The glorious cross of the risen Lord
is the tree of my salvation;
on it I feed, in it I delight,
in its roots I grow,
in its branches I lie down.
Its dew makes me glad,
its breeze gives me life,
in its shadow I have put my tent.
In hunger, my nourishment, in thirst, the fountain,
in nakedness, my clothing.
Hard path, narrow road,
Jacob's ladder, bed of love
where the Lord married us.
The glorious cross…
In fear, defence,
in stumbling, support,
in victory, crown,
in struggle, you are reward.
Tree of eternal life,
pillar of the universe,
skeleton of the earth,
your peak reaches heaven,
and in your open arms
shines the love of God.
The glorious cross…

Upon a dark night,
ablaze with love, with urgent longings,
O happy chance! –
I left without being noticed,
my house at last completely quiet.
In darkness, and secure,
by the secret ladder, in disguise,
O happy chance! –
in darkness and concealed,
my house at last completely quiet.
On this blessed night,
in secret and not seen by anyone,
I beheld nothing
with any other light or guide
but for that which in my heart was burning.
And this was guiding me,
more surely than the light of noon,
to where he was awaiting me –
he whom I knew so well –
and no one, no one else was there.
O night that was my guide!
O night more lovely than the dawn's first light!
O night that united
the Lover with his beloved,
the beloved in her Lover transformed.
Upon a dark night…
O night that was my guide…