Epílogo
写作的欣慰与城堡的邀请
作者表达写作完成后的满足，并邀请修女们在内心城堡中寻求安慰。
1. Although I began writing what follows here with the resistance I mentioned at the beginning, once it was finished, it gave me a great deal of contentment, and I consider the work well spent—though I confess it's been very little.1 Considering how closely enclosed you are, my sisters, and how few recreations you have—and that in some of your monasteries the houses are not as adequate as they ought to be—it seems to me that it will be a consolation for you to take delight in this interior castle, since without permission from your superiors you can enter and walk around in it at any hour.2
谦卑是进入城堡的关键
教导修女们无法靠自己进入所有居所，必须依靠主，并强调谦卑和顺服的重要性。
2. It's true that you won't be able to enter all the dwellings on your own, even if you think your own strength is great, unless the Lord of the castle Himself brings you in. That's why I warn you not to force your way if you meet any resistance, because you'll anger Him so much that He'll never let you enter them. He is a great friend of humility. By regarding yourselves as people who don't even deserve to enter the third dwellings, you'll more quickly win His favor to reach the fifth; and from there you can serve Him in such a way—by going back to them again and again—that He'll bring you into the very dwelling He keeps for Himself. You won't leave it again unless the prioress calls you, whose will this great Lord wants you to fulfill as much as His own; and even if you're out a long time at her command, whenever you return, He'll always keep the door open for you.3 Once you've been shown how to enjoy this castle, you'll find rest in everything, even in hard work, with the hope of returning to it—and knowing that no one can take it from you.
城堡的丰盛与作者的谦逊
描述城堡的丰富多样，并声明一切良善来自主，缺点归于自己。
3. Although there are only seven dwellings, in each of these there are many more: below and above and on every side, with lovely gardens and fountains and labyrinths and such delightful things that you'll want to pour yourselves out in praise of the great God who created it in His image and likeness.4 If you find anything good in the way I've arranged to tell you about it, believe truly that His Majesty said it to give you joy; and whatever bad you find was said by me.5
恳请代祷与教会服从
请求读者为教会、路德派和作者祈祷，并重申对教会的服从。
4. Because I have a great desire to help you serve this God and Lord of mine, I ask you, in my name, that every time you read here, you greatly praise His Majesty and ask Him for the increase of His Church and for light for the Lutherans; and for me, that He forgive my sins and bring me out of purgatory—where, by God's mercy, I will perhaps be when this is given to you to read, if it proves fit to be shown after the learned have reviewed it.6 And if anything should be in error, it is because I fail to understand it better; and in everything I submit myself to what the holy Roman Catholic Church holds, in which I live and which I profess and promise to live and die.7 May God our Lord be forever praised and blessed. Amen, amen.
写作完成记录
记录本书完成的地点和日期，荣耀归于神。
5. This was finished being written in the monastery of Saint Joseph of Ávila, in the year 1577, on the eve of Saint Andrew, for the glory of God, who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen.
Read the original Spanish
1. Aunque cuando comencé a escribir esto que aquí va fue con la contradicción que al principio digo, después de acabado me ha dado mucho contento y doy por bien empleado el trabajo, aunque confieso que ha sido harto poco. Considerando el mucho encerramiento y pocas cosas de entretenimiento que tenéis, mis hermanas, y no casas tan bastantes como conviene en algunos monasterios de los vuestros, me parece os será consuelo deleitaros en este castillo interior, pues sin licencia de las superioras podéis entrar y pasearos por él a cualquier hora.
2. Verdad es que no en todas las moradas podréis entrar por vuestras fuerzas, aunque os parezca las tenéis grandes, si no os mete el mismo Señor del castillo. Por eso os aviso, que ninguna fuerza pongáis, si hallareis resistencia alguna, porque le enojaréis de manera, que nunca os deje entrar en ellas. Es muy amigo de humildad. Con teneros por tales que no merecéis aún entrar en las terceras, le ganaréis más presto la voluntad para llegar a las quintas; y de tal manera le podéis servir desde allí, continuando a ir muchas veces a ellas, que os meta en la misma morada que tiene para Sí, de donde no salgáis más, si no fuereis llamada de la priora cuya voluntad quiere tanto este gran Señor que cumpláis como la suya misma; y aunque mucho estéis fuera por su mandado, siempre cuando tornareis, os tendrá la puerta abierta. Una vez mostradas a gozar de este castillo, en todas las cosas hallaréis descanso, aunque sean de mucho trabajo, con esperanza de tornar a él, y que no os lo puede quitar nadie.
3. Aunque no se trata de más de siete moradas, en cada una de éstas hay muchas: en lo bajo y alto y a los lados, con lindos jardines y fuentes y laberintos y cosas tan deleitosas, que desearéis deshaceros en alabanzas del gran Dios, que lo crió a su imagen y semejanza. Si algo hallareis bueno en la orden de daros noticia de él, creed verdaderamente que lo dijo Su Majestad por daros a vosotras contento, y lo malo que hallareis, es dicho de mí.
4. Por el gran deseo que tengo de ser alguna parte para ayudaros a servir a este mi Dios y Señor, os pido que en mi nombre, cada vez que leyereis aquí, alabéis mucho a Su Majestad y le pidáis el aumento de su Iglesia y luz para los luteranos; y para mí, que me perdone mis pecados y me saque del purgatorio, que allá estaré quizá, por la misericordia de Dios, cuando esto se os diere a leer si estuviere para que se vea, después de visto de letrados. Y si algo estuviere en error, es por más no lo entender, y en todo me sujeto a lo que tiene la santa Iglesia Católica Romana, que en esto vivo y protesto y prometo vivir y morir. Sea Dios nuestro Señor por siempre alabado y bendito, amén, amén.
5. Acabóse esto de escribir en el monasterio de San José de Avila, año de 1577, víspera de San Andrés, para gloria de Dios, que vive y reina por siempre jamás, amén.
Notes
- 1 ↩contradicción: rendered as interior resistance/reluctance to write (not logical contradiction), matching Teresa's opening hesitation.
- 2 ↩casas tan bastantes: rendered as buildings/houses not adequate or spacious enough; bastantes here means sufficient/suitable in size or provision, not 'many'.
- 3 ↩"las terceras" / "las quintas" are the third and fifth moradas (dwellings) of the Interior Castle; rendered as "third dwellings" / "the fifth" to keep Teresa's numbered-ascent scheme clear.
- 4 ↩Spanish deshaceros en alabanzas is strong self-undoing language (melt/dissolve/pour yourselves out in praise); rendered as "pour yourselves out" for natural contemporary force without softening the intensity.
- 5 ↩la orden de daros noticia de él can mean either the arrangement/order of this account or the manner of informing you; rendered as "the way I've arranged to tell you about it."
- 6 ↩"por la misericordia de Dios" is rendered as modifying her possible presence in purgatory (a humble hope of mercy), with the following "cuando..." clause marking when the nuns may be reading; the Spanish attachment is slightly loose.
- 7 ↩"protesto" is rendered as "profess" (avowal of faith), not modern "protest against."
The Interior Castle (Las Moradas / El Castillo Interior) companion
A daily portion of stillness
Chosen Portion delivers one short contemplative reading and a guided moment of silence each day — the ascent, one step at a time.
Chosen Portion is the paced doorway into this collection: it portions the dense mystical treatises into one daily reading plus guided silence, exactly as the 14-day plan teaches.
- Daily bite-sized excerpts from the contemplative classics, never a wall of text
- A built-in timed stillness practice that grows from 2 minutes to 10
- Gentle progression through the tradition — the app remembers where you are on the ascent