Primary Source Readings 3
Table of Contents
Buddha: The Word
219
Book of Job
256
Gospel of John
268
Holy Koran: Opening and The Cow
303
Rumi: Love Poems and Discourses
324
358
218
BUDDHA, THE WORD
(The Eightfold Path)
http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/buddha2.htm
THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS
THUS has it been said by the Buddha, the Enlightened One: It is through not
understanding, not realizing four things, that I, Disciples, as well as you, had to wander
so long through this round of rebirths. And what are these four things? They are the
Noble Truth of Suffering, the Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering, the Noble Truth of
the Extinction of Suffering, the Noble Truth of the Path that leads to the Extinction of
Suffering.
As long as the absolutely true knowledge and insight as regards these Four Noble
Truths was not quite clear in me, so long was I not sure, whether I had won that supreme
Enlightenment which is unsurpassed in all the world with its heavenly beings, evil spirits
and gods, amongst all the hosts of ascetics and priests, heavenly beings and men. But as
soon as the absolutely true knowledge and insight as regards these Four Noble Truths had
become perfectly clear in me, there arose in me the assurance that I had won that supreme
Enlightenment unsurpassed.
And I discovered that-profound truth, so difficult to perceive, difficult to understand,
tranquilizing and sublime, which is not to be gained by mere reasoning, and is visible
only to the wise.
The world, however, is given to pleasure, delighted with pleasure, enchanted with
pleasure. Verily, such beings will hardly understand the law of conditionality, the
Dependent Origination of every thing; incomprehensible to them will also be the end of
all formations, the forsaking of every substratum of rebirth, the fading away of craving;
detachment, extinction, Nirvana.
Yet there are beings whose eyes are only a little covered with dust: they will
understand the truth.
FIRST TRUTH
THE NOBLE TRUTH OF SUFFERING
WHAT, now, is the Noble Truth of Suffering?
Birth is suffering; Decay is suffering; Death is suffering; Sorrow, Lamentation, Pain,
Grief, and Despair, are suffering; not to get what one desires, is suffering; in short: the
Five Groups of Existence are suffering.
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What, now, is Birth? The birth of beings belonging to this or that order of beings,
their being born, their conception and springing into existence, the manifestation of the
groups of existence, the arising of sense activity-this is called Birth.
And what is Decay? The decay of beings belonging to this or that order of beings;
their getting aged, frail, grey, and wrinkled; the failing of their vital force, the wearing
out of the senses-this is called Decay.
And what is Death? The parting and vanishing of beings out of this or that order of
beings, their destruction, disappearance, death, the completion of their life-period,
dissolution of the groups of existence, the discarding of the body-this is called Death.
And what is Sorrow? The sorrow arising through this or that loss or misfortune which
one encounters, the worrying oneself, the state of being alarmed, inward sorrow, inward
woe-this is called Sorrow.
And what is Lamentation? Whatsoever, through this or that loss or misfortune which
befalls one, is wail and lament, wailing and lamenting, the state of woe and lamentation
this is called Lamentation.
And what is Pain? The bodily pain and unpleasantness, the painful and unpleasant
feeling produced by bodily contact-this is called Pain.
And what is Grief? The mental pain and unpleasantness, the painful and unpleasant
feeling produced by mental contact-this is called Grief.
And what is Despair? Distress and despair arising through this or that loss or
misfortune which one encounters, distressfulness, and desperation-this is called Despair.
And what is the "suffering of not getting what one desires?" To beings subject to birth
there comes the desire: "O that we were not subject to birth! O that no new birth was
before us!" Subject to decay, disease, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair,
the desire comes to them: "O that we were not subject to these things! O that these things
were not before us!" But this cannot be got by mere desiring; and not to get what one
desires, is suffering.
THE FIVE GROUPS OF EXISTENCE
And what, in brief, are the Five Groups of Existence? They are Corporeality, Feeling,
Perception,
[mental]
Formations, and Consciousness.
Any corporeal phenomenon, whether one's own or external, gross or subtle, lofty or
low, far or near, belongs to the Group of Corporeality; any feeling belongs to the Group
of Feeling; any perception belongs to the Group of Perception; any mental formation
belongs to the Group of Formations; all consciousness belongs to the Group of
Consciousness.
[Our so-called individual existence is in reality nothing but a mere process of these
"bodily and mental" phenomena, which since immemorial times was going on before
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one's apparent birth, and which also after death will continue for immemorial periods of
time. In the following, we shall see that these five Groups, or Khandhas-either taken
separately, or combined-in no way constitute any real "Ego-entity," and that no Egoentity exists apart from them, and hence that the belief in an Ego-entity is merely an
illusion. Just as that which we designate by the name of "chariot," has no existence apart
from axle, wheels, shaft, and so forth: or as the word "house" is merely a convenient
designation for various materials put together after a certain fashion so as to enclose a
portion of space, and there is no separate house-entity in existence:-in exactly the same
way, that which we call a "being," or an "individual," or a "person," or by the name is
nothing but a changing combination of physical and psychical phenomena, and has no
real existence in itself.]
THE "CORPOREALITY GROUP" OF FOUR ELEMENTS
What, now, is the Group of Corporeality? It is the four primary elements, and
Corporeality derived from them.
And what are the four primary elements? They are the Solid Element, the Fluid
Element, the Heating Element, the Vibrating Element.
[The four elements, or-to speak more correctly-the four elementary qualities of
matter, may be rendered in English as: Inertia, Cohesion, Radiation, and Vibration.
The twenty-four corporeal phenomena which depend upon them are, according to the
Abhidharma: eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, visible form, sound, odor, taste, masculinity,
femininity, vitality, organ of thinking, gesture, speech, space
(cavities of ear, nose, etc.), agility, elasticity, adaptability, growth, duration, decay,
variability, change of substance.]
1. What, now, is the Solid Element? The solid element may be one's own, or it may
be external. And what is one's own solid element? The dependent properties, which on
one's own person and body are hard and solid, as the hairs of head and body, nails, teeth,
skin, flesh, sinews, bones, marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, diaphragm, spleen, lungs,
stomach, bowels, mesentery, excrement, or whatever other dependent properties which
on one's own person and body are hard and solid-this is called one's own solid element.
Now, whether it be one's own solid element, or whether it be the external solid element,
they are both only the solid element.
And one should understand, according to reality, and true wisdom: "This does not
belong to me; this am I not; this is not my Ego."
2. What, now, is the Fluid Element? The fluid element may be one's own, or it may
be external. And what is one own fluid element? The dependent properties, which on
one's own person and body are watery or cohesive, as bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat,
lymph, tears, semen, spit, nasal mucus, oil of the joints, urine or whatever other
dependent properties which on one own person and body are watery or cohesive-this is
called one's own fluid element. Now, whether it be one's own fluid element, or whether it
be the external fluid element, they are both only the fluid element.
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And one should understand, according to reality, and true wisdom: "This does not
belong to me; this am I not; this is not my Ego."
3. What, now, is the Heating Element? The heating element may be one own, or it
may be external. And what is one's own heating element? The dependent properties,
which on one's own person and body are heating and radiating, as that whereby one is
heated, consumed, scorched, whereby that which has been eaten, drunk, chewed, or
tasted, is fully digested; or whatever other dependent properties, which on one's own
person and body are heating and radiating this is called one's own heating element. Now,
whether it be one's own heating element, or whether it be the external heating element,
they are both only the heating element.
And one should understand, according to reality, and true wisdom: "This does not
belong to me; this am I not; this is not my Ego."
4. What, now, is the Vibrating Element? The vibrating element may be one's own, or
it may be external. And what is one's own vibrating element? The dependent properties,
which on one's own person and body are mobile and gaseous, as the upward-going and
downward-going winds; the winds of stomach and intestines; in-breathing and outbreathing; or whatever other dependent properties, which on one's own person and body
are mobile and gaseous-this is called one's own vibrating element. Now, whether it be
one's own vibrating element, or whether it be the external vibrating element, they are
both only the vibrating element.
And one should understand, according to reality, and true wisdom: "This does not
belong to me; this am I not; this is not my Ego."
Just as one calls "hut" the circumscribed space which comes to be by means of wood
and rushes, reeds, and clay, even so we call "body" the circumscribed space that comes to
be by means of bones and sinews, flesh and skin.
DEPENDENT ORIGINATION OF CONSCIOUSNESS
Now, though one's eye be intact, yet if the external forms do not fall within the field
of vision, and no corresponding conjunction takes place, in that case there occurs no
formation of the corresponding aspect of consciousness. Or, though one eye be intact, and
the external forms fall within the field of vision, yet if no corresponding conjunction
takes place, in that case also there occurs no formation of the corresponding aspect of
consciousness. If, however, one's eye is intact, and the external forms fall within the field
of vision, and the corresponding conjunction takes place, in that case there arises the
corresponding aspect of consciousness.
Hence, I say: the arising of consciousness is dependent upon conditions; and without
these conditions, no consciousness arises. And upon whatsoever conditions the arising of
consciousness is dependent, after these it is called.
Consciousness whose arising depends on the eye and forms, is called "eyeconsciousness."
Consciousness whose arising depends on the ear and sound, is called "earconsciousness."
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Consciousness whose arising depends on the olfactory organ and odors, is called
"nose-consciousness."
Consciousness whose arising depends on the tongue and taste, is called "tongueconsciousness."
Consciousness whose arising depends on the body and bodily contacts, is called
"body-consciousness."
Consciousness whose arising depends on the mind and ideas, is called "mindconsciousness."
Whatsoever there is of "corporeality" in the consciousness thus arisen, that belongs to
the Group of Corporeality. there is of "feeling"-bodily ease, pain, joy, sadness, or
indifferent feeling-belongs to the Group of Feeling. Whatsoever there is of "perception"visual objects, sounds, odors, tastes, bodily impressions, or mind objects-belongs to the
Group of Perception. Whatsoever there are of mental "formations" impression, volition,
etc.-belong to the Group of mental Formations. Whatsoever there is of "consciousness"
therein, belongs to the Group of Consciousness.
And it is impossible that any one can explain the passing out of one existence, and the
entering into a new existence, or the growth, increase, and development of consciousness,
independent of corporeality, feeling, perception, and mental formations.
THE THREE CHARACTERISTICS OF EXISTENCE
All formations are "transient"; all formations are "subject to suffering"; all things are
"without an Ego-entity." Corporeality is transient, feeling is transient, perception is
transient, mental formations are transient, consciousness is transient.
And that which is transient, is subject to suffering; and of that which is transient, and
subject to suffering and change, one cannot rightly say: "This belongs to me; this am I;
this is my Ego."
Therefore, whatever there be of corporeality, of feeling, perception, mental
formations, or consciousness, whether one's own or external, whether gross or subtle,
lofty or low, far or near, one should understand, according to reality, and true wisdom:
"This does not belong to me; this am I not; this is not my Ego."
Suppose, a man who is not blind, were to behold the many bubbles on the Ganges as
they are driving along; and he should watch them, and carefully examine them. After
carefully examining them, they will appear to him empty, unreal, and unsubstantial. In
exactly the same way, does the monk behold all the corporeal phenomena, feelings,
perceptions, mental formations, and states of consciousness-whether they be of the past,
or the present, or the future, far, or near. And he watches them, and examines them
carefully; and, after carefully examining them, they appear to him empty, void, and
without an Ego
Whoso delights in corporeality, or feeling, or perception, or mental formations, or
consciousness, he delights in suffering; and whoso delights in suffering, will not be freed
from suffering. Thus I say
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How can you find delight and mirth,
Where there is burning without end?
In deepest darkness you are wrapped!
Why do you not seek for the light?
Look at this puppet here, well rigged,
A heap of many sores, piled up,
Diseased, and full of greediness,
Unstable, and impermanent!
Devoured by old age is this frame,
A prey of sickness, weak and frail;
To pieces breaks this putrid body,
All life must truly end in death.
THE THREE WARNINGS
Did you never see in the world a man, or a woman, eighty, ninety, or a hundred years
old, frail, crooked as a gable roof, bent down, resting on crutches, with tottering steps,
infirm, youth long since fled, with broken teeth, grey and scanty hair, or bald-headed,
wrinkled, with blotched limbs? And did the thought never come to you that also you are
subject to decay, that also you cannot escape it?
Did you never see in the world a man, or a woman, who being sick, afflicted, and
grievously ill, and wallowing in his own filth, was lifted up by some people, and put to
bed by others? And did the thought never come to you that also you are subject to
disease, that also you cannot escape it?
Did you never see in the world the corpse of a man, or a woman, one, or two, or three
days after death, swollen up, blue-black in color, and full of corruption? And did the
thought never come to you that also you are subject to death, that also you cannot escape
it?
SAMSARA, THE WHEEL OF EXISTENCE
Inconceivable is the beginning of this Samsara; not to be discovered is any first
beginning of beings, who, obstructed by ignorance, and ensnared by craving, are hurrying
and hastening through this round of rebirths.
[Samsara-the Wheel of Existence, lit., the "Perpetual Wandering"-is the name by
which is designated the sea of life ever restlessly heaving up and down, the symbol of
this continuous process of ever again and again being born, growing old, suffering, and
dying. More precisely Put: Samsara is the unbroken chain of the fivefold Khandhacombinations, which, constantly changing from moment to moment, follow continuously
one upon the other through inconceivable periods of time. Of this Samsara, a single
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lifetime constitutes only a vanishingly tiny fraction; hence, to be able to comprehend the
first noble truth, one must let one's gaze rest upon the Samsara, upon this frightful chain
of rebirths, and not merely upon one single lifetime, which, of course, may be sometimes
not very painful.]
Which do you think is the more: the flood of tears, which weeping and wailing you
have shed upon this long way-hurrying and hastening through this round of rebirths,
united with the undesired, separated from the desired this, or the waters of the four
oceans?
Long time have you suffered the death of father and mother, of sons, daughters,
brothers, and sisters. And whilst you were thus suffering, you have, verily, shed more
tears upon this long way than there is water in the four oceans.
Which do you think is the more: the streams of blood that, through your being
beheaded, have flowed upon this long way, or the waters in the four oceans?
Long time have you been caught as dacoits, or highwaymen, or adulterers; and,
through your being beheaded, verily, more blood has flowed upon this long way than
there is water in the four oceans.
But how is this possible?
Inconceivable is the beginning of this Samsara; not to be discovered is any first
beginning of beings, who, obstructed by ignorance, and ensnared by craving, are hurrying
and hastening through this round of rebirths.
And thus have you long time undergone suffering, undergone torment, undergone
misfortune, and filled the graveyards full; verily, long enough to be dissatisfied with all
the forms of existence, long enough to turn away, and free yourselves from them all.
SECOND TRUTH
THE NOBLE TRUTH OF THE ORIGIN OF SUFFERING
WHAT, now, is the Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering? It is that craving which
gives rise to fresh rebirth, and, bound up with pleasure and lust, now here, now there,
finds ever fresh delight.
[In the absolute sense, it is no real being, no self-determined, unchangeable, Egoentity that is reborn. Moreover, there is nothing that remains the same even for two
consecutive moments; for the Five Khandhas, or Groups of Existence, are in a state of
perpetual change, of continual dissolution and renewal. They die every moment, and
every moment new ones are born. Hence it follows that there is no such thing as a real
existence, or "being"
(Latin esse),
but only as it were an endless process, a continuous change, a "becoming," consisting
in a "producing," and in a "being produced"; in a "process of action," and in a "process of
reaction," or "rebirth."
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This process of perpetual "producing" and "being produced" may best be compared
with an ocean wave. In the case of a wave, there is not the slightest quantity of water
traveling over the surface of the sea. But the wave structure, that hastens over the surface
of the water, creating the appearance of one and the same mass of water, is, in reality,
nothing but the continuous rising and falling of continuous, but quite different, masses of
water, produced by the transmission of force generated by the wind. Even so, the Buddha
did not teach that Ego-entities hasten through the ocean of rebirth, but merely life-waves,
which, according to their nature and activities (good, or evil), manifest themselves here as
men, there as animals, and elsewhere as invisible beings.]
THE THREEFOLD CRAVING
There is the "Sensual Craving," the "Craving for Eternal-Annihilation." Existence,"
the "Craving for Self-Annihilation."
[The "Craving for Eternal Existence," according to the Visuddhi-Magga, is intimately
connected with the so-called Eternity-Belief," i.e., the belief in an absolute, eternal, Egoentity persisting independently of our body.
The Craving for Self-Annihilation is the outcome of the so-called "AnnihilationBelief," the delusive materialistic notion of an Ego which is annihilated at death, and
which does not stand in any causal relation with the time before birth or after death.]
But, where does this craving arise and take root? Wherever in the world there are
delightful and pleasurable things, there this craving arises and takes root. Eye, ear, nose,
tongue, body, and mind, are delightful and pleasurable: there this craving arises and takes
root.
Visual objects, sounds, smells, tastes, bodily impressions, and mind-objects, are
delightful and pleasurable: there this craving arises and takes root.
Consciousness, sense impression, feeling born of sense impression, perception, will,
craving, thinking, and reflecting, are delightful and pleasurable: there this craving arises
and takes root.
If, namely, when perceiving a visual object, a sound, odor, taste, bodily impression,
or a mind object, the object is pleasant, one is attracted; and if unpleasant, one is repelled.
