311 The Lover made complaint to his Beloved of temptations which came to him daily to disturb his thoughts. And the Beloved answered him: ‘Such temptations are occasions of recourse to the memory, that the lover may think upon God and love His grace and honour.’ 312 The Beloved had mercy upon His Lover, because of His perfect love, and because of His Lover’s needs. Which of those two reasons, think you, moved the Beloved the more strongly to forgive His Lover’s sins? 313 Our Lady and the Saints and angels in glory cried to my Beloved: ‘Remember the errors into which the world has fallen through ignorance, but remember how great is Thy justice, O Beloved, and how great the ignorance of Thine enemies.’ 314 The Lover lifted up the powers of his soul, and mounted the ladder of humanity to glory in the Divine Nature; and from the Divine Nature the powers of his soul descended, to glory in the human nature of his Beloved. 315 The straiter are the paths along which the Lover journeys to his Beloved, the vaster is his love; and the straiter his love, the broader are the paths. So that however it be the Lover receives love, trials and griefs, comforts and joys from his Beloved. 316 Love comes from love, thoughts from thoughts and tears from griefs; and love leads to love, as thoughts lead to tears and griefs to sighs. And the Beloved watches His Lover, who bears all these afflictions for His love. 317 The desires of the Lover and his memories of the Beloved’s greatness kept vigils and went on journeys and pilgrimages. And they brought to the Lover graces which lit up his understanding and made his will to increase in love. 318 With his imagination the Lover formed and pictured his Beloved’s Countenance in bodily wise, and with his understanding he beautified It in spiritual things; and with his will he worshipped It in all creatures. 319 The Lover purchased a day of tears with another of thoughts; and a day of love came through a day of tribulations; and both his thoughts and his love were increased. 320 The Lover was in a far country, and he forgot his Beloved, but was sad at the absence of his lord, his wife, his children and his friends. But soon the memory of his Beloved returned to him, that he might be comforted, and that his exile might cause him neither vexation nor sorrow. 321 The Lover heard his Beloved’s words; his understanding beheld Him in them; his will had pleasure in that which he heard; and his memory recalled his Beloved’s virtues and His promises. 322 The Lover heard men speak evil of his Beloved, and in this evil-speaking his understanding perceived his Beloved’s justice and patience; for His justice would punish the evil-speakers, while His patience would await their contrition and repentance. In which of these two think you that the Lover believed more earnestly?