_Of the Knowledge of God_
O most beautiful of the pages of the book of creatures, thou whose image
adorns the mirror of qualities! hearken to this paternal counsel: Boast
of thy merit to no one; do not pursue a vain science which is babbled of
in public lest thou consume thy strength to no purpose. Devote thyself
to some science worthy of thy Creator and of thyself. Only pass through
the realm of philosophy, but fasten thy attention on the writings of the
friends of God. The holy aspirations of these illustrious guides bring
men to truth. How difficult is it to find a perfect spiritual director!
For the present, these precepts may suffice for thee. Let thy piety be
enlightened. Far be it from thee to become a hypocrite and bigot, and
weary not of aspiring to perfection and of working to become a sincere
adorer of God.
Do not stray in the slippery places of doubt, for there are no wise men
save those who are learned in divine things. How can he who devotes
himself to grammatical subtilities penetrate the divine mysteries? The
Creator of love has said: Acquire knowledge; such should be the aim of
the two worlds. Knowledge is the ornament of man and the last places are
the share of the ignorant. Knowledge is a spiritual happiness and a gift
of divine beneficence. The ignorant reject knowledge because they cannot
raise themselves to the required level, for they would devote themselves
to it body and soul, were it possible. Examine closely, and then decide.
The mud of deception is not able to sully the garb of knowledge and the
garment of instruction. Thou knowest that it is God himself who hath put
thee in this world to serve him with all thy heart. Of necessity he is
the master of the house; the fool only sees the house and mistakes the
master. Labor courageously night and day to obtain the grace of the
abiding of God with thee. Let him be the constant object of thy thoughts
and of thy meditations, and be attentive to this great spectacle beneath
thy eyes. Trouble not thyself with heaven or with hell, for it is their
Master only whom thou must seek. If thou dost possess him, O life of my
soul, thou wilt possess two worlds.
Seek to know thyself well, if thou dost wish to fathom the mysteries of
this world. Seek morality eagerly, and give thyself no respite when thou
wilt have found it. Whoever knows it not is a blind man below the ox and
the ass. Morality is the chief riches of an enlightened soul and heart,
and the last step to the knowledge of God. He who hath not penetrated to
the light of morality remains lost in the shadows of error.
If thou dost well understand the truth of things, O pearl of Aden, thou
wilt be invulnerable against fear and sadness. There lies all the
mystery of unity; there is the secret of eternal felicity. Light of mine
eyes! how full of anguish it is to be struck with blindness in this
world and in the next! Anoint thine eyes with the salve of morality; if
not, the day of judgment will be that of thy condemnation. He is blind,
he that does not bear witness, for whom the gates of truth remain
closed. He who was the glory of prophets asked in his prayers that the
truth might be revealed to him. The writings of the men of God make the
mirror of the intelligence to burn: do thou apply thyself to understand
their meaning. Let these teachings be the safeguard of thy soul. He who
seeks God has no better guide than the _mesnévis_ of the greatest
Physician. The sublime truths of the “Book of Victories and of
Distinctions” are a balm of purity for the mind’s eye. The saints have
left many teachings which aid man to know his Creator. Therein are found
mystic and spiritual truths derived from the Koran. Outwardly, they are
only legal decisions, but beneath is a whole order of incontestable
revelations. Consecrate all thy hours to the study of these books: mayst
thou possess in full the doctrine which they contain!