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274-298

  • This one is good (fertile) soil and that one brackish and bad; this one is a fair angel and that one a devil and wild beast.

  • If both resemble each other in aspect, it may well be (so): bitter water and sweet water have (the same) clearness. 275

  • Who knows (the difference) except a man possessed of (spiritual) taste? Find (him): he knows the sweet water from the brine.

  • Comparing magic with (prophetic) miracle, he (the ignorant one) fancies that both are founded on deceit.

  • The magicians (in the time) of Moses, for contention's sake, lifted up (in their hands) a rod like his,

  • (But) between this rod and that rod there is a vast difference; from this action (magic) to that action (miracle) is a great way.

  • This action is followed by the curse of God, (while) that action receives in payment the mercy (blessing) of God. 280

  • The infidels in contending (for equality with the prophets and saints) have the nature of an ape: the (evil) nature is a canker within the breast.

  • Whatever a man does, the ape at every moment does the same thing that he sees done by the man.

  • He thinks, “I have acted like him”: how should that quarrelsome-looking one know the difference?

  • This one (the holy man) acts by the command (of God), and he (the apish imitator) for the sake of quarrelling (rivalry). Pour dust on the heads of those who have quarrelsome faces!

  • That (religious) hypocrite joins in ritual prayer with the (sincere) conformist (only) for quarrelling's sake, not for supplication. 285

  • In prayer and fasting and pilgrimage and alms-giving the true believers are (engaged) with the hypocrite in (what brings) victory and defeat.

  • Victory in the end is to the true believers; upon the hypocrite (falls) defeat in the state hereafter.

  • Although both are intent on one game, in relation to each other they are (as far apart as) the man of Merv and the man of Rayy.

  • Each one goes to his (proper) abiding-place; each one fares according to his name.

  • If he be called a true believer, his soul rejoices; and if (he be called) “hypocrite,” he becomes fierce and filled with fire (rage). 290

  • His (the true believer's) name is loved on account of its essence (which is true faith); this one's (the hypocrite's) name is loathed on account of its pestilent qualities.

  • (The four letters) mím and wáw and mím and nún do not confer honour: the word múmin (true believer) is only for the sake of denotation.

  • If you call him (the true believer) hypocrite, this vile name is stinging (him) within like a scorpion.

  • If this name is not derived from Hell, then why is there the taste of Hell in it?

  • The foulness of that ill name is not from the letters; the bitterness of that sea-water is not from the vessel (containing it). 295

  • The letters are the vessel: therein the meaning is (contained) like water; (but) the sea of the meaning is (with God)—with Him is the Ummu ’l-Kitáb.

  • In this world the bitter sea and the sweet sea (are divided)— between them is a barrier which they do not seek to cross.

  • Know that both these flow from one origin. Pass on from them both, go (all the way) to their origin!