CLI. Oslobodite se, o, slavuji Božji, iz trnja i vriježa jada i bijede, i poletite…

1 Oslobodite se, o, slavuji Božji, iz trnja i vriježa jada i bijede, i poletite u ružičnjak neugasiva sjaja. O, prijatelji Moji koji se prahom bavite! Pohitajte u svoj nebeski stan. Objavite samima sebi radosne vijesti: “Onaj Koji je Najljubljeniji došao je! Okrunio Se slavom Objave Božje, i pred licima ljudi otključao vrata Njegova drevnoga Raja.” Neka se sve oči raduju, a svako uho razveseli, jer sada je vrijeme da se gleda Njegova Ljepota, sada je pravo vrijeme da se sluša Njegov glas. Svakom zaljubljeniku koji čezne proglasite: “Pogledajte, vaš Najljubljeniji je došao među ljude!”, a glasnicima Vladara ljubavi podajte vijesti: “Gle, Obožavani se pojavio urešen u punom Svojem sjaju!” O, ljubitelji Njegove ljepote! Pretvorite bol zbog vaše odvojenosti od Njega u radost zbog ponovna sjedinjenja za vječnost, i pustite da slast Njegove nazočnosti rasprši gorčinu vaše udaljenosti od Njegova dvora. Release yourselves, O nightingales of God, from the thorns and brambles of wretchedness and misery, and wing your flight to the rose-garden of unfading splendor. O My friends that dwell upon the dust! Haste forth unto your celestial habitation. Announce unto yourselves the joyful tidings: “He Who is the Best-Beloved is come! He hath crowned Himself with the glory of God’s Revelation, and hath unlocked to the face of men the doors of His ancient Paradise.” Let all eyes rejoice, and let every ear be gladdened, for now is the time to gaze on His beauty, now is the fit time to hearken to His voice. Proclaim unto every longing lover: “Behold, your Well-Beloved hath come among men!” and to the messengers of the Monarch of love impart the tidings: “Lo, the Adored One hath appeared arrayed in the fullness of His glory!” O lovers of His beauty! Turn the anguish of your separation from Him into the joy of an everlasting reunion, and let the sweetness of His presence dissolve the bitterness of your remoteness from His court.
2 Pogledajte kako je mnogostruka milost Božja, koja pljušti iz oblaka Božanske slave, na ovaj dan obuhvatila cijeli svijet. Jer, dok je, u danima prošlim, svaki zaljubljenik tražio i tragao svojega Ljubljenoga, sada je Sâm Ljubljeni Onaj Koji zove Svoje zaljubljenike i poziva ih da dosegnu Njegovu nazočnost. Pripazite da ne proigrate tako dragocjen dar; čuvajte se da ne omalovažite tako izuzetan znamen Njegove milosti. Ne napuštajte trajnu korist, i ne budite zadovoljni onim što propada. Podignite veo koji vam zamračuje vid, i raspršite tminu kojom je obavijen, da biste mogli gledati ogoljenu ljepotu lica Ljubljenoga, gledati ono što nijedno oko nije gledalo, i čuti ono što nijedno uho nije čulo. Behold how the manifold grace of God, which is being showered from the clouds of Divine glory, hath, in this day, encompassed the world. For whereas in days past every lover besought and searched after his Beloved, it is the Beloved Himself Who now is calling His lovers and is inviting them to attain His presence. Take heed lest ye forfeit so precious a favor; beware lest ye belittle so remarkable a token of His grace. Abandon not the incorruptible benefits, and be not content with that which perisheth. Lift up the veil that obscureth your vision, and dispel the darkness with which it is enveloped, that ye may gaze on the naked beauty of the Beloved’s face, may behold that which no eye hath beheld, and hear that which no ear hath heard.
