I Live Without Living In Me

by Teresa of Avila

English version by Megan Don
Original Language Spanish

I live without living in me,
and I expect a life so high,
that I die because I do not die.

I live already beside myself
since I am dying of love;
because I live in Him,
who wanted me for Himself:
when I gave my heart to Him
He placed this sign in it,
that I die because I do not die.

This divine prison,
the love in which I'm living,
has made God my captive,
and my heart free;
causing in me such passion,
to see God, my prisoner,
That I die because I do not die.

Oh, how long is this life!
How hard this exile,
this prison, these chains
which my soul has entered!
Just waiting to get free
causes me so much fierce pain,
that I die because I do not die.

Ah! so much bitterness in this life
without God as my lover!
Because if to be in love is sweet,
to wait so long is not:
take this burden God,
heavier than steel,
that I die because I do not die.

Trusting in You alone, I only live
because I know I'll die
because in death I know
that I will live;
death, where I'll find life
do not be slow, it is you I wait for,
that I die because I do not die.

You see how strong love is;
life, do not hinder me,
you see, all I need do to gain you
is to lose you.
Come on already sweet death
come quickly death
that I die because I do not die.

That life above,
that is the true life,
until this life dies
nothing can be enjoyed in living
death, don't be coy;
let me live by dying first,
that I die because I do not die.

Life, what can I give
to my God who lives in me?
In losing you,
then I am worthy of gaining Him.
I want to reach Him by dying,
Since I love my lover so,
that I die because I do not die.

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I Live Without