بخش 194 - دیگر باره ملامت کردن اهل مسجد مهمان را از شب خفتن در آن مسجد

The people said to him, “Do not act with foolhardiness, depart, lest thy (bodily) vesture and thy soul become in pawn (to Death).”

Froth afar it seems easy, (but) look well! for in the end the passage is grievous.

Many a man hanged himself and broke (his neck) and at the moment of agony sought something for his hand to cling to.

Before the battle, the fancy of good or evil is slight (makes no deep impression) in a man’s heart;

(But) when he enters into the fray, then to that person the matter becomes woeful.

Since you are not a lion, beware, do not step forward, for that Doom is a wolf, and your soul is the sheep;

But if you are one of the Abdal (saints) and your sheep has become a lion, come on securely, for your death has been over thrown.

Who is the Abdal? He that becomes transmuted, he whose wine is turned into vinegar by Divine transmutation.

But you are drunken, pot and from (mere) opinion ihink yourself to be a lion: Beware, do not advance!

God bath said of the unrighteous Hypocrites, “Their valour amongst themselves is a great valour.

Amongst one another they are manly, (but) in a warlike expedition they are as the women of the house.”

The Prophet; the commander-in-chief of the things unseen, said, “There is no bravery, O youth, before the battles.”

The drunken make a froth when there is talk of war, (but) when war is raging they are as unskilled (useless) as froth.

At the time when war is spoken Of, his (such a one’s) scimitar is long (drawn and extended); at the time of combat his sword is (sheathed) like an onion.

At the time of premeditation his heart is eager for wounds; then (in action) his bag is emptied (of air) by a single needle.

I marvel at the seeker of purity who at the time of polishing shrinks from being handled roughly.

Love is like the lawsuit; to suffer harsh treatment is (like) the evidence: when you have no evidence, the lawsuit is lost.

Do not be aggrieved when this Judge demands your evidence: kiss the snake in order that you may gain the treasure.

That harshness is not towards you, 0 son; nay, towards the evil qualities within you.

The blows of the stick with which a man beats a rug he inflicts, not on the rug, but on the dust (in the rug).

If that vindictive fellow lashes the horse, he directs the blows, not at the horse, but at its stumbling,

In order that it may be delivered from (the vice of) stumbling and may move well: you imprison must (in the vat) in order that it may become wine.

He (some one) said, “Thou hast struck that little orphan so many blows: how wert not thou afraid of the Divine wrath?”

He (the striker) said, “O (dear) soul and friend, when did I strike him? I struck at the devil that is in him,”

If your mother say to you, “Mayst thou die!” she wishes the death of that (evil) nature (of yours) and the death of iniquity.

The folk who fled from correction dishonoured’ their (own) manhood and (true) men.

The railers drove them back from the war, so that they remained so infamous and effeminate.

Do not thou hearken to the boasting and roaring of the driveller: do not go into the battle-line with such fellows.

Since they would have added to you (naught but) corruption, God said, “Turn the leaf (avert yourself) from pusillanimous comrades,

For if they go along with you, the warriors will become pith- less, like straw.

They put themselves in line with you (on the field of battle); then they flee and break the heart of the line.

Therefore, better a little army without these persons than (that) it should be mustered (reinforced) with the Hypocrites.”

A few well-sifted almonds are better than a great many (sweet 4025 ones) mixed with bitter..

The bitter and the sweet are one thing (alike) in respect of rattling (against each other, when poured out); the defect arises from their not being the same at heart.

The infidel is of timorous heart, for, (judging) from opinion, he lives in doubt as to the state of that (the other) world.

He is going along the road, (but) he does not know any stage: one blind in heart steps timidly.

When the traveller does not know the way, how does he go? He goes with (many) hesitations, while his heart is full of blood (anguish).

If anyone says (to him), “Hey! this is not the way he will o halt there and stand still in affright.

But if his (the traveller’s) wise heart knows the way, how should every hey and ho go into his ear?

Therefore do not journey with these camel-hearted (craven)ones, for in the hour of distress and danger they are the ones who sink;

Then they flee and leave thee alone, though in boasting they are (powerful as) the magic of Babylon.

Beware! Do not thou request sybarites to fight; do not request peacocks to engage in the hunt and the chase.

The carnal nature is a peacock: it tempts thee and talks idly, that it may remove thee from thy (spiritual) post.