Imitation 2 714 verses
1Blessed is he who understandeth what it is to love , and to despise himself for ’ sake.
2He must give up all that he loveth for his Beloved, for will be loved alone above all things.
3The love of created things is deceiving and unstable, but the love of is faithful and lasting.
4He who cleaveth to created things will fall with their slipperiness; but he who embraceth will stand upright forever.
5Love Him and hold Him for thy friend, for He will not forsake thee when all depart from thee, nor will he suffer thee to perish at the last.
6Thou must one day be separated from all, whether thou wilt or wilt not.
7Cleave thou to in life and death, and commit thyself unto His faithfulness, who, when all men fail thee, is alone able to help thee.
8Thy Beloved is such, by nature, that He will suffer no rival, but alone will possess thy heart, and as a king will sit upon His own throne.
9If thou wouldst learn to put away from thee every created thing, would freely take up His abode with thee.
10Thou wilt find all trust little better than lost which thou hast placed in men, and not in .
11Trust not nor lean upon a reed shaken with the wind, because “all flesh is grass, and the goodliness thereof falleth as the flower of the field.”
12Thou wilt be quickly deceived if thou lookest only upon the outward appearance of men, for if thou seekest thy comfort and profit in others, thou shalt too often experience loss.
13If thou seekest in all things thou shalt verily find , but if thou seekest thyself thou shalt also find thyself, but to thine own hurt.
14For if a man seeketh not he is more hurtful to himself than all the world and all his adversaries.
