Llibre d'Amic e Amat

Book of the Lover and the Beloved

Desembre

December

Ramon Llull

Translated by Jordi Miralda Escudé
Pitgeu en el dia del mes per anar a la metàfora d'avui: Click on today's date to go to the prayer of the day:

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1. Oïa blasmar l'amic son amat, en lo qual blasma veia l'enteniment la justícia e la paciència de son amat, cor la justícia punia los blasmadors, e la paciència los esperava a contrició, penediment. E per açò és qüestió en qual dels dos l'amic creia pus fortment. 1. The lover was hearing blaming of his beloved, and in this blaming his intelligence saw the justice and the patience of his beloved, for justice punished the blamers, and patience awaited them to contrition, repentance. This is why it is wondered in which of the two the lover believed the most.

2. Malalt fo l'amic, e féu testament ab consell de son amat. Colpes e torts lleixà a penediment, penitència; e delits temporals lleixà a menyspreament; a sos ulls lleixà plors, e a son cor sospirs e amors; e a son enteniment lleixà les faiçons de son amat; e a son remembrament la passió que sostenc per sa amor son amat; e a son negoci lleixà l'endreçament dels infeels, qui innorantment van a penediment. 2. The lover was sick, and he made his will with advice from his beloved. Guilt and harm he bequeathed to repentance, penitence; and temporal desire he bequeathed to disdain; to his eyes he bequeathed crying, and to his hearth sighs and love; and to his intelligence he bequeathed the forms of his beloved; and to his memory the passion that his beloved bears for his love; and to his business he bequeathed the correction of the infidels, who go ignorantly to their ruin.

3. Odorà l'amic flors, e remembrà pudors en ric avar, e en luxuriós, e en desconeixent ergullós. Gustà l'amic dolçors, e entès amargors en les possessions temporals, e en l'entrament e iximent d'aquest món. Sentí l'amic plaers temporals, e l'enteniment entès lo breu traspassament d'aquest món e los perdurables turments als quals són ocasió los delits qui a aquest món són agradables. 3. The lover smelt flowers, and he remembered the stench of the rich and miserly, and of the lustful, and of the unwise arrogant. The lover tasted sweets, and he perceived the bitterness in the temporal possessions, and in the entering and exiting from this world. The lover felt temporal pleasure, and intelligence understood the brief passage through this world and the lasting torments that are brought about by the delights that are nice in this world.

4. Hac l'amic fam, set, calor e fred, pobresa, nuedat, malaltia, tribulació e fóra finit si no hagués membrança de son amat, qui el sanà ab esperança remembrament, e ab lo renunciament d'aquest món, e ab lo menyspreament del blasme de la gent. 4. The lover bore hunger, thirst, heat and cold, poverty, nakedness, illness, tribulation; and he would have been finished if he had not remembered his beloved, who healed him with hopefulness, remembering, and through the renouncement of this world, and through the neglect of people's blame.

5. Enfre treball e plaer era lo llit de l'amic: ab plaer s'adormia, e ab treball se despertava. E és qüestió a qual d'aquests dos és pus prop lo llit de l'amic. 5. The lover's bed was between trouble and pleasure: with pleasure he fell asleep, and with trouble he woke up. And one wonders which one of these two the lover's bed is closest to.

6. En ira s'adormí l'amic, cor temia lo blasme de la gent; e despertà's en paciència, com remembrà llaors de son amat. E és qüestió l'amic de qui hac major vergonya: o de son amat, o de les gents. 6. The lover fell asleep in rage, for he feared people's blame; and he woke up in patience, when he remembered prasings to his beloved. And it is wondered who the lover felt most ashamed of: his beloved, or the people.

7. Cogità l'amic en la mort, e hac paor tro que remembrà la ciutat de son amat, de la qual mort e amor són portals e entrament. 7. The lover reflected about death, and he was fearful until he remembered the city of his beloved, for which death and love are gates and entrance.

