The story of the hare's stratagem.
He delayed awhile in going, then he went before the lion who rends (his prey) with claws.
Because he tarried late in going, the lion was tearing up the earth and roaring.
“I said,” cried the lion, “that the promise of those vile ones would be vain—vain and frail and unfulfilled.
Their palaver has duped me: how long will this Time deceive me, how long?”
The prince that hath no strength in his beard is left sorely in the lurch when by reason of his folly he looks neither backwards nor forwards.
The road is smooth, and under it are pitfalls: amidst the names there is a dearth of meaning.
Words and names are like pitfalls: the sweet (flattering) word is the sand for (the sand that sucks up) the water of our life.
The one sand whence water gushes is seldom to be found: go, seek it.
He that searches after wisdom becomes a fountain of wisdom; he becomes independent of acquisition and (ways and) means.
The guarding tablet becomes a Guarded Tablet; his understanding becomes enriched by the Spirit.
When a man's understanding has been his teacher, after this the understanding becomes his pupil.
The understanding says, like Gabriel, “O Ahmad (Mohammed), if I take one (more) step, it will burn me;
Do thou leave me, henceforth advance (alone): this is my limit, O sultan of the soul!”
Whoever, through heedlessness, remains without thanksgiving and patience (selfcontrol), knows (no resource) but this, that he should follow in the heels of necessity (jabr).
Any one who pleads necessity (as an excuse) feigns himself to be ill, with the result that the (feigned) illness brings him to the grave.
The Prophet said, “Illness (assumed) in jest brings (real) disease, so that he (the jester) dies like a lamp.”
What is (the meaning of) jabr? To bind up a broken (limb) or tie a severed vein.
Inasmuch as you have not broken your foot in this path, whom are you mocking? Why have you bandaged your foot?
But as for him who broke his foot in the path of exertion, Buráq came up to him, and he mounted (and rode).
He was a bearer of the (true) religion, and he became one who is borne; he was an accepter of the (Divine) command, and he became accepted.
Until now, he was receiving commands from the King; henceforth he delivers the (King's) commands to the people.
Until now, the stars were influencing him; henceforth he is the ruler of the stars.
If (on this account) perplexity arise in thy sight (mind), then thou wilt have doubts concerning The moon was cloven asunder.
Refresh thy faith, (but) not with talk of the tongue, O thou who hast secretly refreshed thy (evil) desire.
So long as desire is fresh, faith is not fresh, for ’tis this desire that locks (against thee) that gate.
Thou hast interpreted (and altered the meaning of) the virgin (uncorrupted) Word: interpret (alter) thyself, not the (Divine) Book.
Thou interpretest the Qur’án according to thy desire: by thee the sublime meaning is degraded and perverted.
