tenderness that takes pity on need.

Now provision and sustenance is of two kinds:

The First is true and natural provision, that required for life; this is guaranteed by the Sustainer. It is indeed so regular and wellordered that this natural provision, stored in the body in the form of fat and other things, is enough to ensure survival for at least twenty days, even if nothing is eaten. Those who apparently die of hunger before the twenty or thirty days are up and before the provision stored up in their body is exhausted, die in reality not from a lack of provision, but from a disease arising from lack of caution and the disturbance of fixed habit.

The Second Form of Provision: metaphorical and artifical provision, arising due to addiction from habit, wastefulness and misuse, but acquiring the appearance of necessity. This form is not guaranteed by the Sustainer, but depends on His generosity: sometimes He may give it, sometimes He may not give it.

With respect to this second form of provision and sustenance, happy is he who regards his frugality a source of happiness and pleasure contentment and licit striving, as a form of worship and active prayer for sustenance. He accepts God’s bounty gratefully and appreciatively, and passes his life in happpy fashion.

Wretched is he who on account of prodigality