,his ,lover not to     
forget ,him4 ,the ,lover replied  that  
he could not forget ,him because he     
could not do otherwise than  know ,him4 
#acj ,the ,beloved said to ,his ,lover3 
#8,thou shalt praise and defend ,me  in 
places where men fear to praise ,me4'   
,the ,lover answered3 #8,provide  me    
then with love4' ,the ,beloved answered3
 #8,for love of thee ,i became          
incarnate1 and endured the pains of     
death4'    #aca ,the ,lover said to his 
,wellbeloved3 #8,teach me how to make   

,thee known  and loved and praised among
 men4' ,the ,beloved filled ,his ,lover 
with  devotion1 patience1 charity1      
tribulations1 thoughts1 sighs and tears4
  ,and boldness to praise the ,beloved  
entered the ,lover's heart2 and in  his 
mouth were praises of his ,beloved2 and 
in his will was contempt of  the        
murmurings of men who judge falsely4    
#acb ,the ,lover said to the people3    
#8,he who truly remembers my ,beloved1  
in remembering ,him forgets all things  
around2 and he who forgets all  things  
in remembering my ,beloved1 is defended 
by ,him from all harm1 and  receives a  
part in all ,his blessings4'    #acc    
,they asked the ,lover3 #8,whereof is   
,love born1 whereon does it live1  and  
wherefore does it die8' ,the ,lover     
answered3 #8,love is born of            
remembrance1 it lives on understanding1 
it dies through forgetfulness4'    #acd 
,the ,lover forgot all that was beneath 
the high heavens that his  understanding
 might soar the higher towards a        

knowledge of the ,beloved1  whom his    
will desired to comprehend1 to          
contemplate1 praise and preach4    #ace 
,the ,lover went to the wars for the    
honour of his ,beloved1 and took  with  
him faith1 hope and charity1 justice1   
prudence1 strength and  temperance with 
which to vanquish his ,beloved's        
enemies4 ,and the ,lover  would have    
been vanquished if the ,beloved had not 
helped him to make  known ,his          
greatness4    #acf ,the ,lover desired  
to attain to the farthest goal of his   
love for  the ,beloved2 and other       
objects blocked his path4 ,for this     
cause his  longing desires and thoughts 
gave the ,lover sorrow and grief4       
#acg ,the ,lover was glad1 and rejoiced 
in the greatness of his ,beloved4  ,but 
afterwards the ,lover was sad because of
 overmuch thought and  reflection4 ,and 
he knew not which he felt the more      
deeply--the joys or  the sorrows4       
#ach ,the ,lover was sent by his        
,beloved to ,christian princes and to   

unbelievers1 to teach them by his ,art#e
 and his ,elements#e to  know and love  
his ,beloved4    #aci ,if thou seest a  
lover clothed in fine raiment1 prizing  
vainglory1  sated with food and sleep1  
know that in that man thou seest        
damnation  and torment4 ,and if thou    
seest a lover poorly clothed1 despised  
by the  world1 pale and thin with fast  
and vigil1 know that in that man thou   
lookest upon salvation and everlasting  
weal4    #adj ,the ,lover made complaint
 to his ,beloved of the heat of the fire
  which raged in his breast4 ,the ,lover
 was like to die1 and the ,beloved      
wept1 and gave him the comfort of       
patience and the sure hope of reward4   
#ada ,the ,lover wept for all that he   
had lost2 and none could comfort  him1  
for his losses could not be regained4   
#adb ,god created the night that men    
might keep vigil1 and meditate upon  the
 glories of the ,beloved3 there was a   
time when the ,lover thought  that it   
was created for the rest and sleep of   

those who were wearied  with loving4    
#adc ,men reproached and reproved the   
,lover1 because he went about as  a fool
 for love's sake4 ,and the ,lover       
despised their reproaches1 and  himself 
reproved them1 because they loved not   
his ,beloved4    #add ,the ,lover said3 
#8,i am clothed in vile raiment2 but    
love clothes  my heart with thoughts of 
delight1 and my body with tears1 griefs 
and  sufferings4'    #ade ,the ,beloved 
sang1 and said3 #8,i taught those who   
praise ,me to sing  ,my praises aright1 
and the enemies of ,my honour have      
tormented and  despised them4 ,therefore
 have ,i sent my ,lover that he may weep
 and  lament the dishonour which ,i have
 suffered1 and his laments and tears    
are the fruit of ,my love4'    #adf ,the
 ,lover made oath to the ,beloved that  
for love of ,him he endured  and loved  
trials and sufferings1 and he begged the
 ,beloved that ,he  would think upon his
 trials and sufferings4 ,the ,beloved   
made oath that  it was the nature and   

property of ,his love to love all those 
that loved  ,him1 and to have pity on   
those who endured trials for love of    
,him4 ,the  ,lover was glad1 and        
rejoiced in the nature and property of  
his ,beloved4    #adg ,the ,beloved     
silenced ,his ,lover1 and the ,lover    
took comfort in  gazing upon his        
,beloved4    #adh ,the ,lover wept and  
called upon his ,beloved1 until the     
,beloved came  down from the heights of 
,heaven2 and ,he came to earth to weep  
and  suffer and die for the sake of     
love1 and to teach men to know and love 
and praise ,his ,name4    #adi ,the     
,lover reproached ,christian people1    
because in their letters  they put not  
first the name of his ,beloved1 ,jesus  
,christ1 to do ,him the  same honour    
that the ,saracens do to the false      
prophet ,mahomet1 when  they honour him 
by naming him before everything in their
 letters4    #aej ,the ,lover met a     
,squire1 pale1 thin1 and poorly clothed1
 who was  walking along in pensive      

fashion2 and he saluted the ,lover and  
said3  #8,now ,god guide thee1 that thou
 mayest find thy ,beloved6' ,and the    
,lover  asked him how he had recognised 
him2 and the ,squire said3 #8,some of   
,love's secrets reveal others1 and      
therefore between lovers there is       
recognition4'    #aea ,the glory1 honour
 and goodness of the ,beloved are the   
riches and  treasure of the ,lover4 ,and
 the ,beloved's treasure is the store of
  thoughts1 desires1 torments1 tears and
 griefs with which the ,lover ever      
loves and honours his ,beloved4    #aeb 
,a great and goodly company of tried    
lovers have gathered together2  they    
bear the banner of love1 on which is the
 form and figure of their  ,beloved4    
,and they will have with them none who  
has not love1 lest their  ,beloved      
should be dishonoured4    #aec ,they who
 show their folly by heaping up riches  
move the ,lover to  be a fool for love2 
and the shame which the ,lover feels at 
going as a  fool among men makes him to 

be esteemed and loved4 ,which of the two
  emotions1 think you1 is the greater   
occasion of love8    #aed ,love made the
 ,lover to be sad through excess of     
thought2 the  ,beloved sang1 and the    
,lover rejoiced to hear ,him4 ,which of 
these two  causes1 think you1 increased 
more the ,lover's love8    #aee ,in the 
secrets of the ,lover are revealed the  
secrets of the  ,beloved1 and in the    
secrets of the ,beloved are revealed the
 secrets of  the ,lover4 ,which of these
 two secrets1 think you1 is the greater 
cause  of revelation8    #aef ,they     
asked the ,fool by what signs his       
,beloved might be known4 ,he  answered3 
#8,by mercy and pity1 which are         
essentially in ,his ,will1  without     
mutation or change4'    #aeg ,such was  
the love which the ,lover had to his    
,beloved1 that he  desired the good of  
all above the good of each1 and for his 
,beloved to  be everywhere known and    
praised1 and desired of all the world4  
#aeh ,love and ,indifference met in a   

garden1 where the ,lover and the        
,beloved were talking in secret4 ,and   
,love asked ,indifference why he had    
come to that place4 #8,that the ,lover  
may cease to love1' he replied1  #8and  
the ,beloved to be honoured4' ,the words
 of ,indifference were  greatly         
displeasing to the ,beloved and the     
,lover1 and their love was  increased1  
that ,indifference might be vanquished  
and destroyed thereby4    #aei #8,say1  
,o ,fool1 in which dost thou take the   
greater pleasure--in  loving or in      
hating8' #8,in loving1' he replied1     
#8for ,i have only hated  that ,i may   
the better love4'    #afj #8,say1 ,o    
,lover1 which dost thou strive to       
understand the  better--falsehood or    
truth8' ,he answered3 #8,truth4' #8,and 
why so8'  #8,because ,i understand      
falsehood that ,i may the better        
understand  truth4'    #afa ,the ,lover 
perceived that he was loved by his      
,beloved1 and he  inquired of ,him if   
,his love and ,his mercy were one and   

the same thing4  ,the ,beloved affirmed 
that in ,his essence there was no       
distinction  between ,his love and ,his 
mercy4 ,therefore said the ,lover3      
#8,why1 then1  does ,thy love torment   
me1 and why does not ,thy mercy heal me 
of my  griefs8'    #afb ,the ,lover     
desired to go into a far country to do  
honour to his  ,beloved1 and he wished  
to disguise himself that he might not be
 taken  captive on the way2 but he could
 not hide the tears in his eyes1 nor    
his pale and drawn face1 nor the        
thoughts1 complaints and sighs1 the     
sorrow and grief of his heart4 ,and so  
he was taken captive on the  journey and
 delivered to the tormentors by the     
enemies of his ,beloved4    #afc        
,imprisoned was the ,lover in the prison
 of ,love4 ,thoughts1 desires  and      
memories held and enchained him lest he 
might flee from his  ,beloved4 ,griefs  
tormented him2 patience and hope        
consoled him4 ,and the  ,lover was      
dying1 but the ,beloved revealed to him 

