A HOLY COVENANT OF THE ASIATIC NATION

1. Ye are the children of one father, provided for by his care; and the breast of one mother hath given you suck.

2. Let the bonds of affection, therefore, unite thee with thy brothers, that peace and happiness may dwell in thy father's house.

3. And when ye separate in the world, remember the relation that bindeth you to love and unity; and prefer not a stranger before thy own blood.

4. If thy brother is in adversity, assist him; if thy sister is in trouble, forsake her not.

5. So shall the fortunes of thy father contribute to the support of his whole race; and his care be continued to you all, in your love to each other. 

THE INSTABILITY OF MAN

THE INSTABILITY OF MAN

1. Inconstancy is powerful in the heart of man; Intemperance swayeth it whither it will; Despair engrosseth much of it; and Fear proclaimeth: "Behold, I sit unrivalled therein," but Vanity is beyond them all.

2. Weep not therefore at the calamities of the human state; rather laugh at its follies. In the hands of the man addicted to vanity, life then is but the shadow of a dream.

3. The hero, the most renowned of human character, what is he, but the bubble of this weakness. The public is unstable and ungrateful. Why should the man of wisdom endanger himself for fools?

4. The man who neglecteth his present concerns, to revolve how he will behave when greater, feedeth himself with wind, while his bread is eaten by another.

5. Act as becometh thee in thy present station, and in more exalted ones thy face shall not be ashamed.

6. What blindeth the eye, or what hideth the heart of a man from himself, like Vanity? Lo, when thou seest not thyself, then others discover thee, most plainly.

7. As the tulip that is gaudy without smell, conspicuous without use; so is the mail who sitteth himself up so high, and hot not merit.

8. The heart of the vain is troubled while it seemeth content; his cares are greater than his pleasures.

9. His solicitude cannot rest with his bones, the grave is not deep enough to hide it; he extendeth his thoughts beyond his being; he bespeaketh praise; to be paid when he is gone; but whosoever promiseth it, deceiveth him.

10. As the man who engageth his wife to remain in widowhood, that she disturb not his soul; so is he who expecteth that his praise shall reach his ears beneath the earth, or cherish his heart in its shroud.

11. Do well whilst thou liveth; but regard not what is said of it. Content thyself with deserving praise, and thy posterity shall rejoice in hearing it.

12. As the butterfly who seeth not his own colors, as the jasmine which feeleth not the scent it casteth around it; so is the man who appeareth gay, and biddeth others to take note of it.

13. "To what purpose," saith he, "is my vesture of gold, to what end are my tables filled with dainties, if no eye gaze upon them, if the world knows it not?" Give thy raiment to the naked, and thy food unto the hungry; so shalt thou be praised, and feel that thou deserveth it.

14. Why bestoweth thou in every man the flattery of unmeaning words? Thou knowest, when returned thee, thou regardest it not. He knoweth he lieth unto thee, yet he knoweth thou will thank him for it. Speak in sincerity, and thou wilt hear with instruction.

15. The vain delighteth to speak of himself; but he seeth not that others like not to hear him.

16. If he hath done anything worth praise, if he possesseth that which is worthy of admiration, his joy is to proclaim it, his pride to hear it reported. The desire of such a man defeateth itself. Men say not: "Behold he hath done it," or "See, he possesseth it," but "Mark how proud he is of it."

17. The heart of man cannot attend at once to too many things. He who fixeth his soul on show, loseth reality. He pursueth bubbles, which break in their flight, while he treads to earth what would him honor.

CHAPTER XXVI

HOLY INSTRUCTIONS OF UNITY

1. The gifts of the understanding are the treasures of Allah; and He appointed to every one his portion, in what measure seemeth good unto Himself.

2. Hath He endowed thee with wisdom? Hath He enlightened thy mind with the knowledge of truth? Communicate it to the ignorant, for their instruction; communicate it to the wise, for thine own improvement.

3. True wisdom is less presuming than folly. The wise man doubteth often, and changeth his mind; the fool is obstinate, and doubteth not; he knoweth all things, but his own ignorance.

4. The pride of emptiness is an abomination; and to talk much, is the foolishness of folly; nevertheless, it is the part of wisdom to hear with patience their impertinence, and to pity their absurdity.

5. Yet be not puffed up in thine own conceit, neither boast of superior understanding; the clearest human knowledge is but blindness and folly.

6. The wise man feeleth his imperfections, and is humbled; he laboreth in vain for his own approbation but the fool peepeth in the shadow stream of his own mind, and is pleased with the pebbles which he seeth at the bottom; he bringeth them up and showeth them as pearls and with the applause of his brethren delighteth himself.