Thus, whatever kind of "Feeling" one experiences, pleasant, unpleasant, or
indifferent-one approves of, and cherishes the feeling, and clings to it; and while doing
so, lust springs up; but lust for feelings, means Clinging; and on Clinging, depends the
"Process of Becoming"; on the Process of Becoming
(Karma-process),
depends (future)
"Birth"; and dependent on Birth, are Decay and Death, Sorrow, Lamentation, Pain,
Grief, and Despair. Thus arises this whole mass of suffering.
This is called the Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering.
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HEAPING UP OF PRESENT SUFFERING
Verily, due to sensuous craving, conditioned through sensuous craving, impelled by
sensuous craving, entirely moved by sensuous craving, kings fight with kings, princes
with princes, priests with priests, citizens with citizens; the mother quarrels with the son,
the son with the mother, the father with the son, the son with the father; brother quarrels
with brother, brother with sister, sister with brother, friend with friend. Thus, given to
dissension, quarreling and fighting, they fall upon one another with fists, sticks, or
weapons. And thereby they suffer death or deadly pain.
And further, due to sensuous craving, conditioned through sensuous craving, impelled
by sensuous craving, entirely moved by sensuous craving, people break into houses, rob,
plunder, pillage whole houses, commit highway robbery, seduce the wives of others.
Then, the rulers have such people caught, and inflict on them various forms of
punishment. And thereby they incur death or deadly pain. Now, this is the misery of
sensuous craving, the heaping up of suffering in this present life, due to sensuous craving,
conditioned through sensuous craving, caused by sensuous craving, entirely dependent on
sensuous craving.
HEAPING UP OF FUTURE SUFFERING
And further, people take the evil way in deeds, the evil way in words, the evil way in
thoughts; and by taking the evil way in deeds, words, and thoughts, at the dissolution of
the body, after death, they fall into a downward state of existence, a state of suffering,
into perdition, and the abyss of hell. But, this is the misery of sensuous craving, the
heaping up of suffering in the future life, due to sensuous craving, conditioned through
sensuous craving, caused by sensuous craving, entirely dependent on sensuous craving.
Not in the air, nor ocean-midst,
Nor hidden in the mountain clefts,
Nowhere is found a place on earth,
Where man is freed from evil deeds.
INHERITANCE OF DEEDS
(KARMA)
For, owners of their deeds
(karma)
are the beings, heirs of their deeds; their deeds are the womb from which they sprang;
with their deeds they are bound up; their deeds are their refuge. Whatever deeds they dogood or evil-of such they will be the heirs.
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And wherever the beings spring into existence, there their deeds will ripen; and
wherever their deeds ripen, there they will earn the fruits of those deeds, be it in this life,
or be it in the next life, or be it in any other future life.
There will come a time, when the mighty ocean will dry up, vanish, and be no more.
There will come a time, when the mighty earth will be devoured by fire, perish, and be no
more. But, yet there will be no end to the suffering of beings, who, obstructed by
ignorance, and ensnared by craving, are hurrying and hastening through this round of
rebirths.
THIRD TRUTH
THE NOBLE TRUTH OF THE EXTINCTION OF SUFFERING
WHAT, now, is the Noble Truth of the Extinction of Suffering? It is the complete
fading away and extinction of this craving, its forsaking and giving up, the liberation and
detachment from it.
But where may this craving vanish, where may it be extinguished? Wherever in the
world there are delightful and pleasurable things, there this craving may vanish, there it
may be extinguished.
Be it in the past, present, or future, whosoever of the monks or priests regards the
delightful and pleasurable things in the world as "impermanent," "miserable," and
"without an Ego," as a disease and cancer; it is he who overcomes the craving.
And released from Sensual Craving, released from the Craving for Existence, he does
not return, does not enter again into existence.
DEPENDENT EXTINCTION OF ALL PHENOMENA
For, through the total fading away and extinction of Craving, Clinging is
extinguished; through the extinction of clinging, the Process of Becoming is
extinguished; through the extinction of the (karmic)
process of becoming, Rebirth is extinguished; and through the extinction of rebirth,
Decay and Death, Sorrow, Lamentation, Suffering, Grief, and Despair, are extinguished.
Thus comes about the extinction of this whole mass of suffering.
Hence, the annihilation, cessation, and overcoming of corporeality, feeling,
perception, mental formations, and consciousness, this is the extinction of suffering, the
end of disease, the overcoming of old age and death.
[The undulatory motion, which we call wave-which in the spectator creates the
illusion of a single mass of water moving over the surface of the lake-is produced and fed
by the wind, and maintained by the stored-up energies. After the wind has ceased, and no
fresh wind again whips up the water, the stored-up energies will gradually be consumed,
and the whole undulatory motion come to an end. Similarly, if fire does not get new fuel,
it will become extinct. just so, this Five-Khandha-process-which, in the ignorant
worldling, creates the illusion of an Ego-entity-is produced and fed by the life-affirming
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craving, and maintained for some time by means of the stored-up life-energies. Now,
after the fuel, i.e., the craving and clinging to life, has ceased, and no new craving impels
again this Five-Khandha-process, life will continue as long as there are still life-energies
stored up, but at their destruction at death, the Five-Khandha-process will reach final
extinction.
Thus, nirvana or "Extinction"
(Sanskrit: to cease blowing, to become extinct),
may be considered under two aspects:
1. "Extinction of Impurities," reached at the attainment of Arahatship, or Holiness,
which takes place during the life-time.
2. "Extinction of the Five-Khandha-process," which takes place at the death of the
Arahat.]
NIRVANA
This, truly, is the Peace, this is the Highest, namely the end of all formations, the
forsaking of every substratum of rebirth, the fading away of craving: detachment,
extinction-Nirvana.
Enraptured with lust, enraged with anger, blinded by delusion, overwhelmed, with
mind ensnared, man aims at his own ruin, at others' ruin, at the ruin of both parties, and
he experiences mental pain and grief. But, if lust, anger, and delusion are given up, man
aims neither at his own ruin, nor at others' ruin, nor at the ruin of both parties, and he
experiences no mental pain and grief. Thus is Nirvana immediate, visible in this life,
inviting, attractive, and comprehensible to the wise.
The extinction of greed, the extinction of anger, the extinction of delusion: this,
indeed, is called Nirvana.
THE ARAHAT, OR HOLY ONE
And for a disciple thus freed, in whose heart dwells peace, there is nothing to be
added to what has been done, and naught more remains for him to do. Just as a rock of
one solid mass remains unshaken by the wind, even so, neither forms, nor sounds, nor
odors, nor tastes, nor contacts of any kind, neither the desired, nor the undesired, can
cause such an one to waver. Steadfast is his mind, gained is deliverance.
And he who has considered all the contrasts on this earth, and is no more disturbed by
anything whatever in the world, the Peaceful One, freed from rage, from sorrow, and
from longing, he has passed beyond birth and decay.
THE IMMUTABLE
There is a realm, where there is neither the solid, nor the fluid, neither heat, nor
motion, neither this world, nor any other world, neither sun, nor moon. This I call neither
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arising, nor passing away, neither standing still nor being born, nor dying. There is
neither foothold, nor development, nor any basis. This is the end of suffering.
There is an Unborn, Unoriginated, Uncreated, Unformed. If there were not this
Unborn, this Unoriginated, this Uncreated, this Unformed, escape from the world of the
born, the originated, the created, the formed, would not be possible.
But since there is an Unborn, Unoriginated, Uncreated, Unformed, therefore is escape
possible from the world of the born, the originated, the created, the formed.
FOURTH TRUTH
THE NOBLE TRUTH OF THE PATH
THAT LEADS TO THE EXTINCTION OF SUFFERING
THE TWO EXTREMES AND THE MIDDLE PATH
TO GIVE oneself up to indulgence in sensual pleasure, the base, common, vulgar,
unholy, unprofitable; and also to give oneself up to self-mortification, the painful, unholy,
unprofitable: both these two extremes the Perfect One has avoided, and found out the
Middle Path, which makes one both to see and to know, which leads to peace, to
discernment, to enlightenment, to Nirvana.
THE EIGHTFOLD PATH
It is the Noble Eightfold Path, the way that leads to the extinction of suffering,
namely:
1. Right Understanding, 2. Right Mindedness, which together are Wisdom.
3. Right Speech, 4. Right Action, 5. Right Living, which together are Morality.
6. Right Effort, 7. Right Attentiveness, 8. Right Concentration, which together are
Concentration.
This is the Middle Path which the Perfect One has found out, which makes one both
to see and to know, which leads to peace, to discernment, to enlightenment, to Nirvana.
Free from pain and torture is this path, free from groaning and suffering; it is the
perfect path.
Truly, like this path there is no other path to the purity of insight. If you follow this
path, you will put an end to suffering.
But each one has to struggle for himself, the Perfect Ones have only pointed out the
way.
Give ear then, for the Immortal is found. I reveal, I set forth the Truth. As I reveal it
to you, so act! And that supreme goal of the holy life, for the sake of which, sons of good
families rightly go forth from home to the homeless state: this you will, in no long time,
in this very life, make known to yourself, realize, and make your own.
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THE EIGHTFOLD PATH
FIRST STEP
RIGHT UNDERSTANDING
WHAT, now, is Right Understanding? It is understanding the Four Truths. To
understand suffering; to understand the origin of suffering; to understand the extinction of
suffering; to understand the path that leads to the extinction of suffering: This is called
Right Understanding
Or, when the noble disciple understands what is karmically wholesome, and the root
of wholesome karma; what is karmically unwholesome, and the root of unwholesome
karma, then he has Right Understanding.
["Karmically unwholesome" is every volitional act of body, speech, or mind which is
rooted in greed, hatred, or delusion, and produces evil and painful results in this or any
future form of existence.]
What, now, is "karmically unwholesome?"
In Bodily Action it is destruction of living beings; stealing; and unlawful sexual
intercourse. In Verbal Action it is lying; tale-bearing; harsh language; and frivolous talk.
In Mental Action it is covetousness; ill-will; and wrong views.
And what is the root of unwholesome karma? Greed is a root of unwholesome karma;
Anger is a root of unwholesome karma; Delusion is a root of unwholesome karma.
[The state of greed, as well as that of anger, is always accompanied by delusion; and
delusion, ignorance, is the primary root of all evil.]
Therefore, I say, these demeritorious actions are of three kinds: either due to greed, or
due to anger, or due to delusion.
What, now, is "karmically wholesome?"
In Bodily Action it is to abstain from killing; to abstain from stealing; and to abstain
from unlawful sexual intercourse.
In Verbal Action it is to abstain from lying; to abstain from tale-bearing; to abstain
from harsh language; and to abstain from frivolous talk.
In Mental Action it is absence of covetousness; absence of ill-will; and right
understanding.
And what is the root of wholesome karma? Absence of greed (unselfishness)
is a root of wholesome karma; absence of anger (benevolence)
is a root of wholesome karma; absence of delusion (wisdom)
is a root of wholesome karma.
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Or, when one understands that corporeality, feeling, perception, mental formation,
and consciousness, are transient
[subject to suffering, and without an Ego],
also in that case one possesses Right Understanding.
UNPROFITABLE QUESTIONS
Should anyone say that he does not wish to lead the holy life under the Blessed One,
unless the Blessed One first tells him, whether the world is eternal or temporal, finite or
infinite; whether the life principle is identical with the body, or something different;
whether the Perfect One continues after death, and so on such a man would die, ere the
Perfect One could tell him all this.
It is as if a man were pierced by a poisoned arrow, and his friends, companions, or
near relations, should send for a surgeon; but that man should say: "I will not have this
arrow pulled out, until I know who the man is that has wounded me: whether he is a
noble, a priest, a citizen, or a servant"; or: "what his name is, and to what family he
belongs"; or: "whether he is tall, or short, or of medium height." Verily, such a man
would die, ere he could adequately learn all this.
Therefore, the man who seeks his own welfare, should pull out this arrow-this arrow
of lamentation, pain, and sorrow.
For, whether the theory exists, or whether it does not exist, that the world is eternal,
or temporal, or finite, or infinite-certainly, there is birth, there is decay, there is death,
sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair, the extinction of which, attainable even in
this present life, I make known unto you.
There is, for instance, an unlearned worldling, void of regard for holy men, ignorant
of the teaching of holy men, untrained in the noble doctrine. And his heart is possessed
and overcome by Self-Illusion, by Skepticism, by attachment to mere Rule and Ritual, by
Sensual Lust, and by will; and how to free himself from these things, he does not really
know.
[Self-Illusion may reveal itself as "Eternalism" or Eternity-belief" i.e., the belief that
one's Ego is existing independently of the material body, and continuing even after the
dissolution of the latter; or as "Annihilationism," or "Annihilation-belief" i.e., the
materialistic belief that this present life constitutes the Ego, and hence that it is
annihilated at the death of the material body.]
Not knowing what is worthy of consideration, and what is unworthy of consideration,
he considers the unworthy, and not the worthy.
And unwisely he considers thus: "Have I been in the past? Or. have I not been in the
past? What have I been in the past? How have I been in the past? From what state into
what state did I change in the past?-Shall I be in the future? Or, shall I not be in the
future? What shall I be in the future? How shall I be in the future? From what state into
what state shall I change in the future?" And the present also fills him with doubt: "Am I?
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Or, am I not? What am I? How am I? This being, whence has it come? Whither will it
go?"
And with such unwise considerations, he falls into one or other of the six views, and
it becomes his conviction and firm belief: "I have an Ego"; or: "I have no Ego"; or: "With
the Ego I perceive the Ego"; or: "With that which is no Ego, I perceive the Ego"; or:
"With the Ego I perceive that which is no Ego. Or, he falls into the following view: "This
my Ego, which can think and feel, and which, now here, now there, experiences the fruit
of good and evil deeds; this my Ego is permanent, stable, eternal, not subject to change,
and will thus eternally remain the same."
If there really existed the Ego, there would be also something which belonged to the
Ego. As, however, in truth and reality, neither the Ego, nor anything belonging to the
Ego, can be found, is it not therefore really an utter fool's doctrine to say: "This is the
world, this am I; after death, I shall be permanent, persisting, and eternal?"
These are called mere views, a thicket of views, a puppet show of views, a toil of
views, a snare of views; and ensnared in the fetter of views, the ignorant worldling will
not be freed from rebirth, from decay, and from death, from sorrow, pain, grief, and
despair; he will not be freed, I say, from suffering.
THE SOTAPAN, OR "STREAM-ENTERER"
The learned and noble disciple, however, who has regard for holy men, knows the
teaching of holy men, is well trained in the noble doctrine, he understands what is worthy
of consideration, and what is unworthy. And knowing this, he considers the worthy, and
not the unworthy. What suffering is, he wisely considers. What the origin of suffering is,
he wisely considers; what the extinction of suffering is, he wisely considers; what the
path is that leads to the extinction of suffering, he wisely considers.
And by thus considering, three fetters vanish, namely: Self-illusion, Skepticism, and
Attachment to mere Rule and Ritual.
But those disciples in whom these three fetters have vanished have "entered the
Stream," have forever escaped the states of woe, and are assured of final enlightenment.
More than any earthly power,
More than all the joys of heaven,
More than rule o'er all the world,
Is the Entrance to the Stream.
And, verily, those who are filled with unshaken faith in me, all those have entered the
stream.
There are ten "Fetters" by which beings are bound to the wheel of existence. They
are: Self-Illusion, Skepticism, Attachment to mere Rule and Ritual, Sensual Lust, Ill-will,
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Craving for the World of pure Form, Craving for the Formless World, Conceit,
Restlessness, Ignorance.
A Sotapan, or "Stream-Enterer" i.e. "one who has entered the stream leading to
Nirvana," is free from the first three fetters.
A Sakadagamin, or "Once-Returned"-namely to this sensuous sphere-has overcome
the 4th and 5th fetters in their grosser form. An Anagamin, or "Non-Returner," is wholly
freed from the first five fetters, which bind to rebirth in the sensuous sphere; after death,
whilst living in the sphere of pure form, he will reach the goal. An Arahat, or perfectly
"Holy One," is freed from all fetters.]
THE TWO UNDERSTANDINGS
Therefore, I say, Right Understanding is of two kinds:
1. The view that alms and offerings are not useless; that there is fruit and result, both
of good and bad actions; that there are such things as this life, and the next life; that
father and mother as spontaneously born beings
(in the heavenly worlds)
are no mere words; that there are monks and priests who are spotless and perfect, who
can explain this life and the next life, which they themselves have understood: this is
called the "Mundane Right Understanding," which yields worldly fruits, and brings good
results.
2. But whatsoever there is of wisdom, of penetration, of right understanding,
conjoined with the Path-the mind being turned away from the world, and conjoined with
the path, the holy path being turned away from the world, and conjoined with the path,
the holy path being pursued;-this is called the "Ultramundane Right Understanding,"
which is not of the world, but is ultramundane, and conjoined with the Path.
[Thus, there are two kinds of the Eightfold Path: the "mundane," practiced by the
"worldling"; and the "ultra-mundane," practiced by the "Noble Ones."]