,his ,presence1 and the  ,lover revived4
    #afd ,the ,lover met his ,beloved1  
and he knew ,him and wept4 ,the ,beloved
  reproved him1 because he wept not     
until he knew ,him4 #8,how didst thou   
know ,me1' ,he asked1 #8since thine eyes
 were not already wet with  tears8' ,and
 the ,lover answered3 #8,by memory1     
understanding and will1  through which1 
as soon as the eyes of my body saw      
,thee1 my love was  increased4'    #afe 
#8,what meanest thou by love8' said the 
,beloved4 ,and the ,lover  answered3    
#8,it is to bear on one's heart the     
sacred marks and the sweet  words of the
 ,beloved4 ,it is to long for ,him with 
desire and with tears4  ,it is boldness4
 ,it is fervour4 ,it is fear4 ,it is the
 desire for the  ,beloved above all     
things4 ,it is that which causes the    
,lover to grow  faint when he hears the 
,beloved's praises4 ,it is that in which
 ,i die  daily1 and in which is all my  
will4'    #aff ,devotion and ,absent    
,longing sent thoughts as messengers to 

the  ,lover's heart1 to bring tears to  
his eyes1 which for long had wept but   
now would weep no more4    #afg ,said   
the ,lover3 #8,o ye that love1 if ye    
will have fire1 come light  your        
lanterns at my heart2 if water1 come to 
my eyes1 whence flow  the tears in      
streams2 if thoughts of love1 come      
gather them from my  meditations4'      
#afh ,it happened one day that the      
,lover was meditating on the great  love
 which he had for his ,beloved1 and the 
great trials and perils  into which this
 love for so long had led him1 and he   
fell to  considering his reward1 which1 
he said1 would surely be great4 ,and as 
he thus discoursed with himself1 it came
 to him that his ,beloved had           
recompensed him already1 for had he not 
been inspired with a love for  ,his     
,presence1--with that very love through 
which his sufferings had  come8    #afi 
,the ,lover was wiping away the tears   
which for ,love's sake he had  shed1    
that none should see the sufferings     

which the ,beloved sent him4  ,but the  
,beloved said3 #8,why wouldst thou hide 
from others these marks of  thy love8   
,behold1 ,i have given them to thee that
 others may love and  honour ,me also4' 
#agj #8,say1 ,o thou that goest as a    
fool for love's sake1 how long wilt     
thou be a slave1 and forced to weep and 
suffer trials and griefs8' ,he          
answered3 #8,till my ,beloved shall     
separate body and soul in me4'    #aga  
#8,say1 ,o ,fool1 hast thou riches8' ,he
 answered3 #8,i have my ,beloved4'      
#8,hast thou villas1 castles or cities1 
provinces or kingdoms8' ,he  answered3  
#8,i have thoughts of love1 tears1      
desires1 trials1 griefs1  which are     
better than kingdoms or empires4'       
#agb ,they asked the ,lover3 #8,how     
knowest thou the justice of thy         
,beloved's decrees8' ,he answered3 #8,in
 that ,he allots to his lovers an       
equality of joys and of griefs4'    #agc
 #8,say1 ,o ,fool1 which of these knows 
the more of love--he that has  joys or  

he that has trials and griefs8' ,he     
answered3 #8,there can be no  knowledge 
of love without both the one and the    
other4'    #agd ,they asked the ,lover3 
#8,why wilt thou not defend thyself from
 the  falsehoods1 errors and crimes of  
which thou art accused8' ,he answered   
and said3 #8,i have to defend my        
,beloved1 whom men falsely accuse2 man  
may indeed be full of deceit and error1 
and is scarce worthy to be  defended4'  
#age #8,say1 ,o ,fool1 why defended thou
 ,love when it thus tries and  torments 
thy body and thy soul8' ,he answered3   
#8,because it increases my  worth and my
 happiness4'    #agf ,the ,lover grieved
 and cried out on his ,beloved1 because 
,he caused  ,love to torment him so     
grievously4 ,and the ,beloved made reply
 by  increasing his trials and perils1  
thoughts and tears4    #agg #8,say1 ,o  
,fool1 why dost thou excuse the guilty8'
 ,he answered3 #8,that  ,i may not be   
like those who accuse the innocent with 
the guilty4'    #agh ,the ,beloved      

raised the understanding of the ,lover  
that he might  comprehend ,his          
greatness1 and incline his memory to    
recall his own  shortcomings1 so that   
his will might hate them1 and aspire to 
a love of  the ,beloved and ,his        
perfection4    #agi ,the ,lover sang of 
his ,beloved and said3 #8,so great is my
 will to  love ,thee1 that all ,i hated 
once is now1 through love of ,thee1 a   
greater happiness and joy to me than    
what ,i once loved before ever ,i  loved
 ,thee4'    #ahj ,the ,lover went       
through a city1 and asked if there were 
none with  whom he might speak of his   
,beloved as he wished4 ,and they showed 
him a  poor man who was weeping for     
love1 and who sought a companion with   
whom  to speak of love4    #aha         
,thoughtful and perplexed was the       
,lover1 as he wondered how his  trials  
could have their source in the glory of 
his ,beloved1 who has  such great       
felicity in ,himself4 ,and then he      
thought of the sun1 which1  though it is

 so high1 strikes the weak eyes of us   
men that are here  below4    #ahb ,the  
thoughts of the ,lover were between     
forgetfulness of his  torments and      
remembrance of his joys2 for the joys of
 love drive the  memory of sorrow away1 
and the tortures of love recall the     
happiness  which it brings4    #ahc     
,they asked the ,lover3 #8,will thy     
,beloved ever take away thy love8'  ,and
 he answered3 #8,no1 not while memory   
has power to remember1 nor              
understanding to comprehend the         
,beloved's glory4'    #ahd #8,say1 ,o   
,fool1 what is the greatest comparison  
and similitude of all  that can be      
made8' ,he answered3 #8,that between    
,lover and ,beloved4' ,they  asked him3 
#8,for what reason8' ,he replied3 #8,for
 the greatness of their  love4'    #ahe 
,they asked the ,beloved3 #8,hast ,thou 
never had pity8' ,he answered3  #8,if ,i
 had not had pity1 my ,lover had never  
learned to love ,me1 nor had  ,i        
tormented him with sighs and tears1 with

 trials and with griefs4'    #ahf ,the  
,lover was in a vast forest1 seeking his
 ,beloved4 ,he found there  ,truth and  
,falsehood1 who were disputing of his   
,beloved1 for ,truth  praised ,him and  
,falsehood accused ,him4 ,and the ,lover
 cried out to ,love  that he would come 
to the aid of ,truth4    #ahg ,there    
came the temptation to the ,lover to    
leave his ,beloved1 that  memory might  
awaken and find the ,beloved's ,presence
 once more2 that  his love should       
thereby become deeper1 that the         
understanding should  comprehend ,him   
more sublimely1 and the will love ,him  
more truly4    #ahh ,for one day the    
,lover ceased to remember his ,beloved1 
and on the  next day he remembered that 
he had forgotten ,him4 ,on the day when 
it  came to the ,lover that he had      
forgotten his ,beloved1 he was in sorrow
  and pain1 and yet in glory and        
bliss1--the one for having forgotten    
,him1 and the other for the joy of the  
remembrance4    #ahi ,so earnestly did  

the ,lover desire that his ,beloved     
should be  honoured and praised1 that he
 doubted if he honoured ,him enough2 and
  so strongly did he abhor the dishonour
 paid to his ,beloved1 that he  doubted 
if he abhorred it enough4 ,and for this 
cause the ,lover was  thoughtful1 and   
wavered between love and fear4    #aij  
,the ,lover was like to die of joy1 and 
he lived by grief4 ,and his  joys and   
torments were mingled and united1 and   
became one and the same  thing in the   
,lover's will4 ,and for this cause the  
,lover seemed to be  living and dying at
 one and the same time4    #aia ,for one
 hour only the ,lover would fain have   
forgotten his ,beloved1  and known ,him 
not1 that his grief might have some     
rest4 ,but such  oblivion and ignorance 
had themselves made him to suffer2      
therefore  he had patience1 and lifted  
up his understanding and his memory1 in 
contemplation of his ,beloved4    #aib  
,so great was the love of the ,lover to 
his ,beloved that he believed  all      

things that ,he revealed to him4 ,and so
 earnestly did he desire to  comprehend 
,him that he strove with his reason to  
understand all things  that were said of
 ,him4 ,and therefore was the love of   
the ,lover for ever  between belief and 
understanding4    #aic ,they asked the  
,lover3 #8,what thing is farthest from  
thy heart8' ,he  answered3              
#8,indifference4' #8,and why so8'       
#8,because nearest to my heart is  love1
 which is the contrary of indifference4'
    #aid #8,say1 ,o ,fool1 hast thou    
envy8' ,he answered3 #8,yea1 whensoever 
,i  forget the bounty and riches of my  
,beloved4'    #aie #8,say1 ,o ,lover1   
hast thou riches8' #8,yea1' he replied1 
#8,i have love4'  #8,hast thou poverty8'
 #8,yea1 ,i have love4' #8,how then is  
this8' #8,i am  poor1' he replied1      
#8because my love is no greater1 and    
because it fills  so few others with    
love for the honour of my ,beloved4'    
#aif #8,say1 ,o ,lover1 where is thy    
power8' ,he answered3 #8,in the power   

of my ,beloved4' #8,wherewith dost thou 
fight thine enemies8' #8,with the       
strength of my ,beloved4' #8,wherein    
dost thou seek consolation8' #8,in the  
eternal treasures of my ,beloved4'      
#aig #8,say1 ,o ,fool1 which lovest thou
 the more--the mercy or the justice  of 
thy ,beloved8' ,he answered3 #8,so      
greatly do ,i love and fear ,his        
justice that ,i find it not in my will  
to love anything more4'    #aih ,sins   
and merits were striving among          
themselves in the ,lover's  conscience4 
,justice and remembrance increased his  
remorse1 but mercy  and hope increased  
in his will the assurance of pardon2 and
 therefore  in the ,lover's penitence   
the merits conquered the sins4    #aii  
,the ,lover affirmed that all was       
perfection in his ,beloved1 and  denied 
that in ,him was any fault at all4      
,which of these two1 think you1  is the 
greater wonder8    #bjj ,there was an   
eclipse in the heavens and darkness over
 all the  earth4 ,and it recalled to the