3 Čujte Me, o, vi, smrtne ptice! U Ružičnjaku nepromjenljiva sjaja procvao je Cvijet, s kojim uspoređen svaki drugi cvijet samo je trn, a pred sjajem slave Kojega sama bit ljepote mora izblijediti i uvenuti. Ustanite, stoga, i s potpunim zanosom u vašim srcima, sa svim ushićenjem vaših duša, s punim žarom vaše volje, i usredotočenim naporima vašega cjelokupnoga bića nastojte doseći raj Njegove nazočnosti, i trudite se udahnuti miris nepromjenljiva Cvijeta, disati slatke miomirise svetosti, i zadobiti udio ovoga mirisa nebeske slave. Tko god slijedi ovaj savjet razbit će svoje lance, kušati predanost opčinjene ljubavi, doseći želju srca svojega, i predati svoju dušu u ruke svojeg Ljubljenoga. Prsnuvši kroz svoj kavez, on će, baš kao ptica duha, poletjeti u svoje sveto i vječno gnijezdo. Hear Me, ye mortal birds! In the Rose Garden of changeless splendor a Flower hath begun to bloom, compared to which every other flower is but a thorn, and before the brightness of Whose glory the very essence of beauty must pale and wither. Arise, therefore, and, with the whole enthusiasm of your hearts, with all the eagerness of your souls, the full fervor of your will, and the concentrated efforts of your entire being, strive to attain the paradise of His presence, and endeavor to inhale the fragrance of the incorruptible Flower, to breathe the sweet savors of holiness, and to obtain a portion of this perfume of celestial glory. Whoso followeth this counsel will break his chains asunder, will taste the abandonment of enraptured love, will attain unto his heart’s desire, and will surrender his soul into the hands of his Beloved. Bursting through his cage, he will, even as the bird of the spirit, wing his flight to his holy and everlasting nest.
4 Noć je slijedila dan, a dan je slijedio noć, a sati i trenuci vaših života došli su i prošli, a ipak nijedan od vas nije, ni na trenutak, pristao odijeliti se od onoga što propada. Trgnite se, da kratki trenuci koji su još vaši ne budu propušteni i izgubljeni. Brzinom munje proći će vaši dani, a vaša će tijela biti položena da počivaju pod zaklonom praha. Što tada možete postići? Kako možete ispraviti svoj prijašnji neuspjeh? Night hath succeeded day, and day hath succeeded night, and the hours and moments of your lives have come and gone, and yet none of you hath, for one instant, consented to detach himself from that which perisheth. Bestir yourselves, that the brief moments that are still yours may not be dissipated and lost. Even as the swiftness of lightning your days shall pass, and your bodies shall be laid to rest beneath a canopy of dust. What can ye then achieve? How can ye atone for your past failure?
5 Vječna Svijeća sja u svojem ogoljenom sjaju. Pogledajte kako je spalila svaki smrtni veo. O, vi noćnim leptirima slični ljubitelji Njegova svjetla! Suočite se sa svakom opasnošću, i posvetite svoje duše njegovom plamenu koji spaljuje. O vi koji žeđate za Njim! Odrecite se svake zemaljske naklonosti, i pohitajte prigrliti vašeg Ljubljenoga. S ushitom koji nitko ne može ponoviti pohitajte doseći Ga. Cvijet, do sada skriven od pogleda ljudi, sada je otkriven vašim očima. U otvorenom sjaju Svoje slave On stoji pred vama. Njegov glas poziva sva sveta i posvećena bića da dođu i sjedine se s Njim. Sretan je onaj koji se tamo okrene; dobro je uz onoga koji je dostigao, i gledao svjetlo tako čudesnoga lica. The everlasting Candle shineth in its naked glory. Behold how it hath consumed every mortal veil. O ye moth-like lovers of His light! Brave every danger, and consecrate your souls to its consuming flame. O ye that thirst after Him! Strip yourselves of every earthly affection, and hasten to embrace your Beloved. With a zest that none can equal make haste to attain unto Him. The Flower, thus far hidden from the sight of men, is unveiled to your eyes. In the open radiance of His glory He standeth before you. His voice summoneth all the holy and sanctified beings to come and be united with Him. Happy is he that turneth thereunto; well is it with him that hath attained, and gazed on the light of so wondrous a countenance.