Ch 08 On Rules For Conduct In Life - Maxim 48
A rich profligate is a lump of earth gilded and a pious dervish is a sweetheart besmeared with earth. The latter is the patched garment of Moses and the former is the bejewelled beard of Pharaoh. Nevertheless good men retain a cheerful countenance in adversity whilst the rich droop their heads even in prosperity.
Who possesses wealth and dignity but therewith
Succours not those whose minds are distressed,
Inform him that no kind of wealth and dignity
He will enjoy in the mansion of the next world.
Related quotes
Ch 03 On The Excellence Of Contentment Story 16
Moses, to whom be salutation, beheld a dervish who had on account of his nudity concealed himself in the sand exclaiming: ‘O Moses, utter a supplication to God the most high to give me an allowance because I am, on account of my distress, on the point of starvation.’ Moses accordingly prayed and departed but returning a few days afterwards he saw that the dervish was a prisoner and surrounded by a crowd of people. On asking for the reason he was informed that the dervish had drunk wine, quarrelled, slain a man and was to be executed in retaliation.
If the humble cat possessed wings
He would rob the world of every sparrow-egg.
It may happen that when a weak man obtains power
He arises and twists the hands of the weak.
And if Allah were to bestow abundance upon his servants, they would certainly rebel upon earth.
What has made thee wade into danger, O fool,
Till thou hast perished. Would that the ant had not been able to fly!
When a base fellow obtains dignity, silver and gold,
His head necessarily demands to be knocked.
Was not after all this maxim uttered by a sage?
‘That ant is the best which possesses no wings.’
The heavenly father has plenty of honey but the son has a hot disease.
He who does not make thee rich
Knows better what is good for thee than thyself.
Dignity
Dignity is what we want,
As human beings on this earth;
Dignity is what we can’t,
Give up anyway since birth.
Dignity is innate right,
God has bestowed man, He made;
Dignity is cause to fight
When employees get under-paid.
Dignity, all need always
At home, at school and one’s work-place;
Dignity for human race,
Men must guarantee all days.
Dignity in livelihood,
Receive should all citizens;
Dignity in dying too,
World must assure everyone.
Dignity is what we need
In life on earth and when we die;
Dignity is good indeed
For creatures born under the sky.
Dignity for man and beast
Is a must for all, west / east;
Dignity for anyone
Shouldn’t be denied, any time!
Copyright by Dr John Celes 12-26-2006
poem by John Celes
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Forms of Wealth
To money is attributed wealth
But the open truth of wealth
Is, It is not the only kind of wealth—
There are also other forms of wealth!
Good health is the best form of wealth
Forging rich links in relationships is wealth
Spontaneous love for all life forms is wealth
To have enthusiasm in life is wealth.
Acquiring life-long learning is wealth
Experience and wisdom in life is wealth
Meeting new people is also wealth
Visiting new places too is authentic wealth.
The quest to explore something is wealth
To have a positive mind-set is wealth
Existence of deep internal peace is wealth
Early morning waking up with joy is wealth.
Possessing high self-respect is wealth
Having strong spiritual connection is wealth
There exist so many types of wealth
Constitute all these and you're with full wealth!
poem by Chandra Thiagarajan
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Ch 01 Manner of Kings Story 28
A solitary dervish was sitting in a corner of the desert when a padshah happened to pass by but, ease having made him independent, he took no notice. The sultan, in conformity with his royal dignity, became angry and said: "This tribe of rag-wearers resembles beasts."’ The vezier said: "The padshah of the surface of the earth has passed near thee. Why hast thou not paid homage and shown good manners?" He replied: "Tell the king to look for homage from a man who expects benefits from him and also that kings exist for protecting subjects and subjects not for obeying kings."
The padshah is the guardian of the dervish
Although wealth is in the glory of his reign.
The sheep is not for the shepherd
But the shepherd for the service of it.
Today thou beholdest one man prosperous
And another whose heart is wounded by struggling.
Wait a few days till the earth consumes
The brain in the head of the visionary.
