Part 6

342 They asked the Lover in what manner the heart of man was turned towards the love of his Beloved. He answered them and said: ‘Even as the sunflower turns to the sun.’ ‘How is it, then, that all men love not thy Beloved?’ He answered: ‘They that love Him not have night in their hearts, because of their sin.’

343 Theology and Philosophy, Medicine and Law met the Lover, who asked them if they had seen his Beloved. The first wept, the second was doubtful, but the other two were glad. What, think you, was the meaning of these happenings to the Lover that was seeking his Beloved?

344 Full of tears and anguish the Lover went in search of his Beloved, by the path of the senses and also by the intellectual road. Which of those two ways, think you, did he enter first, as he went after his Beloved? And in which of them did the Beloved reveal Himself to him the more openly?

345 The Lover met an astrologer, and inquired of him: ‘What means thy astrology?’ He replied: ‘It is a science that foretells things to come.’ ‘Thou art deceived,’ said the Lover; ‘it is no science, but one falsely so called. It is necromancy, or the black art, in disguise, and the science of deceiving and lying prophets which dishonour the work of the sovereign Master. At all times it has been the messenger of evil tidings; and it runs clean contrary to the providence of my Beloved, for in place of the evils which it threatens He promises good things.’

346 The Lover went forth, crying: ‘Oh, how vain are all they who follow after lust of knowledge and presumption! For through lust of knowledge do they fall into the greatest depths of impiety, insulting the Name of God and with curses and incantations invoking evil spirits as good angels, inventing them with the names of God and of good angels, and profaning holy things with figures and images and by writings. And through presumption all errors are implanted in the world.’ And the Lover wept bitterly, for all the insults which are offered to his Beloved by ignorant men.

347 At the Day of Judgment the Beloved will cause all that men have given Him in this world to be placed on one side, and on the other side all that they have given to the world. Thus it shall be clearly seen to what extent they have loved Him, and which of their two gifts is the greater and nobler.

348 The Lover’s will was enamoured of itself and the understanding asked: ‘Is it more like the Beloved to love oneself or to love the Beloved? For the Beloved is to be loved more than anything beside.’ With what answer, think you, could the will make reply to the understanding most truly?

349 ‘Say, O Fool, what is the greatest and noblest love to be found in the creature?’ He answered: ‘That which is one with the Creator.’ ‘And why so?’ ‘Because there is nothing with which the Creator can make nobler a creature.’

350 One day the Lover was at prayer, and he perceived that he wept not; and in order that he might weep he bade his thoughts to think upon wealth, and women, and sons, and meats, and vainglory. And his understanding found that more men have each of the things aforesaid to their servants than has his Beloved. And thereupon were his eyes wet with tears, and his soul was in sorrow and pain.

351 One day the Lover was looking towards the east, and towards the west, towards the south and towards the north, and he espied the Sign of his Beloved. And therefore he caused that Sign to be engraven, and at each of its four extremities he had a precious jewel set, as bright as the sun. That Sign he wore ever upon him, and it brought the Truth to his remembrance.

352 The Lover was walking pensively, thinking on his Beloved, and he found on the way many people and great multitudes who asked him for news. And the Lover, who was rejoicing in his Beloved, gave them not that which they asked of him, and said that he could not reply to their words without departing far from his Beloved.

353 Behind and before was the Lover vested in love, and he went seeking his Beloved. Love said to him: ‘Where goest thou, O Lover?’ He answered: ‘I go to my Beloved, that thou mayest be increased.’

354 ‘Say, O Fool, what is Religion?’ He answered: ‘Purity of thought, and longing for death by which the Beloved may be honoured, and renouncing the world, that nothing may hinder one from contemplating Him and speaking truth of His Name.’

355 ‘Say, O Fool, what are trials, sighs, laments, afflictions, perils, tears?’ He answered: ‘The joys of the Beloved.’ ‘And why are they so?’ ‘That He may be the more deeply loved by reason of them, and the Lover be the more bounteously rewarded.’

