Wipe the antimony of neglect from off thine eyes, for to-morrow wilt thou be reduced to antimony under the dust. ADMONITION Thy life is a bird, and its name is Breath. When the bird has flown from its cage it cometh not back to captivity. Be watchful, for the world lasts but a moment, and a moment spent with wisdom is better than an age with folly. Why fix we thus our minds upon this caravanserai? Our friends have departed and we are on the road. After us, the same flowers will bloom in the garden, together will friends still sit. When thou comest to Shiraz,[39] dost thou not cleanse thyself from the dust of the road? Soon, O thou polluted with the dust of sin, wilt thou journey to a strange city. Weep, and wash with thy tears thy impurities away. MORAL FROM AN INCIDENT IN SADI’S CHILDHOOD I remember that, in the time of my childhood, my father (may God’s mercy be upon him every moment!), bought me a gold ring. Soon after, a hawker took the ring from my hand in exchange for a date-fruit. When a child knows not the value of a ring he will part with it for a sweetmeat. Thou, too, didst not recognise the value of life, but indulged thyself in vain pleasures. In the Day of Judgment, when the good will attain to the highest dignity and mount from the bottommost depths of the earth to the Pleiades, thy head will hang forward in shame, for thy deeds will gather around thee. O brother! be ashamed of the works of the evil, for ashamed wilt thou be at the Resurrection in the presence of the good. STORY OF A MAN WHO REARED A WOLF Some one reared a wolf-cub, which, when grown in strength, tore its master to pieces. When the man was on the point of death a sage passed by and said: “Didst thou not know that thou wouldest suffer injury from an enemy thus carefully reared?” How can we raise our heads from shame when we are at peace with Satan and at war with God? Thy friend regards thee not when thou turnest thy face towards the enemy. He who lives in the house of an enemy deems right estrangement from a friend. STORY OF A CHEAT Some one robbed the people of their money by cheating, and whenever he had accomplished one of his nefarious acts he cursed the Evil One, who said: “Never have I seen such a fool! Thou hast intrigued with me secretly; why, therefore, dost thou raise the sword of enmity against me?” Alas! that the angels should record against thee iniquities committed by the order of the Evil One! Go forward when thou seest that the door of peace is open, for suddenly the door of repentance will be closed. March not under a load of sin, O son, for a porter becomes exhausted on the journey. The Prophet is the Mediator of him who follows the highway of his laws. A RECOLLECTION OF CHILDHOOD