بخش 123 - مثل

A certain person was eating bread made of bran: some one asked him, “How are you so fond of this?”

He replied, “When hunger is doubled by self-denial, barley bread is (as sweet as) halwá in my opinion;

Therefore when I deny myself once, I can eat halwá entirely, (so) of course I am very self-denying (abstinent).”

Hunger, in truth, is not conquered by every one, for this (world) is a place where fodder is abundant beyond measure.

Hunger is bestowed as a gift on God's elect (alone), that through hunger they may become puissant lions.

How should hunger be bestowed on every beggarly churl? Since the fodder is not scarce they set it before him,

Saying, “Eat! This is all thou art worth: thou art not a waterfowl, thou art a bread-fowl.”