228 The Lover went into solitude; and his heart was accompanied by thoughts, his eyes by tears, and his body by fasts and afflictions. But when the Lover returned to the companionship of men, these things went no longer with him, and the Lover remained quite alone in the company of many people. 229 Love is an ocean, its waves troubled by the winds; it has no port or shore. The Lover perished in this ocean, and with him perished his trials, and the work of his fulfilment began. 230 ‘Say, O Fool, what is love?’ He answered: ‘Love is a working together of thought and action towards one end, to which in like manner the Lover’s will also moves; and this is the end, that men may serve and honour his Beloved.’ Think you now that the Lover’s will is in truer harmony with this end when he longs to be with his Beloved, or when he longs to convert to Him many lovers? 231 They asked the Lover: ‘Who is thy Beloved?’ He answered: ‘He who makes me to love, desire, pine, weep, sigh and suffer, and die.’ 232 They asked the Beloved: ‘Who is Thy Lover?’ He answered: ‘He who fears naught so that he may honour and praise My Name, and who renounces all things to obey My commandments and counsels.’ 233 ‘Say, O Fool, which is the heavier and more grievous burden--the trials of love, or the trials of those that love not?’ And he answered: ‘Go, ask it of those who do penance for the love of their Beloved, and of those who do penance from fear of the pains of hell.’ 234 The Lover slept, and Love died, for he had naught whereby to live. The Lover wakened, and Love revived in the thoughts which the Lover sent to his Beloved. 235 The Lover said: ‘The infused science comes from the will, from prayer and devotion; and acquired science comes from study and understanding.’ Which of the two, then, think you, is more proper and more pleasing to the Lover, and which possesses he the more perfectly? 236 ‘Say, O Fool, whence hast thou thy needs?’ He answered: ‘From thoughts, from longing, from adoration, from trials and from perseverance.’ ‘And whence hast thou all these things?’ He answered: ‘From love.’ ‘And whence hast thou thy Beloved?’ ‘From Himself alone.’ 237 ‘Say, O Fool, wilt thou be free of all things?’ He answered: ‘Yea, save only of my Beloved.’ ‘Wilt thou be a prisoner?’ ‘Yea, of sighs and tears, thoughts and trials, dangers and exiles, that I may serve my Beloved, for to praise His exceeding worthiness was I created.’ 238 Love tormented the Lover, for which cause he lamented and wept. His Beloved called him to come to Him, and be healed; and the nearer came the Lover to his Beloved, the more grievously did love afflict him; and the more he felt of love and grief, the more he loved, and the more perfectly did the Beloved heal him of his sickness.