John of the Cross Quotes on Love

Quotes

• Attributed to John of the Cross:

  “In the dark night of the soul, bright flows the river of God.”

• 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.”

• Attributed to John of the Cross:

  “In the evening of life, we shall be judged on love.”

• Attributed to John of the Cross:

  “Love is the inclination of the soul.”

• “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;

• “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;

• “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;

• “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