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5
3193-3217

  • O impudent man, instruction given to the worthless is like drawing a little design on a clod of earth.
  • Instruct thyself in love (of God) and (spiritual) insight; for that is like a design (engraved) on a solid mass of stone.
  • Your own self is the (only) pupil that is (really) faithful to you: (all) the others perish: where will you seek them, where? 3195
  • In order that you may make others erudite and eminent, you are making yourself evil-natured and empty (of true knowledge).
  • (But) when your heart is united with that Eden (of Reality), hark, speak on, and be not afraid of becoming empty.
  • Hence the (Divine) command, ‘Speak!’ came to him (the Prophet), saying, ‘O righteous one, it will not fail: this is an (infinite) ocean.’
  • (God said), ‘Be ye silent,’ that is, ‘do not waste your water in idle talk, for the orchard is dry-lipped (thirsty).’
  • This discourse hath no end, O father: leave this discourse and consider the end. 3200
  • I am not jealous that they (your pupils) stand (listening) in your presence: they are (really) mocking you, they are not lovers.
  • Behold your (true) lovers behind the veil of the (Divine) Bounty, crying aloud for you continually.
  • Be the lover of those unseen lovers: do not cherish the lovers who last (no more than) five days;
  • For they have devoured you by means of a (great) deceit and attraction (exerted upon you), and during (many) years you have never seen a grain (of profit) from them.
  • How long will you set up a show on the public road? You are footsore (with travel), and no desire (of yours) has been fulfilled. 3205
  • When you enjoy good health all of them are your friends and comrades, (but) in the hour of pain and sorrow where is any familiar friend but God?
  • In the hour of eye-ache or toothache will any one take your hand (to help) except Him who comes at the cry of distress?
  • Therefore (always) recollect that sickness and pain: take warning (from it), like Ayáz from that sheepskin jacket.
  • Your experience of pain is the sheepskin jacket which Ayáz took into his hand.”
  • How the Necessitarian infidel again replied to the Sunní who was inviting him to accept Islam and abandon his belief in Necessity, and how the debate was prolonged on both sides; for this difficult and controversial matter cannot be decided except by the real love that has no further interest in it—“and that is God's grace: He bestows it on whom He pleases.”
  • The Necessitarian infidel began his reply, by which that eloquent man (the Sunní) was confounded; 3210
  • But if I relate all those answers and questions, I shall be unable to get on with this Discourse.
  • We have things of greater importance to say, whereby your understanding will obtain a better clue.
  • We have told (only) a little of that disputation, O fierce debater, (but) from a little (part) the principle of the whole is evident.
  • Similarly, there is a disputation, (which will continue) till mankind are raised from the dead, between the Necessitarians and the partisans of (absolute) Freewill.
  • If he (the disputant of either party) had been incapable of refuting his adversary, their (respective) doctrines would have fallen out of sight (would have failed to maintain themselves), 3215
  • Since (in that case) they (the disputants) would not have had the means of escape (which consists) in replying (to their opponents), they would therefore have recoiled from the way of perdition (from their erroneous doctrines);
  • (But) inasmuch as their continuance in that course was (Divinely) destined, God feeds them with (logical) proofs,