Distinction between king and slave has ceased
When the decree of fate overtakes them.
If a man were to open the tombs of the dead
He would not distinguish a rich from a poor man.
The king, who was pleased with the sentiments of the dervish, asked him to make a request but he answered that the only one he had to make was to be left alone. The king then asked for advice and the dervish said:
"Understand now while wealth is in thy hand
That fortune and kingdom will leave thy hand."
Ch 02 The Morals Of Dervishes Story 47
A padshah was casting a glanced of contempt upon a company of dervishes and one of them, understanding by his sagacity the meaning of it, said: ‘O king, in this world we are inferior to thee in dignity but more happy in life. In death we are equal and in the resurrection superior to thee.’
Though the master of a country may have enjoyment
And the dervish may be in need of bread
In that hour when both of them will die
They will take from the world not more than a shroud.
When thou takest thy departure from the realm
It will be better to be a mendicant than a padshah.
Externally the dervish shows a patched robe and a shaved head but in reality his heart is living and his lust dead.
He does not sit at the door of pretence away from people
To fight against them if they oppose him
Because when a millstone rolls from a mountain
He is not an A’rif who gets out of the way of the stone.
The way of dervishes is praying, gratitude, service, obedience, almsgiving, contentment, professing the unity of God, trust, submission and patience. Whoever possesses these qualities is really a dervish, although he may wear an elegant robe, whereas a prattler who neglects his orisons, is luxurious, sensual, turns day into night in the bondage of lust, and night into day in the sleep of carelessness, eats whatever he gets, and speaks whatever comes upon his tongue, is a profligate, although he may wear the habit of a dervish.
O thou whose interior is denuded of piety
But wearest outwardly the garb of hypocrisy
Do not display a curtain of seven colours.
Thou hast reed mats inside thy house.
Nemesis
Nemesis, you that can
Never be avoided
And you whose fear
Has kept me far away
From evil and social vices
I say to you this day,
Lead me to wealth
As you have lead me
From my chances.
With my all and my
Everything
I have toiled to get
To the top
But I keep slipping
Down to where I started
So I say to you,
Show me the way to wealth
Bless me beyond measures
So I can say proudly to the
World tomorrow;
There can never be anything
Like hard work, diligence,
And dignity
For this has led me to my
Prosperity.
poem by Efe Benjamin
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Created Wealth Versus Inherited Wealth
rich man
or woman
poor born
with
abilities
gifts
which enable
him or her
to fast prosper
meet a market
need or potential
to self develop
economically
to create wealth
statistically
such workaholics
may be too busy
to ever relax enough
to enjoy
their wealth
for long
so driven
by need
to achieve
constantly
changing
set goals
their
own
set
maximum
economic
potential
inherited wealth
especially old wealth
is a very different
animal
wealth
takes
a lot
of time
care
not all
relatives
share in
or
equally
in
bequeathed
inheritance
of fortunes
when
it
comes
to the acid test
good hearts
are found among
rich and poor
percentages
of goodness
the quality
of any heart
not as easily
defined
as cliché
experts
assert
weigh
hearts
poem by Terence George Craddock
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Sonnet: ‘World’s Celebrities? ’
O world-famous figures, Celebrities!
What use have you been to the common-man?
Your life got spent in alluring cities;
Your selfishness tilts down the weighing-pan.
O, how much wealth need you to acquire?
And how much wealth can you spend on this earth?
And how much wealth do you utmost require?
And how much wealth can give you immense mirth?
Just think awhile, the world has such poor souls!
Half-naked silhouettes with famished frames;
Could you not put your wealth to better roles
And see the ‘Book of Life’ record your names?
Your progeny can’t sleep on money-beds!
Excessive wealth can turn them mere block-heads.
9-23-2002
poem by John Celes
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Ch 01 Manner Of Kings Story 05
I saw at the palace-gate of Oglimish the son of a military officer
who was endued with marvellous intellect, sagacity, perception and
shrewdness; also the signs of future greatness manifested themselves
on his forehead whilst yet a small boy.
