Chapter 2

Preamble 1: O YE PEOPLE THAT HAVE MINDS TO KNOW AND EARS TO HEAR!... 2: O SON OF SPIRIT! The bird seeketh its nest; the nightingale the... 3: O FRIEND! In the garden of thy heart plant naught but the... 4: O SON OF JUSTICE! Whither can a lover go but to the land of his... 5: O SON OF DUST! Verily I say unto thee: Of all men the most negligent... 6: O SON OF EARTH! Know, verily, the heart wherein the least remnant... 7: O SON OF LOVE! Thou art but one step away from the glorious... 8: O SON OF GLORY! Be swift in the path of holiness, and enter the... 9: O FLEETING SHADOW! Pass beyond the baser stages of doubt and rise to... 10: O SON OF DESIRE! Give ear unto this: Never shall mortal eye recognize... 11: O SON OF DUST! Blind thine eyes, that thou mayest behold My... 12: O MAN OF TWO VISIONS! Close one eye and open the other. Close one to... 13: O MY CHILDREN! I fear lest, bereft of the melody of the dove of... 14: O FRIENDS! Abandon not the everlasting beauty for a beauty... 15: O SON OF SPIRIT! The time cometh, when the nightingale of holiness... 16: O ESSENCE OF NEGLIGENCE! Myriads of mystic tongues find utterance in one... 17: O COMRADES! The gates that open on the Placeless stand wide... 18: O YE DWELLERS IN THE HIGHEST PARADISE!... 19: O MY FRIENDS! Have ye forgotten that true and radiant morn,... 20: O YE THAT ARE LYING AS DEAD ON THE COUCH OF HEEDLESSNESS!... 21: O MOVING FORM OF DUST! I desire communion with thee, but thou wouldst... 22: O SON OF DESIRE! The learned and the wise have for long years... 23: O DWELLERS IN THE CITY OF LOVE! Mortal blasts have beset the everlasting candle,... 24: O YE THAT ARE FOOLISH, YET HAVE A NAME TO BE WISE!... 25: O YE SEEMING FAIR YET INWARDLY FOUL! Ye are like clear but bitter water, which to outward... 26: O MY FRIEND IN WORD! Ponder awhile. Hast thou ever heard that friend... 27: O SON OF DUST! All that is in heaven and earth I have ordained... 28: O ESSENCE OF DESIRE! At many a dawn have I turned from the realms of... 29: O SON OF BOUNTY! Out of the wastes of nothingness, with the clay... 30: O BOND SLAVE OF THE WORLD! Many a dawn hath the breeze of My loving-kindness... 31: O SON OF EARTH! Wouldst thou have Me, seek none other than... 32: O BEFRIENDED STRANGER! The candle of thine heart is lighted by the hand... 33: O MY BROTHER! Hearken to the delightsome words of My honeyed... 34: O DWELLERS OF MY PARADISE! With the hands of loving-kindness I have... 35: O MY FRIENDS! Quench ye the lamp of error, and kindle within... 36: O SON OF DUST! The wise are they that speak not unless they... 37: O MY SERVANT! Abandon not for that which perisheth an everlasting... 38: O SON OF SPIRIT! Burst thy cage asunder, and even as the phoenix... 39: O OFFSPRING OF DUST! Be not content with the ease of a passing day,... 40: O MY SERVANT! Free thyself from the fetters of this world, and... 41: O SON OF MY HANDMAID! Didst thou behold immortal sovereignty, thou... 42: O MY SERVANT! Purge thy heart from malice and, innocent of... 43: O MY FRIENDS! Walk ye in the ways of the good pleasure of... 44: O COMPANION OF MY THRONE! Hear no evil, and see no evil, abase not thyself,... 45: ALAS! ALAS! O LOVERS OF WORLDLY DESIRE!... 46: O BRETHREN IN THE PATH! Wherefore have ye neglected the mention of the... 47: O CHILDREN OF DESIRE! Put away the garment of vainglory, and divest... 48: O BRETHREN! Be forbearing one with another and set not your... 49: O CHILDREN OF DUST! Tell the rich of the midnight sighing of the poor,... 50: O QUINTESSENCE OF PASSION! Put away all covetousness and seek contentment;... 51: O SON OF MY HANDMAID! Be not troubled in poverty nor confident in... 52: O CHILDREN OF NEGLIGENCE AND PASSION!... 53: O YE THAT PRIDE YOURSELVES ON MORTAL RICHES!... 54: O YE RICH ONES ON EARTH! The poor in your midst are My trust; guard ye... 55: O SON OF PASSION! Cleanse thyself from the defilement of riches... 56: O MY SON! The company of the ungodly increaseth sorrow,... 57: O SON OF DUST! Beware! Walk not with the ungodly and seek... 58: O SON OF MY HANDMAID! Wouldst thou seek the grace of the Holy Spirit,... 59: O HEEDLESS ONES! Think not the secrets of hearts are hidden, nay,... 60: O FRIENDS! Verily I say, whatsoever ye have concealed within... 61: O SON OF MAN! A dewdrop out of the fathomless ocean of My... 62: O SON OF DUST! Turn not away thine eyes from the matchless wine... 63: O YE PEOPLES OF THE WORLD! Know, verily, that an unforeseen calamity followeth... 64: O OPPRESSORS ON EARTH! Withdraw your hands from tyranny, for I have... 65: O REBELLIOUS ONES! My forbearance hath emboldened you and My... 66: O EMIGRANTS! The tongue I have designed for the mention of... 67: O CHILDREN OF FANCY! Know, verily, that while the radiant dawn breaketh... 68: O WEED THAT SPRINGETH OUT OF DUST! Wherefore have not these soiled hands of thine... 69: O CHILDREN OF ADAM! Holy words and pure and goodly deeds ascend... 70: O SON OF WORLDLINESS! Pleasant is the realm of being, wert thou to attain... 71: O MY FRIENDS! Call ye to mind that covenant ye have entered into... 72: O MY SERVANT! Thou art even as a finely tempered sword concealed... 73: O MY FRIEND! Thou art the daystar of the heavens of My holiness,... 74: O CHILDREN OF VAINGLORY! For a fleeting sovereignty ye have abandoned My... 75: O CHILDREN OF NEGLIGENCE! Set not your affections on mortal sovereignty... 76: O SON OF MY HANDMAID! Guidance hath ever been given by words, and now... 77: O SON OF JUSTICE! In the night-season the beauty of the immortal... 78: O SON OF MY HANDMAID! Quaff from the tongue of the merciful the stream... 79: O SON OF DESIRE! How long wilt thou soar in the realms of desire?... 80: O MY SERVANTS! Ye are the trees of My garden; ye must give forth... 81: O MY SERVANT! The basest of men are they that yield no fruit... 82: O MY SERVANT! The best of men are they that earn a livelihood...