Lovely poem of San Juan de la Cruz, set to music by Enrique Morente
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MSSG8h5j5g
Translation:
Song of the Soul that /delights in knowing God through Faith
How well I know the spring, that flows and runs
Although it is in the night
That eternal spring is hidden
How well I know where it has its refuge
Although it is in the night
In the darkened night of this life,
How well I know, by faith, the cold spring
Although it is in the night
I do not know its beginning, for it has none
But I know that all beginnings come from it
Although it is in the night,
I know that there cannot be a thing so beautiful,
And that the heavens and earth drink from it
Although it is in the night
I know well that it is not found in the soil
And that no one can wade through it
Although it is in the night
Its clarity is never darkened
And all light is coming from it,
Although it is in the night
And its streams are so abundant,
That it waters the heavens, hells, and the people
Although it is in the night
The current that is born from this spring,
I know well that it is so capable and so powerful
Although it is in the night
The current that proceeds from these two
I know that neither of them precede it
Although it is in the night
Here all the creatures are being called
And from this water, they are sated, though in the dark
Because it is in the night
In this living fountain that I yearn for,
In it, I see the bread of life
Although it is in the night
In this eternal fountain it is hidden
In this bread that gives me life
Although it is in the night
Original:
Cantar del alma que se huelga de conoscer a Dios por fe.
Que bien sé yo la fonte que mana y corre
aunque es de noche.
Aquella eterna fonte está ascondida,
que bien sé yo do tiene su manida,
aunque es de noche.
Su origen no lo sé, pues no le tiene,
mas sé que todo origen della viene,
aunque es de noche.
Sé que no puede ser cosa tan bella,
y que cielos y tierra beban della,
aunque es de noche.
Bien sé que suelo en ella no se halla,
y que ninguno puede vadealla,
aunque es de noche.
Su claridad nunca es escurecida,
y sé que toda luz della es venida,
aunque es de noche.
Sé ser tan caudalosas sus corrientes,
que infiernos, cielos riegan, y las gentes,
aunque es de noche.
El corriente que nace desta fuente
bien sé que es tan capaz y tan potente,
aunque es de noche.
El corriente que de estas dos procede
sé que ninguna de ellas le precede,
aunque es de noche.
Aquesta Eterna fuente está escondida
en este vivo pan por darnos vida,
aunque es de noche.
Aquí se está llamando a las criaturas
porque desta agua se harten aunque a oscuras,
porque es de noche.
Aquesta viva fuente que deseo
en este pan de vida yo la veo,
aunque es de noche.