SEVENTH PROOF
Come, my friend! Now we shall leave these particular matters and turn our attention to the mutual positions of the parts of this wondrous world in the form of a palace. Look! Universal works are being carried out and general revolutions are occurring in this world with such order that all the rocks, earth, trees, everything in this palace, observe the universal systems of the world, and conform to them as if each was acting with will. Things which are distant hasten to assist one another. Now look, a strange caravan¹²as appeared, coming from the Unseen. The mounts in it resemble trees, plants, and mountains. Each bears a tray of provisions on its head. And look, they are bringing the provisions for the various animals awaiting them on this side. And see, the mighty eleciric lamp¹³n that dome bolh furnishes them with light, and cooks all their food so well that the foods to be cooked are all attached to strings¹⁴by an unseen hand and held up before it. And on this side, see these wretched, weak, powerless little animals; how before their heads are attached two small pumps¹⁵ full of delicate sustenance, like two springs; it is enough for those powerless creatures to only press their mouths against inem.
In Short: Just as all the things throughout the world look to one another, so they help one another. And just as they see one another, so they co-operate with one another. And just as they perfect each other's works, so they support one another; standing shoulder to shoulder, they work together. Make analogies with this for everything; they are uncountable. Thus, all these things demonstrate as decisively as iwo plus two equals four that everything is subjugated to the maker of this wondrous palace, that is, to the owner of this strange world. Everything is like a soídřer under his command. Everything turns through his strength. Everything acts through his command. Everything is set in order through his wisdom. Everything helps the others through his munificence. Everything hastens to the assistance of the others through his compassion, that is, they are made to hasten to it. Now, my friend, say something in the face of this if you can!
EIGHTH PROOF
Come, my foolish friend who thinks himself reasonable like my soul! You do not want to recognize the owner of this magnificent palace' But everything shows him, points to him, testifies to him. How can you deny the testimony of all these things? You have therefore to deny the palace as well, and say: "There is no world, no country." Deny yourself, too, and disappear! Or else come to your senses and listen to me! Now, look, there are uniform elements and minerals inside the palace and encompassing the land.¹⁶ Simply, everything appearing in the country is made of those elements. That means, whoever those things belong to, everything that is made of Ihem is also his. Whoever the field belongs to, the crops are his too. And whoever the sea belongs to, the things within it are also his.
And look, these textiles, these decorated woven materials, are being made out of a single substance. It is self-evidently the same person who brings the substance, prepares it, and makes it into string. For such a work would not permit the participation of others. In which case, all the woven, skilfully made things are particular to him.
And look! Every sort of these woven, manufactured goods is found in every part of the country; they have spread with all their fellows, and are being made and woven together and one within the other, in the same way, at the same instam. That means they are the work of the same person and the same act through a single command, otherwise their correspondence and conformity at the same instant, in the same fashion, of the same sort, would be impossible. In which case, each of these skilfully fashioned things is like a proclamation of thai hidden one which points to him. As if each sort of flowered material, each ingenious machine, each sweet mouthful, is a stamp of that miracle-displaying person; a stamp of his, a mark, a decoration; each says through the tongue of disposition: "Whosever work of art I am, the boxes and shops where I am found are also his property." Every inscription says: "Whoever wove me also wove the roll of cloth of which I am a part." Every sweet mouthful says: "Whoever makes me and cooks me, the cauldron in which I am is also his." And every machine says: "Whoever made me, also makes all those like me who have spread throughout the land, and the one who raises us in every part of it, is also he. That means he is also the country's owner. In which case, whoever the owner of this country and palace is, he may be our owner too."
For example, in order to be the true owner of a single cartridge-belt or even a button belonging to the government, one also has to own all the factories in which they are made. If a bragging irregular soldier claims otherwise, he will be told: "They are government property." And they will be taken from him, and he will be punished.
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12- These arc (he caravans of plantà .ind tree;, which bear the sustenance of all the animals.
13- The might)' electric lamp indicates the sun.
14. And the iiring, and the food attached to іі. are the slender branches of trees and their delicious fruits
15. And the iwo small pumps allude to the brriiats of mothers.
16. As for the elements and minerals, these indicate lhe elements of an, water, light, and earth, which have numerous well-ordered duiies; they havien to the assistance of all needy beings with dominical leave, enler everywhere and bring help ai the Divine command, and raise all the things necessary for life and suckle living creatures, and are the source of the weaving and inscribing of the Divinŗ artefacts, and are their progenitors and cradles.