Now, in understanding wrong understanding as wrong, and right understanding as
right, one practices Right Understanding
[1st step]; and in making efforts to overcome wrong understanding, and to arouse
right understanding, one practices. Right Effort
[6th step]; and in overcoming wrong understanding with attentive mind, and
dwelling with attentive mind in the possession of right understanding, one practices
Right-Attentiveness
[7th step].
Hence, there are three things that accompany and follow upon right understanding,
namely: right understanding, right effort, and right attentiveness.
COMPLETE DELIVERANCE
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Now, if any one should put the question, whether I admit any view at all, he should be
answered thus:
The Perfect One is free from any theory, for the Perfect One has understood what
corporeality is, and how it arises, and passes away. He has understood what feeling is,
and how it arises, and passes away. He has understood what perception is, and how it
arises, and passes away. He has understood what the mental formations are, and how they
arise, and pass away. He has understood what consciousness is, and how it arises, and
passes away. Therefore, I say, the Perfect One has won complete deliverance through the
extinction, fading-away, disappearance, rejection, and getting rid of all opinions and
conjectures, of all inclination to the vainglory of "I" and "mine."
Whether Perfect Ones
[Buddhas]
appear in the world or whether Perfect Ones do not appear in the world, it still
remains a firm condition, an immutable fact and fixed law: that all formations are
impermanent" that all formations are "subject to suffering"; that everything is "without an
Ego."
[The word sankhara
(formations)
comprises all things which have a beginning and an end, the so-called created, or
"formed" things, i.e., all possible physical and mental constituents of existence.]
A corporeal phenomenon, a feeling, a perception, a mental formation, a
consciousness, that is permanent and persistent, eternal and not subject to change: such a
thing the wise men in this world do not recognize; and I also say, there is no such thing.
And it is impossible that a being possessed of Right Understanding should regard
anything as the Ego.
Now, if someone should say that Feeling is his Ego, he should be answered thus:
"There are three kinds of feeling: pleasurable, painful, and indifferent feeling. Which of
these three feelings, now, do you consider your Ego?" At the moment namely of
experiencing one of these feelings one does not experience the other two. These three
kinds of feelings are impermanent, of dependent origin, are subject to decay and
dissolution, to fading-away and extinction. Whosoever, in experiencing one of these
feelings, thinks that this is his Ego, will, after the extinction of that feeling, admit that his
Ego has become dissolved. And thus he will consider his Ego already in this present life
as impermanent, mixed up with pleasure and pain, subject to rising and passing away.
If any one should say that Feeling is not his Ego, and that his Ego is inaccessible to
feeling, he should be asked thus: "Now, where there is no feeling, is it there possible to
say: 'This am I?'"
Or, someone might say: "Feeling, indeed, is not my Ego, but it also is untrue that my
Ego is inaccessible to feeling; for it is my Ego that feels, for my Ego has the faculty of
feeling." Such a one should be answered thus: "Suppose, feeling should become
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altogether totally extinguished; now, if there, after the extinction of feeling, no feeling
whatever exists, it is then possible to say: 'This am I?'"
To say that the mind, or the mind-objects, or the mind-consciousness, constitute the
Ego; such an assertion is unfounded. For an arising and a passing away is seen there; and
seeing this, one should come to the conclusion that one's Ego arises and passes away.
It would be better for the unlearned worldling to regard this body, built up of the four
elements, as his Ego, rather than the mind. For it is evident that this body may last for a
year, for two years, for three years, four, five, or ten years, or even a hundred years and
more; but that which is called thought, or mind, or consciousness, is continuously, during
day and night, arising as one thing, and passing away as another thing.
Therefore, whatsoever there is of corporeality, of feeling, of perception, of mental
formations, of consciousness, whether one's own or external, gross or subtle, lofty or low,
far or near; there one should understand according to reality and true wisdom: "This does
not belong to me; this am I not; this is not my Ego."
[To show the Egolessness, utter emptiness of existence, Visuddhi-Magga XVI quotes
the following verse:
Mere suffering exists, no sufferer is found;
The deed is, but no doer of the deed is there;
Nirvana is, but not the man that enters it;
The Path is, but no traveler on it is seen.]
PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE
If, now, any one should ask: "Have you been in the past, and is it untrue that you have
not been? Will you be in the future, and is it untrue that you will not be? Are you, and is
it untrue that you are not?"-you may say that you have been in the past, and it is untrue
that you have not been; that you will be in the future, and it is untrue that you will not be;
that you are, and it is untrue that you are not.
In the past only the past existence was real, but unreal the future and present
existence. In the future only the future existence will be real, but unreal the past and
present existence. Now only the present existence is real, but unreal the past and future
existence.
Verily, he who perceives the Dependent Origination, perceives the truth and he who
perceives the truth, perceives the dependent origination. For, just as from the cow comes
milk, from milk curds, from curds butter, from butter ghee, from ghee the scum of ghee;
and when it is milk, it is not counted as curds, or butter, or ghee, or scum of ghee, but
only as milk; and when it is curds, it is only counted as curds-just so was my past
existence at that time real, but unreal the future and present existence; and my future
existence will be at one time real, but unreal the past and present existence; and my
present existence is now real, but unreal the past and future existence. All these are
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merely popular designations and expressions, mere conventional terms of speaking, mere
popular notions. The Perfect One, indeed, makes use of these, without, however, clinging
to them.
Thus, he who does not understand corporeality, feeling, perception, mental
formations and consciousness according to reality [i.e., as void of a personality, or Ego],
and not their arising, their extinction, and the way to their extinction, he is liable to
believe, either that the Perfect One continues after death, or that he does not continue
after death, and so forth.
Verily, if one holds the view that the vital principle
[Ego]
is identical with this body, in that case a holy life is not possible; or, if one holds the
view that the vital principle is something quite different from the body, in that case also a
holy life is not possible. Both these two Extremes the Perfect One has avoided, and
shown the Middle Doctrine, saying:
DEPENDENT ORIGINATION
On Delusion depend the Karma-Formations. On the karma-formations depends
Consciousness
[starting with rebirth-consciousness in the womb of the mother].- On consciousness
depends the Mental and Physical Existence.-On the mental and physical existence depend
the Six Sense-Organs.-On the six sense-organs depends the Sensory Impression.-On the
sensory impression depends Feeling.-On feeling depends; Craving.-On craving depends
Clinging. On clinging depends the Process of Becoming.-On the process of becoming
[here: karmaprocess] depends Rebirth.-On rebirth depend Decay and Death, sorrow,
lamentation, pain, grief and despair. Thus arises this whole mass of suffering. This is
called the noble truth of the origin of suffering.
In whom, however, Delusion has disappeared and wisdom arisen, such a disciple
heaps up neither meritorious, nor demeritorious, nor imperturbable Karma-formations.
Thus, through the entire fading away and extinction of this Delusion, the KarmaFormations are extinguished. Through the extinction of the Karma-formations,
Consciousness
[rebirth]
is extinguished. Through the extinction of consciousness, the Mental and Physical
Existence is extinguished. Through the extinction of the mental and physical existence,
the six Sense-Organs are extinguished. Through the extinction of the six sense-organs,
the Sensory Impression is extinguished. Through the extinction of the sensory
impression, Feeling is extinguished. Through the extinction of feeling, Craving is
extinguished. Through the extinction of craving, Clinging is extinguished. Through the
extinction of clinging, the Process of Becoming is extinguished. Through the extinction
of the process of becoming, Rebirth is extinguished. Through the extinction of rebirth,
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Decay and Death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair are extinguished. Thus
takes place the extinction of this whole mass of suffering. This is called the Noble Truth
of the Extinction of Suffering.
KARMA:
REBIRTH - PRODUCING AND BARREN
Verily, because beings, obstructed by Delusion, and ensnared by Craving, now here
now there seek ever fresh delight, therefore such action comes to ever fresh Rebirth.
And the action that is done out of greed, anger and delusion, that springs from them,
has its source and origin there: this action ripens wherever one is reborn; and wherever
this action ripens, there one experiences the fruits of this action, be it in this life, or the
next life, or in some future life.
However, through the fading away of delusion through the arising of wisdom,
through the extinction of craving, no future rebirth takes place again
For the actions, which are not done out of greed, anger and delusion, which have not
sprung from them, which have not their source and origin there-such actions are, through
the absence of greed, anger and delusion, abandoned, rooted out, like a palm-tree torn out
of the soil, destroyed, and not liable to spring up again.
In this respect one may rightly say of me: that I teach annihilation, that I propound
my doctrine for the purpose of annihilation, and that I herein train my disciples; for,
certainly, I do teach annihilation-the annihilation, namely, of greed, anger and delusion,
as well as of the manifold evil and unwholesome things.
["Dependent Origination" is the teaching of the strict conformity to law of everything
that happens, whether in the realm of the physical, or the psychical. It shows how the
totality of phenomena, physical and mental, the entire phenomenal world that depends
wholly upon the six senses, together with all its suffering-and this is the vital point of the
teaching is not the mere play of blind chance, but has an existence that is dependent upon
conditions; and that, precisely with the removal of these conditions, those things that
have arisen in dependence upon them-thus also all suffering-must perforce disappear and
cease to be.]
SECOND STEP
RIGHT MINDEDNESS
WHAT, now, is Right Mindedness? It is thoughts free from lust; thoughts free from
ill-will; thoughts free from cruelty. This is called right mindedness.
Now, Right Mindedness, let me tell you, is of two kinds: 1. Thoughts free from lust,
from ill-will, and from cruelty:-this is called the "Mundane Right Mindedness," which
yields worldly fruits and brings good results.
2. But, whatsoever there is of thinking, considering, reasoning, thought, ratiocination,
application-the mind being holy, being turned away from the world, and conjoined with
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the path, the holy path being pursued-: these "Verbal Operations" of the mind are called
the "Ultramundane Right Mindedness which is not of the world, but is ultra mundane,
and conjoined with the paths.
Now, in understanding wrong-mindedness as wrong, and right-mindedness as right,
one practices Right Understanding
[1st step];
and in making efforts to overcome evil-mindedness, and to arouse right-mindedness,
one practices Right Effort
[6th step]; and in overcoming evil-mindedness with attentive mind, and dwelling with
attentive mind in possession of right-mindedness, one practices Right Attentiveness
[7th step].
Hence, there are three things that accompany and follow upon right-mindedness,
namely: right understanding, right effort, and right attentiveness.
THIRD STEP
RIGHT SPEECH
WHAT, now, is Right Speech? It is abstaining from lying; abstaining from talebearing; abstaining from harsh language; abstaining from vain talk.
There, someone avoids lying, and abstains from it. He speaks the truth, is devoted to
the truth, reliable, worthy of confidence, is not a deceiver of men. Being at a meeting, or
amongst people, or in the midst of his relatives, or in a society, or in the king's court, and
called upon and asked as witness, to tell what he knows, he answers, if he knows nothing:
"I know nothing"; and if he knows, he answers: "I know"; if he has seen nothing, he
answers: "I have seen nothing," and if he has seen, he answers: "I have seen." Thus, he
never knowingly speaks a lie, neither for the sake of his own advantage, nor for the sake
of another person's advantage, nor for the sake of any advantage whatsoever.
He avoids tale-bearing, and abstains from it. What he has heard here, he does not
repeat there, so as to cause dissension there; and what he heard there, he does not repeat
here, so as to cause dissension here. Thus he unites those that are divided; and those that
are united, he encourages. Concord gladdens him, he delights and rejoices in concord,
and it is concord that he spreads by his words.
He avoids harsh language, and abstains from it. He speaks such words as are gentle,
soothing to the ear, loving, going to the heart, courteous and dear, and agreeable to many.
[In Majjhima-Nikaya, No. 21, the Buddha says: "Even, O monks, should robbers and
murderers saw through your limbs and joints, whoso gave way to anger thereat, would
not be following my advice. For thus ought you to train yourselves:
"'Undisturbed shall our mind remain, no evil words shall escape our lips; friendly and
full of sympathy shall we remain, with heart full of love, and free from any hidden
malice; and that person shall we penetrate with loving thoughts, wide, deep, boundless,
freed from anger and hatred.'"]
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He avoids vain talk, and abstains from it. He speaks at the right time, in accordance
with facts, speaks what is useful, speaks about the law and the discipline; his speech is
like a treasure, at the right moment accompanied by arguments, moderate and full of
sense.
This is called right speech.
Now, right speech, let me tell you, is of two kinds: 1. Abstaining from lying, from
tale-bearing, from harsh language, and from vain talk; this is called the "Mundane Right
Speech, which yields worldly fruits and brings good results.
2. But the abhorrence of the practice of this four-fold wrong speech, the abstaining,
withholding, refraining therefrom-the mind being holy, being turned away from the
world, and conjoined with the path, the holy path being pursued-: this is called the
"Ultramundane Right Speech, which is not of the world, but is ultramundane, and
conjoined with the paths.
Now, in understanding wrong speech as wrong, and right speech as right, one
practices Right Understanding
[1st step);
and in making efforts to overcome evil speech and to arouse right speech, one
practices Right Effort
[6th step];
and in overcoming wrong speech with attentive mind, and dwelling with attentive
mind in possession of right speech, one practices Right Attentiveness
[7th step].
Hence, there are three things that accompany and follow upon right attentiveness.
FOURTH STEP
RIGHT ACTION
WHAT, now, is Right Action? It is abstaining from killing; abstaining from stealing;
abstaining from unlawful sexual intercourse.
There, someone avoids the killing of living beings, and abstains from it. Without stick
or sword, conscientious, full of sympathy, he is anxious for the welfare of all living
beings.
He avoids stealing, and abstains from it; what another person possesses of goods and
chattels in the village or in the wood, that he does not take away with thievish intent.
He avoids unlawful sexual intercourse, and abstains from it. He has no intercourse
with such persons as are still under the protection of father, mother, brother, sister or
relatives, nor with married women, nor female convicts, nor, lastly, with betrothed girls.
This is called Right Action.
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Now, Right Action, let me tell you, is of two kinds: 1. Abstaining from killing, from
stealing, and from unlawful sexual intercourse-this is called the "Mundane Right Action,
which yields worldly fruits and brings good results. But the abhorrence of the practice of
this three-fold wrong action, the abstaining, withholding, refraining therefrom-the mind
being holy, being turned away from the world, and conjoined with the path, the holy path
being pursued-: this is called the "Ultramundane Right Action," which is not of the world,
but is ultramundane, and conjoined with the paths.
Now, in understanding wrong action as wrong, and right action as right, one practices
Right Understanding
[1st step];
and in making efforts to overcome wrong action, and to arouse right action, one
practices Right Effort
[6th step];
and in overcoming wrong action with attentive mind, and dwelling with attentive
mind in possession of right action, one practices Right Attentiveness
[7th step].
Hence, there are three things that accompany and follow upon right action, namely:
right understanding, right effort, and right attentiveness.
FIFTH STEP
RIGHT LIVING
WHAT, now, is Right Living? When the noble disciple, avoiding a wrong way of
living, gets his livelihood by a right way of living, this is called Right Living.
Now, right living, let me tell you, is of two kinds: 1. When the noble disciple,
avoiding wrong living, gets his livelihood by a right way of living-this is called the
"Mundane Right Living," which yields worldly fruits and brings good results.
2. But the abhorrence of wrong living, the abstaining, withholding, refraining
therefrom-the mind being holy, being turned away from the world, and conjoined with
the path, the holy path being pursued-: this is called the "Ultramundane Right Living,"
which is not of the world, but is ultramundane, and conjoined with the paths.
Now, in understanding wrong living as wrong, and right living as right, one practices
Right Understanding
[1st step];
and in making efforts to overcome wrong living, to arouse right living, one practices
Right Effort
[6th step];
and in overcoming wrong living with attentive mind, and dwelling with attentive
mind in possession of right living, one practices Right Attentiveness
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[7th step].
Hence, there are three things that accompany and follow upon right living, namely:
right understanding, right effort, and right attentiveness.
SIXTH STEP
RIGHT EFFORT
WHAT, now, is Right Effort? There are Four Great Efforts: the effort to avoid, the
effort to overcome, the effort to develop, and the effort to maintain.
What, now, is the effort to avoid? There, the disciple incites his mind to avoid the
arising of evil, demeritorious things that have not yet arisen; and he strives, puts forth his
energy, strains his mind and struggles.
Thus, when he perceives a form with the eye, a sound with the ear, an odor with the
nose, a taste with the tongue, a contact with the body, or an object with the mind, he
neither adheres to the whole, nor to its parts. And he strives to ward off that through
which evil and demeritorious things, greed and sorrow, would arise, if he remained with
unguarded senses; and he watches over his senses, restrains his senses.
Possessed of this noble "Control over the Senses," he experiences inwardly a feeling
of joy, into which no evil thing can enter. This is called the effort to avoid.
What, now, is the effort to Overcome? There, the disciple incites his mind to
overcome the evil, demeritorious things that have already arisen; and he strives, puts
forth his energy, strains his mind and struggles.
He does not retain any thought of sensual lust, ill-will, or grief, or any other evil and
demeritorious states that may have arisen; he abandons them, dispels them, destroys
them, causes them to disappear.
