Decalogue of the Artist


I. You shall love beauty, which is the shadow of God
over the Universe.

II.There is no godless art. Although you love not the
Creator, you shall bear witness to Him creating His likeness.

III.You shall create beauty not to excite the senses
but to give sustenance to the soul.

IV. You shall never use beauty as a pretext for luxury
and vanity but as a spiritual devotion.

V. You shall not seek beauty at carnival or fair
or offer your work there, for beauty is virginal
and is not to be found at carnival or fair.

VI. Beauty shall rise from your heart in song,
and you shall be the first to be purified.

VII.The beauty you create shall be known
as compassion and shall console the hearts of men.

VIII.You shall bring forth your work as a mother
brings forth her child: out of the blood of your heart.

IX. Beauty shall not be an opiate that puts you
to sleep but a strong wine that fires you to action,
for if you fail to be a true man or a true woman,
you will fail to be an artist.

X. Each act of creation shall leave you humble,
for it is never as great as your dream and always
inferior to that most marvelous dream of God
which is Nature.


- Gabriela Mistral

Translated by Doris Dana

Decálogo del Artista


I. Amarás la belleza, que es la sombra de Dios sobre
el Universo.

II. No hay arte ateo. Aunque no ames al Creador,
lo afirmarás creando a su semejanza.

III. No darás la belleza como cebo para los sentidos,
sino como el natural alimento del alma.

IV. No te será pretexto para la lujuria ni para
la vanidad, sino ejercicio divino.

V. No la buscarás en las ferias ni llevarás
tu obra a ellas, porque la Belleza es virgen,
y la que está en las ferias no es Ella.

VI. Subirá de tu corazón a tu canto y te habrá
purificado a ti el primero.

VII.Tu belleza se llamará también misericordia,
y consolará el corazón de los hombres.

VII.Darás tu obra como se da un hijo: restando
sangre de tu corazón.

IX. No te será la belleza opio adormecedor,
sino vino generoso que te encienda para la acción,
pues si dejas de ser hombre o mujer,
dejarás de ser artista.

X. De toda creación saldrás con vergüenza,
porque fué inferior a tu sueño, e inferior
a ese sueno maravilloso de Dios,
que es la Naturaleza.


- Gabriela Mistral

Translated by Doris Dana