8. Clamava's l'amic a son amat de temptacions qui li venien tots jorns treballar sos pensaments. E l'amat li respòs dient que temptacions són ocasió com hom recorra ab remembrament remembrar Déu; e amar sos honrats capteniments. 8. The lover complained to his beloved of the temptations that were coming to him every day to trouble his thoughts. And the beloved replied to him saying that temptations are opportunities to resort with his memory to remember God and love his honored demeanor.

9. Perdé l'amic una joia que molt amava; e fóra's desconsolat, tro que son amat li féu qüestió qual cosa li era pus profitable: o la joia que havia, o la paciència que hac en les obres de son amat. 9. The lover lost a jewel that he very much liked; and he was distressed until his beloved posed him the question of which thing was the most profitable to him: the jewel he had, or the patience he drew from the work of his beloved.

10. Dormia l'amic considerant en los treballs e els empatxaments los quals ha en servir son amat, e hac paor que ses obres no perissen per aquells empatxaments. Mas l'amat li tramès consciència que el despertà en sos mèrits e en los poders de son amat. 10. The lover was sleeping while reflecting on the trouble and the impediments he ran into to serve his beloved, and he feared that his work would die out because of those impediments. But the beloved sent him consciousness, which awoke him in his merit and in the power of his beloved.

11. Havia l'amic a anar llongues carreres, e dures e aspres; e era temps que anàs per aquelles e que portàs lo gran feix que amor fa portar a sos amadors. E per açò l'amic alleujà sa ànima dels pensaments e els plaers temporals, per ço que el cors pogués portar lo càrrec pus lleugerament, e l'ànima anàs per aquelles carreres en companyia ab son amat. 11. The lover had to go on long, tough, harsh journeys; and it was time for him to go on those and to carry the large bundle that love compels her lovers to carry. And therefore the lover relieved his soul from temporal thoughts and pleasures, so that the body could carry the load more lightly and the soul would go through those journeys in the company of his beloved.

12. Denant l'amic deien un jorn mal de son amat, sens que l'amic no hi respòs ni escusà son amat. E és qüestió qual és pus encolpat: o els hòmens qui blasmaven l'amat, o l'amic qui callava e no escusava son amat. 12. Wrong things were being said one day next to the lover of his beloved, without the lover answering or excusing his beloved. And it is asked which one is the most guilty: the men who blamed the beloved, or the lover who kept quiet and did not excuse his beloved.

13. Contemplant l'amic son amat, s'assubtilava en son enteniment, e enamorava's en sa volentat. E és qüestió per qual dels dos assubtilava pus fortment sa remembrança a remembrar son amat. 13. While contemplating his beloved, the lover grew subtler in his intelligence, and he fell in love in his willpower. And one wonders which of these two made the lover's memory subtler in the strongest way in remembering his beloved.

14. Ab frevor e temor anava l'amic en son viatge honrar son amat: frevor lo portava, temor lo conservava. Dementre que l'amic enaixí anava, atrobà sospirs e plors qui li aportaven saluts de son amat. E és qüestió per qual de tots quatre fo mills assolaçat l'amic en son amat. 14. With fervor and awe, the lover went along his journey to honor his beloved: he was carried by fervor, and preserved by awe. As the lover was going in this way, he ran across sighs and cryings, who brought greetings from his beloved. And it is wondered which of the four the lover was best comforted by in his beloved.

15. Esguardava l'amic si mateix per ço que fos mirall on veés son amat, e esguardava son amat per ço que li fos mirall on hagués coneixença de si mateix. E és qüestió a qual dels dos miralls era son enteniment pus acostat. 15. The lover was watching himself so as to be the mirror where he could see his beloved, and he was watching his beloved so as he were the mirror where he could have knowledge of himself. And it is wondered which of the two mirrors his understanding was closest to.