FIVE METHODS OF EXPELLING EVIL THOUGHTS
If, whilst regarding a certain object, there arise in the disciple, on account of it, evil
and demeritorious thoughts connected with greed, anger and delusion, then the disciple
should, by means of this object, gain another and wholesome object. Or, he should reflect
on the misery of these thoughts: "Unwholesome, truly, are these thoughts! Blameable are
these thoughts! Of painful result are these thoughts!" Or, he should pay no attention to
these thoughts. Or, he should consider the compound nature of these thoughts. Or, with
teeth clenched and tongue pressed against the gums, he should, with his mind, restrain,
suppress and root out these thoughts; and in doing so, these evil and demeritorious
thoughts of greed, anger and delusion will dissolve and disappear; and the mind will
inwardly become settled and calm, composed and concentrated.
This is called the effort to overcome.
What, now, is the effort to Develop? There the disciple incites his will to arouse
meritorious conditions that have not yet arisen; and he strives, puts forth his energy,
strains his mind and struggles.
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Thus he develops the "Elements of Enlightenment," bent on solitude, on detachment,
on extinction, and ending in deliverance, namely: Attentiveness, Investigation of the
Law, Energy, Rapture, Tranquility, Concentration, and Equanimity. This is called the
effort to develop.
What, now, is the effort to Maintain? There, the disciple incites his will to maintain
the meritorious conditions that have already arisen, and not to let them disappear, but to
bring them to growth, to maturity and to the full perfection of development; and he
strives, puts forth his energy, strains his mind and struggles.
Thus, for example, he keeps firmly in his mind a favorable object of concentration
that has arisen, as the mental image of a skeleton, of a corpse infested by worms, of a
corpse blue-black in color, of a festering corpse, of a corpse riddled with holes, of a
corpse swollen up.
This is called the effort to maintain.
Truly, the disciple who is possessed of faith and has penetrated the Teaching of the
Master, he is filled with the thought: "May rather skin, sinews and bones wither away,
may the flesh and blood of my body dry up: I shall not give up my efforts so long as I
have not attained whatever is attainable by manly perseverance, energy and endeavor!"
This is called right effort.
The effort of Avoiding, Overcoming,
Of Developing and Maintaining:
These four great efforts have been shown
By him, the scion of the sun.
And he who firmly clings to them,
May put an end to all the pain.
SEVENTH STEP
RIGHT ATTENTIVENESS
WHAT, now, is Right Attentiveness? The only way that leads to the attainment of
purity, to the overcoming of sorrow and lamentation, to the end of pain and grief, to the
entering upon the right path and the realization of Nirvana, is the "Four Fundamentals of
Attentiveness." And which are these four? In them, the disciple dwells in contemplation
of the Body, in contemplation of Feeling, in contemplation of the Mind, in contemplation
of the Mind-objects, ardent, clearly conscious and attentive, after putting away worldly
greed and grief.
CONTEMPLATION OF THE BODY
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But, how does the disciple dwell in contemplation of the body? There, the disciple
retires to the forest, to the foot of a tree, or to a solitary place, sits himself down, with
legs crossed, body erect, and with attentiveness fixed before him.
With attentive mind he breathes in, with attentive mind he breathes out. When
making a long inhalation, he knows: "I make a long inhalation"; when making a long
exhalation, he knows: "I make a long exhalation." when making a short inhalation, he
knows: "I make a short inhalation"; when making a short exhalation, he knows: "I make a
short exhalation." "Clearly perceiving the entire
[breath]-body,
I will breathe in": thus he trains himself; "clearly perceiving the entire
[breath]-body, I will breathe out": thus he trains himself. "Calming this bodily
function, I will breathe n": thus he trains himself; "calming this bodily function, I will
breathe out": thus he trains himself.
Thus he dwells in contemplation of the body, either with regard to his own person, or
to other persons, or to both. He beholds how the body arises; beholds how it passes away;
beholds the arising and passing away of the body. "A body is there"A body is there, but no living being, no individual, no woman,
no man, no self, and nothing that belongs to a self; neither a
person, nor anything belonging to a person"this clear consciousness is present in him, because of his knowledge and mindfulness,
and he lives independent, unattached to anything in the world. Thus does the disciple
dwell in contemplation of the body.
And further, whilst going, standing, sitting, or lying down, the disciple understands
the expressions: "I go"; "I stand"; "I sit"; "I lie down"; he understands any position of the
body.
[The disciple understands that it is not a being, a real Ego, that goes, stands, etc., but
that it is by a mere figure of speech that one says: "I go," "I stand," and so forth.]
And further, the disciple is clearly conscious in his going and coming; clearly
conscious in looking forward and backward; clearly conscious in bending and stretching;
clearly conscious in eating, drinking, chewing, and tasting; clearly conscious in
discharging excrement and urine; clearly conscious in walking, standing, sitting, falling
asleep and awakening; clearly conscious in speaking and in keeping silent.
"In all the disciple is doing, he is clearly conscious: of his intention, of his advantage,
of his duty, of the reality."
And further, the disciple contemplates this body from the sole of the foot upward, and
from the top of the hair downward, with a skin stretched over it, and filled with manifold
impurities: "This body consists of hairs, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, marrow,
kidneys, heart, liver, diaphragm, spleen, lungs, intestines, bowels, stomach, and
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excrement; of bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, lymph, tears, semen, spittle, nasal mucus,
oil of the joints, and urine."
Just as if there were a sack, with openings at both ends, filled with all kinds of grainwith paddy, beans, sesamum and husked rice-and a man not blind opened it and
examined its contents, thus: "That is paddy, these are beans, this is sesamum, this is
husked rice": just so does the disciple investigate this body.
And further, the disciple contemplates this body with regard to the elements: "This
body consists of the solid element, the liquid element, the heating element and the
vibrating element." Just as a skilled butcher or butcher's apprentice, who has slaughtered
a cow and divided it into separate portions, should sit down at the junction of four
highroads: just so does the disciple contemplate this body with regard to the elements.
And further, just as if the disciple should see a corpse thrown into the burial-ground,
one, two, or three days dead, swollen-up, blue-black in color, full of corruption he draws
the conclusion as to his own body: "This my body also has this nature, has this destiny,
and cannot escape it." And further, just as if the disciple should see a corpse thrown into
the burial-ground, eaten by crows, hawks or vultures, by dogs or jackals, or gnawed by
all kinds of worms-he draws the conclusion as to his own body: "This my body also has
this nature, has this destiny, and cannot escape it."
And further, just as if the disciple should see a corpse thrown into the burial-ground, a
framework of bones, flesh hanging from it, bespattered with blood, held together by the
sinews; a framework of bones, stripped of flesh, bespattered with blood, held together by
the sinews; a framework of bones, without flesh and blood, but still held together by the
sinews; bones, disconnected and scattered in all directions, here a bone of the hand, there
a bone of the foot, there a shin bone, there a thigh bone, there the pelvis, there the spine,
there the skull-he draws the conclusion as to his own body: "This my body also has this
nature, has this destiny, and cannot escape it."
And further, just as if the disciple should see bones lying in the burial ground,
bleached and resembling shells; bones heaped together, after the lapse of years; bones
weathered and crumbled to dust;-he draws the conclusion as to his own body: "This my
body also has this nature, has this destiny, and cannot escape it "
Thus he dwells in contemplation of the body, either with regard to his own person, or
to other persons, or to both. He beholds how the body arises; beholds how it passes away;
beholds the arising and passing of the body. "A body is there" this clear consciousness is
present in him, because of his knowledge and mindfulness; and he lives independent,
unattached to anything in the world. Thus does the disciple dwell in contemplation of the
body.
THE TEN BLESSINGS
Once the contemplation of the body is practiced, developed, often repeated, has
become one's habit, one's foundation, is firmly established, strengthened and well
perfected, one may expect ten blessings:
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Over Delight and Discontent one has mastery; one does not allow himself to be
overcome by discontent; one subdues it, as soon as it arises. One conquers Fear and
Anxiety; one does not allow himself to be overcome by fear and anxiety; one subdues
them, as soon as they arise. One endures cold and heat, hunger and thirst, wind and sun,
attacks by gadflies, mosquitoes and reptiles; patiently one endures wicked and malicious
speech, as well as bodily pains, that befall one, though they be piercing, sharp, bitter,
unpleasant, disagreeable and dangerous to life. The four "Trances," the mind bestowing
happiness even here: these one may enjoy at will, without difficulty, without effort.
One may enjoy the different "Magical Powers." With the "Heavenly Ear," the
purified, the super-human, one may hear both kinds of sounds, the heavenly and the
earthly, the distant and the near. With the mind one may obtain "Insight into the Hearts of
Other Beings of other persons. One may obtain "Remembrance of many Previous Births."
With the "Heavenly Eye," the purified, the super-human, one may see beings vanish and
reappear, the base and the noble, the beautiful and the ugly, the happy and the
unfortunate; one may perceive how beings are reborn according to their deeds.
One may, through the "Cessation of Passions," come to know for oneself, even in this
life, the stainless deliverance of mind, the deliverance through wisdom.
CONTEMPLATION OF THE FEELINGS
But how does the disciple dwell in contemplation of the feelings?
In experiencing feelings, the disciple knows: "I have an indifferent agreeable feeling,"
or "I have a disagreeable feeling," or "I have an indifferent feeling," or "I have a worldly
agreeable feeling," or "I have an unworldly agreeable feeling," or "I have a worldly
disagreeable feeling," or "I have an unworldly disagreeable feeling," or "I have a worldly
indifferent feeling," or have an unworldly indifferent feeling.
Thus he dwells in contemplation of the feelings, either with regard to his own person,
or to other persons, or to both. He beholds how the feelings arise; beholds how they pass
away; beholds the arising and passing away of the feelings. "Feelings are there": this
clear consciousness is present in him, because of his knowledge and mindfulness; and he
lives independent, unattached to anything in the world. Thus does the disciple dwell in
contemplation of the feelings.
[The disciple understands that the expression "I feel" has no validity except as an
expression of common speech; he understands that, in the absolute sense, there are only
feelings, and that there is no Ego, no person, no experience of the feelings.]
CONTEMPLATION OF THE MIND
But how does the disciple dwell in contemplation of the mind? The disciple knows
the greedy mind as greedy, and the not greedy mind as not greedy; knows the angry mind
as angry, and the not angry mind as not angry; knows the deluded mind as deluded, and
the undeluded mind as undeluded. He knows the cramped mind as cramped, and the
scattered mind as scattered; knows the developed mind as developed, and the
undeveloped mind as undeveloped; knows the surpassable mind as surpassable, and the
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unsurpassable mind as unsurpassable; knows the concentrated mind as concentrated, and
the unconcentrated mind as unconcentrated; knows the freed mind as freed, and the
unfreed mind as unfreed.
["Mind" is here used as a collective for the moments of consciousness. Being
identical with consciousness, it should not be translated by "thought." "Thought" and
"thinking" correspond rather to the so-called "verbal operations of the mind"; they are
not, like consciousness, of primary, but of secondary nature, and are entirely absent in all
sensuous consciousness, as well as in the second, third and fourth Trances.
(See eighth step).]
Thus he dwells in contemplation of the mind, either with regard to his own person, or
to other persons, or to both. He beholds how consciousness arises; beholds how it passes
away; beholds the arising and passing away of consciousness. "Mind is there"; this clear
consciousness is present in him, because of his knowledge and mindfulness; and he lives
independent, unattached to anything in the world. Thus does the disciple dwell in
contemplation of the mind.
CONTEMPLATION OF PHENOMENA
(Mind-objects)
But how does the disciple dwell in contemplation of the phenomena? First, the
disciple dwells in contemplation of the phenomen, of the "Five Hindrances."
He knows when there is "Lust" in him: "In me is lust"; knows when there is "Anger"
in him: "In me is anger"; knows when there is "Torpor and Drowsiness" in him: "In me is
torpor and drowsiness"; knows when there is "Restlessness and Mental Worry" in him:
"In me is restlessness and mental worry"; knows when there are "Doubts" in him: "In me
are doubts." He knows when these hindrances are not in him: "In me these hindrances are
not." He knows how they come to arise; knows how, once arisen, they are overcome;
knows how, once overcome, they do not rise again in the future.
[For example, Lust arises through unwise thinking on the agreeable and delightful. it
may be suppressed by the following six methods: fixing the mind upon an idea that
arouses disgust; contemplation of the loathsomeness of the body; controlling one's six
senses; moderation in eating; friendship with wise and good men; right instruction. Lust
is forever extinguished upon entrance into Anagamiship; Restlessness is extinguished by
reaching Arahatship; Mental Worry, by reaching Sotapanship.]
And further: the disciple dwells in contemplation of the phenomena, of the five
Groups of Existence. He knows what Corporeality is, how it arises, how it passes away;
knows what Feeling is, how it arises, how it away; knows what Perception is, how it
arises, how it passes away; knows what the Mental Formations are, how they arise, how
they pass away; knows what Consciousness is, how it arises, how it passes away.
And further: the disciple dwells in contemplation of the phenomena of the six
Subjective-Objective Sense-Bases. He knows eye and visual objects, ear and sounds,
nose and odors, tongue and tastes, body and touches, mind and mind objects; and the
fetter that arises in dependence on them, he also knows. He knows how the fetter comes
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to arise, knows how the fetter is overcome, and how the abandoned fetter does not rise
again in future.
And further: the disciple dwells in contemplation of the phenomena of the seven
Elements of Enlightenment. The disciple knows when there is Attentiveness in him;
when there is Investigation of the Law in him; when there is Energy in him; when there is
Enthusiasm in him; when there is Tranquility in him; when there is Concentration in him;
when there is Equanimity in him. He knows when it is not in him, knows how it comes to
arise, and how it is fully developed.
And further: the disciple dwells in contemplation of the phenomena of the Four Noble
Truths. He knows according to reality, what Suffering is; knows according to reality,
what the Origin of Suffering is; knows according to reality, what the Extinction of
Suffering is; knows according to reality, what the Path is that leads to the Extinction of
Suffering.
Thus he dwells in contemplation of the phenomena, either with regard to his own
person, or to other persons, or to both. He beholds how the phenomena arise; beholds
how they pass away; beholds the arising and passing away of the phenomena.
"Phenomena are there this consciousness is present in him because of his knowledge and
mindfulness; and he lives independent, unattached to anything in the world. Thus does
the disciple dwell in contemplation of the phenomena.
The only way that leads to the attainment of purity, to the overcoming of sorrow and
lamentation, to the end of pain and grief, to the entering upon the right path, and the
realization of Nirvana, is these four fundamentals of attentiveness.
NIRVANA THROUGH WATCHING OVER BREATHING
"Watching over In-and Out-breathing" practiced and developed, brings the four
Fundamentals of Attentiveness to perfection; the four fundamentals of attentiveness,
practiced and developed bring the seven Elements of Enlightenment to perfection; the
seven elements of enlightenment, practiced and developed, bring Wisdom and
Deliverance to perfection.
But how does Watching over In-and Out-breathing, practiced and developed, bring
the four Fundamentals of Attentiveness to perfection?
I. Whenever the disciple is conscious in making a long inhalation or exhalation, or in
making a short inhalation or exhalation, or is training himself to inhale or exhale whilst
feeling the whole [breath]-body,
or whilst calming down this bodily function-at such a time the disciple is dwelling in
"contemplation of the body," of energy, clearly conscious, attentive, after subduing
worldly greed and grief. For, inhalation and exhalation I call one amongst the corporeal
phenomena.
II. Whenever the disciple is training himself to inhale or exhale whilst feeling rapture,
or joy, or the mental functions, or whilst calming down the mental functions-at such a
time he is dwelling in "contemplation of the feelings," full of energy, clearly conscious,
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attentive, after subduing worldly greed and grief. For, the full awareness of in-and
outbreathing I call one amongst the feelings.
III. Whenever the disciple is training himself to inhale or exhale whilst feeling the
mind, or whilst gladdening the mind or whilst concentrating the mind, or whilst setting
the mind free-at such a time he is dwelling in "contemplation of the mind," full of energy,
clearly conscious, attentive, after subduing worldly greed and grief. For, without
attentiveness and clear consciousness, I say, there is no Watching over in-and Outbreathing.
IV. Whenever the disciple is training himself to inhale or exhale whilst contemplating
impermanence, or the fading away of passion, or extinction, or detachment at such a time
he is dwelling in "contemplation of the phenomena," full of energy, clearly conscious,
attentive, after subduing worldly greed and grief.
Watching over In-and Out-breathing, thus practiced and developed, brings the four
Fundamentals of Attentiveness to perfection.
But how do the four Fundamentals of Attentiveness, practiced and developed, bring
the seven Elements of Enlightenment to full perfection?
Whenever the disciple is dwelling in contemplation of body, feeling, mind and
phenomena, strenuous, clearly conscious, attentive, after subduing worldly greed and
grief-at such a time his attentiveness is undisturbed; and whenever his attentiveness is
present and undisturbed, at such a time he has gained and is developing the Element of
Enlightenment "Attentiveness"; and thus this element of enlightenment reaches fullest
perfection.
And whenever, whilst dwelling with attentive mind, he wisely investigates, examines
and thinks over the Law-at such a time he has gained and is developing the Element of
Enlightenment "Investigation of the Law"; and thus this element of enlightenment
reaches fullest perfection.
And whenever, whilst wisely investigating, examining and thinking over the law, his
energy is firm and unshaken-at such a time he has gained and is developing the Element
of Enlightenment "Energy"; and thus this element of enlightenment reaches fullest
perfection.