From his head intelligence caused
The star of greatness to shine.
In short, he pleased the sultan because he had a beautiful
countenance and a perfect understanding; and philosophers have said:
'Power consists in accomplishments, not in wealth and greatness in
intellect, not in years.' His companions, being envious, made an
attempt upon his life and desired to kill him but their endeavours
remained fruitless.
What can a foe do when the friend is kind?
The king asked: 'What is the cause of their enmity to thee?' He
replied: 'Under the shadow of the monarchy of my lord I have satisfied
my contemporaries except the envious, who will not be contented but by
the decline of my prosperity, and may the monarchy and good fortune of
my lord be perpetual.'
I may so act as not to hurt the feelings of anyone
But what can I do to an envious man dissatisfied with himself?
Die, O envious man, for this is a malady,
Deliverance from which can be obtained only by death.
Unfortunate men sometimes ardently desire
The decline of prosperous men in wealth and dignity.
If in daytime, bat-eyed persons do not see
Is it the fault of the fountain of light, the sun?
Thou justly wishest that a thousand such eyes
Should be blind rather than the sun dark.
Health and Wealth
When I had health, I strived to earn more wealth;
I toiled so hard that I soon lost my health!
When I got wealth, more vice crept in by stealth;
My wealth was gone, so also my good health!
So, keep your health and earn some wealth;
Don't earn more wealth and lose all health;
Just use your wealth to keep your health;
In life on earth, Health is your wealth!
poem by John Celes
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Ch 07 On The Effects Of Education Story 18
I noticed the son of a rich man, sitting on the grave of his father and quarreling with a dervish-boy, saying: ‘The sarcophagus of my father’s tomb is of stone and its epitaph is elegant. The pavement is of marble, tesselated with turquois-like bricks. But what resembles thy father’s grave? It consists of two contiguous bricks with two handfuls of mud thrown over it.’ The dervish-boy listened to all this and then observed: ‘By the time thy father is able to shake off those heavy stones which cover him, mine will have reached paradise.’
An ass with a light burden
No doubt walks easily.
A dervish who carries only the load of poverty
Will also arrive lightly burdened at the gate of death
Whilst he who lived in happiness, wealth and ease
Will undoubtedly on all these accounts die hard.
At all events, a prisoner who escapes from all his bonds
Is to be considered more happy than an amir taken prisoner.
Truth Of Life!
Oh! The great death, the grand gift of life
Knows not the young or old, rich or poor
Visits all, acts as double edged knife
Can take the body, soul never!
None desires death, but that death spares none
For the good or bad, read or unread
Death brings pain and grief, sure gives not fun
None on earth wants death, that comes unsaid!
Man with wealth ever in fear of death
Men sans wealth with love for kith and kin
All in constant fear and worry
Over death none has control any!
Truth of life is certainty of death
Do thy duty, face death bold on earth!
poem by Subbaraman N V
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Human Rights
If you were a child of a beggar
You would understand better what is human right.
It is normal to exist rich and poor people
Cause they are not equal from point of view of quality
But huge gap between the rich and the poor
Is the seed of hostility.
Please try to understand how a person feels
When he is hurt.
Why have you born? Why will you die?
Have you thought it over?
How much time is left for you?
Have you figured it out?
For us scarcity of time is more
Than that of wealth on earth!
Only kindness can bring peace on earth.
