跋

《靈心城堡》（又名《諸居所》）至此結束
由史坦布魯克本篤會眾修女翻譯並印行
公元一九二一年

姊妹們，正如我所告訴你們的，起初我對著手寫這書心存不願；如今既已完成，我卻十分慶幸寫下了它，也覺得這份辛勞完全值得——雖然說實話，它花費我的工夫並不算多。看到你們嚴格的隱修院禁地、極有限的消遣，以及有些修院裡仍缺少不少便利，我想：若你們能在這座靈心城堡內盡情享受，隨意進出、任何時辰都不必先向長上請示，對你們或許是一種安慰。不過有一點是真的：不論你們自覺所擁有的能力多大，若非城堡之主親自接納你，靠自己的力量是進不了所有居所的。因此我勸告你們：若遇到任何阻礙，千萬不可硬闖，因為這會令祂極不悅，祂便永不會讓你進去。祂深愛謙遜；⁴⁵⁶你們若自覺不配進入第三重居所，祂反而會早早賜下進入第五重居所的恩寵。若你在其中好好事奉祂、常常回到那裡，祂便會把你牽引進祂自己所居的居所；從此你再不必離開，除非院長召你他往——這位至高之主也願你們如同服從祂自己般服從院長的吩咐。若你因院長的職命而常常離開祂的臨在之室，每當你歸來時，祂總為你把門打開。一旦你們學會在這城堡裡享受，無論考驗多麼艱辛，只要懷著「能回到我主身邊」這份盼望，就總能找到歇息；這盼望也是無人能奪去的。我雖然只提到七重居所，但每一重裡還有許多別的廳房——上下四周都有——並且有美麗的花園、噴泉和曲徑，以及其他甘美之事，使你們願意耗盡自己，回過頭來讚美按自己肖像造了靈魂的偉大天主。你們若在這本論著的構思裡找到任何能助你們更認識祂的東西，請確信那是陛下所賜，用以鼓勵你們；而一切有缺欠之處，則都是我自己的。為回報我這份渴望——盼能助你們事奉祂，我的天主、我的主——我懇求你們，每當讀到此書時，都以我的名熱切讚美陛下，並求祂使祂的教會興旺、光照路德派的信徒、赦免我的罪，並把我從煉獄中釋放（當你們讀到此書時，我說不定正在那裡——若天主仁慈的話；此書或先經神學家審閱之後才會交到你們手中）。這些文字若有謬誤，純是出於我的無知；在一切事上，我都服膺神聖的羅馬公教會的訓導——我現在是其中一員，在生死中都願如此；這是我所鄭重聲明並許諾的。願我們的主天主永遠受讚頌和祝福！阿們，阿們。

我於一五七七年，在亞味拉聖若瑟隱修院，於聖安德肋瞻禮前夕完成此書；一切歸於永生永王、至於世世無窮的天主的光榮。阿們。

HERE ENDS THE INTERIOR CASTLE
OR THE MANSIONS
TRANSLATED AND PRINTED BY THE
BENEDICTINES OF STANBROOK
A.D. MCMXXI

ALTHOUGH, as I told you, I felt reluctant to begin this work, yet now it is finished I am very glad to have written it, and I think my trouble has been well spent, though I confess it has cost me but little. Considering your strict enclosure, the little recreation you have, my sisters, and how many conveniences are wanting in some of your convents, I think it may console you to enjoy yourselves in this interior castle which you can enter, and walk about at will, at any hour you please, without asking leave of your superiors. It is true you cannot enter all the mansions by your own power, however great it may appear to you, unless the Lord of the castle Himself admits you. Therefore I advise you to use no violence if you meet with any obstacle, for that would displease Him so much that He would never give you admission to them. He dearly loves humility:⁴⁵⁶ if you think yourselves unworthy to enter the third mansion, He will grant you all the sooner the favour of entering the fifth. Then, if you serve Him well there and often repair to it, He will draw you into the mansion where He dwells Himself, whence you need never depart unless called away by the Prioress, whose commands this sovereign Master wishes you to obey as if they were His own. If by her orders, you are often absent from His presence chamber, whenever you return He will hold the door open for you. When once you have learnt how to enjoy this castle, you will always find rest, however painful your trials may be, in the hope of returning to your Lord, which no one can prevent. Although I have only mentioned seven mansions, yet each one contains many more rooms, above, below, and around it, with fair gardens, fountains, and labyrinths, besides other things so delightful that you will wish to consume yourself in praising in return the great God Who has created the soul to His own image and likeness. If you find anything in the plan of this treatise which helps you to know Him better, be certain that it is sent by His Majesty to encourage you, and that whatever you find amiss in it is my own. In return for my strong desire to aid you in serving Him, my God and my Lord, I implore you, whenever you read this, to praise His Majesty fervently in my name and to beg Him to prosper His Church, to give light to the Lutherans, to pardon my sins and to free me from purgatory, where perhaps I shall be, by the mercy of God, when you see this book (if it is given to you after having been examined by theologians). If these writings contain any error, it is through my ignorance; I submit in all things to the teachings of the holy Catholic Roman Church, of which I am now a member, as I protest and promise I will be both in life and death. May our Lord God be for ever praised and blessed! Amen, Amen.

I finished writing this book in the convent of St. Joseph of Avila, 1577, on the Vigil of St. Andrew, for the glory of God, Who liveth and reigneth for ever and ever! Amen.