And whenever in him, whilst firm in energy, arises supersensuous rapture-at such a
time he has gained and is developing the Element of Enlightenment "Rapture"; and thus
this element of enlightenment reaches fullest perfection.
And whenever, whilst enraptured in mind, his spiritual frame and his mind become
tranquil-at such a time he has gained and is developing the Element of Enlightenment
"Tranquility"; and thus this element of enlightenment reaches fullest perfection.
And whenever, whilst being tranquilized in his spiritual frame and happy, his mind
becomes concentrated-at such a time he has gained and is developing the Element of
Enlightenment "Concentration; and thus this element of enlightenment reaches fullest
perfection.
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And whenever he thoroughly looks with indifference on his mind thus concentratedat such a time he has gained and is developing the Element of Enlightenment
"Equanimity."
The four fundamentals of attentiveness, thus practiced and developed, bring the seven
elements of enlightenment to full perfection.
But how do the seven elements of enlightenment, practiced and developed, bring
Wisdom and Deliverance to full perfection?
There, the disciple is developing the elements of enlightenment: Attentiveness,
Investigation of the Law, Energy, Rapture, Tranquility, Concentration and Equanimity,
bent on detachment, on absence of desire, on extinction and renunciation.
Thus practiced and developed, do the seven elements of enlightenment bring wisdom
and deliverance to full perfection.
Just as the elephant hunter drives a huge stake into the ground and chains the wild
elephant to it by the neck, in order to drive out of him his wonted forest ways and wishes,
his forest unruliness, obstinacy and violence, and to accustom him to the environment of
the village, and to teach him such good behavior as is required amongst men: in like
manner also has the noble disciple to fix his mind firmly to these four fundamentals of
attentiveness, so that he may drive out of himself his wonted worldly ways and wishes,
his wonted worldly unruliness, obstinacy and violence, and win to the True, and realize
Nirvana.
EIGHTH STEP
RIGHT CONCENTRATION
WHAT, now, is Right Concentration? Fixing the mind to a single object
("One-pointedness of mind"):
this is concentration.
The four Fundamentals of Attentiveness
(seventh step):
these are the objects of concentration.
The four Great Efforts
(sixth step):
these are the requisites for concentration.
The practicing, developing and cultivating of these things: this is the "Development"
of concentration.
[Right Concentration has two degrees of development: 1. "NeighborhoodConcentration," which approaches the first trance, without however attaining it; 2.
"Attainment Concentration," which is the concentration present in the four trances. The
attainment of the trances, however, is not a requisite for the realization of the Four
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Ultramundane Paths of Holiness; and neither Neighborhood-Concentration nor
Attainment-Concentration, as such, in any way possesses the power of conferring entry
into the Four Ultramundane Paths; hence, in them is really no power to free oneself
permanently from evil things. The realization of the Four Ultramundane Paths is possible
only at the moment of insight into the impermanency, miserable nature, and
impersonality of phenomenal process of existence. This insight is attainable only during
Neighborhood-Concentration, not during Attainment-Concentration.
He who has realized one or other of the Four Ultramundane Paths without ever
having attained the Trances, is called a "Dry-visioned One," or one whose passions are
"dried up by Insight." He, however, who after cultivating the Trances has reached one of
the Ultramundane Paths, is called "one who has taken tranquility as his vehicle."]
THE FOUR TRANCES
Detached from sensual objects, detached from unwholesome things, the disciple
enters into the first trance, which is accompanied by "Verbal Though," and "Rumination,"
is born of "Detachment," and filled with "Rapture," and "Happiness."
This first trance is free from five things, and five things are present. When the
disciple enters the first trance, there have vanished
[the 5 Hindrances]:
Lust, Ill-will, Torpor and Dullness, Restlessness and Mental Worry, Doubts; and
there are present: Verbal Thought, Rumination, Rapture, Happiness, and Concentration.
And further: after the subsiding of verbal thought and rumination, and by the gaining
of inward tranquility and oneness of mind, he enters into a state free from verbal thought
and rumination, the second trance, which is born of Concentration, and filled with
Rapture and Happiness.
And further: after the fading away of rapture, he dwells in equanimity, attentive,
clearly conscious; and he experiences in his person that feeling, of which the Noble Ones
say: "Happy lives the man of equanimity and attentive mind"-thus he enters the third
trance.
And further: after the giving up of pleasure and pain, and through the disappearance
of previous joy and grief, he enters into a state beyond pleasure and pain, into the fourth
trance, which is purified by equanimity and attentiveness.
[The four Trances may be obtained by means of Watching over In-and Out-breathing,
as well as through the fourth sublime meditation, the "Meditation of Equanimity," and
others.
The three other Sublime Meditations of "Loving Kindness," "Compassion", and
"Sympathetic Joy" may lead to the attainment of the first three Trances. The "Cemetery
Meditations," as well as the meditation "On Loathsomeness," will produce only the First
Trance.
The "Analysis of the Body," and the Contemplation on the Buddha, the Law, the
Holy Brotherhood, Morality, etc., will only produce Neighborhood-Concentration.]
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Develop your concentration: for he who has concentration understands things
according to their reality. And what are these things? The arising and passing away of
corporeality, of feeling, perception, mental formations and consciousness.
Thus, these five Groups of Existence must be wisely penetrated; Delusion and
Craving must be wisely abandoned; Tranquility and Insight must be wisely developed.
This is the Middle Path which the Perfect One has discovered, which makes one both
to see and to know, and which leads to peace, to discernment, to enlightenment, to
Nirvana.
And following upon this path, you will put an end to suffering.
DEVELOPMENT OF THE EIGHTFOLD PATH IN THE DISCIPLE
CONFIDENCE AND RIGHT-MINDEDNESS
(2nd Step)
SUPPOSE a householder, or his son, or someone reborn in any family, hears the law;
and after hearing the law he is filled with confidence in the Perfect One. And filled with
this confidence, he thinks: "Full of hindrances is household life, a refuse heap; but
pilgrim life is like the open air. Not easy is it, when one lives at home, to fulfill in all
points the rules of the holy life. How, if now I were to cut off hair and beard, put on the
yellow robe and go forth from home to the homeless life?" And in a short time, having
given up his more or less extensive possessions, having forsaken a smaller or larger circle
of relations, he cuts off hair and beard, puts on the yellow robe, and goes forth from home
to the homeless life.
MORALITY
(3rd, 4th, 5th Step)
Having thus left the world, he fulfills the rules of the monks. He avoids the killing of
living beings and abstains from it. Without stick or sword, conscientious, full of
sympathy, he is anxious for the welfare of all living beings.-He avoids stealing, and
abstains from taking what is not given to him. Only what is given to him he takes,
waiting till it is given; and he lives with a heart honest and pure.-He avoids unchastity,
living chaste, resigned, and keeping aloof from sexual intercourse, the vulgar way.-He
avoids lying and abstains from it. He speaks the truth, is devoted to the truth, reliable,
worthy of confidence, is not a deceiver of men.-He avoids tale-bearing and abstains from
it. What he has heard here, he does not repeat there, so as to cause dissension there; and
what he has heard there, he does not repeat here, so as to cause dissension here. Thus he
unites those that are divided, and those that are united he encourages; concord gladdens
him, he delights and rejoices in concord, and it is concord that he spreads by his words.He avoids harsh language and abstains from it. He speaks such words as are gentle,
soothing to the ear, loving, going to the heart, courteous and dear, and agreeable to
many.- He avoids vain talk and abstains from it. He speaks at the right time, in
accordance with facts, speaks what is useful, speaks about the law and the disciple; his
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speech is like a treasure, at the right moment accompanied by arguments, moderate, and
full of sense.
He keeps aloof from dance, song, music and the visiting of shows; rejects flowers,
perfumes, ointments, as well as every kind of adornment and embellishment. High and
gorgeous beds he does not use. Gold and silver he does not accept. Raw corn and meat he
does not accept. Women and girls he does not accept. He owns no male and female
slaves, owns no goats, sheep, fowls, pigs, elephants, cows or horses, no land and goods.
He does not go on errands and do the duties of a messenger. He keeps aloof from buying
and selling things. He has nothing to do with false measures, metals and weights. He
avoids the crooked ways of bribery, deception and fraud. He keeps aloof from stabbing,
beating, chaining, attacking, plundering and oppressing.
He contents himself with the robe that protects his body, and with the alms with
which he keeps himself alive. Wherever he goes, he is provided with these two things;
just as a winged bird, in flying, carries his wings along with him. By fulfilling this noble
Domain of Morality he feels in his heart an irreproachable happiness.
CONTROL OF THE SENSES
(6th Step)
Now, in perceiving a form with the eye- a sound with the ear- an odor with the nosea taste with the tongue- a touch with the body- an object with his mind, he sticks neither
to the whole, nor to its details. And he tries to ward off that which, by being unguarded in
his senses, might give rise to evil and unwholesome states, to greed and sorrow; he
watches over his senses, keep his senses under control. By practicing this noble "Control
of the Senses" he feels in his heart an unblemished happiness.
ATTENTIVENESS AND CLEAR CONSCIOUSNESS
(7th Step)
Clearly conscious is he in his going and coming; clearly conscious in looking forward
and backward; clearly conscious in bending and stretching his body; clearly conscious in
eating, drinking, chewing and tasting; dearly conscious in discharging excrement and
urine; clearly conscious in walking, standing, sitting, falling asleep and awakening;
clearly conscious in speaking and keeping silent.
Now, being equipped with this lofty Morality, equipped with this noble Control of the
Senses, and filled with this noble "Attentiveness and Clear Consciousness, he chooses a
secluded dwelling in the forest, at the foot of a tree, on a mountain, in a cleft, in a rock
cave, on a burial ground, on a woody table-land, in the open air, or on a heap of straw.
Having returned from his alms-round, after the meal, he sits himself down with legs
crossed, body erect, with attentiveness fixed before him.
ABSENCE OF THE FIVE HINDRANCES
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He has cast away Lust; he dwells with a heart free from lust; from lust he cleanses his
heart.
He has cast away Ill-will; he dwells with a heart free from ill-will; cherishing love
and compassion toward all living beings, he cleanses his heart from ill-will.
He has cast away Torpor and Dullness; he dwells free from torpor and dullness;
loving the light, with watchful mind, with clear consciousness, he cleanses his mind from
torpor and dullness.
He has cast away Restlessness and Mental Worry; dwelling with mind undisturbed,
with heart full of peace, he cleanses his mind from restlessness and mental worry.
He has cast away Doubt; dwelling free from doubt, full of confidence in the good, he
cleanses his heart from doubt.
THE TRANCES
(8th Step)
He has put aside these five Hindrances and come to know the paralyzing corruptions
of the mind. And far from sensual impressions, far from unwholesome things, he enters
into the Four Trances.
INSIGHT
(1st Step)
But whatsoever there is of feeling, perception, mental formation, or consciousness-all
these phenomena he regards as "impermanent," "subject to pain," as infirm, as an ulcer, a
thorn, a misery, a burden, an enemy, a disturbance, as empty and "void of an Ego"; and
turning away from these things, he directs his mind towards the abiding, thus: "This,
verily, is the Peace, this is the Highest, namely the end of all formations, the forsaking of
every substratum of rebirth, the fading away of craving; detachment, extinction:
Nirvana." And in this state he reaches the "Cessation of Passions."
NIRVANA
And his heart becomes free from sensual passion, free from the passion for existence,
free from the passion of ignorance. "Freed am I!": this knowledge arises in the liberated
one; and he knows: "Exhausted is rebirth, fulfilled the Holy Life; what was to be done,
has been done; naught remains more for this world to do."
Forever am I liberated,
This is the last time that I'm born,
No new existence waits for me.
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This, verily, is the highest, holiest wisdom: to know that all suffering has passed
away.
This, verily, is the highest, holiest peace: appeasement of greed, hatred and delusion.
THE SILENT THINKER
"I am" is a vain thought; "I am not" a vain thought; "I shall be" is a vain thought; "I
shall not be" is a vain thought. Vain thoughts are a sickness, an ulcer, a thorn. But after
overcoming all vain thoughts, one is called silent thinker." And the thinker, the Silent
One, does no more arise, no more pass away, no more tremble, no more desire. For there
is nothing in him that he should arise again. And as he arises no more, how should he
grow old again? And as he grows no more old, how should he die again? And as he dies
no more, how should he tremble? And as he trembles no more, how should he have
desire?
THE TRUE GOAL
Hence, the purpose of the Holy Life does not consist in acquiring alms, honor, or
fame, nor in gaining morality, concentration, or the eye of knowledge. That unshakable
deliverance of the heart: that, verily, is the object of the Holy Life, that is its essence, that
is its goal.
And those, who formerly, in the past, were Holy and Enlightened Ones, those Blessed
Ones also have pointed out to their disciples this self-same goal, as has been pointed out
by me to my disciples. And those, who afterwards, in the future, will be Holy and
Enlightened Ones, those Blessed Ones also will point out to their disciples this self-same
goal, as has been pointed out by me to my disciples.
However, Disciples, it may be that
(after my passing away)
you might think: "Gone is the doctrine of our Master. We have no Master more." But
you should not think; for the Law and the Discipline, which I have taught you, Will, after
my death, be your master.
The Law be your light,
The Law be your refuge!
Do not look for any other refuge!
Disciples, the doctrines, which I advised you to penetrate, you should well preserve,
well guard, so that this Holy Life may take its course and continue for ages, for the weal
and welfare of the many, as a consolation to the world, for the happiness, weal and
welfare of heavenly beings and men.
THE END
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Book of Job
(Selections)
from The holy Bible, Revised Standard version
http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/toc/modeng/public/RsvBJob.html
Chapter 1
1: There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was
blameless and upright, one who feared God, and turned away from evil.
2: There were born to him seven sons and three daughters.
3: He had seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, and
five hundred she-asses, and very many servants; so that this man was the greatest of all
the people of the east.
4: His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each on his day; and they would
send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them.
5: And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and sanctify
them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the
number of them all; for Job said, "It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in
their hearts." Thus Job did continually.
6: Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the
LORD, and Satan also came among them.
7: The LORD said to Satan, "Whence have you come?" Satan answered the LORD,
"From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it."
8: And the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none
like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from
evil?"
9: Then Satan answered the LORD, "Does Job fear God for nought?
10: Hast thou not put a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side?
Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.
11: But put forth thy hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will curse thee to thy
face."
12: And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power; only upon
himself do not put forth your hand." So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.
13: Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in
their eldest brother's house;
14: and there came a messenger to Job, and said, "The oxen were plowing and the asses
feeding beside them;
15: and the Sabe'ans fell upon them and took them, and slew the servants with the edge
of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you."
16: While he was yet speaking, there came another, and said, "The fire of God fell from
heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them; and I alone have
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escaped to tell you."
17: While he was yet speaking, there came another, and said, "The Chalde'ans formed
three companies, and made a raid upon the camels and took them, and slew the servants
with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you."
18: While he was yet speaking, there came another, and said, "Your sons and daughters
were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house;
19: and behold, a great wind came across the wilderness, and struck the four corners of
the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead; and I alone have escaped
to tell you."
20: Then Job arose, and rent his robe, and shaved his head, and fell upon the ground, and
worshiped.
21: And he said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return; the
LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD."
22: In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.
Chapter 2
1: Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the
LORD, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the LORD.
2: And the LORD said to Satan, "Whence have you come?" Satan answered the LORD,
"From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it."
3: And the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none
like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from
evil? He still holds fast his integrity, although you moved me against him, to destroy him
without cause."
4: Then Satan answered the LORD, "Skin for skin! All that a man has he will give for his
life.
5: But put forth thy hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to
thy face."
6: And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, he is in your power; only spare his life."
7: So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD, and afflicted Job with loathsome
sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.
8: And he took a potsherd with which to scrape himself, and sat among the ashes.
9: Then his wife said to him, "Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God, and die."
10: But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we
receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?" In all this Job did not sin
with his lips.
11: Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that had come upon him, they
came each from his own place, Eli'phaz the Te'manite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar
the Na'amathite. They made an appointment together to come to condole with him and
comfort him.
12: And when they saw him from afar, they did not recognize him; and they raised their
voices and wept; and they rent their robes and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward
heaven.
13: And they sat with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a
word to him, for they saw that his suffering was very great.
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Chapter 3
1: After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth.
2: And Job said:
3: "Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night which said, `A man-child is
conceived.'
4: Let that day be darkness! May God above not seek it, nor light shine upon it.
5: Let gloom and deep darkness claim it. Let clouds dwell upon it; let the blackness of the
day terrify it.
6: That night -- let thick darkness seize it! let it not rejoice among the days of the year, let
it not come into the number of the months.
7: Yea, let that night be barren; let no joyful cry be heard in it.
8: Let those curse it who curse the day, who are skilled to rouse up Levi'athan.
9: Let the stars of its dawn be dark; let it hope for light, but have none, nor see the eyelids
of the morning;
10: because it did not shut the doors of my mother's womb, nor hide trouble from my
eyes.
11: "Why did I not die at birth, come forth from the womb and expire?
12: Why did the knees receive me? Or why the breasts, that I should suck?