poem by Asif Andalib
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From The Biography Of An Unknown Woman: Xiv
she's rich
in every sense of the word
this unknown woman with
several folds on her forehead
concealing myriad experiences
augmenting her wealth on earth
and the dark circles around her eyes
narrating rich stories of life
she's simple and plain
yet she's fascinating
06may2010
12.48hrs
poem by Indira Babbellapati
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Ch 02 The Morals Of Dervishes Story 28
The life of a king was drawing to a close and he had no successor. He ordered in his last testament that the next morning after his death the first person entering the gate of the city be presented with the royal crown and be entrusted with the government of the realm. It so happened that the first person who entered was a mendicant who had all his life subsisted on the morsels he collected and had sewn patch after patch upon his clothes. The pillars of the state and grandees of the court executed the injunction of the king and bestowed upon him the government and the treasures; whereon the dervish reigned for a while until some amirs of the monarchy withdrew their necks from his obedience and kings from every side began to rise for hostilities and to prepare their armies for war. At last his own troops and subjects also rebelled and deprived him of a portion of his dominions. This event afflicted the mind of the dervish until one of his old friends, who had been his companion when he was yet himself a dervish, returned from a journey and, seeing him in such an exalted position, said: "Thanks be to God the most high and glorious that thy rose has thus come forth from the thorn and thy thorn was extracted from thy foot. Thy high luck has aided thee and prosperity with fortune has guided thee till thou hast attained this position. Verily hardship is followed by comfort."
A flower is sometimes blooming and sometimes withering.
A tree is at times nude and at times clothed.
He replied: "Brother, condole with me because there is no occasion for congratulation. When thou sawest me last, I was distressed for bread and now a world of distress has overwhelmed me."
If I have no wealth I grieve.
If I have some the love of it captivates me.
There is no greater calamity than worldly goods.
Both their possession and their want are griefs.
If thou wishest for power, covet nothing
Except contentment which is sufficient happiness.
If a rich man pours gold into thy lap
Care not a moment for thanking him.
Because often I heard great men say
The patience of a dervish is better than the gift of a rich man.
Between The Rich and The Poor
Who draws the gap between people?
They call them rich, they call them poor
The rich squander in wealth and abundance
The poor wonder what to eat next time.
Who allows injustice as iron fists
Smashing down the humble dignity
Of the weak, elevating the powerful
To decide what for the poor is best?
Who wakes up in the middle of the night
Feeling the grumbling hungry tummy
Over an open roof and empty plates?
Who orders trips to paradise during holidays
Hoarding bank shares and silver and gold?
poem by Elizabeth Padillo Olesen
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Real Wealth
You wonder why I do not cry
And why I am not breaking?
These eyes of mine are strangely dry
Right after your departing.
It's not because I do not love you
But I decided it was best,
We clash in all things that you value,
And with money, it was a 'no contest'.
Yes, I took it quite with dignity,
For I weighed the wealth I have,
So I bravely faced reality
And freed myself from my web.
You wonder if there's any anger,
In my heart there is no room for that.
And know you'll be my friend forever,
I care for you no matter what.
Now you are still so very sad
With all your wealth and tons of money,
I have the things you never had,
Peace of mind and my family.
For God gave me true prosperity,
A family of love and caring,
They give me strength and hope to see
Indeed they are my real blessings.
'Bett er a little with the fear of the Lord than great wealth with turmoil.'
PROVERBS 15: 16
................................... ................................................. .........................
May 4,2008 Talrac City Philippines
poem by Cynthia Buhain-Baello
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all leave their wealth
be it rich or poor or wise or fool
on earth itself
quote by by John Celes
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The Better Friend
A man of good character is a better friend
Than a rich man who only loves his wealth
For the man with character will stay till the end
With his friend, in poverty or in poor health.
I have had so many friends in times of abundance
And only about two remained in Adversity
In life I discovered true friends of substance
Were not found in my times of Prosperity.
So when you are down and so all alone
And you find there is one friend who stands with you
You are most blessed not with what you own
But for that one friend whom you found is true.
poem by Cynthia Buhain-Baello
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Sonnet: Material Things Are Not Permanent
Whatever wealth I’ve accrued in this world,
Whether hard-earned or by the easy route;
Whether in kind or currency wads, curled,
I must leave back to someone else like loot.
However much wealth I have earned on earth,
By sweat of brow or by my playing dice,
It will not help me gain an extra-breath,
Except a coffin made of teak wood nice.
Whatever treasures, I had to my name,
As gems or diamonds, silver or gold-form,
I leave them back intact in life's earth game,
In known or unknown places as per norm.
Then why this haste and frenzy for more wealth,
And that too at the cost of one’s own health?
poem by John Celes
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