 ,lover that his guilt had separated him
  long ago from his ,wellbeloved and the
 darkness had banished the light  from  
his understanding4 ,this is that light  
by which the ,beloved reveals  ,himself 
to ,his lovers4    #bja ,love came to   
the ,lover1 who asked him3 #8,what wilt 
thou8' ,and ,love  replied3 #8,i have   
come to thee that ,i may nurture and    
direct thy life1  so that at thy death  
thou shalt be able through my aid to    
vanquish thy  mortal enemies4'    #bjb  
,when the ,lover forgot his ,beloved1   
,love fell sick2 and when he gave       
himself to overmuch thinking1 he himself
 fell sick1 and his ,beloved  gave him  
trials1 griefs and cares4    #bjc ,the  
,lover found a man who was dying without
 love4 ,and the ,lover  wept that a man 
should die without love1 for the        
dishonour which it  brought to his      
,beloved4 ,so he asked that man3 #8,why 
dost thou die  without love8' ,and he   
answered3 #8,there is none who will give
 me  knowledge of love1 or teach me to  

be a lover4' ,so the ,lover sighed and  
wept1 and said3 #8,ah1 devotion1 when   
wilt thou be great enough to drive  away
 sin1 and to win for my ,beloved many   
fervent and ardent lovers who  will     
never shrink from praising ,his ,name8' 
#bjd ,the ,lover tempted ,love to see if
 he would remain in his heart  though he
 remembered not his ,beloved2 and his   
heart ceased to think and  his eyes to  
weep4 ,so his love vanished1 and the    
,lover was perplexed4  ,and he asked all
 men if they had seen ,love4    #bje    
,love and loving1 ,lover and ,beloved   
are so straitly united in the  ,beloved 
that they are of ,his ,essence1 and are 
one4 ,and this though  ,lover and       
,beloved are entities distinct1 which   
agree without diversity  of essence4 ,so
 the ,beloved is to be loved above all  
other objects of  affection4    #bjf    
#8,say1 ,o ,fool1 wherefore hast thou so
 great love8' ,he answered3  #8,because 
long and perilous is the journey which  
,i make in search of my  ,beloved1 and  

,i must seek ,him with great faith1 and 
journey with all  speed4 ,and none of   
these things can be accomplished without
 great love4'    #bjg ,the ,lover       
watched and fasted1 wept1 gave alms1 and
 travelled afar  that the ,will of the  
,beloved might be moved to inspire ,his 
subjects  with love to honour ,his      
,name2 but the ,lover considered that   
water does  not by nature grow hot1 nor 
mount on high1 unless it be first       
heated4  ,therefore he prayed the       
,beloved that ,he would deign first to  
warm him  in his journeys1 alms and     
vigils with the heat of love1 that he   
might  accomplish his desires4    #bjh  
,the ,lover met a pilgrim who sang3     
#8,if the love of the ,lover  suffices  
not to move his ,beloved to pity and    
pardon1 the love of the  ,beloved is    
sufficient to give graces and blessings 
to ,his creatures4'    #bji #8,say1 ,o  
,fool1 how canst thou be most like to   
thy ,beloved8' ,he  replied3 #8,by      
comprehending and loving with all my    

power the beauties  and the perfections 
of my ,beloved4'    #baj ,they asked the
 ,lover if his ,beloved had need of     
aught4 #8,yea1'  he answered1 #8of those
 who will love and praise ,him1 and     
extol ,his  surpassing worth4'    #baa  
,the ,beloved chastened ,his ,lover's   
heart with rods of love1 to make  him   
love the tree whence ,he plucks the rods
 wherewith ,he chastens ,his  lovers4   
,and this is that tree on which ,he     
suffered grief1 dishonour and  death1   
that ,he might bring back to love of    
,him those lovers whom ,he had  lost4   
#bab ,the ,lover met his ,beloved1 who  
appeared in power and glory1 as ,one    
worthy of all honour4 ,and he cried3    
#8,how strange a thing it is that so    
few among men revere and know and love  
,thee as ,thou deservest6' ,and  the    
,beloved answered him and said3         
#8,greatly has man grieved ,me2 for  ,i 
created him to revere ,me1 know ,me and 
love ,me1 and now1 of every  thousand1  
but a hundred fear and love ,me2 and    

ninety of these hundred  fear ,me by    
reason of the pains of hell1 and ten    
love ,me for the sake of  the glory     
hereafter2 hardly is there one who loves
 ,me for ,my goodness  and nobility4'   
,when the ,lover heard these words1 he  
wept bitterly for  the dishonour paid to
 his ,beloved2 and he said3 #8,ah1 my   
,beloved1 how  much hast ,thou given to 
man and how greatly hast ,thou honoured 
him6 ,why  then has man thus forgotten  
,thee8'    #bac ,the ,lover was praising
 his ,beloved1 and he said that ,he was 
transcendent because ,he is in a place  
where place is not4 ,and  therefore1    
when they asked the ,lover where his    
,beloved was1 he  replied3 #8,he is1 but
 ,i know not where2 ,i only know that my
 ,beloved is  in my remembrance4'       
#bad ,the ,beloved bought a slave that  
,he might show him ,his graces1 and     
made him to suffer griefs and heavy     
thoughts1 sighs and tears4 ,and ,he     
asked him3 #8,what wilt thou eat and    
drink8' ,the slave replied3 #8,what     

,thou wilt4' #8,but what wilt thou8'    
#8,my will is as ,thine4' #8,hast thou  
then no will8' asked the ,beloved4 ,he  
answered3 #8,a subject and a slave  has 
no other will than to obey his ,lord and
 his ,beloved4'    #bae ,the ,beloved   
inquired of ,his ,lover if he had       
patience4 ,he answered3  #8,all things  
please me1 and therefore ,i cannot but  
be patient1 for he  who is no more lord 
of his will can not be impatient4'      
#baf ,love gave himself to any who would
 receive him2 and since he gave  himself
 to few and inspired few with love1 as  
he was free and had not  been           
constrained1 therefore the ,lover cried 
out on ,love1 and accused  him before   
the ,beloved4 ,but ,love made his       
defence and said3 #8,i strive  not      
against free will1 for ,i desire all    
lovers to have the greatest  merit and  
glory4'    #bag ,there was great strife 
and contention between ,love and the    
,lover1  because the ,lover was incensed
 at the trials which ,love made him to  

bear4 ,and they debated whether ,love or
 the ,lover was to blame4 ,so both  of  
them came to the judgment-seat of the   
,beloved2 and ,he chastened the  ,lover 
with griefs and rewarded him with       
increase of love4    #bah ,there was a  
contention whether ,love has more of    
thought than of  patience4 ,and the     
,lover resolved the contention1 saying  
that ,love is  born of thought and      
nourished with patience4    #bai ,the   
,lover has for neighbours the           
perfections of the ,beloved2 and  the   
,beloved's neighbours are the thoughts  
of the ,lover1 and the trials  and tears
 which ,love gives him to bear4    #bbj 
,the ,lover's will loved to soar on     
high1 that he might have great  love    
toward his ,beloved2 so he commanded the
 understanding to soar as  high as it   
might2 and the understanding commanded  
the memory1 so that  all three mounted  
to the contemplation of the ,beloved's  
glories4    #bba ,the will of the ,lover
 left him and flew to the ,beloved4 ,and

 the  ,beloved gave it into the         
captivity of the ,lover1 that he might  
use it  to love and serve ,him4    #bbb 
,the ,lover said3 #8,o let not my       
,beloved think that ,i have left ,him   
to love another1 for my love has united 
me to ,one1 and to ,one alone4'  ,the   
,beloved answered and said3 #8,let not  
,my ,lover think that ,i am loved  and  
served by him alone2 for ,i have many   
lovers who have loved ,me more          
fervently and for longer than he4'      
#bbc ,said the ,lover to his ,beloved3  
#8,o my ,beloved1 that art worthy  of   
all love1 ,thou hast taught and         
accustomed my eyes to see and my  ears  
to hear ,thy wonders4 ,and these have   
inspired thoughts which have  brought   
tears to my eyes and griefs to my       
heart4' ,the ,beloved answered  the     
,lover3 #8,had ,i not taught and guided 
thee so1 thy name had not  been written 
in the book of those who shall come to  
eternal bliss1  from which are wiped out
 the names of such as shall go to       

eternal  punishment4'    #bbd ,in the   
heart of the ,lover gathered the glories
 and beauties of the  ,beloved1         
increasing his thoughts and griefs1 so  
that he had altogether  died if the     
,beloved had increased in him any       
further the thoughts of  ,his greatness4
    #bbe ,the ,beloved came to sojourn  
in the hostelry of the ,lover2 and ,his 
,lover made ,him a bed of thoughts1 and 
there served ,him sighs and tears2  and 
the ,beloved paid ,his reckoning with   
memories4    #bbf ,love put joys and    
trials together into the ,lover's       
thoughts1 and  the joys made complaint  
of that company and accused ,love before
 the  ,beloved4 ,but when ,he had parted
 them from the sorrows which ,love gives
  to his lovers1 behold1 they vanished  
and were gone4    #bbg ,the marks of the
 love which the ,lover has to his       
,beloved are1 in  the beginning1 tears2 
then1 tribulations2 and1 in the end1    
death4 ,and  with those marks did the   
,lover preach before the lovers of his  