13: For then I should have lain down and been quiet; I should have slept; then I should
have been at rest,
14: with kings and counselors of the earth who rebuilt ruins for themselves,
15: or with princes who had gold, who filled their houses with silver.
16: Or why was I not as a hidden untimely birth, as infants that never see the light?
17: There the wicked cease from troubling, and there the weary are at rest.
18: There the prisoners are at ease together; they hear not the voice of the taskmaster.
19: The small and the great are there, and the slave is free from his master.
20: "Why is light given to him that is in misery, and life to the bitter in soul,
21: who long for death, but it comes not, and dig for it more than for hid treasures;
22: who rejoice exceedingly, and are glad, when they find the grave?
23: Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, whom God has hedged in?
24: For my sighing comes as my bread, and my groanings are poured out like water.
25: For the thing that I fear comes upon me, and what I dread befalls me.
26: I am not at ease, nor am I quiet; I have no rest; but trouble comes."
Chapter 9
1: Then Job answered:
2: "Truly I know that it is so: But how can a man be just before God?
3: If one wished to contend with him, one could not answer him once in a thousand
times.
4: He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength -- who has hardened himself against him,
and succeeded? -5: he who removes mountains, and they know it not, when he overturns them in his
anger;
6: who shakes the earth out of its place, and its pillars tremble;
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7: who commands the sun, and it does not rise; who seals up the stars;
8: who alone stretched out the heavens, and trampled the waves of the sea;
9: who made the Bear and Orion, the Plei'ades and the chambers of the south;
10: who does great things beyond understanding, and marvelous things without number.
11: Lo, he passes by me, and I see him not; he moves on, but I do not perceive him.
12: Behold, he snatches away; who can hinder him? Who will say to him, `What doest
thou'?
13: "God will not turn back his anger; beneath him bowed the helpers of Rahab.
14: How then can I answer him, choosing my words with him?
15: Though I am innocent, I cannot answer him; I must appeal for mercy to my accuser.
16: If I summoned him and he answered me, I would not believe that he was listening to
my voice.
17: For he crushes me with a tempest, and multiplies my wounds without cause;
18: he will not let me get my breath, but fills me with bitterness.
19: If it is a contest of strength, behold him! If it is a matter of justice, who can summon
him?
20: Though I am innocent, my own mouth would condemn me; though I am blameless,
he would prove me perverse.
21: I am blameless; I regard not myself; I loathe my life.
22: It is all one; therefore I say, he destroys both the blameless and the wicked.
23: When disaster brings sudden death, he mocks at the calamity of the innocent.
24: The earth is given into the hand of the wicked; he covers the faces of its judges -- if it
is not he, who then is it?
25: "My days are swifter than a runner; they flee away, they see no good.
26: They go by like skiffs of reed, like an eagle swooping on the prey.
27: If I say, `I will forget my complaint, I will put off my sad countenance, and be of
good cheer,'
28: I become afraid of all my suffering, for I know thou wilt not hold me innocent.
29: I shall be condemned; why then do I labor in vain?
30: If I wash myself with snow, and cleanse my hands with lye,
31: yet thou wilt plunge me into a pit, and my own clothes will abhor me.
32: For he is not a man, as I am, that I might answer him, that we should come to trial
together.
33: There is no umpire between us, who might lay his hand upon us both.
34: Let him take his rod away from me, and let not dread of him terrify me.
35: Then I would speak without fear of him, for I am not so in myself.
Chapter 10
1: "I loathe my life; I will give free utterance to my complaint; I will speak in the
bitterness of my soul.
2: I will say to God, Do not condemn me; let me know why thou dost contend against
me.
3: Does it seem good to thee to oppress, to despise the work of thy hands and favor the
designs of the wicked?
4: Hast thou eyes of flesh? Dost thou see as man sees?
5: Are thy days as the days of man, or thy years as man's years,
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6: that thou dost seek out my iniquity and search for my sin,
7: although thou knowest that I am not guilty, and there is none to deliver out of thy
hand?
8: Thy hands fashioned and made me; and now thou dost turn about and destroy me.
9: Remember that thou hast made me of clay; and wilt thou turn me to dust again?
10: Didst thou not pour me out like milk and curdle me like cheese?
11: Thou didst clothe me with skin and flesh, and knit me together with bones and
sinews.
12: Thou hast granted me life and steadfast love; and thy care has preserved my spirit.
13: Yet these things thou didst hide in thy heart; I know that this was thy purpose.
14: If I sin, thou dost mark me, and dost not acquit me of my iniquity.
15: If I am wicked, woe to me! If I am righteous, I cannot lift up my head, for I am filled
with disgrace and look upon my affliction.
16: And if I lift myself up, thou dost hunt me like a lion, and again work wonders against
me;
17: thou dost renew thy witnesses against me, and increase thy vexation toward me; thou
dost bring fresh hosts against me.
18: "Why didst thou bring me forth from the womb? Would that I had died before any
eye had seen me,
19: and were as though I had not been, carried from the womb to the grave.
20: Are not the days of my life few? Let me alone, that I may find a little comfort
21: before I go whence I shall not return, to the land of gloom and deep darkness,
22: the land of gloom and chaos, where light is as darkness."
Chapter 14
1: "Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.
2: He comes forth like a flower, and withers; he flees like a shadow, and continues not.
3: And dost thou open thy eyes upon such a one and bring him into judgment with thee?
4: Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? There is not one.
5: Since his days are determined, and the number of his months is with thee, and thou
hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass,
6: look away from him, and desist, that he may enjoy, like a hireling, his day.
7: "For there is hope for a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its
shoots will not cease.
8: Though its root grow old in the earth, and its stump die in the ground,
9: yet at the scent of water it will bud and put forth branches like a young plant.
10: But man dies, and is laid low; man breathes his last, and where is he?
11: As waters fail from a lake, and a river wastes away and dries up,
12: so man lies down and rises not again; till the heavens are no more he will not awake,
or be roused out of his sleep.
13: Oh that thou wouldest hide me in Sheol, that thou wouldest conceal me until thy
wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!
14: If a man die, shall he live again? All the days of my service I would wait, till my
release should come.
15: Thou wouldest call, and I would answer thee; thou wouldest long for the work of thy
hands.
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16: For then thou wouldest number my steps, thou wouldest not keep watch over my sin;
17: my transgression would be sealed up in a bag, and thou wouldest cover over my
iniquity.
18: "But the mountain falls and crumbles away, and the rock is removed from its place;
19: the waters wear away the stones; the torrents wash away the soil of the earth; so thou
destroyest the hope of man.
20: Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passes; thou changest his countenance,
and sendest him away.
21: His sons come to honor, and he does not know it; they are brought low, and he
perceives it not.
22: He feels only the pain of his own body, and he mourns only for himself."
Chapter 17
1: My spirit is broken, my days are extinct, the grave is ready for me.
2: Surely there are mockers about me, and my eye dwells on their provocation.
3: "Lay down a pledge for me with thyself; who is there that will give surety for me?
4: Since thou hast closed their minds to understanding, therefore thou wilt not let them
triumph.
5: He who informs against his friends to get a share of their property, the eyes of his
children will fail.
6: "He has made me a byword of the peoples, and I am one before whom men spit.
7: My eye has grown dim from grief, and all my members are like a shadow.
8: Upright men are appalled at this, and the innocent stirs himself up against the godless.
9: Yet the righteous holds to his way, and he that has clean hands grows stronger and
stronger.
10: But you, come on again, all of you, and I shall not find a wise man among you.
11: My days are past, my plans are broken off, the desires of my heart.
12: They make night into day; `The light,' they say, `is near to the darkness.'
13: If I look for Sheol as my house, if I spread my couch in darkness,
14: if I say to the pit, `You are my father,' and to the worm, `My mother,' or `My sister,'
15: where then is my hope? Who will see my hope?
16: Will it go down to the bars of Sheol? Shall we descend together into the dust?"
1: Then Job answered:
2: "How long will you torment me, and break me in pieces with words?
3: These ten times you have cast reproach upon me; are you not ashamed to wrong me?
4: And even if it be true that I have erred, my error remains with myself.
5: If indeed you magnify yourselves against me, and make my humiliation an argument
against me,
6: know then that God has put me in the wrong, and closed his net about me.
7: Behold, I cry out, `Violence!' but I am not answered; I call aloud, but there is no
justice.
8: He has walled up my way, so that I cannot pass, and he has set darkness upon my
paths.
9: He has stripped from me my glory, and taken the crown from my head.
10: He breaks me down on every side, and I am gone, and my hope has he pulled up like
a tree.
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11: He has kindled his wrath against me, and counts me as his adversary.
12: His troops come on together; they have cast up siegeworks against me, and encamp
round about my tent.
13: "He has put my brethren far from me, and my acquaintances are wholly estranged
from me.
14: My kinsfolk and my close friends have failed me;
15: the guests in my house have forgotten me; my maidservants count me as a stranger; I
have become an alien in their eyes.
16: I call to my servant, but he gives me no answer; I must beseech him with my mouth.
17: I am repulsive to my wife, loathsome to the sons of my own mother.
18: Even young children despise me; when I rise they talk against me.
19: All my intimate friends abhor me, and those whom I loved have turned against me.
20: My bones cleave to my skin and to my flesh, and I have escaped by the skin of my
teeth.
21: Have pity on me, have pity on me, O you my friends, for the hand of God has
touched me!
22: Why do you, like God, pursue me? Why are you not satisfied with my flesh?
23: "Oh that my words were written! Oh that they were inscribed in a book!
24: Oh that with an iron pen and lead they were graven in the rock for ever!
25: For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at last he will stand upon the earth;
26: and after my skin has been thus destroyed, then from my flesh I shall see God,
27: whom I shall see on my side, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart
faints within me!
28: If you say, `How we will pursue him!' and, `The root of the matter is found in him';
29: be afraid of the sword, for wrath brings the punishment of the sword, that you may
know there is a judgment."
?"
Chapter 38
1: Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind:
2: "Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
3: Gird up your loins like a man, I will question you, and you shall declare to me.
4: "Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have
understanding.
5: Who determined its measurements -- surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon
it?
6: On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone,
7: when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
8: "Or who shut in the sea with doors, when it burst forth from the womb;
9: when I made clouds its garment, and thick darkness its swaddling band,
10: and prescribed bounds for it, and set bars and doors,
11: and said, `Thus far shall you come, and no farther, and here shall your proud waves
be stayed'?
12: "Have you commanded the morning since your days began, and caused the dawn to
know its place,
13: that it might take hold of the skirts of the earth, and the wicked be shaken out of it?
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14: It is changed like clay under the seal, and it is dyed like a garment.
15: From the wicked their light is withheld, and their uplifted arm is broken.
16: "Have you entered into the springs of the sea, or walked in the recesses of the deep?
17: Have the gates of death been revealed to you, or have you seen the gates of deep
darkness?
18: Have you comprehended the expanse of the earth? Declare, if you know all this.
19: "Where is the way to the dwelling of light, and where is the place of darkness,
20: that you may take it to its territory and that you may discern the paths to its home?
21: You know, for you were born then, and the number of your days is great!
22: "Have you entered the storehouses of the snow, or have you seen the storehouses of
the hail,
23: which I have reserved for the time of trouble, for the day of battle and war?
24: What is the way to the place where the light is distributed, or where the east wind is
scattered upon the earth?
25: "Who has cleft a channel for the torrents of rain, and a way for the thunderbolt,
26: to bring rain on a land where no man is, on the desert in which there is no man;
27: to satisfy the waste and desolate land, and to make the ground put forth grass?
28: "Has the rain a father, or who has begotten the drops of dew?
29: From whose womb did the ice come forth, and who has given birth to the hoarfrost of
heaven?
30: The waters become hard like stone, and the face of the deep is frozen.
31: "Can you bind the chains of the Plei'ades, or loose the cords of Orion?
32: Can you lead forth the Maz'zaroth in their season, or can you guide the Bear with its
children?
33: Do you know the ordinances of the heavens? Can you establish their rule on the
earth?
34: "Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, that a flood of waters may cover you?
35: Can you send forth lightnings, that they may go and say to you, `Here we are'?
36: Who has put wisdom in the clouds, or given understanding to the mists?
37: Who can number the clouds by wisdom? Or who can tilt the waterskins of the
heavens,
38: when the dust runs into a mass and the clods cleave fast together?
39: "Can you hunt the prey for the lion, or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,
40: when they crouch in their dens, or lie in wait in their covert?
41: Who provides for the raven its prey, when its young ones cry to God, and wander
about for lack of food?
Chapter 39
1: "Do you know when the mountain goats bring forth? Do you observe the calving of
the hinds?
2: Can you number the months that they fulfil, and do you know the time when they
bring forth,
3: when they crouch, bring forth their offspring, and are delivered of their young?
4: Their young ones become strong, they grow up in the open; they go forth, and do not
return to them.
5: "Who has let the wild ass go free? Who has loosed the bonds of the swift ass,
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6: to whom I have given the steppe for his home, and the salt land for his dwelling place?
7: He scorns the tumult of the city; he hears not the shouts of the driver.
8: He ranges the mountains as his pasture, and he searches after every green thing.
9: "Is the wild ox willing to serve you? Will he spend the night at your crib?
10: Can you bind him in the furrow with ropes, or will he harrow the valleys after you?
11: Will you depend on him because his strength is great, and will you leave to him your
labor?
12: Do you have faith in him that he will return, and bring your grain to your threshing
floor?
13: "The wings of the ostrich wave proudly; but are they the pinions and plumage of
love?
14: For she leaves her eggs to the earth, and lets them be warmed on the ground,
15: forgetting that a foot may crush them, and that the wild beast may trample them.
16: She deals cruelly with her young, as if they were not hers; though her labor be in
vain, yet she has no fear;
17: because God has made her forget wisdom, and given her no share in understanding.
18: When she rouses herself to flee, she laughs at the horse and his rider.
19: "Do you give the horse his might? Do you clothe his neck with strength?
20: Do you make him leap like the locust? His majestic snorting is terrible.
21: He paws in the valley, and exults in his strength; he goes out to meet the weapons.
22: He laughs at fear, and is not dismayed; he does not turn back from the sword.
23: Upon him rattle the quiver, the flashing spear and the javelin.
24: With fierceness and rage he swallows the ground; he cannot stand still at the sound of
the trumpet.
25: When the trumpet sounds, he says `Aha!' He smells the battle from afar, the thunder
of the captains, and the shouting.
26: "Is it by your wisdom that the hawk soars, and spreads his wings toward the south?
27: Is it at your command that the eagle mounts up and makes his nest on high?
28: On the rock he dwells and makes his home in the fastness of the rocky crag.
29: Thence he spies out the prey; his eyes behold it afar off.
30: His young ones suck up blood; and where the slain are, there is he."
Chapter 40
1: And the LORD said to Job:
2: "Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty? He who argues with God, let him
answer it."
3: Then Job answered the LORD:
4: "Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer thee? I lay my hand on my mouth.
5: I have spoken once, and I will not answer; twice, but I will proceed no further."
6: Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind:
7: "Gird up your loins like a man; I will question you, and you declare to me.
8: Will you even put me in the wrong? Will you condemn me that you may be justified?
9: Have you an arm like God, and can you thunder with a voice like his?
10: "Deck yourself with majesty and dignity; clothe yourself with glory and splendor.
11: Pour forth the overflowings of your anger, and look on every one that is proud, and
abase him.
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12: Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the wicked
where they stand.
13: Hide them all in the dust together; bind their faces in the world below.
14: Then will I also acknowledge to you, that your own right hand can give you victory.
15: "Behold, Be'hemoth, which I made as I made you; he eats grass like an ox.
16: Behold, his strength in his loins, and his power in the muscles of his belly.
17: He makes his tail stiff like a cedar; the sinews of his thighs are knit together.
18: His bones are tubes of bronze, his limbs like bars of iron.
19: "He is the first of the works of God; let him who made him bring near his sword!
20: For the mountains yield food for him where all the wild beasts play.
21: Under the lotus plants he lies, in the covert of the reeds and in the marsh.
22: For his shade the lotus trees cover him; the willows of the brook surround him.
23: Behold, if the river is turbulent he is not frightened; he is confident though Jordan
rushes against his mouth.
24: Can one take him with hooks, or pierce his nose with a snare?
Chapter 41
1: "Can you draw out Levi'athan with a fishhook, or press down his tongue with a
cord?
2: Can you put a rope in his nose, or pierce his jaw with a hook?
3: Will he make many supplications to you? Will he speak to you soft words?
4: Will he make a covenant with you to take him for your servant for ever?
5: Will you play with him as with a bird, or will you put him on leash for your maidens?
6: Will traders bargain over him? Will they divide him up among the merchants?
7: Can you fill his skin with harpoons, or his head with fishing spears?
8: Lay hands on him; think of the battle; you will not do it again!
9: Behold, the hope of a man is disappointed; he is laid low even at the sight of him.
10: No one is so fierce that he dares to stir him up. Who then is he that can stand before
me?
11: Who has given to me, that I should repay him? Whatever is under the whole heaven
is mine.
12: "I will not keep silence concerning his limbs, or his mighty strength, or his goodly
frame.
13: Who can strip off his outer garment? Who can penetrate his double coat of mail?
14: Who can open the doors of his face? Round about his teeth is terror.