7. He boasteth of attainments in things that are of no worth; but where it is a shame to be ignorant, there he hath no understanding.

8. Even in the path of wisdom, he toileth after folly; and shame and disappointment are the reward of his labor.

9. But the wise man cultivates his mind with knowledge; the improvement of the arts is his delight, and their utility to the public crowneth with honor.

10. Nevertheless, the attainment of virtue he accounteth as the highest learning; and the science of happiness is the study of his life.

Holy Instructions from the Prophet

INCONSTANCY

1. Nature urgeth thee to inconstancy, 0 man! Therefore guard thyself at all times against, it.

2. Thou art, from the womb of thy mother, various and wavering, from the loins of thy father inheriteth thou instability. How then shalt thou be firm ?

3. Those who gave thee a body, furnished it with weakness; but He who gave thee a soul, armed thee. with resolution. Employ it, and thou art wise be wise, and thou art happy.

4. Let him who doeth well, beware how he boasteth of it, for rarely is it of his own will.

5. Is not the event of an impulse, from without born of uncertainty enforced by accident, dependent on somewhat else? To thee, and to accident, is due the praise.

6. Beware of irresolution in the intent of thy actions; beware of instability in the execution; so shalt thou triumph over two great failings of thy nature.

7. What reproacheth reason more than to act contrarieties? What can suppress the tendencies to these, but firmness of mind?

8. The inconstant feeleth that he changeth, but he knoweth not why; he seeth that he escapeth from himself, but he perceiveth not how. Be thou incapable of change, in that which is right, and men will rely upon thee.

9. Establish unto thyself principles of action, and see that thou ever act according to them.

10. So shall thy passions have no rule over thee; so shall thy constancy ensure unto thee the good thou possesseth, and drive from thy door misfortune. Anxiety and disappointment shall be strangers to thy gates.

11. Suspect not evil in anyone until thou seeth it; when thou seeth, forget it not.

12. Who so hath been an enemy, cannot be a friend; for man mendeth not his faults.

13. How should his actions be right, who hath no rule of his life? Nothing can be just which proceedeth not from reason.

14. The inconstant hath no peace in his soul; neither can be at ease whom he concerneth himself with.

15. His life is unequal; his motions are irregular; his soul changeth with the weather.

16. Today he loveth thee, tomorrow thou art detested by him; and why? Himself knoweth not wherefore he now hateth.

17. Today he is the tyrant, tomorrow thy servant is less humble; and why? He who is arrogant without power, will be servile while there is no subjection.

18. Today he is profuse, tomorrow he grudgeth unto his mouth that which it should eat. Thus it is with him who knoweth not moderation.

19. Who shall say of the camelion: "He is black," when, the moment after the verdure of the grass, overspreadeth him?

20. Who shall say of the inconstant: "He is joyful," when his next breath shall be spent in sighing?

21. What is the life of such a man, but the phantom of a dream? In the morning he riseth happy, at noon he is on the rack; this hour he is a god, the next below a worm; one moment he laugheth, the next he weepeth; he now willeth, in an instant he willeth not, and in another he knoweth not whether he willeth or not.

22. Yet neither ease nor pain have fixed themselves on him; neither is he waxed greater, or become less; neither hath he had cause for laughter, or reason for his sorrow; therefore shall none of them abide with him.

23. The happiness of the inconstant is as a palace built on the surface of the sand; the blowing of the wind carrieth away its foundation; What wonder then that it falleth?

24. But what exalted form is this, that hitherward directs its even, its uninterrupted course - whose foot is on earth, whose head is above the clouds?

25. On his brow sitteth majesty; steadiness is in his port; and in his heart reigneth tranquility.

26. Though obstacles appear in his way, he deigneth not to look down upon them; though heaven and earth oppose his passage; he proceedeth.

27. The mountains sink beneath his tread; the waters of the ocean are dried up under the sole of his foot.

28. The tiger throweth herself across his way in vain; the spots of the leopard glow against him unregarded.

29. He marcheth through the embattled legions; with his hands he putteth aside the terrors of death.

30. Storms roar against his shoulders, but are not able to shake them; the thunder bursteth over his head in vain; the lightning serveth but to show the glories of his countenance.

31. His name is Resolution! He cometh from the utmost part of the earth; he seeth happiness afar off before him; his eye discovereth her temple beyond the limits of the pole.

32. He walketh up to it, he entereth boldly, and he remaineth there forever.

33. Establish thy heart, 0 man, in that which is right; and then know, the greatest of human is to be immutable.

SINCERITY

1. O thou who are enamored with the beauty of Truth, and hast fixed thy heart on the simplicity of her charms, hold fast thy fidelity unto her, and forsake her not; the constancy of thy virtue shall crown thee with honor.