,beloved4    #bbh ,the ,lover went into 
solitude2 and his heart was accompanied 
by  thoughts1 his eyes by tears1 and his
 body by fasts and afflictions4 ,but    
when the ,lover returned to the         
companionship of men1 these things went 
no longer with him1 and the ,lover      
remained quite alone in the company  of 
many people4    #bbi ,love is an ocean1 
its waves troubled by the winds2 it has 
no port  or shore4 ,the ,lover perished 
in this ocean1 and with him perished his
  trials1 and the work of his fulfilment
 began4    #bcj #8,say1 ,o ,fool1 what  
is love8' ,he answered3 #8,love is a    
working  together of thought and action 
towards one end1 to which in like manner
  the ,lover's will also moves2 and this
 is the end1 that men may serve  and    
honour his ,beloved4' ,think you now    
that the ,lover's will is in  truer     
harmony with this end when he longs to  
be with his ,beloved1 or  when he longs 
to convert to ,him many lovers8    #bca 
,they asked the ,lover3 #8,who is thy   

,beloved8' ,he answered3 #8,he who      
makes me to love1 desire1 pine1 weep1   
sigh and suffer1 and die4'    #bcb ,they
 asked the ,beloved3 #8,who is ,thy     
,lover8' ,he answered3 #8,he  who fears 
naught so that he may honour and praise 
,my ,name1 and who  renounces all things
 to obey ,my commandments and counsels4'
    #bcc #8,say1 ,o ,fool1 which is the 
heavier and more grievous burden--the   
trials of love1 or the trials of those  
that love not8' ,and he answered3       
#8,go1 ask it of those who do penance   
for the love of their ,beloved1 and  of 
those who do penance from fear of the   
pains of hell4'    #bcd ,the ,lover     
slept1 and ,love died1 for he had naught
 whereby to live4  ,the ,lover wakened1 
and ,love revived in the thoughts which 
the ,lover  sent to his ,beloved4       
#bce ,the ,lover said3 #8,the infused   
science comes from the will1 from       
prayer and devotion2 and acquired       
science comes from study and            
understanding4' ,which of the two1 then1

 think you1 is more proper and  more    
pleasing to the ,lover1 and which       
possesses he the more perfectly8    #bcf
 #8,say1 ,o ,fool1 whence hast thou thy 
needs8' ,he answered3 #8,from  thoughts1
 from longing1 from adoration1 from     
trials and from  perseverance4' #8,and  
whence hast thou all these things8' ,he 
answered3  #8,from love4' #8,and whence 
hast thou thy ,beloved8' #8,from        
,himself alone4'    #bcg #8,say1 ,o     
,fool1 wilt thou be free of all things8'
 ,he answered3 #8,yea1  save only of my 
,beloved4' #8,wilt thou be a prisoner8' 
#8,yea1 of sighs and  tears1 thoughts   
and trials1 dangers and exiles1 that ,i 
may serve my  ,beloved1 for to praise   
,his exceeding worthiness was ,i        
created4'    #bch ,love tormented the   
,lover1 for which cause he lamented and 
wept4 ,his  ,beloved called him to come 
to ,him1 and be healed2 and the nearer  
came  the ,lover to his ,beloved1 the   
more grievously did love afflict him2   
and  the more he felt of love and grief1

 the more he loved1 and the more        
perfectly did the ,beloved heal him of  
his sickness4    #bci ,love fell sick1  
and the ,lover tended him with patience1
  perseverance1 obedience and hope4     
,love grew well1 and the ,lover fell    
sick2 and he was cured by his ,beloved1 
who made him to remember ,his  virtue   
and honour4    #bdj #8,say1 ,o ,fool1   
what is solitude8' ,he answered3 #8,it  
is solace and  companionship between    
,lover and ,beloved4' #8,and what are   
solace and  companionship8' #8,solitude 
in the ,lover's heart1 when he remembers
  naught save his ,beloved4'    #bda    
,they asked the ,lover3 #8,in which is  
there greater danger1 in bearing  trials
 for love's sake or in enjoying         
pleasures8' ,the ,lover took  counsel   
with his ,beloved1 and replied3 #8,the  
perils which come through  pleasures are
 the perils of ignorance2 and those     
which come through  afflictions are the 
perils of impatience4'    #bdb ,the     
,beloved gave ,love his freedom1 and    

allowed men to take him to  themselves  
as much as they would2 but scarce one   
was found who would  take him to his    
heart4 ,and for this cause the ,lover   
wept1 and was sad  at the dishonour     
which is paid to ,love by the ungrateful
 among men and  by false lovers4    #bdc
 ,love destroyed all that was in the    
heart of his faithful ,lover that  he   
might live and have free course in it2  
and the ,lover would have died  had     
memory not revealed to him his ,beloved4
    #bdd ,on two things the ,lover was  
wont to meditate3 the one was the       
,essence and the goodness of his        
,beloved1 and the other was his         
,beloved's works4 ,he knew not which of 
these was the more excellent and  the   
more pleasing to the ,beloved4    #bde  
#8,say1 ,o ,fool1 wouldst thou fain     
die8' ,he answered3 #8,yea1 to the      
pleasures of this world and the thoughts
 of the unhappy sinners who  dishonour  
and forget my ,beloved2 in whose        
thoughts ,i would have no part  nor lot1

 since my ,beloved has no part in them4'
    #bdf #8,if thou speakest truth1 ,o  
,fool1 thou wilt be beaten by men1      
tormented1 mocked1 reproved and killed4'
 ,he answered3 #8,from those  words it  
follows that if ,i spoke falsehoods ,i  
should be praised by  men1 served1 loved
 and honoured1 and defended by those who
 despise my  ,beloved4'    #bdg ,false  
flatterers were speaking ill of the     
,lover one day in the  presence of his  
,beloved4 ,the ,lover was patient1 and  
the ,beloved shewed  ,his justice1      
wisdom and power4 ,and the ,lover       
preferred to be blamed and  reproved in 
this wise1 than to be one of those that 
falsely accused him4    #bdh ,the       
,beloved planted many seeds in the heart
 of ,his ,lover1 but one  of them only  
took life and put forth leaf and gave   
flower and fruit4  ,think you that from 
this single fruit may come many seeds8  
#bdi ,far above ,love is the ,beloved2  
far beneath it is the ,lover2 and       
,love1 which lies between these two1    

made the ,beloved to descend to the     
,lover1 and the ,lover to rise toward   
the ,beloved4 ,and this ascending and   
descending is the being and the life of 
,love--of that ,love which makes  the   
,lover to endure pain and which ever    
serves the ,beloved4    #bej ,on the    
right side of ,love stands the ,beloved1
 and on the left side  is the ,lover2   
and thus he cannot reach the ,beloved   
unless he pass  through ,love4 ,and     
before ,love stands the ,beloved1 and   
beyond is the  ,lover2 so that the      
,lover cannot reach ,love unless his    
thoughts and  desires have first passed 
through the ,beloved4    #bea ,the      
,beloved clothed ,himself in the garment
 of ,his ,lover1 that he  might be ,his 
companion in glory for ever4 ,so the    
,lover desired to  wear crimson garments
 daily1 that his dress might be like    
that of his  ,beloved4    #beb #8,say1  
,o ,fool1 what did thy ,beloved before  
the world was8' ,he  answered3 #8,my    
,beloved loved1 because of ,his manifold

 properties1  eternal1 personal1 and    
infinite1 in which are ,lover1 ,love and
 ,beloved4'    #bec ,the ,lover wept and
 was sad1 when he saw how the           
unbelievers were  losing his ,beloved   
through ignorance2 but he rejoiced in   
the justice  of his ,beloved1 who       
punishes those that know ,him and are   
disobedient4  ,which1 think you1 was    
greater1 his sorrow or his joy8 ,and was
 his joy  greater when he saw his       
,beloved honoured than his sorrow at    
seeing ,him  despised8    #bed ,the     
,lover contemplated his ,beloved in all 
the variety and harmony  of ,his        
virtues2 and again in the contrariety   
between virtue and vice2  and again in  
,his ,being and perfection1 which have  
greater harmony  between themselves than
 non-existence and imperfection4    #bee
 ,the variety and harmony which the     
,lover found in the ,beloved  revealed  
to him ,his secrets1 to wit1 ,his       
plurality and unity1 to the  greater    
concordance of essence without          

