The Words | 23. Word - Second Chapter | 333
(328-340)

Thus, if man relies on his ego, and making worldly life his goil. attempts to taste temporary pleasures while struggling to make his living, he becomes submerged within an extremely constricted sphere, then depars. All the members, systems, and faculties given him will testify against hin at the resurrection and will bring a suit against him. Whereas if he knows himself to be a guest and spends the capital of his life within the sphere of xrmission of the Generous One of Whom he is the guest, he will strive for along, eternal life within a broad sphere, then take his rest and ease. And laer, he may rise to the highest of the high.

Moreover, all the members and systems given to man will be lappy with him and testify in favour of him in the hereafter. For sure, all the wonderful faculties given to men were not for this insignificant worldly life but for an everlasting life of great significance. For if we compare man wth the animals, we see that man is very rich in regard to faculties and memters, a hundred times more so than the animals. But in the pleasures of worllly life and in animal life he falls a hundred times lower. For in each pleasure ae receives is the trace of thousands of pains. The pains of the past and fears of the future and the pain at each pleasure's passing spoil the enjoyrrent to had from them, and leave a trace in the pleasure. But animals are net like that. They receive pleasure with no pains. They take enjoyment with no sorrow. Neither the sorrows of the past cause them suffering, nor the fears of the future distress them. They live peacefully, and offer thanks to ther Creator.

This means that if man, who is created on the most excellent jf patterns, restricts his thought to the life of this world, he falls a hundred :mes lower than a creature like a sparrow, although he is higher than the animals. I explained this fact in another place by means of a comparison. It s related to this, so I shall repeat it here. It was like this:

A man gave one of his servants ten pieces of gold and told hin to have a suit of clothes made in a particular cloth. Then to a second one he gave a thousand pieces of gold, and putting in the servant's pocket a not on which certain things were written, sent him to a market. The first servan bought an excellent suit of the finest cloth with the ten pieces of gold. Whilt the second servant did not use his head, and looking at the first servant and not reading the account-note in his pocket, he gave the thousand pieces of goli to a shopkeeper and asked for a suit of clothes. The dishonest shopkeeper gave him a suit of the very worst-quality cloth. Then the wretched servant returned to his lord and received a severe reprimand and a terrible punishment.

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