How the lion again pronounced exertion to be superior to trust in God.
“Yes,” said the lion; “but the Lord of His servants set a ladder before our feet.
Step by step must we climb towards the roof: to be a necessitarian here is (to indulge in) foolish hopes.
You have feet: why do you make yourself out to be lame? you have hands: why do you conceal the fingers (whereby you grasp)?
When the master put a spade in the slave's hand, his object was made known to him (the slave) without (a word falling from his) tongue.
Hand and spade alike are His (God's) implicit signs; (our powers of) thinking upon the end are His explicit declarations.
When you take His signs to heart, you will devote your life to fulfilling that indication (of His will).
He will give you many hints (for the understanding) of mysteries, He will remove the burden from you and give you (spiritual) authority.
Do you bear (His burden)? He will cause you to be borne (aloft). Do you receive (His commands)? He will cause you to be received (into His favour).
If you accept His command, you will become the spokesman (thereof); if you seek union (with Him), thereafter you will become united.
Freewill is the endeavour to thank (God) for His beneficence: your necessitarianism is the denial of that beneficence.
Thanksgiving for the power (of acting freely) increases your power; necessitarianism takes the (Divine) gift (of freewill) out of your hand.
Your necessitarianism is (like) sleeping on the road: do not sleep! Sleep not, until you see the gate and the threshold!
Beware! do not sleep, O inconsiderate necessitarian, save underneath that fruit-laden tree,
So that every moment the wind may shake the boughs and shower upon the sleeper (spiritual) dessert and provision for the journey.
Necessitarianism is to sleep amidst highwaymen: how should the untimely bird receive quarter?
And if you turn up your nose at His signs, you deem (yourself) a man, but when you consider (more deeply), you are (only) a woman.
This measure of understanding which you possess is lost: a head from which the understanding is severed becomes a tail,
Because ingratitude is wickedness and disgrace and brings the ingrate to the bottom of Hell-fire.
If you are putting trust in God, put trust (in Him) as regards (your) work: sow (the seed), then rely upon the Almighty.”