contrariety4    #bef ,they said to the  
,lover3 #8,corruption is contrary to    
being1 as  generation1 which is opposed 
to it1 is the contrary of non-existence4
  ,if it were eternally corrupting and  
corrupted1 it would be impossible  that 
non-existence or end should harmonise   
with corruption4' ,by these  words the  
,lover saw in his ,beloved the principle
 of eternal generation4    #beg ,if that
 which increases the love of the ,lover 
for his ,beloved were  falseness1 that  
which diminished it would be truth4 ,and
 if this were  so1 it would follow that 
there would be a want of the great and  
the  true in the ,beloved1 and that     
there would be harmony in ,him between  
the  false and the mean4    #beh ,the   
,lover praised his ,beloved1 and said   
that if in ,him were the  greatest      
degree of perfection and the greatest   
possible freedom from  imperfection1 his
 ,beloved must be simple1 pure and      
present in essence  and operation4 ,and 
while the ,lover praised his ,beloved   

thus1 there was  revealed to him the    
,trinity of his ,beloved4    #bei ,in   
the numbers #a and #c the ,lover found  
greater harmony than between  any       
others1 because by these numbers every  
bodily form passed to  existence from   
non-existence4 ,and the greatest harmony
 of number1 the  ,lover thought1 was in 
the ,unity and the ,trinity of his      
,beloved4    #bfj ,the ,lover extolled  
the power1 the wisdom and the will of   
his  ,beloved1 who had created all      
things1 save only sin2 so that1 but for 
,his power and wisdom and will1 had     
nothing existed4 ,and neither the       
power1 the wisdom nor the will of the   
,beloved are an occasion of sin4    #bfa
 ,the ,lover praised and loved his      
,beloved1 for ,he had created him  and  
given him all things2 and he praised and
 loved ,him too because it  pleased ,him
 to take his form and nature4 ,and it   
may be asked1 ,which  had more of       
perfection1 his praise or his love8     
#bfb ,love tempted the wisdom of the    

,lover1 and asked him whether the       
,beloved showed the greater love in     
taking his nature1 or in redeeming  him4
 ,and the ,lover was perplexed1 and     
replied at last that redemption  was    
destined to put away unhappiness1 and   
the ,incarnation to bring  about bliss4 
,and this reply provoked the question   
again3 #8,which was the  greater love8' 
#bfc ,the ,lover went from door to door 
asking alms to keep in mind the  love of
 his ,beloved for ,his servants1 and to 
practise the virtues of  poverty1       
humility and patience1 which are        
well-pleasing to the ,beloved4    #bfd  
,they asked pardon of the ,lover1 for   
the love of his ,beloved2 and  the      
,lover not only pardoned them but gave  
them himself and his goods4    #bfe     
,with tears in his eyes the ,lover      
described the ,passion and the  pains   
which his ,beloved bore for love of him2
 and with sad and heavy  thoughts he    
wrote down the words which ,he uttered2 
and by mercy and  hope he was comforted4

    #bff ,the ,beloved taught ,his      
,lover how to love2 and ,love intruded  
him in  speech2 and ,patience1 to bear  
afflictions for the love of ,him to whom
  he had given himself to be a servant4 
#bfg ,the ,beloved asked men if they had
 seen ,his ,lover1 and they asked  ,him3
 #8,what are the qualities of ,thy      
,lover8' ,and the ,beloved said3  #8,my 
,lover is ardent yet fearful2 rich and  
yet poor2 joyful1 sad and  pensive2 and 
every day he grieves because of his     
love4'    #bfh ,they asked the ,lover3  
#8,wilt thou sell thy desire8' ,he      
answered3 #8,i  have sold it already to 
my ,beloved1 for such a price as would  
buy the  whole world4'    #bfi          
#8,preach1 ,o ,fool1 speak concerning   
thy ,beloved2 weep and fast4' ,so  the  
,lover renounced the world1 and went    
forth lovingly to seek his  ,beloved1   
and to praise ,him in those places      
wherein ,he was dishonoured4    #bgj    
,the ,lover builded a fair city wherein 
his ,beloved might dwell2 of  love1     

thoughts1 tears1 complaints and griefs  
he builded it2 with joy1  devotion and  
hope he adorned it2 and with justice1   
prudence1 faith1  fortitude and         
temperance he furnished it4    #bga ,the
 ,lover drank of love at the fountain of
 the ,beloved1 and  there the ,beloved  
washed the ,lover's feet1 though many a 
time he  had despised and forgotten ,his
 greatness1 and the world had suffered  
thereby4    #bgb #8,say1 ,o ,fool1 what 
is sin8' ,he answered3 #8,it is the     
turning and  directing of the intention 
away from the final ,cause and          
,intention for  which all things have   
been created by my ,beloved4'    #bgc   
,the ,lover saw that the world was      
created so that eternity should be  more
 in harmony with his ,beloved1 who is   
,infinite ,essence of greatness  and all
 perfection1 than with the world1 which 
is a finite quantity2  and therefore the
 justice of his ,beloved was before time
 and finite  quantities were4    #bgd   
,the ,lover defended his ,beloved       

against those who said that the  world  
is eternal1 saying that the justice of  
his ,beloved would not be  perfect1 if  
,he restored not to every man his own   
body1 and for this no  place or material
 order would suffice2 nor1 if the world 
were eternal1  could it be ordered for  
one end only2 and yet1 if it were not so
  ordered1 there would be wanting in his
 ,beloved perfection of wisdom and      
will4    #bge #8,say1 ,o ,fool1 wherein 
is the beginning of wisdom8' ,he        
answered3 #8,in  faith and devotion1    
which are a ladder whereby understanding
 may rise  to a comprehension of the    
secrets of my ,beloved4'    #bgf        
#8,where then have faith and devotion   
their beginning8' ,he answered3  #8,in  
my ,beloved1 who illumines faith and    
nurtures devotion4'    #bgg ,they asked 
the ,lover3 #8,which is greater--the    
possible or the  impossible8' ,he       
answered3 #8,the possible is greater in 
man1 and the  impossible in my ,beloved1
 since power and possibility are in     

agreement1  and impossibility and       
actuality4'    #bgh #8,say1 ,o ,fool1   
which is the greater--difference or     
harmony8' ,he  answered3 #8,save in my  
,beloved1 difference is greater in      
plurality1 and  harmony in unity2 but in
 my ,beloved they are equal in plurality
 and in  unity4'    #bgi #8,say1 ,o     
,lover1 what is true worth8' ,he        
answered3 #8,it is the  opposite of this
 world's worth1 which false and         
vainglorious lovers  desire2 for they go
 after worth and achieve only           
worthlessness4'    #bhj #8,say1 ,o      
,fool1 hast thou seen one without his   
reason8' ,he answered3  #8,i have seen a
 lord of the ,church1 who had many cups 
on his table1 and  many plates and      
knives of silver1 and in his chamber had
 many garments  and a great bed1 and in 
his coffers great wealth--and at the    
gates of  his palace but few poor4'     
#bha #8,knowest thou1 ,o ,fool1 what is 
evil8' ,he answered3 #8,evil thoughts4' 
#8,and what is loyalty8' #8,it is fear  

of my ,beloved1 born of charity and  of 
shame which men reproach4' #8,and what  
is honour8' ,he answered3 #8,it is  to  
think on my ,beloved1 to desire ,him and
 to praise ,his glorious ,name4'    #bhb
 ,the ,lover went one day into a        
cloister1 and the monks inquired of  him
 if he1 too1 were a religious4 #8,yea1' 
he answered1 #8of the order of  my      
,beloved4' #8,what rule dost thou       
follow8' ,he answered3 #8,my            
,beloved's4'  #8,to whom art thou       
vowed8' ,he said3 #8,to my ,beloved4'   
#8,hast thou thy  will8' ,he answered3  
#8,nay1 it is given to my ,beloved4'    
#8,hast thou added  aught to the rule of
 thy ,beloved8' ,he answered3 #8,naught 
can be added to  that which is already  
perfect4 ,and why1' continued the       
,lover1 #8do not  you that are religious
 take the ,name of my ,beloved8 ,may it 
not be that1  as you bear the name of   
another1 your love may grow less1 and1  
hearing  the voice of another1 you may  
not catch the voice of the ,beloved8'   