15: His back is made of rows of shields, shut up closely as with a seal.
16: One is so near to another that no air can come between them.
17: They are joined one to another; they clasp each other and cannot be separated.
18: His sneezings flash forth light, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the dawn.
19: Out of his mouth go flaming torches; sparks of fire leap forth.
20: Out of his nostrils comes forth smoke, as from a boiling pot and burning rushes.
21: His breath kindles coals, and a flame comes forth from his mouth.
22: In his neck abides strength, and terror dances before him.
23: The folds of his flesh cleave together, firmly cast upon him and immovable.
24: His heart is hard as a stone, hard as the nether millstone.
25: When he raises himself up the mighty are afraid; at the crashing they are beside
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themselves.
26: Though the sword reaches him, it does not avail; nor the spear, the dart, or the
javelin.
27: He counts iron as straw, and bronze as rotten wood.
28: The arrow cannot make him flee; for him slingstones are turned to stubble.
29: Clubs are counted as stubble; he laughs at the rattle of javelins.
30: His underparts are like sharp potsherds; he spreads himself like a threshing sledge on
the mire.
31: He makes the deep boil like a pot; he makes the sea like a pot of ointment.
32: Behind him he leaves a shining wake; one would think the deep to be hoary.
33: Upon earth there is not his like, a creature without fear.
34: He beholds everything that is high; he is king over all the sons of pride."
Chapter 42
1: Then Job answered the LORD:
2: "I know that thou canst do all things, and that no purpose of thine can be thwarted.
3: `Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?' Therefore I have uttered what I
did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.
4: `Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you declare to me.'
5: I had heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees thee;
6: therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes."
7: After the LORD had spoken these words to Job, the LORD said to Eli'phaz the
Te'manite: "My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends; for you have
not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.
8: Now therefore take seven bulls and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up
for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept
his prayer not to deal with you according to your folly; for you have not spoken of me
what is right, as my servant Job has."
9: So Eli'phaz the Te'manite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Na'amathite went and
did what the LORD had told them; and the LORD accepted Job's prayer.
10: And the LORD restored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends; and
the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.
11: Then came to him all his brothers and sisters and all who had known him before, and
ate bread with him in his house; and they showed him sympathy and comforted him for
all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him; and each of them gave him a piece of
money and a ring of gold.
12: And the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; and he had
fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand
she-asses.
13: He had also seven sons and three daughters.
14: And he called the name of the first Jemi'mah; and the name of the second Kezi'ah;
and the name of the third Ker'en-hap'puch.
15: And in all the land there were no women so fair as Job's daughters; and their father
gave them inheritance among their brothers.
16: And after this Job lived a hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons'
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sons, four generations.
17: And Job died, an old man, and full of days.
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Gospel of John
from The Holy Bible, Revised Standard version
http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/relig.browse.html
Chapter 1
1: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was
God.
2: He was in the beginning with God;
3: all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was
made.
4: In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
5: The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
6: There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7: He came for testimony, to bear witness to the light, that all might believe through him.
8: He was not the light, but came to bear witness to the light.
9: The true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world.
10: He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world knew him
not.
11: He came to his own home, and his own people received him not.
12: But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become
children of God;
13: who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of
God.
14: And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have
beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father.
15: (John bore witness to him, and cried, "This was he of whom I said, `He who comes
after me ranks before me, for he was before me.'")
16: And from his fulness have we all received, grace upon grace.
17: For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
18: No one has ever seen God; the only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has
made him known.
19: And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from
Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?"
20: He confessed, he did not deny, but confessed, "I am not the Christ."
21: And they asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the
prophet?" And he answered, "No."
22: They said to him then, "Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us.
What do you say about yourself?"
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23: He said, "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, `Make straight the way of
the Lord,' as the prophet Isaiah said."
24: Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.
25: They asked him, "Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor
Elijah, nor the prophet?"
26: John answered them, "I baptize with water; but among you stands one whom you do
not know,
27: even he who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie."
28: This took place in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
29: The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God,
who takes away the sin of the world!
30: This is he of whom I said, `After me comes a man who ranks before me, for he was
before me.'
31: I myself did not know him; but for this I came baptizing with water, that he might be
revealed to Israel."
32: And John bore witness, "I saw the Spirit descend as a dove from heaven, and it
remained on him.
33: I myself did not know him; but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, `He
on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy
Spirit.'
34: And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God."
35: The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples;
36: and he looked at Jesus as he walked, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God!"
37: The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.
38: Jesus turned, and saw them following, and said to them, "What do you seek?" And
they said to him, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?"
39: He said to them, "Come and see." They came and saw where he was staying; and they
stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.
40: One of the two who heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's
brother.
41: He first found his brother Simon, and said to him, "We have found the Messiah"
(which means Christ).
42: He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him, and said, "So you are Simon the son of
John? You shall be called Cephas" (which means Peter).
43: The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. And he found Philip and said to him,
"Follow me."
44: Now Philip was from Beth-sa'ida, the city of Andrew and Peter.
45: Philip found Nathan'a-el, and said to him, "We have found him of whom Moses in
the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."
46: Nathan'a-el said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to
him, "Come and see."
47: Jesus saw Nathan'a-el coming to him, and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in
whom is no guile!"
48: Nathan'a-el said to him, "How do you know me?" Jesus answered him, "Before Philip
called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you."
49: Nathan'a-el answered him, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of
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Israel!"
50: Jesus answered him, "Because I said to you, I saw you under the fig tree, do you
believe? You shall see greater things than these."
51: And he said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the
angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man."
Chapter 2
1: On the third day there was a marriage at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus
was there;
2: Jesus also was invited to the marriage, with his disciples.
3: When the wine failed, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no wine."
4: And Jesus said to her, "O woman, what have you to do with me? My hour has not yet
come."
5: His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."
6: Now six stone jars were standing there, for the Jewish rites of purification, each
holding twenty or thirty gallons.
7: Jesus said to them, "Fill the jars with water." And they filled them up to the brim.
8: He said to them, "Now draw some out, and take it to the steward of the feast." So they
took it.
9: When the steward of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know
where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward of
the feast called the bridegroom
10: and said to him, "Every man serves the good wine first; and when men have drunk
freely, then the poor wine; but you have kept the good wine until now."
11: This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory; and
his disciples believed in him.
12: After this he went down to Caper'na-um, with his mother and his brothers and his
disciples; and there they stayed for a few days.
13: The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
14: In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the
money-changers at their business.
15: And making a whip of cords, he drove them all, with the sheep and oxen, out of the
temple; and he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables.
16: And he told those who sold the pigeons, "Take these things away; you shall not make
my Father's house a house of trade."
17: His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for thy house will consume me."
18: The Jews then said to him, "What sign have you to show us for doing this?"
19: Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."
20: The Jews then said, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you
raise it up in three days?"
21: But he spoke of the temple of his body.
22: When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had
said this; and they believed the scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken.
23: Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover feast, many believed in his name
when they saw the signs which he did;
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24: but Jesus did not trust himself to them,
25: because he knew all men and needed no one to bear witness of man; for he himself
knew what was in man.
Chapter 3
1: Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicode'mus, a ruler of the Jews.
2: This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a
teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do, unless God is with
him."
3: Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born anew, he cannot see
the kingdom of God."
4: Nicode'mus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a
second time into his mother's womb and be born?"
5: Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit,
he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
6: That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7: Do not marvel that I said to you, `You must be born anew.'
8: The wind blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know
whence it comes or whither it goes; so it is with every one who is born of the Spirit."
9: Nicode'mus said to him, "How can this be?"
10: Jesus answered him, "Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand this?
11: Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we
have seen; but you do not receive our testimony.
12: If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell
you heavenly things?
13: No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended from heaven, the Son of
man.
14: And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted
up,
15: that whoever believes in him may have eternal life."
16: For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him
should not perish but have eternal life.
17: For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world
might be saved through him.
18: He who believes in him is not condemned; he who does not believe is condemned
already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
19: And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved
darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20: For every one who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his
deeds should be exposed.
21: But he who does what is true comes to the light, that it may be clearly seen that his
deeds have been wrought in God.
22: After this Jesus and his disciples went into the land of Judea; there he remained with
them and baptized.
23: John also was baptizing at Ae'non near Salim, because there was much water there;
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and people came and were baptized.
24: For John had not yet been put in prison.
25: Now a discussion arose between John's disciples and a Jew over purifying.
26: And they came to John, and said to him, "Rabbi, he who was with you beyond the
Jordan, to whom you bore witness, here he is, baptizing, and all are going to him."
27: John answered, "No one can receive anything except what is given him from heaven.
28: You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but I have been sent
before him.
29: He who has the bride is the bridegroom; the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and
hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice; therefore this joy of mine is now
full.
30: He must increase, but I must decrease."
31: He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth belongs to the earth,
and of the earth he speaks; he who comes from heaven is above all.
32: He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony;
33: he who receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true.
34: For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for it is not by measure that he
gives the Spirit;
35: the Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand.
36: He who believes in the Son has eternal life; he who does not obey the Son shall not
see life, but the wrath of God rests upon him.
Chapter 4
1: Now when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and
baptizing more disciples than John
2: (although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples),
3: he left Judea and departed again to Galilee.
4: He had to pass through Samar'ia.
5: So he came to a city of Samar'ia, called Sy'char, near the field that Jacob gave to his
son Joseph.
6: Jacob's well was there, and so Jesus, wearied as he was with his journey, sat down
beside the well. It was about the sixth hour.
7: There came a woman of Samar'ia to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink."
8: For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.
9: The Samaritan woman said to him, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a
woman of Samar'ia?" For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.
10: Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you,
`Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living
water."
11: The woman said to him, "Sir, you have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep;
where do you get that living water?
12: Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it
himself, and his sons, and his cattle?"
13: Jesus said to her, "Every one who drinks of this water will thirst again,
14: but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst; the water that I
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shall give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
15: The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here
to draw."
16: Jesus said to her, "Go, call your husband, and come here."
17: The woman answered him, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You are right in
saying, `I have no husband';
18: for you have had five husbands, and he whom you now have is not your husband; this
you said truly."
19: The woman said to him, "Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet.
20: Our fathers worshiped on this mountain; and you say that in Jerusalem is the place
where men ought to worship."
21: Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this
mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.
22: You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from
the Jews.
23: But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father
in spirit and truth, for such the Father seeks to worship him.
24: God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."
25: The woman said to him, "I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ);
when he comes, he will show us all things."
26: Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am he."
27: Just then his disciples came. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but
none said, "What do you wish?" or, "Why are you talking with her?"
28: So the woman left her water jar, and went away into the city, and said to the people,
29: "Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?"
30: They went out of the city and were coming to him.
31: Meanwhile the disciples besought him, saying, "Rabbi, eat."
32: But he said to them, "I have food to eat of which you do not know."
33: So the disciples said to one another, "Has any one brought him food?"
34: Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to accomplish
his work.
35: Do you not say, `There are yet four months, then comes the harvest'? I tell you, lift up
your eyes, and see how the fields are already white for harvest.
36: He who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, so that sower and
reaper may rejoice together.
37: For here the saying holds true, `One sows and another reaps.'
38: I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor; others have labored, and you have
entered into their labor."
39: Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman's testimony,
"He told me all that I ever did."
40: So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them; and he
stayed there two days.
41: And many more believed because of his word.
42: They said to the woman, "It is no longer because of your words that we believe, for
we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world."
43: After the two days he departed to Galilee.
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44: For Jesus himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country.
45: So when he came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, having seen all that he had
done in Jerusalem at the feast, for they too had gone to the feast.
46: So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And at
Caper'na-um there was an official whose son was ill.
47: When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went and begged him
to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death.
48: Jesus therefore said to him, "Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe."
49: The official said to him, "Sir, come down before my child dies."
50: Jesus said to him, "Go; your son will live." The man believed the word that Jesus
spoke to him and went his way.
51: As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was living.
52: So he asked them the hour when he began to mend, and they said to him, "Yesterday
at the seventh hour the fever left him."
53: The father knew that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, "Your son will live";
and he himself believed, and all his household.
54: This was now the second sign that Jesus did when he had come from Judea to
Galilee.
Chapter 5
1: After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
2: Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Hebrew called Beth-za'tha,
which has five porticoes.
3: In these lay a multitude of invalids, blind, lame, paralyzed.
1
5: One man was there, who had been ill for thirty-eight years.
6: When Jesus saw him and knew that he had been lying there a long time, he said to
him, "Do you want to be healed?"
7: The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the
water is troubled, and while I am going another steps down before me."
8: Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your pallet, and walk."
9: And at once the man was healed, and he took up his pallet and walked. Now that day
was the sabbath.
10: So the Jews said to the man who was cured, "It is the sabbath, it is not lawful for you
to carry your pallet."
11: But he answered them, "The man who healed me said to me, `Take up your pallet,
and walk.'"
12: They asked him, "Who is the man who said to you, `Take up your pallet, and walk'?"
13: Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had
withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place.
14: Afterward, Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, "See, you are well! Sin no
more, that nothing worse befall you."
15: The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him.
16: And this was why the Jews persecuted Jesus, because he did this on the sabbath.
17: But Jesus answered them, "My Father is working still, and I am working."
18: This was why the Jews sought all the more to kill him, because he not only broke the
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sabbath but also called God his Father, making himself equal with God.
19: Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own
accord, but only what he sees the Father doing; for whatever he does, that the Son does
likewise.
20: For the Father loves the Son, and shows him all that he himself is doing; and greater
works than these will he show him, that you may marvel.
21: For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to
whom he will.
22: The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son,
23: that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the
Son does not honor the Father who sent him.
24: Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me, has
eternal life; he does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
25: "Truly, truly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear
the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.
26: For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in
himself,
27: and has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of man.
28: Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear
his voice
29: and come forth, those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who
have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment.
30: "I can do nothing on my own authority; as I hear, I judge; and my judgment is just,
because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.
31: If I bear witness to myself, my testimony is not true;
32: there is another who bears witness to me, and I know that the testimony which he
bears to me is true.
33: You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth.
34: Not that the testimony which I receive is from man; but I say this that you may be
saved.
35: He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his
light.
36: But the testimony which I have is greater than that of John; for the works which the
Father has granted me to accomplish, these very works which I am doing, bear me
witness that the Father has sent me.
37: And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness to me. His voice you have
never heard, his form you have never seen;
38: and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe him whom he
has sent.
39: You search the scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it
is they that bear witness to me;
40: yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.
41: I do not receive glory from men.
42: But I know that you have not the love of God within you.
43: I have come in my Father's name, and you do not receive me; if another comes in his
own name, him you will receive.
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44: How can you believe, who receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory
that comes from the only God?
45: Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father; it is Moses who accuses you, on
whom you set your hope.
46: If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote of me.
47: But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?"
[1] The following part of verse 3 and all of verse 4 is retained in all the early English
versions as well as the Spanish, French, Italian, and German Bibles. It is usually omitted
in modern versions: waiting for the stirring of the water; 4: for an angel of the Lord went
down at certain seasons into the pool, and stirred up the water; whoever stepped in first
after the stirring of the water was made well from whatever disease that person had.
Chapter 6
John, chapter 6
1: After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiber'ias.
2: And a multitude followed him, because they saw the signs which he did on those who
were diseased.
3: Jesus went up on the mountain, and there sat down with his disciples.
4: Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand.
5: Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a multitude was coming to him, Jesus said to
Philip, "How are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?"
6: This he said to test him, for he himself knew what he would do.
7: Philip answered him, "Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of
them to get a little."
8: One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him,
9: "There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what are they among
so many?"
10: Jesus said, "Make the people sit down." Now there was much grass in the place; so
the men sat down, in number about five thousand.
11: Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to
those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted.
12: And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, "Gather up the fragments left
over, that nothing may be lost."
13: So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five
barley loaves, left by those who had eaten.
14: When the people saw the sign which he had done, they said, "This is indeed the
prophet who is to come into the world!"
15: Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him
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king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.
16: When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea,
17: got into a boat, and started across the sea to Caper'na-um. It was now dark, and Jesus
had not yet come to them.
18: The sea rose because a strong wind was blowing.
19: When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea
and drawing near to the boat. They were frightened,
20: but he said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid."
21: Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the
land to which they were going.
22: On the next day the people who remained on the other side of the sea saw that there
had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples,
but that his disciples had gone away alone.
23: However, boats from Tiber'i-as came near the place where they ate the bread after the
Lord had given thanks.
24: So when the people saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves
got into the boats and went to Caper'na-um, seeking Jesus.
25: When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, "Rabbi, when did
you come here?"
26: Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek me, not because you saw
signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.
27: Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal
life, which the Son of man will give to you; for on him has God the Father set his seal."
28: Then they said to him, "What must we do, to be doing the works of God?"
29: Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has
sent."
30: So they said to him, "Then what sign do you do, that we may see, and believe you?
What work do you perform?
31: Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, `He gave them bread
from heaven to eat.'"
32: Jesus then said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you
the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.
33: For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven, and gives life to the
world."
34: They said to him, "Lord, give us this bread always."
35: Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger, and
he who believes in me shall never thirst.
36: But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe.
37: All that the Father gives me will come to me; and him who comes to me I will not
cast out.
38: For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who
sent me;
39: and this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has
given me, but raise it up at the last day.
