02愛

於是，艾蜜特拉說，跟我們說說「愛」吧。
他抬起頭，看著眾人，四周一片寂靜。
他大聲說道：
當愛召喚你時，緊隨它，雖然它的道路艱險崎嶇。
當愛的羽翼擁抱你時，依順它，雖然它翅端所藏的尖剌可能會弄傷你。
當愛開口對你說話時，相信它，雖然它的聲音會像北風傾摧花園似地震碎你的夢想。

Then said Almitra, “Speak to us of Love.”
And he raised his head and looked upon the people, and there fell a stillness upon them.
And with a great voice he said:
When love beckons to you follow him, Though his ways are hard and steep.
And when his wings enfold you yield to him, Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you.
And when he speaks to you believe in him, Though his voice may shatter your dreams as the north wind lays waste the garden.

因為，愛既加冕於你，也必把你釘上十字架；愛既使你成長，也必令你受管教。
愛既上升到枝頭，撫慰著你在日光下顫動的嫩葉，也必下潛至根部，搖撼你緊抓住泥土的根節。
愛採集你們，如同農人收割一束束稻穀。
愛像打穀似地鞭出赤祼的你。
愛像篩子似地篩掉你的外穀。
愛像石磨似地磨出你的潔白。
愛更揉捏你使你柔和溫順；
而後，它把你放進神聖的火焰中，使你成為神的聖餐中的聖餅。
這些都是愛會對你做的事，使你洞悉自己內心的秘密，因著這樣的知識，成為「生命本質」的片斷。
然而，如果你因為恐懼，而只求愛的平安和逸樂，
那倒不如遮住自己的赤裸，閃避愛的舂打，
躲進那四季不分、笑不能盡興、哭不能盡情的世界。

For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you.
Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning.
Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun, so shall he descend to your roots
and shake them in their clinging to the earth.
Like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto himself.
He threshes you to make you naked.
He sifts you to free you from your husks.
He grinds you to whiteness.
He kneads you until you are pliant;
And then he assigns you to his sacred fire, that you may become sacred bread for God's sacred feast.
All these things shall love do unto you that you may know the secrets of your heart, and in that knowledge become a fragment of Life's heart.
But if in your fear you would seek only love's peace and love's pleasure, then it is better for you that you cover your nakedness and pass out of love's threshing-floor, into the seasonless world where you shall laugh, but not all of your laughter, and weep, but not all of your tears.

08歡樂與悲傷

一個婦人說，請談談「歡樂」和「悲傷」吧。
他答道：
你的歡樂是未加掩飾的悲傷。
湧出歡樂的那口井，通常也裝滿了你的淚水。

Then a woman said, “Speak to us of Joy and Sorrow.”
And he answered:
Your joy is your sorrow unmasked.
And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentimes filled with your tears.

怎麼可能會有別的情況？
悲傷在你身上雕刻的痕跡愈深，你所能盛裝的歡樂就愈多。
你用來盛酒的杯子，不是曾在陶匠的窯裏燒過嗎？
那撫慰你精神的琴，不就是那塊用刀鑿過的木頭嗎？
當你歡樂時，看著自己的內心深處，你會發覺，現時的快樂乃源於之前經歷過的悲傷。
當你悲傷時，再次看著內心深處，你會發覺你是在為以前的歡樂哭泣。有人說，「歡樂大於悲傷，」也有人說，「不，悲傷才是更大的。」
但是我要告訴你們，這兩者是永不分離的。
它們一同來到，當其中一個坐在你的桌邊時，切記，另一個正在你的床上安歇。
事實上，你就像是在歡樂和悲傷間擺盪的天秤。
唯有心中空無一念時，才可平衡靜止。
當看守財物的人拿你去秤金量銀，你的歡樂或悲傷必然會跟著起起落落。

And how else can it be?
The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain.
Is not the cup that hold your wine the very cup that was burned in the potter's oven?
And is not the lute that soothes your spirit, the very wood that was hollowed with knives?
When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy.
When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight. Some of you say, “Joy is greater than sorrow,” and others say, “Nay, sorrow is the greater.”
But I say unto you, they are inseparable.
Together they come, and when one sits alone with you at your board, remember that the other is asleep upon your bed.
Verily you are suspended like scales between your sorrow and your joy.
Only when you are empty are you at standstill and balanced.
When the treasure-keeper lifts you to weigh his gold and his silver, needs must your joy or your sorrow rise or fall.