#bhc ,the trials and tribulations that  
the ,lover endured for love's sake  made
 him weary and apt to be impatient2 and 
the ,beloved reproved him1  saying that 
he whom either trouble or happiness     
affected thus knew but  little of love4 
,so the ,lover was contrite and wept1   
and he begged his  ,beloved to restore  
his love again4    #bhd #8,say1 ,o      
,fool1 what is love8' ,he answered3     
#8,love is that which  throws the free  
into bondage1 and to those that are in  
bonds gives  liberty4' ,and who can say 
whether in love there is more of liberty
 or  of bondage8    #bhe ,the ,beloved  
called ,his ,lover1 and he answered     
,him1 saying3 #8,what  wilt ,thou1 ,o my
 ,beloved1 ,thou who art the sight of my
 eyes1 thought of  my thoughts1 love of 
my love and sum of my perfections1--yea1
 and the  source of all my beginnings8' 
#bhf #8,o my ,beloved1' said the ,lover1
 #8,i come to ,thee1 ,i walk in ,thee1  
for ,thou dost call me4 ,and ,i greet   
,thee with ,thine own ,sign1 by which ,i

  hope for eternal life and eternal     
blessing4'    #bhg ,the ,lover cried    
aloud and said3 #8,fire gives warmth1   
its heat gives  lightness1 and that     
lightness draws on high4 ,and in like   
manner love  inflames the thoughts1     
gives lightness and draws on high4 ,and 
one love  unites three things1 binding  
them securely the one to the others4'   
#bhh ,they asked the ,lover3 #8,what is 
the world8' ,he answered3 #8,it is  a   
book for such as can read1 in which is  
revealed my ,beloved4' ,they  asked him3
 #8,is thy ,beloved1 then1 in the       
world8' ,he answered3 #8,yea1  even as  
the writer is in his book4' #8,and      
wherein consists this book8'  ,he       
answered3 #8,in my ,beloved1 since my   
,beloved contains it all1 and  therefore
 is the world in my ,beloved rather than
 my ,beloved in the  world4'    #bhi    
#8,say1 ,o ,lover1 who is he that loves 
and seems to thee as a fool8'  ,the     
,lover answered3 #8,he that loves the   
shadow and makes no account of  the     

truth4' #8,and whom dost thou call      
rich8' #8,he that loves truth4' #8,and  
who is poor8' #8,he that loves          
falsehood4'    #bij ,they asked the     
,lover3 #8,is the world to be loved8'   
,he answered3  #8,truly it is1 but as a 
piece of work1 for its artificer's sake1
 or as  the night by reason of the day  
which follows it4'    #bia ,the ,lover  
cried out to his ,lord concerning his   
,beloved1 and to his  ,beloved          
concerning his ,lord4 ,and the ,lord and
 the ,beloved said3 #8,who is  this that
 makes division in ,us1 that are ,one   
only8' ,the ,lover answered  and said3  
#8,it is pity1 which belongs to the     
,lord1 and tribulation1  which comes    
through the ,beloved4'    #bib ,the     
,lover was in peril in the great ocean  
of love1 and he trusted  in his         
,beloved1 who came to him with troubles1
 thoughts1 tears1 sighs  and griefs2 for
 the ocean was of love4    #bic ,the    
,lover rejoiced in the ,being of his    
,beloved1 for 7said he7 from  ,his      

,being is all other ,being derived1 and 
by ,it sustained1 and made  subject and 
constrained to honour and serve my      
,beloved4 ,by no being can  ,he be      
condemned or destroyed1 or made greater 
or less4    #bid #8,what is the ,being  
of thy ,beloved8' ,he answered3 #8,it is
 a bright  ray throughout all things1   
even as the sun which shines over all   
the  world4 ,for if it withdraw its     
brightness1 it leaves all things in     
darkness1 and when it shines forth it   
brings the day4 ,even more so is  my    
,beloved4'    #bie #8,my ,beloved is    
one1 and in ,his unity my thoughts and  
my love are  united in one will2 my     
,beloved's unity is the source of all   
unities and  all pluralities2 and ,his  
plurality of all pluralities and        
unities4'    #bif #8,o ,beloved1 by ,thy
 greatness my desires1 my thoughts and  
my  afflictions are made great2 for so  
great art ,thou that all things which   
have remembrance and joy and            
understanding of ,thee are great2 and   

,thy  greatness makes all things small  
which are contrary to ,thy honour and   
commandments4'    #big #8,thou knowest  
my sinfulness1 ,o ,beloved2 be merciful1
 then1 and  pardon4 ,thou knowest better
 than ,i who ,thou art2 yet even ,i know
 ,thy  pardon and love1 since ,thou hast
 awakened in me contrition and pain1    
and the desire to die a shameful death  
that ,thy ,name may be thereby          
exalted4'    #bih #8,thy power1 ,o      
,beloved1 can save me through ,thy      
goodness1 mercy and  pardon1 yet it can 
condemn me through ,thy justice1 and my 
failures and  imperfections4 ,but let   
,thy power work its will in me1 for it  
is wholly  perfection1 whether it bring 
salvation or eternal punishment4'       
#bii #8,o ,truth that ,i love1 visit my 
contrite heart1 draw water from mine    
eyes1 that my will may love ,thee2 and  
since ,thy truth1 ,o ,beloved1 is       
sovereign1 draw truth from my will1 that
 ,i may honour ,thy ,name1 and  cause it
 to hate my shortcomings4'    #cjj ,the 

,lover gazed at the rainbow1 and it     
seemed to him as though  it were of     
three colours4 ,and he cried3 #8,o      
marvellous distinction of  three1 for   
the three together are one6 ,and how can
 this be in the  image1 unless it be so 
of itself1 in truth8'    #cja ,the      
,beloved created1 and the ,lover        
destroyed4 ,the ,beloved judged1  and   
the ,lover wept4 ,then the ,beloved     
created glory again for the ,lover4     
,the ,beloved finished ,his work1 and   
the ,lover remained for ever in the     
companionship of his ,beloved4    #cjb  
,by verdant paths1 with feeling1        
imagination1 understanding and  will1   
the ,lover went in search of his        
,beloved4 ,and in those paths the       
,lover endured griefs and perils for his
 ,beloved's sake1 that he might  lift up
 his will and understanding to his      
,beloved1 who wills that ,his  lovers   
may comprehend and love ,him            
exceedingly4    #cjc ,the perfection of 
the ,beloved uplifted ,his ,lover1 and  

his own  shortcomings cast him down4    
,which of these two forces1 think you1  
has  by nature the greater power over   
the ,lover8    #cjd #8,thou hast placed 
me1 ,o my ,beloved1 between my evil and 
,thy good4  ,on ,thy part may there be  
mercy and pity1 patience1 humility1     
pardon1  restoration and help2 on mine  
let there be contrition1 perseverance   
and  remembrance of ,thy sacred         
,passion1 with sighs and tears4'    #cje
 #8,o ,beloved1 that makest me to love1 
if ,thou aidest me not1 why  didst ,thou
 will to create me1 and why didst ,thou 
endure grief for my  sake and bear ,thy 
so grievous ,passion8 ,since ,thou didst
 help me thus to  rise1 my ,beloved1    
help me also to descend to the          
remembrance and hatred  of my faults and
 failings1 that my thoughts may the     
better rise again  to desire1 honour and
 praise ,thee4'    #cjf #8,my will1 ,o  
,beloved1 hast ,thou made free to love  
,thy honour or  despise ,thy worth1 that
 in my will my love to ,thee may be     

increased2  and in granting me this     
liberty1 ,o ,beloved1 hast ,thou put my 
will into  danger4 ,remember1 then1 ,thy
 ,lover in this danger1 that ,i may     
place in  servitude my free will1 praise
 ,thy honour1 and multiply tears and    
grief  in my heart4'    #cjg #8,o       
,beloved1 never from ,thee came fault   
nor failing to ,thy ,lover1  nor can    
,thy ,lover attain to perfection but    
through ,thy grace and mercy4  ,then1   
since the ,lover has ,thee in such      
possessions1 do ,thou remember  him in  
his perils and tribulations4'    #cjh   
#8,o ,beloved1 who in one ,name1 ,jesus 
,christ1 art called both ,god and  ,man1
 by that ,name my will seeks to adore   
,thee as ,god and ,man4 ,and if  ,thou1 
,beloved1 hast so greatly honoured ,thy 
,lover1 through none of his  merits1 why
 honourest ,thou not so many ignorant   
men1 who knowingly have  been less      
guilty of dishonouring ,thy ,name1      
,jesus ,christ1 than has this  ,thy     
,lover8'    #cji ,the ,lover wept1 and  

he spake to his ,beloved in these words3
 #8,o  ,beloved1 never wert ,thou       
sparing or aught but liberal to ,thy    
,lover1  in giving him being or in      
granting him many creatures to serve    
him4  ,then wherefore1 ,o ,beloved1     
,thou who art sovereign liberality1     
shouldst  ,thou be slow to give ,thy    
,lover tears1 thoughts1 griefs1 wisdom  
and  love that he may do honour to ,thy 
,name8 ,so then1 ,o ,beloved1 ,thy      
,lover  asks of ,thee long life that he 
may receive of ,thee many of the gifts  
aforesaid4'    #caj #8,o ,beloved1 if   
,thou dost help just men against their  
mortal  enemies1 help to increase my    
thoughts and desires for ,thy honour4   
,and  if ,thou dost help sinners to lead
 just lives1 help ,thy ,lover that he   
may sacrifice his will to ,thy glory2   
and as to his body1 that he may  tread  
the martyr's path as a testimony of     
love4'    #caa ,the ,lover made         
complaint to his ,beloved of temptations
 which came  to him daily to disturb his

 thoughts4 ,and the ,beloved answered   
him3  #8,such temptations are occasions 
of recourse to the memory1 that the     
lover may think upon ,god and love ,his 
grace and honour4'    #cab ,the ,beloved
 had mercy upon ,his ,lover1 because of 
,his perfect love1  and because of ,his 
,lover's needs4 ,which of those two     
reasons1 think  you1 moved the ,beloved 
the more strongly to forgive ,his       
,lover's sins8    #cac ,our ,lady and   
the ,saints and angels in glory cried to
 my ,beloved3  #8,remember the errors   
into which the world has fallen through 
ignorance1  but remember how great is   
,thy justice1 ,o ,beloved1 and how great
 the  ignorance of ,thine enemies4'     
#cad ,the ,lover lifted up the powers of
 his soul1 and mounted the ladder  of   
humanity to glory in the ,divine        
,nature2 and from the ,divine ,nature   
the powers of his soul descended1 to    
glory in the human nature of his        
,beloved4    #cae ,the straiter are the 
paths along which the ,lover journeys to

