En una noche oscura
En una noche oscura, con ansias, en amores inflamada, oh dichosa ventura!, salí sin ser notada, estando ya mi casa sosegada;
a escuras y segura por la secreta escala, disfrazada, oh dichosa ventura!, a escuras y encelada, estando ya mi casa sosegada;
en la noche dichosa, en secreto, que naide me veía ni yo miraba cisa, sin otra luz y guía sino la que en el corazón ardía.
Aquesta me guiaba más cierto que la luz del mediodía adonde me esperaba quien yo bien me sabía en parte donde naide parecía.
Oh noche que guiaste! oh noche amable más que la alborada! oh noche que juntaste Amado con amada, amada en el Amado transformada!
En mi pecho florido, que entero para él solo se guardaba, allí quedó dormido, y yo le regalaba, y el ventalle de cedros aire daba.
El aire del almena, cuando yo sus cabellos esparcía, con su mano serena en mi cuello hería, y todos mis sentidos suspendía.
Quedéme y olvidéme, el rostro recliné sobre el Amado; cesó todo y dejéme, dejando mi cuidado entre las azucenas olvidado.
—Juan de la Cruz
One Dark Night
One dark night, Starving for love and deep in flame, O happy lucky flight! Unseen I slipped away, My father's house at last was still.
Blackly free from light, Disguised and down a secret way, O happy lucky flight! In darkness I escaped, The house at last was still and safe.
On that happy night—in Secret—none could see me through the dark— And I saw nothing then, No other light to mark The way but fire pounding my heart.
That flaming guided me More surely than the noonday sun, And waiting there was He I knew so well—who shone Where not a soul appeared to come.
O night, my guide! O night more lovely than the dawn! O tender night that tied Lover and beloved one, Beloved in the lover fused as one!
Upon my blossoming breast Which I had saved for him alone, He slept and I caressed And fondled him with love, As cedars fanned the air above.
Wind from the castle wall While my fingers played in his hair— His hand serenely fell Pressing my neck, and there My senses vanished in the air.
Lost in oblivion I lay As on my love I leaned my face. All ceased. My selfhood fell away. I left my fears to fade Among the flowers of a vanished day.
—Willis Barnstone and Faith Bowman, trs