CANCIONES DE EL ALMA, que se goza de auer llegado al alto estado de la perfeccion, que es la union con Dios por el camino de la negacion espiritual.	THE DARK NIGHT - Songs of the soul, which rejoices at having reached that lofty state of perfection: union with God by the way of spiritual negation.
San Juan de la Cruz	trans. John Frederick Nims
En una noche obscura Con ansias en amores inflamada o dichosa uentura sali sin ser notada Estando ya mi casa sosegada A escuras, y segura Por la secreta escala disfraçada o dichosa uentura a escuras y ençelada Estando ya mi casa sosegada En la noche dichosa En secreto que nadie me ueya. Ni yo miraua cosa Sin otra luz y guia Sino la que en el coraçon ardia Aquesta me guiaua Mas cierto que la luz del medio dia adonde me esperaua quien yo bien me sabia En parte donde nadie parecia O noche que guiaste o noche amable mas que et aluorada o noche que juntaste amado con amada Amada en el amado transformada En mi pecho florido que entero para el solo se guardaua alli quedó dormido, y yo le regalaua y el ventalle de cedros ayre daua El ayre de la almena quando yo sus cabellos esparzia con su mano serena en mi cuello heria y todos mis sentidos suspendia. Quedeme y oluideme El rostro recline sobre et amado cesò todo, y dexeme dexando mi cuidado Entre las açucenas oluidado.	Once in the dark of night when love burned bright with yearning, I arose (O windfall of delight!) and how I left none knows dead to the world my house, in dull repose; in the dark, where all goes right, by means of a secret ladder, other clothes (O windfall of delight!) in the dark, and hid from those dead to the world my house, in dull repose. There in the lucky dark, none to observe me; darkness far and wide; no sign for me to mark, no other light, no guide except for my heart - the fire, the fire inside! That led me on true as the very noon is - truer too! to where there waited one I knew - how well I knew! - in a place where no one was in view. O dark of night, my guide! night dearer than anything all your dawns discover! O night drawing side to side the loved and lover - she that the lover loves, lost in the lover! On blossoms of my breast kept for his pleasure garden, his alone, the lover was sunk in rest; I cherishing my own there in air from plumes of the cedar blown. Air from the castle wall, as my hand in his hair moved lovingly at play, let cool fingers fall and it seared me where they lay! All senses in oblivion drift away. I stayed there, quite forgot me, my forehead on the lover I reclined, earth ending so. Was not me, left all my care behind among the lilies falling and out of mind.

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Transl. Copyright © Mrs. Bonnie Nims 1971 - publ. Rutgers University Press

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