How the fire reproached the Jewish king.

The king turned his face to the fire, saying, “O fierce-tempered one, where is thy world-consuming natural disposition?

How art thou not burning? What has become of thy specific property? Or has thy intention changed because of our fortune?

Thou hast no pity (even) on the fire-worshipper: how (then) has he been saved who does not worship thee?

Never, O fire, art thou patient: how burnest thou not? What is it? Hast thou not the power?

Is this a spell, I wonder, that binds the eye or the mind? How does the lofty pyre not burn?

Has some one bewitched thee? Or is it magic, or is thy unnatural behaviour from our fortune?”

The fire said: “I am the same, I am fire: come in, that thou mayst feel my heat.

My nature and element have not changed: I am the sword of God and by (His) leave I cut.

The Turcoman dogs fawn at the tent-door before the guest,

But if any one having the face of a stranger pass by the tent, he will see the dogs rushing at him like lions.

I am not less than a dog in devotion, nor is God less than a Turcoman in life (living power).”

If the fire of your nature make you suffer pain, it burns by command of the Lord of religion;

If the fire of your nature give you joy, (that is because) the Lord of religion puts joy therein.

When you feel pain, ask pardon of God: pain, by command of the Creator, is efficacious.

When He pleases, pain itself becomes joy; bondage itself becomes freedom.

Air and earth and water and fire are (His) slaves: with you and me they are dead, but with God they are alive.

Before God, fire is always standing (ready to do His behest), writhing continually day and night, like a lover.

If you strike stone on iron, it (the fire) leaps out: ’tis by God's command that it puts forth its foot.

Do not strike together the iron and stone of injustice, for these two generate like man and woman.

The stone and the iron are indeed causes, but look higher, O good man!

For this (external) cause was produced by that (spiritual) cause: when did a cause ever proceed from itself without a cause?

And those causes which guide the prophets on their way are higher than these (external) causes.

That (spiritual) cause makes this (external) cause operative; sometimes, again, it makes it fruitless and ineffectual.

(Ordinary) minds are familiar with this (external) cause, but the prophets are familiar with those (spiritual) causes.

What is (the meaning of) this (word) “cause” (sabab) in Arabic? Say: “cord” (rasan).

This cord came into this well (the world) by (Divine) artifice.

The revolution of the water-wheel causes the cord (to move), (but) not to see the mover of the water-wheel is an error. Beware, beware! Do not regard these cords of causation in the world as (deriving their movement) from the giddy wheel (of heaven),

Lest you remain empty and giddy like the (celestial) wheel, lest through brainlessness you burn like markh wood.

By the command of God air becomes fire: both are drunken with the wine of God.

O son, when you open your eyes you will see that from God too are the water of clemency and the fire of anger.

Had not the soul of the wind been informed by God, how would it have distinguished (the believers and unbelievers) amongst the people of ‘Ád?

Húd drew a line round the believers: the wind would become soft (subside) when it reached that place,

(Although) it was dashing to pieces in the air all who were outside of the line.

Likewise Shaybán the shepherd used to draw a visible line round his flock

Whenever he went to the Friday service at prayer-time, in order that the wolf might not raid and ravage there:

No wolf would go into that (circle), nor would any sheep stray beyond that mark;

The wind of the wolf's and sheeps' concupiscence was barred because of (by) the circle of the man of God.

Even so, to those who know God (‘árifán) the wind of Death is soft and pleasant as the breeze (that wafts the scent) of (loved) ones like Joseph.

The fire did not set its teeth in Abraham: how should it bite him, since he is the chosen of God?

The religious were not afflicted by the fire of lust which bore all the rest down to the bottom of the earth.

The waves of the sea, when they charged on by God's command, discriminated the people of Moses from the Egyptians.

The earth, when the (Divine) command came, drew Qárún (Korah) with his gold and throne into its lowest depth.

The water and clay, when it fed on the breath of Jesus, spread wings and pinions, became a bird, and flew.

Your glorification (of God) is an exhalation from the water and clay (of your body): it became a bird of Paradise through the breathing (into it) of your heart's sincerity.

Mount Mount Sinai, from (seeing) the radiance of Moses, began to dance, became a perfect Súfí, and was freed from blemish.

What wonder if the mountain became a venerable Súfí? The body of Moses also was (formed) from a piece of clay.