 his  ,beloved1 the vaster is his love2 
and the straiter his love1 the broader  
are the paths4 ,so that however it be   
the ,lover receives love1 trials  and   
griefs1 comforts and joys from his      
,beloved4    #caf ,love comes from love1
 thoughts from thoughts and tears from  
griefs2  and love leads to love1 as     
thoughts lead to tears and griefs to    
sighs4  ,and the ,beloved watches ,his  
,lover1 who bears all these afflictions 
for  ,his love4    #cag ,the desires of 
the ,lover and his memories of the      
,beloved's  greatness kept vigils and   
went on journeys and pilgrimages4 ,and  
they  brought to the ,lover graces which
 lit up his understanding and made his  
will to increase in love4    #cah ,with 
his imagination the ,lover formed and   
pictured his ,beloved's  ,countenance in
 bodily wise1 and with his understanding
 he beautified  ,it in spiritual things2
 and with his will he worshipped ,it in 
all  creatures4    #cai ,the ,lover     
purchased a day of tears with another of

 thoughts2 and a  day of love came      
through a day of tribulations2 and both 
his thoughts  and his love were         
increased4    #cbj ,the ,lover was in a 
far country1 and he forgot his ,beloved1
 but was  sad at the absence of his     
lord1 his wife1 his children and his    
friends4  ,but soon the memory of his   
,beloved returned to him1 that he might 
be  comforted1 and that his exile might 
cause him neither vexation nor  sorrow4 
#cba ,the ,lover heard his ,beloved's   
words2 his understanding beheld ,him  in
 them2 his will had pleasure in that    
which he heard2 and his memory  recalled
 his ,beloved's virtues and ,his        
promises4    #cbb ,the ,lover heard men 
speak evil of his ,beloved1 and in this 
evil-speaking his understanding         
perceived his ,beloved's justice and    
patience2 for ,his justice would punish 
the evil-speakers1 while ,his  patience 
would await their contrition and        
repentance4 ,in which of these  two     
think you that the ,lover believed more 

earnestly8    #cbc ,the ,lover fell     
sick1 and made his testament with the   
counsel of his  ,beloved4 ,his sins and 
faults he bequeathed to penance and     
contrition2  worldly pleasures to       
contempt4 ,to his eyes he left tears2 to
 his heart  sighs of love2 to his       
understanding his ,beloved's graces1 and
 to his  memory the ,passion which his  
,beloved endured for love of him4 ,and  
to  his activity he bequeathed the      
guidance of unbelievers1 who go to their
  doom through ignorance4    #cbd ,the  
scent of flowers brought to the ,lover's
 mind the evil stench  of riches and    
meanness1 of old age and lasciviousness1
 of discontent  and pride4 ,the taste of
 sweet things recalled to him the       
bitterness  of temporal possessions and 
of entering and quitting this world4    
,the  enjoyment of earthly pleasures    
made him feel how quickly this world    
passes1 and how the delights which are  
here so pleasant may be the  occasion of
 eternal torments4    #cbe ,the ,lover  

endured hunger and thirst1 cold and     
heat1 poverty and  nakedness1 sickness  
and tribulations2 and he would have died
 had he not  had remembrance of his     
,beloved1 who healed him with hope and  
memory1  with the renunciation of this  
world and contempt for the revilings of 
men4    #cbf ,the ,lover made his bed   
between trials and joys3 in joys he lay 
down  to sleep and in trials he         
awakened4 ,which of these two1 think    
you1 was  nearer to the bed of the      
,lover8    #cbg ,in anger the ,lover lay
 down to sleep1 resenting the revilings 
of  men2 in patience he awakened1       
remembering his ,beloved4 ,which1 think 
you1 did the ,lover feel the more       
deeply--the love of his ,beloved or the 
scorn of men8    #cbh ,the ,lover       
thought upon death1 and he was afraid1  
until he  remembered the city of his    
,beloved1 to which love and death are   
the  gates and the entrance4    #cbi    
,two men were disputing concerning      
simplicity1 the one against the  other4 

,and the one said3 #8,the simple man is 
he who knows nothing4' ,the  other said3
 #8,the simple man is he who lives      
without sin4' ,and the ,lover  came and 
said3 #8,true simplicity has he who     
commits all his ways to my  ,beloved4'  
#ccj #8,for simplicity is to exalt faith
 above understanding1 which it  so far  
exceeds1 and in all that pertains to my 
,beloved it is to avoid  completely all 
things vain1 superfluous1 curious1      
over-subtle and  presumptuous4 ,for all 
these are contrary to simplicity4'      
#cca ,another time they both inquired of
 him1 asking that he would tell  them if
 the science of the simple is a great   
one4 ,he answered3 #8,the  science of   
great sages is as a great heap of a few 
grains1 but the  science of the simple  
is a small heap of numberless grains1   
because  neither presumption nor        
curiosity nor over-subtlety are added to
  the heap of simple men4' #8,and what  
is the work of presumption and          
curiosity8' ,the ,lover replied3        

#8,vanity is the mother of curiosity1   
and pride is the mother of presumption1 
and therefore is their work  the work of
 vanity and pride4 ,and the enemies of  
my ,beloved are known  by presumption   
and curiosity1 even as love for ,him is 
acquired by  simplicity4'    #ccb ,the  
,lover lost a jewel which he greatly    
prized1 and was sorely  distressed1     
until his ,beloved put to him this      
question3 #8,which  profiteth thee more1
 the jewel that thou hadst or thy       
patience in all  the acts of thy        
,beloved8'    #ccc ,many lovers came    
together1 and they asked ,love's        
messenger where  and in what thing the  
heart was most ardently inflamed with   
devotion  and love4 ,love's messenger   
answered3 #8,in the ,house of ,god1 when
 we  humble ourselves and adore ,him    
with all our powers2 for ,he alone is   
,holiest of the holy4 ,and those that   
know not how to do this1 know not  what 
it is truly to love ,him4'    #ccd ,the 
,lover thought upon his sins1 and for   

fear of hell he would fain  have wept1  
but he could not4 ,so he begged ,love to
 give him tears1 and  ,wisdom answered  
that he must weep earnestly and often1  
but for the love  of his ,beloved rather
 than for the pains of hell2 for tears  
of love are  more pleasing to ,him than 
tears shed through fear4    #cce ,the   
,lover obeyed ,wisdom2 and1 on the one  
hand1 he shed many and  great tears for 
love's sake1 and1 on the other1 few and 
small tears for  fear1 that by love and 
not by fear he might honour his         
,beloved4 ,and the  tears which he shed 
for love brought him solace and rest1   
while the  tears of fear gave him sorrow
 and tribulation4    #ccf ,the ,lover   
fell asleep while thinking on the trials
 and the  obstacles which he met in     
serving his ,beloved2 and he feared lest
  through those hindrances his works    
might be lost4 ,but the ,beloved sent   
consciousness to him1 and he awakened to
 the merits and powers of his  ,beloved4
    #ccg ,the ,lover had to journey long

 over roads that were rough and hard2   
and the time came when he should set    
out1 carrying the heavy burden  that    
,love makes his lovers to bear4 ,so the 
,lover unburdened his soul of  the cares
 and pleasures of this world1 that his  
heart might bear the  weight with more  
ease1 and his soul journey along those  
roads in its  ,beloved's company4       
#cch ,before the ,lover1 one day1 they  
spoke ill of the ,beloved1 and the      
,lover made neither reply nor defence of
 his ,beloved4 ,which1 think you1  was  
the more to be blamed1 the men who spoke
 ill of the ,beloved1 or the  ,lover who
 was silent and defended ,him not8      
#cci ,as the ,lover contemplated his    
,beloved1 his understanding conceived   
subtleties and his will loved ,him more 
and more4 ,in which of the two  think   
you that memory grew more fruitful in   
thinking on the ,beloved8    #cdj ,with 
fervour and fear the ,lover journeyed   
abroad to honour his  ,beloved4 ,fervour
 bore him along and fear preserved him  

from danger4 ,and  while the ,lover was 
journeying thus1 he found sighs and     
tears1 which  brought him greetings from
 his ,beloved4 ,through which of these  
four  companions think you that the     
,lover received the greatest consolation
  in his ,beloved8    #cda ,the ,lover  
gazed upon himself that he might be a   
mirror in which  to behold his ,beloved2
 and he gazed upon his ,beloved1 as in a
 mirror  wherein he could learn to know 
himself4 ,which of these two mirrors1   
think you1 was the nearer to his        
understanding8    #cdb ,they asked the  
,lover in what manner the heart of man  
was turned  towards the love of his     
,beloved4 ,he answered them and said3   
#8,even as  the sunflower turns to the  
sun4' #8,how is it1 then1 that all men  
love  not thy ,beloved8' ,he answered3  
#8,they that love ,him not have night in
  their hearts1 because of their sin4'  
#cdc ,theology and ,philosophy1         
,medicine and ,law met the ,lover1 who  
asked  them if they had seen his        

