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1
964-1013

  • 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.
  • Their snares caught the Heavenly bird, all their deficiencies turned to increment.”
  • O master, exert thyself so long as thou canst in (following) the way of the prophets and saints! 975
  • Endeavour is not a struggle with Destiny, because Destiny itself has laid this (endeavour) upon us.
  • I am an infidel if any one has suffered loss a single moment (while walking) in the way of faith and obedience.
  • Your head is not broken: do not bandage this head. Exert yourself (in doing good works) for one or two little days (i.e. during this brief life), and laugh unto everlasting!
  • An evil resort sought he that sought this world; a good state sought he that sought the world to come.
  • Plots for gaining (the things of) this world are worthless, (but) plots for renouncing this world are inspired (by God). 980
  • The (right) plot is that he (the prisoner) digs a hole in his prison (in order to escape); if he blocks up the hole, that is a foolish plot.
  • This world is the prison, and we are the prisoners: dig a hole in the prison and let yourself out!
  • What is this world? To be forgetful of God; it is not merchandise and silver and weighing-scales and women.
  • As regards the wealth that you carry for religion's sake, “How good is righteous wealth (for the righteous man)!” as the Prophet recited.
  • Water in the boat is the ruin of the boat, (but) water underneath the boat is a support. 985
  • Since he cast out from his heart (the desire for) wealth and possessions, on that account Solomon did not call himself (by any name) but “poor.”
  • The stoppered jar, (though) in rough water, floated on the water because of its wind-filled (empty) heart.
  • When the wind of poverty is within (any one), he rests at peace on the surface of the water of the world;
  • Although the whole of this world is his kingdom, in the eye of his heart the kingdom is nothing.
  • Therefore stopper and seal the mouth of your heart, and fill it from the Divine ventilator. 990
  • Exertion is a reality, and medicine and disease are realities: the sceptic in his denial of exertion practised (and thereby affirmed) exertion.
  • How the superiority of exertion to trust in God was established.
  • The lion gave many proofs in this style, so that those necessitarians became tired of answering (him).
  • Fox and deer and hare and jackal abandoned (the doctrine of) necessity and (ceased from) disputation.
  • They made covenants with the furious lion, (ensuring) that he should incur no loss in this bargain,
  • (That) the daily ration should come to him without trouble, and that he should not need to make a further demand. 995
  • Day by day the one on whom the lot fell would run to the lion as (swiftly as) a cheetah.
  • When this cup (of death) came round to the hare, the hare cried out, “Why, how long (are we to endure this) injustice?”
  • How the beasts of chase blamed the hare for his delay in going to the lion.
  • The company (of beasts) said to him: “All this time we have sacrificed our lives in troth and loyalty.
  • Do not thou seek to give us a bad name, O rebellious one! Lest the lion be aggrieved, go, go! Quick! Quick!”
  • How the hare answered the beasts.
  • “O friends,” said he, “grant me a respite, that by my cunning ye may escape from calamity, 1000
  • That by my cunning your lives may be saved and this (safety) remain as a heritage to your children.”
  • After this manner every prophet in the world used to call the peoples to a place of deliverance,
  • For he had seen from Heaven the way of escape, (though) in (their) sight he was contracted (despicable) like the pupil of the eye.
  • Men regarded him as small like the pupil: none attained to (understanding of) the (real) greatness (worth) of the pupil.
  • How the beasts objected to the proposal of the hare.
  • The company (of beasts) said to him: “O donkey, listen (to us)! Keep thyself within the measure of a hare! 1005
  • Eh, what brag is this—(an idea) which thy betters never brought into their minds?
  • Thou art self-conceited, or Destiny is pursuing us; else, how is this speech suitable to one like thee?
  • How the hare again answered the beasts.
  • He said: “O friends, God gave me inspiration: to a weakling there came a strong judgement (wise counsel).”
  • That which God taught to the bees is not (belonging) to the lion and the wild ass.
  • It (the bee) makes houses of juicy halwá (sweetmeat): God opened to it the door of that knowledge; 1010
  • That which God taught to the silkworm—does any elephant know such a device?
  • Adam, created of earth, learned knowledge from God: (his) knowledge shot beams up to the Seventh Heaven.
  • He (Adam) broke the name and fame (pride) of the angels, to the confusion of that one who is in doubt concerning God.