186 The Lover was in a vast forest, seeking his Beloved. He found there Truth and Falsehood, who were disputing of his Beloved, for Truth praised Him and Falsehood accused Him. And the Lover cried out to Love that he would come to the aid of Truth.
187 There came the temptation to the Lover to leave his Beloved, that memory might awaken and find the Beloved’s Presence once more; that his love should thereby become deeper, that the understanding should comprehend Him more sublimely, and the will love Him more truly.
188 For one day the Lover ceased to remember his Beloved, and on the next day he remembered that he had forgotten Him. On the day when it came to the Lover that he had forgotten his Beloved, he was in sorrow and pain, and yet in glory and bliss,—the one for having forgotten Him, and the other for the joy of the remembrance.
189 So earnestly did the Lover desire that his Beloved should be honoured and praised, that he doubted if he honoured Him enough; and so strongly did he abhor the dishonour paid to his Beloved, that he doubted if he abhorred it enough. And for this cause the Lover was thoughtful, and wavered between love and fear.
190 The Lover was like to die of joy, and he lived by grief. And his joys and torments were mingled and united, and became one and the same thing in the Lover’s will. And for this cause the Lover seemed to be living and dying at one and the same time.
191 For one hour only the Lover would fain have forgotten his Beloved, and known Him not, that his grief might have some rest. But such oblivion and ignorance had themselves made him to suffer; therefore he had patience, and lifted up his understanding and his memory, in contemplation of his Beloved.
192 So great was the love of the Lover to his Beloved that he believed all things that He revealed to him. And so earnestly did he desire to comprehend Him that he strove with his reason to understand all things that were said of Him. And therefore was the love of the Lover for ever between belief and understanding.
193 They asked the Lover: ‘What thing is farthest from thy heart?’ He answered: ‘Indifference.’ ‘And why so?’ ‘Because nearest to my heart is love, which is the contrary of indifference.’
194 ‘Say, O Fool, hast thou envy?’ He answered: ‘Yea, whensoever I forget the bounty and riches of my Beloved.’
195 ‘Say, O Lover, hast thou riches?’ ‘Yea,’ he replied, ‘I have love.’ ‘Hast thou poverty?’ ‘Yea, I have love.’ ‘How then is this?’ ‘I am poor,’ he replied, ‘because my love is no greater, and because it fills so few others with love for the honour of my Beloved.’