356 The Lover passed through divers places and found many men who were rejoicing, laughing and singing and living in great joy and comfort. And he wondered if this world were meant for laughing or for weeping.

357 So the Virtues came, to pronounce upon that question. And Faith said: ‘It is for weeping, because the faithless are more in number than the believers.’ Hope said: ‘It is for weeping, because few are those that hope in God, whereas many put their trust in the riches of earth.’ Charity said: ‘It is for weeping, because so few are those that love God and their neighbour.’ And there followed the other Virtues, and so declared they all.

358 The lovers sought to prove Love’s messenger, and they said that they should go through the world, crying that worshippers must honour servants as servants and the Lord as a lord, so that their requests might better be heard, and because there needs not to love, save the Beloved.

359 They asked Love’s messenger whence came to the Beloved so many useless servants, viler, more abject, and more contemptible than secular men. Love’s messenger answered and said: ‘They come through the fault of those whose task it is to furnish their Sovereign,--the King of Kings,--the Beloved,--with servants. They make no question, as they ought, concerning the wisdom nor the lives nor the habits of those whom they choose. And those whom they will not take for His train they allow to serve the Eternal King in His palace, and in the most holy ministry of His Table. Wherefore ought they to fear the severest retributions when they are called by the Beloved to their account.’

360 They asked the Lover: ‘In which is love greater, in the Lover who lives or in the Lover who dies?’ He answered: ‘In the Lover who dies.’ ‘And why?’ ‘Because in one who lives for love it may yet be greater, but in one who dies for love it can be no greater.’

361 Two lovers met: the one revealed his Beloved, and the other learned of Him. And it was disputed which of those two was nearer to his Beloved; and in the solution the Lover took knowledge of the demonstration of the Trinity.

362 ‘Say, O Fool, why dost thou speak with such subtlety?’ He answered: ‘That I may raise my understanding to the height of my Beloved’s greatness, and that thereby more men may honour, love and serve Him.’

363 The Lover drank deeply of the wine of memory, understanding and love for his Beloved. And that wine the Beloved made bitter with His Lover’s tears.

364 Love heated and inflamed the Lover with remembrance of his Beloved; and the Beloved cooled his ardour, with sorrows and tears and forgetfulness of the delights of this world, and the renunciation of vainglories. So his love grew, when he remembered wherefore he suffered grief and affliction, and the men of the world persecutions and trials.

365 They asked the Lover this question: ‘Wherein dies love?’ The Lover answered: ‘In the delights of this world.’ ‘And whence has it life and sustenance?’ ‘In thoughts of the world to come.’ Wherefore they that had inquired of him prepared to renounce this world, that they might think the more deeply upon the next, and that their love might live and find nourishment.

366 ‘Say, O Fool, what is this world?’ He answered: ‘It is the prison-house of those that love and serve my Beloved.’ ‘And who is he that imprisons them?’ He answered: ‘Conscience, love, fear, renunciation and contrition, and the companionship of wilful men.’ ‘And who is he that frees them?’ ‘Mercy, pity and justice.’ ‘And where are they then sent?’ ‘To eternal bliss, and the joyful company of true lovers, where they shall laud, bless and glorify the Beloved everlastingly, to whom be ever given praise, honour and glory throughout all the world.’

_Printed in England at_ THE BALLANTYNE PRESS SPOTTISWOODE, BALLANTYNE & CO. LTD. _Colchester, London & Eton_

FOOTNOTES:

[1] _El Desconort_, ii.

[2] The date of _Blanquerna_, and hence of our classic, is put down at 1283.

[3] Lull is said to have been enticed to England (in the summer of 1305) by King Edward I, who believed him to have the secret of the Philosopher’s Stone. But this story has no sure foundation.

[4] Less than half of these works are theological. The remainder deal with the most diverse subjects, such as metaphysics, logic, ethics, physics, medicine, mathematics, and chemistry.

[5] Works of Lull himself.

TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES:

Italicized text is surrounded by underscores: _italics_.

Superscripted characters are preceded by a carat character: D^a.

Obvious typographical errors have been corrected.

Inconsistencies in hyphenation have been standardized.