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1
458-507

  • The people of Jesus had twelve amírs as rulers in authority over them.
  • Each party followed one amír and had become devoted to its own amír from desire (of worldly gain).
  • These twelve amírs and their followers became in bondage to (a prey to) that vizier of evil sign. 460
  • They all put trust in his words, they all took his procedure as a pattern.
  • Each amír would have given up his life in his presence at the time and hour (on the spot), if he (the vizier) had bidden him die.
  • How the vizier confused the ordinances of the Gospel.
  • He prepared a scroll in the name of (addressed to) each one, the (written) form of each scroll (of) a different tenor,
  • The ordinances of each (of) a diverse kind, this contradicting that from the end to the beginning.
  • In one he made the path of asceticism and hunger to be the basis of repentance and the condition (necessary) for conversion. 465
  • In one he said: “Asceticism profits naught: in this Way there is no place (means) of deliverance but generosity.”
  • In one he said: “Your hunger and generosity are (imply) association on your part (of other objects) with (Him who is) the object of your worship.
  • Excepting trust (in God) and complete resignation in sorrow and joy, all is a deceit and snare.”
  • In one he said: “It is incumbent (on you) to serve (God); else the thought of putting trust (in Him) is (a cause of) suspicion.”
  • In one he said: “There are (Divine) commands and prohibitions, (but they) are not for practice (observance): they are (only) to show our weakness (inability to fulfil them), 470
  • So that we may behold our weakness therein and at that time recognise the power of Him.”
  • In one he said: “Do not regard your weakness: that weakness is an act of ingratitude. Beware!
  • Regard your power, for this power is from Him: know that your power is the gift of Him who is Hú (the Absolute God).”
  • In one he said: “Leave both these (qualities) behind: whatsoever is contained in sight (regard for other than God) is an idol (something which involves dualism).”
  • In one he said: “Do not put out this candle (of sight), for this sight is as a candle (lighting the way) to (interior) concentration. 475
  • When you relinquish sight and phantasy (too soon), you will have put out the candle of union at midnight.”
  • In one he said: “Put it out—have no fear—that you may see myriads of sights in exchange;
  • For by putting it out the candle of the spirit is increased: by your self-denial your Laylá (beloved) becomes your Majnún (lover).
  • If any one abandons the world by his own (act of) renunciation, the world comes to him (with homage) more and more.”
  • In one he said: “That which God hath given you He made sweet to you in (at the time of) bringing it into existence. 480
  • He made it easy (blessed) to you, and do you take it gladly: do not throw yourself into anguish.”
  • In one he said: “Let go all that belongs to self, for it is wrong and bad to comply with your nature.”
  • (Many) different roads have become easy (to follow): every one's religion has become (to him) as (dear) as life.
  • If God's making (religion) easy were the (right) road, every Jew and Zoroastrian would have knowledge of Him.
  • In one he said: “That (alone) is made easy (blessed) that (nothing but) spiritual food should be the life of the heart.” 485
  • When the enjoyments of the (sensual) nature are past, like brackish soil they raise no produce and crop.
  • The produce thereof is naught but penitence; the sale thereof yields only loss.
  • That is not “easy” in the end; its (true) name ultimately is “hard.”
  • Distinguish the hard from the easy: consider (what is) the goodliness of this and that in the end.
  • In one he said: “Seek a master (teacher): you will not find foresight as to the end among the qualities derived from ancestors.” 490
  • Every sort of religious sect foresaw the end (according to their own surmise): of necessity they fell captive to error.
  • To foresee the end is not (as simple as) a hand-loom; otherwise, how would there have been difference in religions?
  • In one he said: “You are the master, because you know the master.
  • Be a man and be not subject to men. Go, take your own head (choose your own way), and be not one whose head is turning (bewildered in search of a guide).”
  • In one he said: “All this (multiplicity) is one: whoever sees two is a squint-eyed manikin.” 495
  • In one he said: “How should a hundred be one? He who thinks this is surely mad.”
  • The doctrines, every one, are contrary to each other: how should they be one? Are poison and sugar one?
  • Until you pass beyond (the difference of) poison and sugar, how will you catch a scent from the garden of Unity?
  • Twelve scrolls of this style and fashion were drawn up in writing by that enemy to the religion of Jesus.
  • Showing how this difference lies in the form of the doctrine, not in the real nature of the Way.
  • He had no scent (perception) of the unicolority of Jesus, nor had he a disposition from (imbued with) the tincture of the dyeing-vat of Jesus. 500
  • From that pure vat a garment of a hundred colours would become as simple and one-coloured as the zephyr.
  • (This) is not the unicolority from which weariness ensues; nay, it is (a case) like (that of) fishes and clear water:
  • Although there are thousands of colours on dry land, (yet) fishes are at war with dryness.
  • Who is the fish and what is the sea in (my) simile, that the King Almighty and Glorious should resemble them?
  • In (the world of) existence myriads of seas and fishes prostrate themselves in adoration before that Munificence and Bounty. 505
  • How many a rain of largesse hath rained, so that the sea was made thereby to scatter pearls!
  • How many a sun of generosity hath shone, so that cloud and sea learned to be bountiful!