Poem by Saint Teresa of Avila
I am not moved, my God, to love Thee by the Heaven Thou hast promised me; nor am I moved by fear of Hell to cease for that reason to offend Thee.
Thou art what moves me, Lord; it moves me to see Thee nailed to a cross and scorned; it moves me to see Thy body so wounded; I am moved by the insults and death that Thou undergoest.
I am moved, in sum, by love for Thee, and so greatly that, even if there were no Heaven, I would still love Thee, and even if there were no Hell, I would still fear Thee.
Thou dost not have to give me anything to make me love Thee, for even if I did not hope for what I do hope for, I would love Thee the same as I do love You.
In original Spanish:
No me mueve, mi Dios para quererte, el cielo que me tienes prometido, ni me mueve el infierno tan temido para dejar por eso de ofenderte.
Tu me mueves Señor, mueveme el verte clavado en una cruz y escarnecido. Muéveme ver tu cuerpo tan herido muévenme tus afrentas y tu muerte.
Muéveme, al fin, tu amor de tal manera que aunque no hubiera cielo, yo te amara y aunque no hubiera infierno, te temiera.
No me tienes que dar porque te quiera pues aunque lo que espero, no esperara, lo mismo que te quiero, te quisiera.