16. Teologia e Filosofia, Medicina e Dret encontraren l'amic qui els demanà de noves si havien vist son amat. Teologia plorava, Filosofia dubtava, Medicina e Dret s'alegraven. E és qüestió què significava cascú dels quatre significats a l'amic qui va cercar son amat. 16. Theology and Philosophy, Medicine and Law ran across the lover, who asked them again if they had seen his beloved. Theology cried, Philosophy doubted, Medicine and Law rejoiced. And it is wondered what each of the four signs mean to the lover who is searching his beloved.

17. Angoixós e plorós anava l'amic encercar son amat per vies sensuals e per carreres entel·lectuals. E és qüestió en qual dels dos camins entrà primerament dementre cercava son amat, ni en qual l'amat se mostrà a l'amic pus declaradament. 17. Anguished and tearful, the lover went in search of his beloved through sensuous paths and intellectual routes. And it is wondered which of these two ways he first went into as he was searching his beloved, and in which the beloved showed himself most decisively to the lover.

18. El dia del judici dirà l'amat que hom triï a una part ço que en aquest món li ha donat, e a altra part sia triat ço que hom ha donat al món, per ço que sia vist com coralment és estat amat, ni qual dels dos dons és pus noble e de major cantitat. 18. On the day of the final judgement, the beloved will ask everyone to sort out on one side that which he has been given in this world, and to place on the other that which he has given to the world, to let it be seen how he has been heartily loved and which of the two gifts is the most noble and of the largest quantity.

19. Amava la volentat de l'amic si mateixa, e l'enteniment demanà-li si era pus semblant a son amat en amar si mateixa o en amar son amat, com sia cosa que son amat sia pus amant si mateix que nulla altra cosa. E per açò é qüestió segons qual responsió la volentat poc respondre a l'enteniment pus vertaderament. 19. The lover's willpower loved herself, and intelligence asked her if she was most similar to her beloved in loving herself or in loving her beloved, for her beloved loves himself better than anything else. And this is why it is wondered according to which answer willpower could reply to intelligence most truthfully.

20. - Digues, foll: qual és la major e la pus noble amor que sia en creatura ?
Respòs:
- Aquella qui és una ab lo creador.
- Per què ?
- Per ço cor lo creador no ha en què pusca fer pus noble creatura. 		20. - Tell me, fool one: which is the greatest and most noble love that is in any creature ?
He replied:
- That which is one with the creator.
- Why?
- Because the creator has nothing out of which he can make a more noble creature.

21. Estava l'amic un dia en oració e sentí que sos ulls no ploraven; e per ço que pogués plorar tramès sa cogitació cogitar en diners, fembres, fills, viandes, vanaglòria; e atrobà en son enteniment que més gents han de servidors cascuna de les coses damunt dites, que no ha son amat. E per açò foren sos ulls en plors, e sa ànima en tristícia e dolor. 21. One day, the lover was in prayer and he felt his eyes were not crying; and to be able to cry, he sent out his thoughts to think about money, women, children, food, and vanity; and he found in his understanding that each of these things have more people as their servants than his beloved does. And thereby his eyes cried and his soul was in sadness and pain.

22. Anava l'amic consirós en son amat, e atrobà en la via grans gents e grans companyes qui li demanaven de noves; e l'amic, per ço cor atrobava plaer en son amat, no respòs a ço que li demanaven, e dix que per ço que no es llunyàs de son amat no volia respondre a llurs paraules. 22. The lover was going thoughtful in his beloved, and he met along his way large numbers of people and groups who asked him of any news; and since he found pleasure in his beloved, the lover did not respond to what he was being asked and he said he did not want to answer their words so that he was not moved away from his beloved.

23. Era l'amic dintre e defora cobert d'amor, e anava cercar son amat. Deia-li amor:
- On vas, amador ?
Respòs:
- Vaig a mon amat per ço que tu sies major. 		23. The lover was covered inside and outside by love, and he went searching for his beloved. Love said to him:
- Lover, where are you going ?
He replied:
- I am going to my beloved so that you may become greater.

