Then follows a very long account of the dealings of Moses, an incarnation of true reason, with Pharaoh, the exponent of mere opinion or illusion. It begins with a long discussion between Moses and Pharaoh. Moses tells Pharaoh that both of them alike owe their bodies to earth and their souls to God, and that God is their only lord. Pharaoh replies that he is lord of Moses, and chides Moses for his want of gratitude to himself for nurturing him in his childhood. Moses replies that he recognizes no lord but God, and reminds Pharaoh how he had tried to kill him in his infancy. Pharaoh complains that he is made of no account by Moses, and Moses retorts that in order to cultivate a waste field it is necessary to break up the soil; and in order to make a good garment, the stuff must first be cut up; and in order to make bread, the wheat must first be ground in the mill, and so on. The best return he can make to Pharaoh for his hospitality to him in his infancy is to set him free from his lust-engendered illusions, like a fish from the fish-hook which has caught him. Pharaoh then twits Moses with his sorceries in changing his staff into a serpent, and thereby beguiling the people. Moses replies that all this was accomplished not by sorcery, like that of Pharaoh's own magicians, but by the power of God, though Pharaoh could not see it, owing to his want of perception of divine things. The ear and the nose cannot see beautiful objects, but only the eye, and similarly the sensual eye, blinded by lust, is impotent to behold spiritual truth. On the other hand, men of spiritual insight, whose vision is purged from lust, become as it were all eyes, and no longer see double, but only the One sole real Being. Man's body, it is true, is formed of earth, but by discipline and contrition it may be made to reflect spiritual verities, even as coarse and hard iron may be polished into a steel mirror. Pharaoh ought to cleanse the rust of evil-doing from his soul, and then he would be able to see the spiritual truths which Moses was displaying before him. The door of repentance is always open. Moses then promised that if Pharaoh would obey one admonition he should receive in return four advantages. Pharaoh was tempted by this promise, and asked what the admonition was. Moses answered that it was this, that Pharaoh should confess that there is no God except the One Creator of all things in heaven and on earth. Pharaoh then prayed him to expound the four advantages he had promised, saying that possibly they might cure him of infidelity, and cause him to become a vessel of mercy, instead of one of wrath. Moses then explained that they were as follows:

(2) Long life, ending in the conviction that death is gain. Destroy your house, and with the treasure hidden in it The treasure lies under it; there is no help for it; Hesitate not to pull it down; do not tarry! For with the coin of that treasure At last of a surety that house will be destroyed, But 'twill not belong to you, because in truth When one has not done the work he gets no wages; "Man gets nothing he has not worked for." Then you will bite your finger, saying, "Alas!

I did not do what they told me for my good; Now house and treasure are lost and my hand is empty." You have taken your house on lease or hired it; 'Tis not your own property to buy and sell. As to the term of the lease, it is till your death; If before the end of the term of the lease You omit to derive profit from the house, Then the owner puts you out of it, While you are now smiting your head in deep regret, And now tearing your beard to think of your folly,

Saying, "Alas! that house belonged to me; Alas! the wind has carried off my dwelling Forever! 'O misery that rests on slaves!' In that house of mine I saw but forms and pictures; I was enchanted with that house so fleetin! I was ignorant of the treasure hidden beneath it, Ah! if I had administered the justice of the axe, But I fixed my gaze on outward forms, Well said the famous Hakim Sanai, 'Thou art a child; thy house is full of pictures.'

In his divine poem he gives this advice, 'Sweep away the dust from thy house!'" "O Pharaoh, if you are wise, I show you mercy; But if you are an ass, I give you the stick as an ass. So I will drive you out of your stable, In this stable asses and men alike See! I have brought a staff for the purpose of correcting It turns into a serpent in vengeance against you, You are an evil serpent, swelled to the size of a hill. This staff is a foretaste to you of hell,

Saying, 'Ho, take refuge in the light! Otherwise you will fall into my jaws, And will find no escape from my clutches!' This staff even now became a serpent, So that you need not ask, 'Where is God's hell?' God makes a hell wheresover He wills; He produces pains and aches in your teeth, So that you say, "Tis a hell and serpent's bite.' Or again He makes your spittle as honey, So that you say, ''Tis heaven and wine of Paradise.'

He makes sugar to grow in your mouth, Therefore, bite not the innocent with your teeth; Bear in mind the divine stroke that tarries not." God made the Nile blood to the Egyptians, He preserved the Israelites from the peril, That you might know how God discerns The Nile learned of God discernment God's mercy made the Nile wise, Of His mercy He created wisdom in inanimate things, Of His mercy wisdom accrued to inanimate things,

Here at His command wisdom was shed down like rain, Clouds and sun, and moon and lofty stars, All come and go in obedience to His ordinance; No one of them comes save at His appointed time; Whereas you understood not this secret, the prophets Have instilled this knowledge into stone and staff; So that you may infer that other inanimate things The obedience of stone and staff is shown to you, They cry, "We are all aware of God and obey Him; We are not destructive by mere fortuitous chance."

Thus you know the water of the Nile when in flood You know the others are wise as earth, who, when cleft, Or like the moon, who heard the command and hasted Or like the trees and stones, which in all places The arguments between a Sunni and a Materialist (Dahri) decided by the arbitrament of fire. Last night a Sunni said, "The world is transitory; The heavens will pass away; 'God will be the heir.'" A philosopher replied, "How know you they are transitory? How knows the rain the transitory nature of the cloud? Are you not a mere mote floating in the sunbeams?

How know you that the sun is transitory? A mere worm buried in a dung-heap, How can it know the origin and end of the earth? In blind belief you have accepted this from your father, Tell me what is the proof of its transitoriness, Or else be silent and indulge not in idle talk." The Sunni said, "One day I saw two persons Engaged in argument on this deep question, Yea, in dispute and controversy and argument. I proceeded towards that company

One said, 'This sky will pass away; Doubtless this building had a builder.' The other said, 'It is eternal and without period; It had no builder, or it was its own builder.' The first said, 'Do you then deny the Creator, The Bringer of day and night, the Sustainer of men?' He answered, 'Without proof I will not listen To what you say; 'tis only based on blind belief. Go! bring proof and evidence, for never Will I accept this statement without proof.'

He answered, 'The proof is within my heart, Yea, my proofs are hidden in my heart. From weakness of vision you see not the new moon; If I see it, be not angry with me!' Much talk followed, and the people were perplexed Then the first said, 'O friend, within me is a proof I hold it for certain, and the sign of certainty Know this proof is not to be expressed in speech, The secret I labor to express is not revealed When the tears course down my cheeks,

They are a proof of the beauty and grace of my beloved.' The other said, "I take not these for a proof, Though they may be a proof to common people." The Sunni said, "When genuine and base coin boast, Saying, 'Thou art false, I am good and genuine,' Fire is the test ultimately, When the two rivals are cast into the furnace." Accordingly both of them entered the furnace, Both leapt into the fiery flame; And the philosopher was burnt to ashes,