X: Give ear, O brother! unto the request I…

Give ear, O brother! unto the request I make unto thee:--
Be not, by the contemptible deception of the world, led astray!

By its deceit, it maketh people despiteful unto each other:
It passeth around a golden cup with deadliest poison filled.

The millstones of fate, round the heads of mankind revolve;
And some time or other, the turn for thy head shall come.

By the severe bridle of fasting, curb the lusts of the flesh;
For with a halter thou wilt be unable, this steed to restrain.

The object of food is to keep body and soul together, and no more,
Although thou mayest have in thy possession all sorts of things.

To clothe the body is necessary, and it behoveth us so to do,
Though but two or three yards of blanket or of canvas it be.

Thy every breath is a pearl and coral of inestimable price:
Be careful, therefore, and guard every respiration well!

Let the whole of thy words be conformable with thy deeds;
And in no wise in vain and foolish conversation indulge!

Tell me what extent of torment thou wilt be able to bear;
And commit no more sin than may be equivalent thereunto.

By the rain of spring will become all saturated at last,
The paper dress in which thou mayest have clothed thyself.

Unto the money-changer, its exterior and interior will be known;
Notwithstanding thou shouldst, with gold, brass ever so enwrap.

The bead of this arrow will not come out from thy bones,
Until thy flesh shall have been by the sharp diamond incised.

It was because he made use of words of arrogance and pride,
That Satan himself was wholly from God's mercy debarred.

Without doubt, all good and all misfortune are from the Almighty:
Wherefore then unto doubt, givest thou a place in thine heart?

In thy ways indeed, thou art still more silly than children,
Even now that thy years are beyond forty and fifty passed.

Shouldst thou drink one mouthful from the cup of love,
Like unto Khizr and Mihtar Iliyas, thou wilt never die!

I am filled with terror and dismay, beyond all bounds;
For the Tempter waylayeth me before and on every side!

I, Khwajah Muhammad, am prostrate at thy threshold,
If thou, O my master! wilt but take me by the hand!