_Of the Defilement of Drunkenness_
O precious pearl of the jewel casket of my soul, thou whose image is
stamped on my heart! be not seduced by the rosy cup; it debases man in
the eyes of his fellows, renders him odious to all, and deprives him of
his honor and respect. Have no connection with this mother of all vices,
who engenders all sorts of calamities. What a shame to pass for a
debauchee, to be known everywhere for thy passion for wine! Beware of
drunkenness, of that stupefaction which causes the loss of reason. Since
the all-wise Creator has forbidden this excess, be submissive to his
decision. Sully not thyself with the crime of revolt, have no cause to
blush before thy Creator. Fear to fall in the snares of sin; if that
occurs, entreat for pardon.
When thou dost visit an assembly, publicly reproach no one. Do not
jostle those who are drunk; do not throw stones at those without reason.
Why grieve these senseless persons, when thou thyself art able to share
their misfortune? Why molest them? Some time, doubtless, a like mishap
will befall thee. Avoid reproaching others for their blindness in sin,
and declaring thyself free from stain. O soul of thy father, know well;
when thou dost accuse thy brother, thou dost render thyself guilty. Must
thou attack with violence the errors of others, and turn thy eyes from
thy own conduct? Repentance always follows sin, for adversity is the
consequence of crime. One day, in a gathering, at the house of Djelal
eddin Roumi, someone said boastingly: “I have never seen the color of
wine, never have I tasted liquor.” “It were better still not to drink it
after having seen it,” answered this holy sage, the pole of good
conduct, the king of the domain of grace, shocked at this proud
presumption.
Suffer not thyself to be weakened by the assaults of drunkenness, do not
deliver thyself up to the seductions of hashish and opium. Bendj[1] and
esrar[2] are still more destructive; he who consumes them is a dunce.
These drugs make a man the laughing-stock of other men: he is an ape in
human form. Obscure not the light of thy soul’s jewel; cover not with
darkness the eye of thy intelligence. Wrap not opium in a shroud during
the Ramazan, so that thy body may become as the tomb of one dead. This
poison makes man wicked and immoral; perverts him, corrupts his heart,
alters his features, and bewilders his tongue. When intoxication
arrives, he hugs himself with delight; when it is dissipated, he is
beside himself; he is a corpse in the form of one living: the brilliancy
of his cheeks is blighted. Even though there appeared no exterior
effects, who would not blush to be called _Teriaki_?