24. - Digues, foll: què és religió ?
Respòs:
- Nedeetat de pensa, e desirar morir per honrar mon amat, e renunciar al món per ço que no haja embargament a contemplar-lo e a dir veritat de sos honraments. 		24. - Tell me, fool one: what is religion ?
He replied:
- Cleanness of thought, and wishing to die to honor my beloved, and renouncing to the world so that there is no encumbrance to contemplate it and to tell the truth about its honorings.

25. - Digues, foll: què són treballs, plants, sospirs, plors, tribulacions, perills, en amic ?
Respòs:
- Plaer d'amat.
- Per què ?
- Per ço que en sia més amat, e l'amic més guardonat. 		25. - Tell me, fool one: what are trouble, laments, sighs, weepings, tribulations, danger, in the lover ?
He answered:
- Pleasure from the beloved.
- Why ?
- So that the beloved is better loved, and the lover better rewarded.

26. Demanaren a l'amic amor en qual era major: o en l'amic qui vivia, o en l'amic qui moria. Respòs que en l'amic qui moria.
- Per què ?
- Per ço cor no pot ésser major en amic qui mor per amor, e pot-ho ésser en amic qui viu per amor. 		26. The lover was asked which one love was greatest in: the lover who lived, or the lover who died. He replied it was in the lover who died.
- Why ?
- Because it can be no greater in the lover who dies for love, and it can be greater in the lover who lives for love.

27. Encontraren-se dos amics; la un mostrava son amat, e l'altre l'entenia. E era qüestió qual d'ambdós era pus prop a son amat. E per la solució l'amic havia coneixença de la demostració de trinitat. 27. Two lovers met each other; one displayed his beloved, the other one understood him. And it was questioned which one was closest to his beloved. And through the solution, the lover came to know the proof of trinity.

28. - Digues, foll: per què parles tan subtilment ?
Respòs:
- Per ço que sia ocasió a exalçar enteniment a les noblees de mon amat, e per què per més homes sia honrat, amat e servit. 		28. - Tell me, fool one: why do you speak so subtly?
He answered:
- To bring about an opportunity to exalt intelligence to the nobilities of my beloved, and to bring more men to honor, love and serve my beloved.

29. Embriagava's l'amic de vi, qui membrava, entenia e amava l'amat. Aquell vi amarava l'amat ab sos plors e ab les llàgremes de son amic. 29. The lover got drunk from wine, who remembered, understood, and loved the beloved. That wine soaked the beloved with his cryings and with his lover's tears.

30. Amor escalfava e aflamava l'amic en membrança de son amat; e l'amat lo refredava ab llàgremes e plors, e ab oblidament dels delits d'aquest món, e ab renunciament dels vans honraments. E creixien les amors com l'amic membrava per qui sostenia llangors, tribulacions, ni los hòmens mundans per qui sostenien treballs, persecucions. 30. Love was arousing and warming up the lover in the remembrance of his beloved; and the beloved cooled him down through tears and cryings, and by forgetting the desires of this world, and by renouncing to vain honorings. And his loving acts grew when the lover remembered who he was sustaining grief and tribulations for, and who the mundane men sustained trouble and persecution for.

31. - Digues, foll: què és aquest món ?
Respòs:
- Presó dels amadors, servidors, de mon amat.
- E qui els met en presó ?
Respòs:
- Consciència, amor, temor, renunciament, contrició, companyia d'àvol agent; e és treball sens guardó, on és puniment.

Cor Blanquerna havia a tractar del llibre de l' Art de contemplació , per açò volc finir lo Llibre de l'Amic e l'Amat . Lo qual és a glòria e a lausor de nostre senyor Déus.

31. - Tell me, fool one: what is this world ?
He replied:
- It is prison of the lovers and servers of my beloved.
- And who places them in prison ?
He replied:
- Consciousness, love, fear, renunciation, contriction, and the company of evil people; and it is work without reward, whereby punishment is found.

Since Blanquerna had to treat on the book of the Art of Contemplation , he decided to finish the Book of the Lover and the Beloved . Which book is finished to the glory and praising of God our Lord.

Jordi Miralda Escudé ( miralda@ieec.uab.es)

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