Johannes Taule-Song Of Bareness

I will sing of bareness a new song,

for true purity is without thought.

Thoughts may not be there,

so I have lost the Mine:

I am decreated.

He who is unminded has no cares.

My unevenness no longer causes me to err:

I am as gladly poor as rich.

I want nothing to do with images,

I must stand free of myself:

I am decreated.

He who is unminded has no cares.
Would you know how I escaped the images?

I perceived the right unity in myself.

That is right unity

when neither weal nor woe displaced me:

I am decreated.

He who is unminded has no cares.
Would you know how I escaped the mind?

When I perceived neither this nor that in myself,

save bare divinity unfounded.

then I could not longer keep silent,

I had to tell it:

I am decreated.

He who is unminded has no cares.
Since I am thus lost in the abyss

I no longer wish to speak, I am mute.

The Godhead clear has swallowed me into itself.

I am displaced.

Therefore the darkness delighted me greatly.
Since I have thus come through to the origin,

I may no longer age, but grow young.

So all my powers have disappeared

and have died.

He who is unminded has no cares.
Then whosoever has disappeared

and has found a darkness is

so rich without sorrow.

Thus the dear fire has consumed me,

and I have died.

He is thus unminded has no cares.

-trans. Martin Buber