John of the Cross Quotes
John of the Cross was a Spanish Carmelite friar, mystic, and poet, co-founder of the Discalced Carmelite reform with Teresa of Avila. Imprisoned by his own order during the conflict over the reform, he composed in his cell much of the poetry that, with its accompanying prose commentaries, makes him the supreme mystical poet of the Spanish language. The quotes below are attributed to John of the Cross, organized by topic.
Browse John of the Cross by topic
John of the Cross on Death
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“Upon a darkened night the flame of love was burning in my breast And by a lantern bright I fled my house while all in quiet rest. Shrouded by the night and by the secret stair I quickly fled. The veil concealed my eyes while all within lay quiet as the dead Variant adapted for music by Loreena McKennitt (1994)”
En una noche oscura, con ansias, en amores inflamada , ¡oh dichosa ventura!, salí sin ser notada, estando ya mi casa sosegada;
John of the Cross on God
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Attributed to John of the Cross:
“In the dark night of the soul, bright flows the river of God.”
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Attributed to John of the Cross:
“If a man wishes to be sure of the road he treads on, he must close his eyes and walk in the dark.”
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Attributed to John of the Cross:
“What we need most in order to make progress is to be silent before this great God.”
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“One human thought alone is worth more than the entire world, hence God alone is worthy of it.”
The Sayings of Light and Love -
“If you wish to attain holy recollection, you will do so not by receiving but by denying.”
The Sayings of Light and Love
John of the Cross on Happiness
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“On a dark night, Kindled in love with yearnings — oh, happy chance ! — I went forth without being observed, My house being now at rest. In darkness and secure, By the secret ladder, disguised — oh, happy chance! — In darkness and in concealment, My house being now at rest.”
En una noche oscura, con ansias, en amores inflamada , ¡oh dichosa ventura!, salí sin ser notada, estando ya mi casa sosegada; -
“In the happy night, In secret, when none saw me, Nor I beheld aught, Without light or guide, save that which burned in my heart .”
Wikiquote -
“Blessed are they who, setting aside their own pleasure and inclination, consider things according to reason and justice before doing them.”
The Sayings of Light and Love
John of the Cross on Knowledge
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“En una noche oscura, con ansias, en amores inflamada , ¡oh dichosa ventura!, salí sin ser notada, estando ya mi casa sosegada;”
On a dark night, Kindled in love with yearnings — oh, happy chance ! — I went forth without being observed, My house being now at rest. In darkness and secure, By the secret ladder, disguised — oh, happy chance! — In darkness and in concealment, My house being now at rest. | One dark night, fired with love's urgent longings — ah, the sheer grace ! — I went out unseen, my house being now all stille -
“Upon my flowery breast Kept wholly for Himself alone There He stayed sleeping And I caressed Him And the fanning of the cedars made a breeze. The breeze blew from the turret as I parted His locks. With His gentle hand He wounded my neck And caused all my senses to be suspended.”
Wikiquote -
“Deny your desires and you will find what your heart longs for. For how do you know if any desire of yours is according to God?”
The Sayings of Light and Love
John of the Cross on Life
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“There thou wilt show me That which my soul desired; And there Thou wilt give at once, O Thou, my life! That which Thou gavest me the other day. ~ 38”
Spiritual Canticle of The Soul and The Bridegroom
John of the Cross on Love
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Attributed to John of the Cross:
“In the evening of life, we shall be judged on love.”
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Attributed to John of the Cross:
“Love is the inclination of the soul.”
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“One dark night, fired with love's urgent longings — ah, the sheer grace ! — I went out unseen, my house being now all stilled. In darkness, and secure, by the secret ladder, disguised, — ah, the sheer grace! — in darkness and concealment, my house being now all stilled. Variant translation by Kieran Kavanaugh and Otilio Rodriguez (1991)”
En una noche oscura, con ansias, en amores inflamada , ¡oh dichosa ventura!, salí sin ser notada, estando ya mi casa sosegada; -
“Oh, night that guided me, Oh, night more lovely than the dawn, Oh, night that joined Beloved with lover, Lover transformed in the Beloved!”
O guiding night! O night more lovely than the dawn! O night that has united the Lover with his beloved, transforming the beloved in her Lover. Variant translation by Kieran Kavanaugh and Otilio Rodriguez (1991) | Oh night thou was my guide Oh night more loving than the rising sun Oh night that joined the lover to the beloved one transforming each of them into the other. Variant adapted for music b -
“O guiding night! O night more lovely than the dawn! O night that has united the Lover with his beloved, transforming the beloved in her Lover. Variant translation by Kieran Kavanaugh and Otilio Rodriguez (1991)”
Oh, night that guided me, Oh, night more lovely than the dawn, Oh, night that joined Beloved with lover, Lover transformed in the Beloved! -
“Oh night thou was my guide Oh night more loving than the rising sun Oh night that joined the lover to the beloved one transforming each of them into the other. Variant adapted for music by Loreena McKennitt (1994)”
Oh, night that guided me, Oh, night more lovely than the dawn, Oh, night that joined Beloved with lover, Lover transformed in the Beloved! -
“I remained, lost in oblivion; My face I reclined on the Beloved. All ceased and I abandoned myself , Leaving my cares forgotten among the lilies.”
I abandoned and forgot myself, laying my face on my Beloved; all things ceased; I went out from myself, leaving my cares forgotten among the lilies. | Variant translation by Kieran Kavanaugh and Otilio Rodriguez (1991) -
“My soul is occupied, And all my substance in His service; Now I guard no flock, Nor have I any other employment: My sole occupation is love . ~ 28”
Spiritual Canticle of The Soul and The Bridegroom -
“In solitude she lived, And in solitude built her nest; And in solitude, alone Hath the Beloved guided her, In solitude also wounded with love. ~ 35”
Spiritual Canticle of The Soul and The Bridegroom -
“Let us rejoice, O my Beloved! Let us go forth to see ourselves in Thy beauty, To the mountain and the hill, Where the pure water flows: Let us enter into the heart of the thicket. ~ 36”
Spiritual Canticle of The Soul and The Bridegroom -
“I abandoned and forgot myself, laying my face on my Beloved; all things ceased; I went out from myself, leaving my cares forgotten among the lilies.”
Dark Night of the Soul -
“In search of my Love I will go over mountains and strands; I will gather no flowers , I will fear no wild beasts; And pass by the mighty and the frontiers. ~ 3”
Spiritual Canticle of The Soul and The Bridegroom -
“Reveal Thy presence, And let the vision and Thy beauty kill me , Behold the malady Of love is incurable Except in Thy presence and before Thy face. ~ 11”
Spiritual Canticle of The Soul and The Bridegroom -
“O killing north wind, cease! Come, south wind, that awakenest love! Blow through my garden, And let its odours flow, And the Beloved shall feed among the flowers. ~ 17”
Spiritual Canticle of The Soul and The Bridegroom -
“The bride has entered The pleasant and desirable garden, And there reposes to her heart’s content; Her neck reclining On the sweet arms of the Beloved. ~ 22”
Spiritual Canticle of The Soul and The Bridegroom -
“When Thou didst regard me, Thine eyes imprinted in me Thy grace: For this didst Thou love me again, And thereby mine eyes did merit To adore what in Thee they saw. ~ 32”
Spiritual Canticle of The Soul and The Bridegroom -
“Love consists not in feeling great things but in having great detachment and in suffering for the Beloved.”
The Sayings of Light and Love
John of the Cross on Virtue
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Attributed to John of the Cross:
“To come to enjoy what you have not, you must go by a way in which you enjoy not.”