Chapter 4 4

46 I don't know when since long ago, you have been approaching to greet me. Your sun and stars can never hide you from me. Many mornings and evenings I have heard your footsteps, and your messengers have come to my heart in secret to call. I don't know why today my life is totally agitated, a feeling of carnival runs through my heart. It's like it's time to finish work and I feel your presence in the air. 47 The night is coming to an end, when he is empty again.I was afraid that he would suddenly come to my door in the morning when I was sleepy. Oh, my friends, open the door for him—

Do not hinder him. If the sound of his footsteps doesn't wake me up, please don't wake me up.I don't want the noisy chorus of birds, and the wind to celebrate the morning light, to wake me from my sleep.Let me sleep undisturbed even when my Lord suddenly comes to my door.Oh, my sleep, precious sleep, just waiting for his touch to dissipate.Oh, my closed eyes, opened only in the light of his smile, when he stood before me like a dream emerging from the blackness of sleep. Let him appear before my eyes as the first light and image.Let his gaze be the first exultation of my awakened soul.

Let the return of my self be an immediate conversion to Him. 48 In the quiet sea in the early morning, there are waves of birds singing; the flowers on the roadside are competing for beauty; when we are rushing on the road without paying attention, brilliant golden light is scattered in the gaps in the clouds. We don't sing or play; we don't go to the village to trade; we don't speak or smile; we don't linger on the road.As time passed, we also accelerated our pace. The sun has risen to the middle of the sky, and the doves are calling in the cool shade.Dead leaves fluttered in the hot midday wind.The shepherd boy dreamed his weary dream under the banyan tree, and I lay down by the water, spreading my weary limbs on the grass.

My companions laugh at me; they lift their heads and scurry; they neither look back nor rest; they disappear into the distant mist.They passed through many mountains and forests, and passed through strange and distant places.Heroes on the long distance, the glory belongs to you!Ridicule and reproach tried to make me stand up, but I didn't respond.I willingly sink into the depths of the shame of joy— In the vague shadows of joy. The tranquility of the green shade woven by the sun slowly enveloped my heart.I forget the purpose of my travels, and without resistance I surrender my soul to a labyrinth of shadows and songs.

Finally, I opened my eyes from deep sleep, and I saw you standing beside me, and my sleep was bathed in your smile. How I used to be afraid of the distance and difficulty of this road, how hard it is to work hard before you! 49 Come down from your throne and stand before the door of my cottage. I was singing solo in the corner, and you heard the singing.Come down and stand in front of my cottage. There are many famous artists in your hall, and songs are sung all day long.But this simple music for beginners has won your appreciation.A melancholy ditty mingled with the great music of the world, and you brought flowers as a reward, alighted from your throne and stood at the door of my hut.

50 I am begging along the door of the village road, your golden chariot appears from afar like a magnificent dream, I wonder who the King of kings is! My hopes are raised, I feel my days of misery are at an end, and I stand waiting for your voluntary giving, for the treasure that is scattered in the dust. The car stopped where I was standing.You see me and get out of the car with a smile.I feel like my luck has finally struck. Suddenly you stretched out your right hand and said, "What do you have for me?" Oh, what a royal joke this is, stretching out one's hand to a beggar!Confused, I stood hesitantly, and then slowly took out the smallest kernel of corn from my pocket and offered it to you.

But to my surprise, when I dumped my sack at night, among the cheap things I begged, I found a grain of gold.I wept bitterly for not giving you my all generously. 51 Late at night.Our day's work is done.We thought that all the guests for lodging had arrived, and every house in the village had closed their doors.Only a few said that the king was coming.We laughed and said, "No, it's impossible!" It was as if there was a knock on the door.We say it's just the wind.We turn off the lights and go to bed.Only a few people said: "This is the messenger!" We laughed and said: "No, it must be the wind!"

In the dead of night came a voice.In the haze, we thought it was thunder in the distance.The walls shake and the ground shakes, and we are disturbed in our sleep.Only a few said, "It's the sound of wheels." We muttered sleepily, "No, it must be thunder!" It was still dark when the drums sounded.A voice shouted, "Wake up! Don't delay!" We put our hands on our hearts, trembling with fear.Only a few said, "Look, here is the king's flag!" We got up and stood up and cried, "There's no time to lose!" The king has come—but where are the lights, where are the garlands?Where is the throne prepared for him?

Oh, shame, oh, what a shame!Where is the living room, and where are the furnishings?Several people said: "It's useless to scream! Meet him with empty hands, and take him to your empty room!" Open the door and blow the conch!In the middle of the night the king came to my dark and dreary house.Thunder roared in the air.Darkness and lightning tremble together.Take out your broken mat and spread it in the yard.Our King came suddenly with the storm in the dreadful night. 52 I think I should ask you—but I dare not—that garland of roses about your neck.So I waited until morning to find some pieces from your bed while you were gone.I search like a beggar at dawn for a scattered petal or two.