,beloved4 ,the first wept1 the second   
was  doubtful1 but the other two were   
glad4 ,what1 think you1 was the meaning 
of these happenings to the ,lover that  
was seeking his ,beloved8    #cdd ,full 
of tears and anguish the ,lover went in 
search of his ,beloved1  by the path of 
the senses and also by the intellectual 
road4 ,which of  those two ways1 think  
you1 did he enter first1 as he went     
after his  ,beloved8 ,and in which of   
them did the ,beloved reveal ,himself to
 him the  more openly8    #cde ,the     
,lover met an astrologer1 and inquired  
of him3 #8,what means thy  astrology8'  
,he replied3 #8,it is a science that    
foretells things to  come4' #8,thou art 
deceived1' said the ,lover2 #8it is no  
science1 but one  falsely so called4 ,it
 is necromancy1 or the black art1 in    
disguise1 and  the science of deceiving 
and lying prophets which dishonour the  
work of  the sovereign ,master4 ,at all 
times it has been the messenger of evil 
tidings2 and it runs clean contrary to  

the providence of my ,beloved1  for in  
place of the evils which it threatens   
,he promises good things4'    #cdf ,the 
,lover went forth1 crying3 #8,oh1 how   
vain are all they who follow  after lust
 of knowledge and presumption6 ,for     
through lust of knowledge  do they fall 
into the greatest depths of impiety1    
insulting the ,name  of ,god and with   
curses and incantations invoking evil   
spirits as good  angels1 inventing them 
with the names of ,god and of good      
angels1 and  profaning holy things with 
figures and images and by writings4 ,and
  through presumption all errors are    
implanted in the world4' ,and the       
,lover wept bitterly1 for all the       
insults which are offered to his        
,beloved by ignorant men4    #cdg ,at   
the ,day of ,judgment the ,beloved will 
cause all that men have  given ,him in  
this world to be placed on one side1 and
 on the other side  all that they have  
given to the world4 ,thus it shall be   
clearly seen to  what extent they have  

loved ,him1 and which of their two gifts
 is the  greater and nobler4    #cdh    
,the ,lover's will was enamoured of     
itself and the understanding  asked3    
#8,is it more like the ,beloved to love 
oneself or to love the  ,beloved8 ,for  
the ,beloved is to be loved more than   
anything beside4'  ,with what answer1   
think you1 could the will make reply to 
the  understanding most truly8    #cdi  
#8,say1 ,o ,fool1 what is the greatest  
and noblest love to be found  in the    
creature8' ,he answered3 #8,that which  
is one with the ,creator4'  #8,and why  
so8' #8,because there is nothing with   
which the ,creator can make  nobler a   
creature4'    #cej ,one day the ,lover  
was at prayer1 and he perceived that he 
wept  not2 and in order that he might   
weep he bade his thoughts to think  upon
 wealth1 and women1 and sons1 and meats1
 and vainglory4 ,and his  understanding 
found that more men have each of the    
things aforesaid to  their servants than
 has his ,beloved4 ,and thereupon were  

his eyes wet  with tears1 and his soul  
was in sorrow and pain4    #cea ,one day
 the ,lover was looking towards the     
east1 and towards the  west1 towards the
 south and towards the north1 and he    
espied the ,sign  of his ,beloved4 ,and 
therefore he caused that ,sign to be    
engraven1 and  at each of its four      
extremities he had a precious jewel set1
 as bright  as the sun4 ,that ,sign he  
wore ever upon him1 and it brought the  
,truth  to his remembrance4    #ceb ,the
 ,lover was walking pensively1 thinking 
on his ,beloved1 and he  found on the   
way many people and great multitudes who
 asked him for  news4 ,and the ,lover1  
who was rejoicing in his ,beloved1 gave 
them not  that which they asked of him1 
and said that he could not reply to     
their  words without departing far from 
his ,beloved4    #cec ,behind and before
 was the ,lover vested in love1 and he  
went  seeking his ,beloved4 ,love said  
to him3 #8,where goest thou1 ,o ,lover8'
 ,he  answered3 #8,i go to my ,beloved1 

that thou mayest be increased4'    #ced 
#8,say1 ,o ,fool1 what is ,religion8'   
,he answered3 #8,purity of thought1  and
 longing for death by which the ,beloved
 may be honoured1 and  renouncing the   
world1 that nothing may hinder one from 
contemplating  ,him and speaking truth  
of ,his ,name4'    #cee #8,say1 ,o      
,fool1 what are trials1 sighs1 laments1 
afflictions1 perils1  tears8' ,he       
answered3 #8,the joys of the ,beloved4' 
#8,and why are they so8'  #8,that ,he   
may be the more deeply loved by reason  
of them1 and the ,lover  be the more    
bounteously rewarded4'    #cef ,the     
,lover passed through divers places and 
found many men who were  rejoicing1     
laughing and singing and living in great
 joy and comfort4  ,and he wondered if  
this world were meant for laughing or   
for weeping4    #ceg ,so the ,virtues   
came1 to pronounce upon that question4  
,and ,faith  said3 #8,it is for weeping1
 because the faithless are more in      
number than  the believers4' ,hope said3

 #8,it is for weeping1 because few are  
those  that hope in ,god1 whereas many  
put their trust in the riches of earth4'
  ,charity said3 #8,it is for weeping1  
because so few are those that love  ,god
 and their neighbour4' ,and there       
followed the other ,virtues1 and so     
declared they all4    #ceh ,the lovers  
sought to prove ,love's messenger1 and  
they said that  they should go through  
the world1 crying that worshippers must 
honour  servants as servants and the    
,lord as a lord1 so that their requests 
might better be heard1 and because there
 needs not to love1 save the  ,beloved4 
#cei ,they asked ,love's messenger      
whence came to the ,beloved so many     
useless servants1 viler1 more abject1   
and more contemptible than  secular men4
 ,love's messenger answered and said3   
#8,they come through the  fault of those
 whose task it is to furnish their      
,sovereign1--the ,king  of ,kings1--the 
,beloved1--with servants4 ,they make no 
question1 as they  ought1 concerning the

 wisdom nor the lives nor the habits of 
those whom  they choose4 ,and those whom
 they will not take for ,his train they 
allow  to serve the ,eternal ,king in   
,his palace1 and in the most holy       
ministry  of ,his ,table4 ,wherefore    
ought they to fear the severest         
retributions  when they are called by   
the ,beloved to their account4'    #cfj 
,they asked the ,lover3 #8,in which is  
love greater1 in the ,lover who  lives  
or in the ,lover who dies8' ,he         
answered3 #8,in the ,lover who dies4'   
#8,and why8' #8,because in one who lives
 for love it may yet be greater1  but in
 one who dies for love it can be no     
greater4'    #cfa ,two lovers met3 the  
one revealed his ,beloved1 and the other
  learned of ,him4 ,and it was disputed 
which of those two was nearer  to his   
,beloved2 and in the solution the ,lover
 took knowledge of the  demonstration of
 the ,trinity4    #cfb #8,say1 ,o ,fool1
 why dost thou speak with such          
subtlety8' ,he answered3  #8,that ,i may

 raise my understanding to the height of
 my ,beloved's  greatness1 and that     
thereby more men may honour1 love and   
serve ,him4'    #cfc ,the ,lover drank  
deeply of the wine of memory1           
understanding and  love for his         
,beloved4 ,and that wine the ,beloved   
made bitter with ,his  ,lover's tears4  
#cfd ,love heated and inflamed the      
,lover with remembrance of his          
,beloved2 and the ,beloved cooled his   
ardour1 with sorrows and tears and      
forgetfulness of the delights of this   
world1 and the renunciation of          
vainglories4 ,so his love grew1 when he 
remembered wherefore he suffered  grief 
and affliction1 and the men of the world
 persecutions and trials4    #cfe ,they 
asked the ,lover this question3         
#8,wherein dies love8' ,the ,lover      
answered3 #8,in the delights of this    
world4' #8,and whence has it life and   
sustenance8' #8,in thoughts of the world
 to come4' ,wherefore they that  had    
inquired of him prepared to renounce    

this world1 that they might  think the  
more deeply upon the next1 and that     
their love might live and  find         
nourishment4    #cff #8,say1 ,o ,fool1  
what is this world8' ,he answered3 #8,it
 is the  prison-house of those that love
 and serve my ,beloved4' #8,and who  is 
he that imprisons them8' ,he answered3  
#8,conscience1 love1 fear1  renunciation
 and contrition1 and the companionship  
of wilful men4'  #8,and who is he that  
frees them8' #8,mercy1 pity and         
justice4' #8,and  where are they then   
sent8' #8,to eternal bliss1 and the     
joyful company  of true lovers1 where   
they shall laud1 bless and glorify the  
,beloved  everlastingly1 to whom be ever
 given praise1 honour and glory         
throughout all the world4'              
,printed in ,england at ,,the           
,,ballantyne ,,press    ,,spottiswoode1 
,,ballantyne  ,,co4 ,,ltd4              
,colchester1 ,london  ,eton             
,,footnotes3    #a ,el ,desconort1 ii4  
#b ,the date of ,blanquerna1 and hence  

of our classic1 is put down at  #abhc4  
#c ,lull is said to have been enticed to
 ,england 7in the summer of  #acje7 by  
,king ,edward ,i1 who believed him to   
have the secret of the  ,philosopher's  
,stone4 ,but this story has no sure     
foundation4    #d ,less than half of    
these works are theological4 ,the       
remainder deal  with the most diverse   
subjects1 such as metaphysics1 logic1   
ethics1  physics1 medicine1 mathematics1
 and chemistry4    #e ,works of ,lull   
himself4          ,,transcriber',s      
,,notes3        ,italicized text is     
surrounded by underscores3 italics4     
,superscripted characters are preceded  
by a carat character3 ,da4      ,obvious
 typographical errors have been         
corrected4      ,inconsistencies in     
hyphenation have been standardized4