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2
755-804

  • Know the difference between the false dawn and the true, distinguish the colour of the wine from the colour of the cup, 755
  • That, perchance, from the eyes which see the seven colours patience and waiting may produce a (spiritual) eye,
  • (With which) you may behold colours other than these, and may behold pearls instead of stones.
  • What pearl? Nay, you will become an ocean, you will become a sun traversing the sky.
  • The Worker is hidden in the workshop: go you and in the workshop see Him plain.
  • Inasmuch as the work has woven a veil over the Worker, you cannot see Him outside of that work. 760
  • Since the workshop is the dwelling-place of the Worker, he that is outside is unaware of Him.
  • Come, then, into the workshop, that is to say, non-existence, that you may see the work and the Worker together.
  • As the workshop is the place of clairvoyance, then outside of the workshop there is (only) blindfold ness.
  • The rebellious Pharaoh kept his face towards existence, consequently he was blind to His (God's) workshop.
  • Consequently he was wishing to alter the (Divine) predestination, that he might turn back the (Divine) destiny from his door. 765
  • Truly the (Divine) destiny every moment was laughing derisively under its lip at the moustache (arrogance) of that cunning plotter.
  • He killed hundreds of thousands of innocent babes, in order that the ordainment and predestination of God might be averted.
  • In order that the prophet Moses might not come forth, he laid on his neck (made himself responsible for) thousands of iniquities and murders.
  • He wrought all that bloodshed, and (yet) Moses was born and was made ready for his chastisement.
  • Had he seen the workshop of the Everlasting (God), he would have ceased to move hand or foot in plotting. 770
  • Moses (lay) safe within his (Pharaoh's) house, while outside he was killing the infants in vain,
  • Even as the sensual man who pampers his body and suspects some one else of a bitter hatred (against him),
  • Saying, “This one is a foe, and that one is envious and an enemy,” (though) in truth his envier and enemy is that body (of his).
  • He is like Moses, and his body is his Pharaoh: he keeps running (to and fro) outside, asking, “Where is my enemy?”
  • His fleshly soul (is) luxuriating in the house, which is his body, (while) he gnaws his hand in rancour against some one else. 775
  • How men blamed a person who killed his mother because he suspected her (of adultery).
  • A certain man killed his mother in wrath, with blows of a dagger and also with blows of his fist.
  • Some one said to him, “From evil nature you have not borne in mind what is due to motherhood.
  • Hey, tell (me) why you killed your mother. What did she do? Pray, tell (me), O foul villain!”
  • He said, “She did a deed that is a disgrace to her; I killed her because that earth (her grave) is her coverer (hides her shame).”
  • The other said, “O honoured sir, kill that one (who was her partner in guilt).” “Then,” he replied, “I should kill a man every day. 780
  • I killed her, I was saved from shedding the blood of a multitude: ’tis better that I cut her throat than the throats of (so many) people.”
  • That mother of bad character, whose wickedness is in every quarter, is your fleshly soul.
  • Come, kill it, for on account of that vile (creature) you are every moment assailing one who is venerable.
  • Through it this fair world is narrow (distressful) to you, for its sake (you are at) war with God and man.
  • (If) you have killed the fleshly soul, you are delivered from (the necessity of) excusing yourself: nobody in the world remains your enemy. 785
  • If any one should raise a difficulty about my words in regard to the prophets and saints,
  • (And should say), “Had not the prophets a killed (mortified) fleshly soul? Why, then, had they enemies and enviers?”—
  • Give ear, O seeker of truth, and hear the answer to this difficulty and doubt.
  • Those unbelievers were (really) enemies to themselves: they were striking at themselves such blows (as they struck).
  • An enemy is one who attempts (another's) life; he that is himself destroying his own life is not an enemy (to others). 790
  • The little bat is not an enemy to the sun: it is an enemy to itself in the veil (of its own blindness).
  • The glow of the sun kills it; how should the sun ever suffer annoyance from it?
  • An enemy is one from whom torment proceeds, (one who) hinders the ruby from (receiving the rays of) the sun.
  • All the infidels hinder themselves from (receiving) the rays of the prophets' (spiritual) jewel.
  • How should (unbelieving) people veil the eyes of that peerless one (the prophet or saint)? The people have (only) blinded and distorted their own eyes. 795
  • (They are) like the Indian slave who bears a grudge and kills himself to spite his master:
  • He falls headlong from the roof of the house (in the hope) that he may have done some harm to his master.
  • If the sick man become an enemy to the physician, or if the boy show hostility to the teacher,
  • In truth they act as brigands against themselves: they themselves waylay their own mind and spirit.
  • If a fuller take offence at the sun, if a fish is taking offence at the water, 800
  • Just once consider whom that (anger) injures, and whose star is eclipsed by it in the end.
  • If God create you with ugly features, take care lest you become both ugly-featured and ugly-natured;
  • And if He take away your shoes, do not go into stony ground; and if you have two spikes, don't become four-spiked.
  • You are envious, saying, “I am inferior to so-and-so: he (by his superior position) is increasing my inferiority in fortune.”