2. The tongue of the sincere is rooted in heart; hypocrisy and deceit have no place in his words.

3. He blusheth at falsehood, and is founded; but in speaking the truth, he hath a steady eye.

4. He supporteth, as a man, the dignity of his character; to the arts of hypocrisy he scorneth to stoop.

5. He is consistent with himself; he is never embarrassed; he hath courage enough for truth; but to lie he is afraid.

6. He is far above the meanness of dissimulation; the words of his mouth are the thoughts of his heart.

7. Yet, with prudence and caution he openeth his lips; he studieth what is right, and speaketh with discretion.

8. He adviseth with friendship; he reproveth with freedom; and whatsoever he promiseth shall surely be performed.

9. But the heart of the hypocrite is hid in his breast; he maketh his words in the semblance of truth, while the business of his life is only to deceive.

10. He laugheth in sorrow, he weepeth in joy; and the words of his mouth have no interpretation.

11. He worketh in the dark as a mole, and fancieth he is safe; but he blundereth into light, and is betrayed and exposed, with dirt on his head.

12. He passeth his days in perpetual constraint; his tongue and heart are forever at variance.

13. He laboreth for the character of a righteous man; and huggeth himself in the thoughts of his cunning.

14. O fool, fool! The pains which thou taketh to hide what thou art, are more than would make thee what thou wouldst seem; and the children of Wisdom shall mock at thy cunning, when in the midst of security, thy disguise is stripped off, and the finger of derision shall point thee to scorn.

MISERY

HOLY INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE PROPHET

MISERY

1. Feeble and insufficient as thou art, O man, in good; frail and inconsistent as thou art in pleasure; yet there is a thing in which thou art strong and unshaken. Its name is Misery.

2. It is the character of thy being, the prerogative of thy nature; in thy breast alone, it resideth; without thee, there is nothing of it. And behold, what is its source, but thine own passions?

3. He who gave thee these, gave thee also reason to subdue them; exert it, and thou shall trample them under thy feet!

4. Thine entrance into the world, is it not shameful? Thy destruction, is it not glorious-- Lo! men adorn the instruments of death with gold and gems and wear them above their garments.

5. He who begetteth a man, hideth his face; but he who killeth a thousand is honored.

6. Know thou, notwithstanding, that in this is error. Custom cannot alter the nature of truth, neither can the opinion of man destroy justice; the glory and the shame are misplaced.

7. There is but one way for a man to be produced; there are a thousand by which he may be destroyed.

8. There is no praise or honor to him who giveth being to another; but triumphs and empire are the rewards of murder.

9. Yet he who hath many children, hath many blessings; and he who hath taken away the life of another, shall not enjoy his own.

10. While the savage curseth the birth of his son, and blesseth the death of his father, doth he not call himself a monster?

11. The greatest of all human ills is sorrow; too much of this thou art born into; add not unto it by thy own perverseness.

12. Grief is natural to thee, and is always about thee; pleasure is a stranger and visiteth thee by times; use well thy reason, and sorrow will be cast behind thee; be prudent, and the visits of joy shall remain long with thee.

13. Every part of thy frame is capable of sorrow, but few and narrow are the paths that lead to delight.

14. Pleasures can be admitted only simply, but pains rush in a thousand at a time.

15. As the blaze of straw fadeth as soon as it is kindeled, so passeth away the brightness of joy, and thou knoweth not what become of it.

16. Sorrow is frequent, pleasure is rare; pain cometh of itself; delight must be purchased; grief is unmixed, but joy wanteth not its alloy of biterness.

17. As the soundest health is less percieved than the lightest malady, so the highest joy toucheth us less deep than the smallest sorrow.

18. We are in love with anguish; we often fly from pleasure; when we purchase it, costeth it not more than it is worth?

19. Reflection is the business of man; sense of his state is his first duty; but who remembereth himself a boy? Is it not in mercy, then, that sorrow is allotted unto us?

20. Man forseeth the evil that is to come; he remembereth it when it is past; he considereth not that the thought of affliction woundeth deeper than the affliction itself. Think not of thy pain, but when it is upon thee, and thou shalt avoid what most hurt thee.

21. He who weepeth before he needeth, weepeth more than he needeth; and why, but that he loveth weeping?

22. The stag weepeth not till the spear is lifted against him; nor do the tears of the beaver fall, till the hound is ready to sieze him; man anticipateth death by the apprehension of it: and the fear is greater misery than the event itself.

23. Be always prepared to give an account of thine action; and the best death is that which is least premeditated.