Inspirations

you shall possess the two worlds like your body.

But if the demons take the seal from you,

your sovereignty is gone, your fortune dead.

And after that ‘O sorrow!’ and ‘O servants!’

are fixed for you until ‘the day of gathering’.

If you deny your own deceit, how will

you save your soul before the scales and mirror?

How Servants and Staff Acted Suspiciously towards Loqman, Saying, ‘He Has Eaten the Fresh Fruit Which We Have Brought’

To his own master, Loqman seemed to be

one of the feeblest of his serving boys.

His lordship sent his servants to his orchards

to bring him fruits so he could savour them.

In servant circles Loqman was a nuisance,

his face as dark as night, so spiritual.

The serving boys would take enormous pleasure

in eating all the fruits with greedy relish.

They told their master, ‘Loqman’s eaten them.’

The master was annoyed and cross with Loqman.

When Loqman made enquiries of the reason,

he ventured into speech to chide his master:

‘O Lord, the faithless servant,’ said Loqman,

‘is not accepted in the sight of God.

Test all of us, O you who are so generous,

by filling up our bellies with hot water.

Then make us run around the desert wastes,

you riding, and us running round on foot.

Then keep an eye out for the evil-doer,

the acts of “the revealer of the mysteries”.’

The master served his servants with hot water;

they drank the draught and drank it out of fear.