How the Christians let themselves be duped by the vizier.

Myriads of Christian men gathered round him, little by little, in his abode,

(While) he secretly expounded to them the mysteries of Gospel and girdle and prayer.

Outwardly he was a preacher of (religious) ordinances, but inwardly he was (as) the whistle and snare (of the fowler).

On this account some Companions (of Mohammed) begged of the Prophet (that he would acquaint them with) the deceitfulness of the ghoul-like soul,

Saying, “What of hidden selfish interests does it mingle in acts of worship and in pure spiritual devotion?”

They were not seeking from him excellence of piety; they were not inquiring where lay the outward defect.

Hair by hair, speck by speck, they were recognising the deceitfulness of the fleshly soul as (plainly as the difference of) the rose from parsley.

Even the hair-splitters (the most scrupulous) of the Companions used to become distraught in spirit at the (Prophet's) admonition to them (the inquirers).