God the Supreme Good (second poem)

FOR all the beauty of the world
Never will I lose myself,
But only for that I know not,
Which happily is found.
Sweetness of good that is finite,
The utmost it can do
Is to pall upon the appetite
And vitiate the taste.
For all the sweetness in the world
Never will I lose myself,
But only for that I know not,
Which happily is found.

The generous heart
Will never rest
Where it can be at ease,
But only where it meets with difficulties
Nought can ever satisfy it ;
And its faith ascends so high
As to taste of that I know not,
Which happily is found.
He that is on fire with love
Divinely touched of God
Receives a taste so new
That all his own is gone.
Like one who of a fever ill
Loathes the food before him,
And longs for that I know not,
Which happily is found.

Be not at this astonished,
That the taste should thus be changed
For the cause of this affection
From all others differs.
And so every thing created
Is an alien to it ;
And it tastes that I know not,
Which happily is found.

For when once the will
Has been touched of God,
It never can be satisfied
Except in God alone.
But because His beauty
Is such that faith alone can see it,
It tastes it in I know not what,
Which happily is found.

And now of Him enamoured,
Tell me if you are in pain ;
For there is no sweetness
In any thing created.
Alone without form and figure,
Without support or rest,
Tasting there I know not what,
Which happily is found.

Do not think the inner heart,
Which is of priceless worth,
Rejoices or is glad
In that which here sweetness gives ;
But rather above all beauty raised
That is, can be, or has ever been,
Tastes there I know not what,
Which happily is found.

He who seeks a greater gain
Will rather turn his thoughts
To that he has not acquired
Than to that he has already.
And therefore for a greater venture
I shall always be inclined,
Neglecting all for that I know not,
Which happily is found.

For all that in the way of sense
I may obtain on earth,
And all I may understand,
However high it may be —
For all grace and beauty —
Never will I lose myself ;
But only for that I know not,
Which happily is found.