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1
924-973

  • When he became a busybody and plied hand and foot (exerted himself), he fell into trouble and wretchedness.
  • The spirits of created beings, before (the creation of) hand and foot, by reason of their faithfulness were flying in (the realm of) purity; 925
  • When they were constrained by the (Divine) command, Get ye down, they became engaoled in anger and covetousness and contentment.
  • We are the family of the Lord and craving after milk (like infants): he (the Prophet) said, ‘The people are God's family.’
  • He who gives rain from heaven is also able, from His mercy, to give us bread.”
  • How the lion pronounced exertion to be superior to trust in God.
  • “Yes,” said the lion; “but the Lord of His servants set a ladder before our feet.
  • Step by step must we climb towards the roof: to be a necessitarian here is (to indulge in) foolish hopes. 930
  • You have feet: why do you make yourself out to be lame? you have hands: why do you conceal the fingers (whereby you grasp)?
  • When the master put a spade in the slave's hand, his object was made known to him (the slave) without (a word falling from his) tongue.
  • Hand and spade alike are His (God's) implicit signs; (our powers of) thinking upon the end are His explicit declarations.
  • When you take His signs to heart, you will devote your life to fulfilling that indication (of His will).
  • Then He will give you hints (for the understanding) of mysteries, He will remove the burden from you and give you (spiritual) authority. 935
  • Do you bear (His burden)? He will cause you to be borne (aloft). Do you receive (His commands)? He will cause you to be received (into His favour).
  • If you accept His command, you will become the spokesman (thereof); if you seek union (with Him), thereafter you will become united.
  • Freewill is the endeavour to thank (God) for His beneficence: your necessitarianism is the denial of that beneficence.
  • Thanksgiving for the power (of acting freely) increases your power; necessitarianism takes the (Divine) gift (of freewill) out of your hand.
  • Your necessitarianism is (like) sleeping on the road: do not sleep! Sleep not, until you see the gate and the threshold! 940
  • Beware! do not sleep, O inconsiderate sluggard, save underneath that fruit-laden tree,
  • So that every moment the wind may shake the boughs and shower upon the sleeper (spiritual) dessert and provision for the journey.
  • (How absurd) to be a necessitarian and sleep amidst highwaymen! How should the untimely bird receive quarter?
  • And if you turn up your nose at His signs, you deem (yourself) a man, but when you consider (more deeply), you are (only) a woman.
  • This measure of understanding which you possess is lost: a head from which the understanding flies away, 945
  • Because ingratitude is wickedness and disgrace and brings the ingrate to the bottom of Hell-fire.
  • If you are putting trust in God, put trust (in Him) as regards (your) work: sow (the seed), then rely upon the Almighty.”
  • How the beasts once more asserted the superiority of trust in God to exertion.
  • They all lifted up their voices (to dispute) with him, saying, “Those covetous ones who sowed (the seed of) means,
  • Myriads on myriads of men and women—why, then, did they remain deprived of fortune?
  • From the beginning of the world myriads of generations have opened a hundred mouths, like dragons: 950
  • Those clever people devised plots (of such power) that the mountain thereby was torn up from its foundation.
  • The Glorious (God) described their plots (when He said): (though their guile be such) that the tops of the mountains might be moved thereby.
  • (But) except the portion which came to pass (was predestined) in eternity, nothing showed its face (accrued to them) from their hunting and doing.
  • They all fell from (failed in) plan and act: the acts and decrees of the Maker remained.
  • O illustrious one, do not regard work as aught but a name! O cunning one, think not that exertion is aught but a vain fancy!” 955
  • How ‘Azrá‘íl (Azrael) looked at a certain man, and how that man fled to the palace of Solomon; and setting forth the superiority of trust in God to exertion and the uselessness of the latter.
  • One forenoon a freeborn (noble) man arrived and ran into Solomon's hall of justice,
  • His countenance pale with anguish and both lips blue. Then Solomon said, “Good sir, what is the matter?”
  • He replied, “Azrael cast on me such a look, so full of wrath and hate.”
  • “Come,” said the king, “what (boon) do you desire now? Ask (it)!” “O protector of my life,” said he, “command the wind,
  • To bear me from here to India. Maybe, when thy slave is come thither he will save his life.” 960
  • Lo, the people are fleeing from poverty: hence are they a mouthful for (a prey to) covetousness and expectation.
  • The fear of poverty is like that (man's) terror: know thou that covetousness and striving are (like) India (in this tale).
  • He (Solomon) commanded the wind to bear him quickly over the water to the uttermost part of India.
  • Next day, at the time of conference and meeting, Solomon said to Azrael:
  • “Didst thou look with anger on that Moslem in order that he might wander (as an exile) far from his home?” 965
  • Azrael said, “When did I look (on him) angrily? I saw him as I passed by, (and looked at him) in astonishment,
  • For God had commanded me, saying, ‘Hark, to-day do thou take his spirit in India.’
  • From wonder I said (to myself), ‘(Even) if he has a hundred wings, ’tis a far journey for him to be in India (to-day).’”
  • In like manner judge of all the affairs of this world and open your eye and see!
  • From whom shall we flee? From ourselves? Oh, absurdity! From whom shall we take (ourselves) away? From God? Oh, crime! 970
  • How the lion again declared exertion to be superior to trust in God and expounded the advantages of exertion.
  • “Yes,” said the lion; “but at the same time consider the exertions of the prophets and the true believers.
  • God, exalted is He, prospered their exertion and what they suffered of oppression and heat and cold.
  • Their plans were excellent in all circumstances: everything done by a goodly man is goodly.