Lovely poem of San Juan de la Cruz, set to music by Enrique Morente

 

Translation:

Song of the Soul that /delights in knowing God through Faith

How well I know the spring, that flows and runs

Although it is in the night

 

That eternal spring is hidden

How well I know where it has its refuge

Although it is in the night

 

In the darkened night of this life,

How well I know, by faith, the cold spring

Although it is in the night

 

I do not know its beginning, for it has none

But I know that all beginnings come from it

Although it is in the night,

 

I know that there cannot be a thing so beautiful,

And that the heavens and earth drink from it

Although it is in the night

 

I know well that it is not found in the soil

And that no one can wade through it

Although it is in the night

 

Its clarity is never darkened

And all light is coming from it,

Although it is in the night

 

And its streams are so abundant,

That it waters the heavens, hells, and the people

Although it is in the night

 

The current that is born from this spring,

I know well that it is so capable and so powerful

Although it is in the night

 

The current that proceeds from these two

I know that neither of them precede it

Although it is in the night

 

Here all the creatures are being called

And from this water, they are sated, though in the dark

Because it is in the night

 

In this living fountain that I yearn for,

In it, I see the bread of life

Although it is in the night

 

In this eternal fountain it is hidden

In this bread that gives me life

Although it is in the night

Original:

Cantar del alma que se huelga de conoscer a Dios por fe.

Que bien sé yo la fonte que mana y corre
aunque es de noche.

Aquella eterna fonte está ascondida,
que bien sé yo do tiene su manida,
aunque es de noche.

Su origen no lo sé, pues no le tiene,
mas sé que todo origen della viene,
aunque es de noche.

Sé que no puede ser cosa tan bella,
y que cielos y tierra beban della,
aunque es de noche.

Bien sé que suelo en ella no se halla,
y que ninguno puede vadealla,
aunque es de noche.

Su claridad nunca es escurecida,
y sé que toda luz della es venida,
aunque es de noche.

Sé ser tan caudalosas sus corrientes,
que infiernos, cielos riegan, y las gentes,
aunque es de noche.

El corriente que nace desta fuente
bien sé que es tan capaz y tan potente,
aunque es de noche.

El corriente que de estas dos procede

sé que ninguna de ellas le precede,

aunque es de noche.

Aquesta Eterna fuente está escondida
en este vivo pan por darnos vida,
aunque es de noche.

Aquí se está llamando a las criaturas
porque desta agua se harten aunque a oscuras,
porque es de noche.

Aquesta viva fuente que deseo
en este pan de vida yo la veo,
aunque es de noche.