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Beloved, thou makest me fuller
every day.
Thou diggest into my heart deeper than the depths of the earth.
Thou raisest my soul higher than the highest Heaven,
making me more empty every day and yet fuller.
Thou makest me wider than the ends of the world,
Thou stretchest my two arms across the land and the sea
giving into my enfoldment the East and the West.
Thou changest my flesh into fertile soil,
Thou turnest my blood into streams of water,
Thou kneadest my clay, I know, to make a new universe.
In the swinging of the branches,
in the flying of the birds
and in the running of the water, Beloved,
I see Thy waving hand bidding me good-bye.
In the cooing of the wind, in the roaring of the sea,
and in the crashing of the thunder, Beloved,
I see Thee weep and I hear Thy cry.
In the promise of the dawn, in the breaking of the morn, in the smiles of the
rose, Beloved,
I see Thy joy at my home coming.
Let Thy wish become my desire,
Let Thy will become my deed,
Let Thy word become my speech, Beloved,
And Thy love become my creed.
Let my plant bring forth Thy flowers,
Let my fruits produce Thy seed,
Let my heart become Thy lute, Beloved,
And my body Thy flute of reed.
When I close my eyes in the
solitude,
I see Thy glorious vision in my heart,
And opening my eyes amidst the crowd
I see Thee acting on the stage of the earth.
Always I am in Thy dazzling presence, my Beloved.
Thou takes me to Heaven,
and Thou bringest me on earth in the twinkling of an eye.
Let me not fall low, after
having raised me high.
Let me not become narrow, after having made me broad.
Let me not become small, after having once made me great.
Throw me not down, Beloved, after once Thou hast lifted me up.
I looked and looked to find
someone to whom I might give my trust,
but I found no one, until I saw Thee at last in my heart,
holding in Thy hand the record of my life's secret.
As I put myself forward into the
world, so I show my limitation, my King,
but as I withdraw myself from the world, so I enter into Thy kingdom.
I look to Thee, O Lord,
when the noose of death seems unavoidable and nigh.
I look to Thee, O Lord,
when with heavy heart I see my beloved ones depart.
I look to Thee, O Lord,
when change and limit in the worldly love I see.
I look to Thee, O Lord,
when all that I call mine is snatched away from my hand.
I look to Thee, O Lord,
when my boon companions turn their back in my sorrow.
I look to Thee, O Lord,
when my hands are full with worldly strife.
I look to thee, O Lord,
when the higher self raises me up and the lower self weighs me down.
I look to Thee, O Lord,
when I try to do right and it turns to wrong.
I look to Thee, O Lord,
when all in life seems as naught to me,
and I feel a yearning for something beyond.
The spring that riseth out of
Thy heart Thou pourest upon me,Beloved,
and my spirit feeleth the exaltation of being dissolved under Thy divine shower.
When Thou didst sit upon Thy
throne with a crown upon Thy head,
I did prostrate myself upon the ground and called Thee my Lord.
When thou didst stretch out Thy hands in blessing over me,
I knelt and called Thee my Master.
When thou didst raise me from the ground, holding me with Thine arms,
I drew closer to Thee and called Thee my Beloved;
but when Thy caressing hands held my head next to Thy glowing heart
and Thou didst kiss me,
I smiled and called Thee my self.
What I may not see, let me not
see.
What I may not hear, let me no hear.
What I may not know, I ask not to know.
Beloved, I am contented with both thy speech and thy silence.
Let him not see me who should
not see me.
Let him not hear me who will not hear me.
Let him not know me who need not know me.
Beloved, veil and unveil me, as Thy wisdom chooseth.
By Thy skilful hands Thou hast
made these flowers,
By the power of Thy magic glance Thou hast coloured them so beautifully.
Thou hast breathed on flowers, giving them life and radiance,
and with a kiss Thou hast made them fragrant.
Let my insight be deeper than
the ocean;
let my mind be more fertile than the land;
let my heart be wider than the horizon, Beloved;
and let my soul soar higher than Paradise.
Every form I see is Thine own
form, my Lord,
And every sound I hear is Thine own voice.
In the perfume of flowers I perceive the fragrance of Thy spirit,
In every word spoken to me I hear Thy voice, my Lord.
All that touches me is Thine own touch,
In everything I taste I enjoy the savour of Thy delicious spirit.
In every place I feel Thy presence, Beloved,
In every word that falleth on my ears I hear Thy message.
Everything that touches me, thrillest me with the joy of Thy kiss.
Wherever I roam, I meet Thee,
wherever I reach, I find Thee, my Lord.
Wherever I look I see Thy glorious vision,
Whatever I touch, I touch Thy beloved hand.
Whomsoever I see, I see Thee in his soul.
Whoever aught giveth to me, I take it from Thee.
To whomsoever I give, I humbly offer it to Thee, Lord.
Whoever cometh to me, it is Thou who comest.
On whomever I call, I call on Thee.
Turn me not aside, Beloved, once
Thou hast granted me Thy favour.
Starve me not of a kiss, after Thou hast enfolded me.
Grieve me not, Beloved, since Thou hast made me smile.
Turn not away Thine eyes,
once Thou hast poured the wine of Thy magic glance into the cup of my heart.
Enter unhesitatingly, Beloved,
for in this abode there is naught but my longing for Thee.
Do I call Thee my soul ? But
Thou art my spirit.
Can I call Thee my life ? But Thou livest for ever.
May I call Thee my Beloved ? But Thou art Love itself.
Then what must I call Thee ? I must call Thee my self.
Why did I not recognize Thee
when first I opened my eyes on the earth ?
Why did I not respond to Thee
when I heard Thy enchanting voice ?
Why did I not feel Thy gentle hand
when Thou didst caress my face ?
Why did I not cling to Thee, Beloved,
when Thou lovingly didst kiss my lips ?
When I began to look for Thee,
in the twinkling of an eye Thou didst disappear.
When I started in Thy pursuit,
Thou didst move away from me still farther.
When I called Thee aloud in my distress,
Thou didst not hear my soul's bitter cry.
Cross-legged I sat in silence;
then alone I heard Thy call.
Why have I two eyes,
if not to behold Thy glorious vision ?
Why have I two ears,
if not to hear Thy gentle whisper ?
Why have I the sense of smell,
if not to breathe the essence of Thy spirit ?
Why have I two lips, Beloved,
if not to kiss Thy beautiful countenance ?
Why have I two hands
if not to work in Thy divine cause ?
Why have I two legs,
if not to walk in Thy spiritual path ?
Why have I a voice,
if not to sing Thy celestial song ?
Why have I a heart, Beloved,
if not to make it Thy sacred dwelling ?
Did I not leave the unseen world
in Thy pursuit ?
Have I not come in this world of limitations in search of Thee ?
Have I not followed Thy footprints on this earth ?
Have I not looked for Thy light in the Heavens ?
But where did I find Thee, Beloved, at last ?
Hiding in my heart.
Every step in Thy path draws me
nearer to Thee,
every breath in Thy thought exhilarates my spirit,
every glimpse of Thy smile is inspiring to my soul,
every tear in Thy love, Beloved, exalts my being. |
