VII: Come, do not be the source of trouble…

Come, do not be the source of trouble unto any one;
For this short life of thine will soon be lost, O faithless one!

No one is to be a tarrier behind, in this world:
All are to be departers, either to-day or to-morrow.

Those dear friends, who to-day bloom before thee,
Will, in two or three short days, fade and decay.

If the sight of any be pleasing to thee, cherish them:
After they wither and die, when will they again revive?

The leaves of autumn, that fall from the branch,
By no contrivance can the sage attach them again.

When the rain-drops fall from the sky upon the earth,
They cannot again ascend unto the heavens whence they came.

Imagine not, that those tears which the eye sheddeth,
Shall e'er again return to the eyes they flowed from.

This is a different sun that riseth every morn:
The sun, that setteth once, riseth not again.

Though paradise is not gained by devotion, without grace;
Still, every man his neck from the debt must release.

Shouldst thou incur a hundred toils for the flesh's sake,
Not one shall be of any avail to-morrow unto thee.

Shouldst thou gorge thy stomach with the world itself,
Thou wilt not be remembered, either in blessings or in prayers.

Shouldst thou give but a grain of corn unto the hungered,
Verily, it will be hereafter thy provision in eternity.

Shouldst thou bestow but a drop of water on the thirsty,
It will become an ocean between thee and the fire of hell.

Shouldst thou once bow thy head in the road of the Almighty,
Thou shalt, at the last day, be more exalted than any.

This world, then, is the mart, if one be inclined to traffic;
But in that world there is neither barter nor gain.

If friends comprehend aught, to-day is their time,
That one friend may show self-devotion to another.

If there is any real existence here, of a truth 'tis this,
That in some one's society it should in happiness pass.

May God protect us from such a state of existence,
Where thou mayst speak ill of others, and others of thee.

Poison even, is pleasant, if it be in peace and in concord;
But not sugar, combined with sedition and with strife.

The belly, filled with rubbish, is well, if free from sorrow;
But not so, though gorged with confection of the dregs of woe.

The back, bent from toil, is indeed estimable;
But not from a purse of ill-gotten money round the waist.

A blind man, who seeth nothing, is truly excellent;
Better than that he should set eyes on another man's wife.

A dumb person is far better without palate or tongue,
Than that his tongue should become the utterer of evil words.

A deaf man, who cannot hear, is preferable by far,
Than that his ears should be open to scandalous tales.

Demon or devil, that may come upon one, is agreeable;
But let not the Almighty a bad man before thee bring!

Than to bear the society of a fool, it is more preferable
That a fiery dragon should become one's bosom friend.

If there be a real difficulty, it is the healing of hearts;
But the profit and loss of the world are trifling affairs.

Its advantages, or its detriments, are trivial matters--
God forbid that any one become infamous for despicable things!

Forbid that any such desire of thine be accomplished,
Whereby the heart of thy brother or relation be grieved!

Should one eat delicious food, and another be eyeing it,
Such is not victuals, it is mere poison, so to speak.

It behoveth at times to respect other's wishes, at times thine own;
But thine own good pleasure is not to be regarded always.

The wise concern not themselves in such matters,
In which there's constant grief, and not an hour's pleasure.

It is incumbent on judges to administer justice;
But not to give their ears unto venal things.

Thoughts and ideas of all sorts enter into man's mind;
But it is not meet to account them all right and just.

The devout should have a constant eye towards their faith;
For some thoughts are virtues, whilst others are sins.

God forbid that iniquity proceed from any one's hands!
What affinity is there between sin and innocence--evil and good?

It is not that all men are equally on a parity together;
For some are eminent, some indifferent, some vile and base.

The dignity of every one lieth within its own degree:
It idiot meet that the groom should the noble's rank acquire.

I, Rahman, neither thank, nor complain of any one;
For I have no other friend or enemy but myself.