Oh, me, what have I found?What mark of love have you left behind?It's not flowers, it's not spices, it's not a bottle of perfume.That is your great sword, bright as fire and heavy as thunder.The morning light shone from the window onto the bed.The morning bird chirped and asked, "Woman, what have you got?" No, it is not flowers, nor spices, nor a bottle of perfume—it is your dreadful sword. I sat and wondered what kind of gift you have.I have nowhere to hide it.I'm ashamed to wear it; I'm so weak it hurts me when I hold it in my arms.But I will remember this favor, your gift, this painful burden.

From now on in this world I will have no fear, and you will be victorious in all my struggles.You left death with me, and I will crown him with my life.I take your sword to cut my jire, and I shall have no fear in the world. From now on I will throw away all trivial decorations.Lord of my heart, I no longer wait and cry in a corner, nor am I timid and shy.You have given me your sword to wear.I don't want doll ornaments any more! 53 Your bracelet is so beautiful, studded with stars, delicately set with jewels of many colors.But your sword is more beautiful in my opinion, its curved flash is like the spread wings of Vishnu's bird, perfectly flat in the red light of the setting sun. It trembles like the last reaction of life in a painful stupor to the last blow of death; it flaunts like the last violent flash of the pure flame of the dying world. Beautiful are thy bracelets, set with jewels like the stars; but thy sword, O Lord of thunder, is so beautifully wrought, that it is dreadful to see and think. 54 I do not ask of you; I do not speak my name to your ears.I stood silent when you left.I am alone by the well where the shadows of the trees are sloping, and the women have already returned home with brown earthen pots filled with water.They called me and said, "Come with us, it's almost noon." But I lingered languidly, lost in dreamy meditation. I didn't hear your footsteps when you came.You looked at me with sad eyes; your voice was weary when you whispered— — "Oh, I am a thirsty traveler." I startled from my dream and poured the water from my jug into your clasped palm. The leaves rustled overhead, the cuckoos sang in the shadows, and the scent of gum trees wafted from the winding paths. When you asked my name, I was ashamed and silent.Really, what have I done for you that deserves your remembrance?But the memory that I was lucky enough to give you water to quench your thirst will stick to my heart warmly.It was getting late, the birds were singing tired songs, and the leaves of the neem tree were rustling above my head. I sat and thought about it over and over again. 55 Wearyness weighs on your heart, and sleepiness is in your eyes. Have you not heard that the flowers are blooming among the thorn bushes?Wake up, oh, wake up!Don't let the time go to waste! At the end of the stone path, in a deserted field, my friend sat alone.Do not deceive him.Wake up, oh, wake up! Even if the noonday sun pants and shakes the sky—even if the scorching sand spreads its thirsty mantle— Is there no joy in the depths of your heart?Won't every step of your foot make the strings of the road a painful soft note? 56 Just because your happiness fills my heart so much.Just because you have condescended to me like this.Oh, you king of the heavens, whom would you love if not me? You have made me a sharer of all your riches.In my heart your joy travels unceasingly.In my life your will is always fulfilled. Therefore, you King of kings have adorned yourself to win my heart.So your love dissolves into your lover's love, and there you appear again in our perfect oneness. 57 Light, my light, light that fills the world, light that kisses the eyes, light that sweetens the heart! Oh, my darling, the light is dancing in the corner of my life; my darling, the light is plucking at the chords of my love; Butterflies spread their wings and sails on the sea of ​​light.Lilies and jasmine surge on the waves of light. My darling, the light is golden on every cloud, and it sheds countless jewels. My darling, joy spreads among the leaves, joy is boundless.The banks of the Tianhe River are flooded, and the flood of joy is scattered in all directions. 58 Let all songs of joy mingle in my last song--joy that made the earth cry and shake the sea of ​​grass, that made twin brothers, life and death, dance in the wide world, that rolled with the tempest Come, shake and wake up the joy of life with laughter, the joy of sitting silently on the blooming red lotus of pain with tears in your eyes, the joy of throwing everything into the dust without knowing what matters. 59 Yes, I know, it's only your love, O my beloved - this golden light dancing on the leaves, these idle clouds sailing across the sky, this cool breeze blowing that refreshes my brow. The brilliance of the breeze floods into my eyes - this is your message to my heart.Your face bows down, your eyes look into mine, and my heart touches your feet. 60 Children meet on the seashore of the boundless world.Overhead is the still infinite sky, and the restless waves are rushing and noisy. On the seashore of the boundless world, children gather with joy and joy. They build houses with sand and play games with shells.They weave dead leaves into boats and float them on the deep sea with a smile.Children play games on the shores of the world. They don't know how to water, and they don't know how to cast a net.Pearl fishers dive for pearls, merchants sail, and children gather stones and throw them away.They do not search for treasure, nor do they cast nets. The sea roared with laughter, and the shore shone with pale smiles.The deadly waves sang meaningless ballads to the children like a mother rocking her baby's cradle.The sea plays with children, and the shore smiles palely. Children meet on the seashore of the boundless world.Storms sail in a trackless sky, ships break apart on trackless seas, death is rampant, and children play.On the shores of the boundless world, children gather grandly.