341 The Lover gazed upon himself that he might be a mirror in which to behold his Beloved; and he gazed upon his Beloved, as in a mirror wherein he could learn to know himself. Which of these two mirrors, think you, was the nearer to his understanding? 342 They asked the Lover in what manner the heart of man was turned towards the love of his Beloved. He answered them and said: ‘Even as the sunflower turns to the sun.’ ‘How is it, then, that all men love not thy Beloved?’ He answered: ‘They that love Him not have night in their hearts, because of their sin.’ 343 Theology and Philosophy, Medicine and Law met the Lover, who asked them if they had seen his Beloved. The first wept, the second was doubtful, but the other two were glad. What, think you, was the meaning of these happenings to the Lover that was seeking his Beloved? 344 Full of tears and anguish the Lover went in search of his Beloved, by the path of the senses and also by the intellectual road. Which of those two ways, think you, did he enter first, as he went after his Beloved? And in which of them did the Beloved reveal Himself to him the more openly? 345 The Lover met an astrologer, and inquired of him: ‘What means thy astrology?’ He replied: ‘It is a science that foretells things to come.’ ‘Thou art deceived,’ said the Lover; ‘it is no science, but one falsely so called. It is necromancy, or the black art, in disguise, and the science of deceiving and lying prophets which dishonour the work of the sovereign Master. At all times it has been the messenger of evil tidings; and it runs clean contrary to the providence of my Beloved, for in place of the evils which it threatens He promises good things.’ 346 The Lover went forth, crying: ‘Oh, how vain are all they who follow after lust of knowledge and presumption! For through lust of knowledge do they fall into the greatest depths of impiety, insulting the Name of God and with curses and incantations invoking evil spirits as good angels, inventing them with the names of God and of good angels, and profaning holy things with figures and images and by writings. And through presumption all errors are implanted in the world.’ And the Lover wept bitterly, for all the insults which are offered to his Beloved by ignorant men. 347 At the Day of Judgment the Beloved will cause all that men have given Him in this world to be placed on one side, and on the other side all that they have given to the world. Thus it shall be clearly seen to what extent they have loved Him, and which of their two gifts is the greater and nobler. 348 The Lover’s will was enamoured of itself and the understanding asked: ‘Is it more like the Beloved to love oneself or to love the Beloved? For the Beloved is to be loved more than anything beside.’ With what answer, think you, could the will make reply to the understanding most truly?