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3607-3656

  • In respect of food and drink thou art doing the work of Hell thou art fattening thyself for its (Hell’s) sake.
  • Do thine own work, feed on the daily bread of Wisdom, that the glorious heart (spirit) may become fat.
  • Bodily eating and drinking is the obstacle to this (spiritual) eating and drinking: the spirit is like a merchant, while the body is like a highwayman.
  • (Only) at the time when the highwayman is consumed like firewood is the candle of the spirit resplendent; 3610
  • For thou art (in reality) that (spiritual) intelligence, and (all) the rest (of thee) is a mask concealing the intelligence. Do not lose thy (real) self, do not strive in vain!
  • Know that every sensual desire is like wine and beng: it is a veil over the intelligence, and thereby the rational man is stupefied.
  • The intoxication of the intelligence is not (caused by) wine alone: whatsoever is sensual shuts the (spiritual) eye and ear.
  • Iblís was far removed from wine-drinking: he was drunken with pride and unbelief.
  • The drunken man is he who sees that which is not: (to him) what is (really) a piece of copper or iron appears to be gold. 3615
  • This discourse hath no end. (God said), “O Moses, move thy lips, that the herbage may spring forth.”
  • He (Moses) did so, and immediately the earth became green with hyacinths and costly grains.
  • That folk fell to (eating) the food, since they had suffered famine and were (almost) dead from ravenous hunger.
  • For several days they ate their fill of the gift, (both) those who were inspired by that breath (of Moses) and the (other) human beings and the quadrupeds.
  • When their bellies were filled and they grasped the (Divine) bounty and the necessity was gone, then they waxed insolent (in disobedience). 3620
  • The carnal soul is a follower of Pharaoh: beware, do not satisfy it, lest it remember its ancient infidelity.
  • Without the glowing heat of the fire (of mortification) the carnal soul will never become goodly: hark, do not beat the iron till it has become like live coals.
  • Without hunger the body makes no movement (towards God): ‘tis cold iron thou art beating. Know (this for sure)!
  • Though it weep and wail most piteously, it will never become a true believer. Take heed!
  • It is like Pharaoh: in (the time of) famine it lays its head before Moses, as he (Pharaoh) did, making supplication; 3625
  • (But) when it has been freed from want, it rebels (once more) when the donkey has cast off his load, he kicks.
  • So, when its business has gone forward (prosperously), it (the carnal soul) forgets its sighs and lamentations.
  • The man who lives in a city (many) years, as soon as his eye goes asleep,
  • Beholds another city full of good and evil, and his own city comes not into his memory at all,
  • So that (he should say), “I have lived there (so many years); this new city is not mine: here I am (only) in pawn.” 3630
  • Nay, he thinks that in sooth he has always lived in this very city and has been born and bred in it.
  • What wonder (then) if the spirit does not remember its (ancient) abodes, which have been its dwelling-place and birthplace aforetime,
  • Since this world, like sleep, is covering it over as clouds cover the stars? —
  • Especially as it has trodden so many cities, and the dust has not (yet) been swept from its perceptive faculty,
  • Nor has it made ardent efforts that its heart should become pure and behold the past; 3635
  • That its heart should put forth its head (peep forth) from the aperture of the mystery and should see the beginning and the end with open eye.
  • The diverse modes and stages of the nature of Man from the beginning.
  • First he came into the clime (world) of inorganic things, and from the state of inorganic things he passed into the vegetable state.
  • (Many) years he lived in the vegetable state and did not remember the inorganic state because of the opposition (between them);
  • And when he passed from the vegetable into the animal state, the vegetable state was not remembered by him at all,
  • Save only for the inclination which he has towards that (state), especially in the season of spring and sweet herbs— 3640
  • Like the inclination of babes towards their mothers: it (the babe) does not know the secret of its desire for being suckled;
  • (Or) like the excessive inclination of every novice towards the noble spiritual Elder, whose fortune is young (and flourishing).
  • The particular intelligence of this (disciple) is derived from that Universal Intelligence: the motion of this shadow is derived from that Rose-bough.
  • His (the disciple's) shadow disappears at last in him (the Master); then he knows the secret of his inclination and search and seeking.
  • How should the shadow of the other's (the disciple's) bough move, O fortunate one, if this Tree move not? 3645
  • Again, the Creator, whom thou knowest, was leading him (Man) from the animal (state) towards humanity.
  • Thus did he advance from clime to clime (from one world of being to another), till he has now become intelligent and wise and mighty.
  • He hath no remembrance of his former intelligences (souls); from this (human) intelligence also there is a migration to be made by him,
  • That he may escape from this intelligence full of greed and self-seeking and may behold a hundred thousand intelligences most marvellous.
  • Though he fell asleep and became oblivious of the past, how should they leave him in that self-forgetfulness? 3650
  • From that sleep they will bring him back again to wakefulness, that he may mock at his (present) state,
  • Saying, “What was that sorrow I was suffering in my sleep? How did I forget the states of truth (the real experiences)?
  • How did not I know that that sorrow and disease is the effect of sleep and is illusion and phantasy?”
  • Even so this world, which is the sleeper's dream: the sleeper fancies that it is really enduring,
  • Till on a sudden there shall rise the dawn of Death and he shall be delivered from the darkness of opinion and falsehood. 3655
  • (Then) laughter at those sorrows of his will take possession of him when he sees his permanent abode and dwelling-place.