Thou hast written concerning the tests that have come upon thee. To the
sincere ones, tests are as a gift from God, the Exalted, for a heroic
person hasteneth, with the utmost joy and gladness, to the tests of a
violent battlefield, but the coward is afraid and trembles and utters
moaning and lamentation. Likewise, an expert student prepareth and
memorizeth his lessons and exercises with the utmost effort, and in the
day of examination he appeareth with infinite joy before the master.
Likewise, the pure gold shineth radiantly in the fire of test.
Consequently, it is made clear that for holy souls, trials are as the gift
of God, the Exalted; but for weak souls they are an unexpected calamity.
This test is just as thou hast written: it removeth the rust of egotism
from the mirror of the heart until the Sun of Truth may shine therein.
For, no veil is greater than egotism and no matter how thin that covering
may be, yet it will finally veil man entirely and prevent him from
receiving a portion from the eternal bounty.