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5
235-259

  • These virtues possessed by the water bear witness likewise that its interior is filled with the grace of God. 235
  • The testimony of external acts and words to the hidden mind and the inner light.
  • Act and word are witnesses to the hidden mind: from these twain infer the inward state.
  • When your thought does not penetrate within, inspect the patient's urine from without.
  • Act and word are (as) the urine of the sick, which is clear evidence for the physician of the body.
  • But the spiritual physician enters into his (patient's) soul and by the spiritual way penetrates into his (inmost) belief.
  • He hath no need of fine acts and words: “beware of them (the spiritual physicians), they are spies on (men's) hearts.” 240
  • Demand this testimony of acts and words from him (only) who is not united with the Sea like a river.
  • Explaining that the light itself from within the illumined person bears witness to his light, without any act or word declaring it.
  • But the (inner) light of the traveller (mystic) who has passed beyond the pale (of selfhood)—the deserts and plains are filled with his radiance.
  • (The fact of) his being a witness (to God) is independent of witnesses and works of supererogation and of self-devotion and self-sacrifice.
  • Since the light of that (spiritual) substance has shone forth, he has gained independence of these hypocrisies.
  • Therefore do not demand of him the testimony of act and speech, for through him both the worlds have blossomed like a rose. 245
  • What is this testimony? The making manifest of that which is hidden, whether (by) word or act or something else;
  • For its object is to make manifest the inward nature of the spiritual substance: the attributes (of that substance) are permanent, though these accidents (such as acts and words) are fleeting.
  • The mark of the gold on the touchstone does not remain, (but) the gold (itself) remains—of good renown and undoubted.
  • Similarly, (all) this ritual prayer and holy war and fasting does not remain, but the spirit remains in good renown (for ever).
  • The spirit produced certain acts and words of this kind (as proofs): it rubbed its substance on the touchstone of the (Divine) command, 250
  • As though to say, “My belief is perfect: here is the witness!” (Yes), but there is doubt as regards the witnesses.
  • Know that the probity of the witnesses must be established: the means of establishing it is a (great) sincerity: thou art dependent on that.
  • In the case of the word-witness, ’tis keeping thy word (that is the test); in the case of the act-witness, ’tis keeping thy covenant (to perform these acts).
  • The word-witness is rejected if it speaks falsely, and the act-witness is rejected if it does not run straight.
  • Thou must have words and acts that are not self-contradictory, in order that thou mayst meet with immediate acceptance. 255
  • Your efforts are diverse, ye are in contradiction: ye are sewing by day and tearing up (what ye have sewn) by night.
  • Who, then, will hearken to testimony that contradicts itself, unless indeed He (the Judge) graciously show a (great) forbearance?
  • Act and word are (for) the manifestation of the inward thought and hidden mind: both are divulging the veiled secret.
  • When thy witness has been proved honest, it is accepted; otherwise, it is kept in detention as a prisoner.