40: For this is the will of my Father, that every one who sees the Son and believes in him
should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day."
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41: The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, "I am the bread which came down
from heaven."
42: They said, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know?
How does he now say, `I have come down from heaven'?"
43: Jesus answered them, "Do not murmur among yourselves.
44: No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him; and I will raise
him up at the last day.
45: It is written in the prophets, `And they shall all be taught by God.' Every one who has
heard and learned from the Father comes to me.
46: Not that any one has seen the Father except him who is from God; he has seen the
Father.
47: Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life.
48: I am the bread of life.
49: Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died.
50: This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that a man may eat of it and not
die.
51: I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he
will live for ever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh."
52: The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his
flesh to eat?"
53: So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son
of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you;
54: he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at
the last day.
55: For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
56: He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.
57: As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me will
live because of me.
58: This is the bread which came down from heaven, not such as the fathers ate and died;
he who eats this bread will live for ever."
59: This he said in the synagogue, as he taught at Caper'na-um.
60: Many of his disciples, when they heard it, said, "This is a hard saying; who can listen
to it?"
61: But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at it, said to them, "Do
you take offense at this?
62: Then what if you were to see the Son of man ascending where he was before?
63: It is the spirit that gives life, the flesh is of no avail; the words that I have spoken to
you are spirit and life.
64: But there are some of you that do not believe." For Jesus knew from the first who
those were that did not believe, and who it was that would betray him.
65: And he said, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted
him by the Father."
66: After this many of his disciples drew back and no longer went about with him.
67: Jesus said to the twelve, "Do you also wish to go away?"
68: Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of
eternal life;
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69: and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God."
70: Jesus answered them, "Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?"
71: He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was to betray
him.
Chapter 7
1: After this Jesus went about in Galilee; he would not go about in Judea, because the
Jews sought to kill him.
2: Now the Jews' feast of Tabernacles was at hand.
3: So his brothers said to him, "Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples may see
the works you are doing.
4: For no man works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things,
show yourself to the world."
5: For even his brothers did not believe in him.
6: Jesus said to them, "My time has not yet come, but your time is always here.
7: The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify of it that its works are evil.
8: Go to the feast yourselves; I am not going up to this feast, for my time has not yet fully
come."
9: So saying, he remained in Galilee.
10: But after his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up, not publicly but
in private.
11: The Jews were looking for him at the feast, and saying, "Where is he?"
12: And there was much muttering about him among the people. While some said, "He is
a good man," others said, "No, he is leading the people astray."
13: Yet for fear of the Jews no one spoke openly of him.
14: About the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and taught.
15: The Jews marveled at it, saying, "How is it that this man has learning, when he has
never studied?"
16: So Jesus answered them, "My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me;
17: if any man's will is to do his will, he shall know whether the teaching is from God or
whether I am speaking on my own authority.
18: He who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but he who seeks the glory
of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood.
19: Did not Moses give you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why do you seek to
kill me?"
20: The people answered, "You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill you?"
21: Jesus answered them, "I did one deed, and you all marvel at it.
22: Moses gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and
you circumcise a man upon the sabbath.
23: If on the sabbath a man receives circumcision, so that the law of Moses may not be
broken, are you angry with me because on the sabbath I made a man's whole body well?
24: Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment."
25: Some of the people of Jerusalem therefore said, "Is not this the man whom they seek
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to kill?
26: And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the
authorities really know that this is the Christ?
27: Yet we know where this man comes from; and when the Christ appears, no one will
know where he comes from."
28: So Jesus proclaimed, as he taught in the temple, "You know me, and you know where
I come from? But I have not come of my own accord; he who sent me is true, and him
you do not know.
29: I know him, for I come from him, and he sent me."
30: So they sought to arrest him; but no one laid hands on him, because his hour had not
yet come.
31: Yet many of the people believed in him; they said, "When the Christ appears, will he
do more signs than this man has done?"
32: The Pharisees heard the crowd thus muttering about him, and the chief priests and
Pharisees sent officers to arrest him.
33: Jesus then said, "I shall be with you a little longer, and then I go to him who sent me;
34: you will seek me and you will not find me; where I am you cannot come."
35: The Jews said to one another, "Where does this man intend to go that we shall not
find him? Does he intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the
Greeks?
36: What does he mean by saying, `You will seek me and you will not find me,' and,
`Where I am you cannot come'?"
37: On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and proclaimed, "If any one
thirst, let him come to me and drink.
38: He who believes in me, as the scripture has said, `Out of his heart shall flow rivers of
living water.'"
39: Now this he said about the Spirit, which those who believed in him were to receive;
for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
40: When they heard these words, some of the people said, "This is really the prophet."
41: Others said, "This is the Christ." But some said, "Is the Christ to come from Galilee?
42: Has not the scripture said that the Christ is descended from David, and comes from
Bethlehem, the village where David was?"
43: So there was a division among the people over him.
44: Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.
45: The officers then went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them,
"Why did you not bring him?"
46: The officers answered, "No man ever spoke like this man!"
47: The Pharisees answered them, "Are you led astray, you also?
48: Have any of the authorities or of the Pharisees believed in him?
49: But this crowd, who do not know the law, are accursed."
50: Nicode'mus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them,
51: "Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he
does?"
52: They replied, "Are you from Galilee too? Search and you will see that no prophet is
to rise from Galilee."
53: They went each to his own house,
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Chapter 8
1: but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
2: Early in the morning he came again to the temple; all the people came to him, and he
sat down and taught them.
3: The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and
placing her in the midst
4: they said to him, "Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery.
5: Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such. What do you say about her?"
6: This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him.
Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground.
7: And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, "Let him who is
without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her."
8: And once more he bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground.
9: But when they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the eldest, and
Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him.
10: Jesus looked up and said to her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned
you?"
11: She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you; go, and do not
sin again."
12: Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world; he who follows me
will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
13: The Pharisees then said to him, "You are bearing witness to yourself; your testimony
is not true."
14: Jesus answered, "Even if I do bear witness to myself, my testimony is true, for I
know whence I have come and whither I am going, but you do not know whence I come
or whither I am going.
15: You judge according to the flesh, I judge no one.
16: Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone that judge, but I and
he who sent me.
17: In your law it is written that the testimony of two men is true;
18: I bear witness to myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness to me."
19: They said to him therefore, "Where is your Father?" Jesus answered, "You know
neither me nor my Father; if you knew me, you would know my Father also."
20: These words he spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the temple; but no one arrested
him, because his hour had not yet come.
21: Again he said to them, "I go away, and you will seek me and die in your sin; where I
am going, you cannot come."
22: Then said the Jews, "Will he kill himself, since he says, `Where I am going, you
cannot come'?"
23: He said to them, "You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am
not of this world.
24: I told you that you would die in your sins, for you will die in your sins unless you
believe that I am he."
25: They said to him, "Who are you?" Jesus said to them, "Even what I have told you
from the beginning.
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26: I have much to say about you and much to judge; but he who sent me is true, and I
declare to the world what I have heard from him."
27: They did not understand that he spoke to them of the Father.
28: So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of man, then you will know that I
am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority but speak thus as the Father taught me.
29: And he who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what is
pleasing to him."
30: As he spoke thus, many believed in him.
31: Jesus then said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you continue in my word,
you are truly my disciples,
32: and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
33: They answered him, "We are descendants of Abraham, and have never been in
bondage to any one. How is it that you say, `You will be made free'?"
34: Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, every one who commits sin is a
slave to sin.
35: The slave does not continue in the house for ever; the son continues for ever.
36: So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.
37: I know that you are descendants of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me, because my
word finds no place in you.
38: I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from
your father."
39: They answered him, "Abraham is our father." Jesus said to them, "If you were
Abraham's children, you would do what Abraham did,
40: but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth which I heard from
God; this is not what Abraham did.
41: You do what your father did." They said to him, "We were not born of fornication;
we have one Father, even God."
42: Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I proceeded and
came forth from God; I came not of my own accord, but he sent me.
43: Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my
word.
44: You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a
murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no
truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the
father of lies.
45: But, because I tell the truth, you do not believe me.
46: Which of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me?
47: He who is of God hears the words of God; the reason why you do not hear them is
that you are not of God."
48: The Jews answered him, "Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and
have a demon?"
49: Jesus answered, "I have not a demon; but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me.
50: Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it and he will be the judge.
51: Truly, truly, I say to you, if any one keeps my word, he will never see death."
52: The Jews said to him, "Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died, as did
the prophets; and you say, `If any one keeps my word, he will never taste death.'
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53: Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do
you claim to be?"
54: Jesus answered, "If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing; it is my Father who
glorifies me, of whom you say that he is your God.
55: But you have not known him; I know him. If I said, I do not know him, I should be a
liar like you; but I do know him and I keep his word.
56: Your father Abraham rejoiced that he was to see my day; he saw it and was glad."
57: The Jews then said to him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen
Abraham?"
58: Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am."
59: So they took up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the
temple.
Chapter 9
1: As he passed by, he saw a man blind from his birth.
2: And his disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was
born blind?"
3: Jesus answered, "It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of
God might be made manifest in him.
4: We must work the works of him who sent me, while it is day; night comes, when no
one can work.
5: As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."
6: As he said this, he spat on the ground and made clay of the spittle and anointed the
man's eyes with the clay,
7: saying to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Silo'am" (which means Sent). So he went and
washed and came back seeing.
8: The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar, said, "Is not this the
man who used to sit and beg?"
9: Some said, "It is he"; others said, "No, but he is like him." He said, "I am the man."
10: They said to him, "Then how were your eyes opened?"
11: He answered, "The man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me,
`Go to Silo'am and wash'; so I went and washed and received my sight."
12: They said to him, "Where is he?" He said, "I do not know."
13: They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind.
14: Now it was a sabbath day when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes.
15: The Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them,
"He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see."
16: Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for he does not keep the
sabbath." But others said, "How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?" There was a
division among them.
17: So they again said to the blind man, "What do you say about him, since he has
opened your eyes?" He said, "He is a prophet."
18: The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they
called the parents of the man who had received his sight,
19: and asked them, "Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he
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now see?"
20: His parents answered, "We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind;
21: but how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask
him; he is of age, he will speak for himself."
22: His parents said this because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed
that if any one should confess him to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue.
23: Therefore his parents said, "He is of age, ask him."
24: So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and said to him,
"Give God the praise; we know that this man is a sinner."
25: He answered, "Whether he is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I know, that though I
was blind, now I see."
26: They said to him, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?"
27: He answered them, "I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you
want to hear it again? Do you too want to become his disciples?"
28: And they reviled him, saying, "You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses.
29: We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where
he comes from."
30: The man answered, "Why, this is a marvel! You do not know where he comes from,
and yet he opened my eyes.
31: We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if any one is a worshiper of God and
does his will, God listens to him.
32: Never since the world began has it been heard that any one opened the eyes of a man
born blind.
33: If this man were not from God, he could do nothing."
34: They answered him, "You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?" And they
cast him out.
35: Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, "Do you
believe in the Son of man?"
36: He answered, "And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?"
37: Jesus said to him, "You have seen him, and it is he who speaks to you."
38: He said, "Lord, I believe"; and he worshiped him.
39: Jesus said, "For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see,
and that those who see may become blind."
40: Some of the Pharisees near him heard this, and they said to him, "Are we also blind?"
41: Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say,
`We see,' your guilt remains.
Chapter 10
1: "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but
climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber;
2: but he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
3: To him the gatekeeper opens; the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by
name and leads them out.
4: When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him,
for they know his voice.
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5: A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the
voice of strangers."
6: This figure Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to
them.
7: So Jesus again said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.
8: All who came before me are thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not heed them.
9: I am the door; if any one enters by me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and
find pasture.
10: The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and
have it abundantly.
11: I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
12: He who is a hireling and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf
coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.
13: He flees because he is a hireling and cares nothing for the sheep.
14: I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own know me,
15: as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.
16: And I have other sheep, that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will
heed my voice. So there shall be one flock, one shepherd.
17: For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life, that I may take it
again.
18: No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it
down, and I have power to take it again; this charge I have received from my Father."
19: There was again a division among the Jews because of these words.
20: Many of them said, "He has a demon, and he is mad; why listen to him?"
21: Others said, "These are not the sayings of one who has a demon. Can a demon open
the eyes of the blind?"
22: It was the feast of the Dedication at Jerusalem;
23: it was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon.
24: So the Jews gathered round him and said to him, "How long will you keep us in
suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly."
25: Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my
Father's name, they bear witness to me;
26: but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep.
27: My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me;
28: and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them
out of my hand.
29: My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch
them out of the Father's hand.
30: I and the Father are one."
31: The Jews took up stones again to stone him.
32: Jesus answered them, "I have shown you many good works from the Father; for
which of these do you stone me?"
33: The Jews answered him, "It is not for a good work that we stone you but for
blasphemy; because you, being a man, make yourself God."
34: Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your law, `I said, you are gods'?
35: If he called them gods to whom the word of God came (and scripture cannot be
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broken),
36: do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, `You are
blaspheming,' because I said, `I am the Son of God'?
37: If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me;
38: but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may
know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father."
39: Again they tried to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands.
40: He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John at first baptized, and
there he remained.
41: And many came to him; and they said, "John did no sign, but everything that John
said about this man was true."
42: And many believed in him there.
Chapter 11
1: Now a certain man was ill, Laz'arus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister
Martha.
2: It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair,
whose brother Laz'arus was ill.
3: So the sisters sent to him, saying, "Lord, he whom you love is ill."
4: But when Jesus heard it he said, "This illness is not unto death; it is for the glory of
God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by means of it."
5: Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Laz'arus.
6: So when he heard that he was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.
7: Then after this he said to the disciples, "Let us go into Judea again."
8: The disciples said to him, "Rabbi, the Jews were but now seeking to stone you, and are
you going there again?"
9: Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any one walks in the day, he
does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world.
10: But if any one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him."
11: Thus he spoke, and then he said to them, "Our friend Laz'arus has fallen asleep, but I
go to awake him out of sleep."
12: The disciples said to him, "Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover."
13: Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in
sleep.
14: Then Jesus told them plainly, "Laz'arus is dead;
15: and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us
go to him."
16: Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die
with him."
17: Now when Jesus came, he found that Laz'arus had already been in the tomb four
days.
18: Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off,
19: and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their
brother.
20: When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary sat in
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the house.
21: Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.
22: And even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you."
23: Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again."
24: Martha said to him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day."
25: Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though
he die, yet shall he live,
26: and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?"
27: She said to him, "Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, he who
is coming into the world."
28: When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying quietly, "The
Teacher is here and is calling for you."
29: And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him.
30: Now Jesus had not yet come to the village, but was still in the place where Martha
had met him.
31: When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly
and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there.
32: Then Mary, when she came where Jesus was and saw him, fell at his feet, saying to
him, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died."
33: When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was
deeply moved in spirit and troubled;
34: and he said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to him, "Lord, come and see."
35: Jesus wept.
36: So the Jews said, "See how he loved him!"
37: But some of them said, "Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have
kept this man from dying?"
38: Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb; it was a cave, and a stone lay
upon it.
39: Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him,
"Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days."
40: Jesus said to her, "Did I not tell you that if you would believe you would see the
glory of God?"
41: So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, "Father, I thank
thee that thou hast heard me.
42: I knew that thou hearest me always, but I have said this on account of the people
standing by, that they may believe that thou didst send me."
43: When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, "Laz'arus, come out."
44: The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with bandages, and his face
wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Unbind him, and let him go."
45: Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did,
believed in him;
46: but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.
47: So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council, and said, "What are we to
do? For this man performs many signs.
48: If we let him go on thus, every one will believe in him, and the Romans will come
and destroy both our holy place and our nation."
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49: But one of them, Ca'iaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, "You know
nothing at all;
50: you do not understand that it is expedient for you that one man should die for the
people, and that the whole nation should not perish."
51: He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied
that Jesus should die for the nation,
52: and not for the nation only, but to gather into one the children of God who are
scattered abroad.
53: So from that day on they took counsel how to put him to death.
54: Jesus therefore no longer went about openly among the Jews, but went from there to
the country near the wilderness, to a town called E'phraim; and there he stayed with the
disciples.
55: Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and many went up from the country to
Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify themselves.
56: They were looking for Jesus and saying to one another as they stood in the temple,
"What do you think? That he will not come to the feast?"
57: Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if any one knew where
he was, he should let them know, so that they might arrest him.
Chapter 12
1: Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Laz'arus was, whom
Jesus had raised from the dead.
2: There they made him a supper; Martha served, and Laz'arus was one of those at table
with him.
3: Mary took a pound of costly ointment of pure nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and
wiped his feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment.
4: But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was to betray him), said,
5: "Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?"
6: This he said, not that he cared for the poor but because he was a thief, and as he had
the money box he used to take what was put into it.
7: Jesus said, "Let her alone, let her keep it for the day of my burial.
8: The poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me."
9: When the great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there, they came, not only on
account of Jesus but also to see Laz'arus, whom he had raised from the dead.
10: So the chief priests planned to put Laz'arus also to death,
11: because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus.
12: The next day a great crowd who had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to
Jerusalem.
13: So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying, "Hosanna!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!"
14: And Jesus found a young ass and sat upon it; as it is written,
15: "Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on an ass's colt!"
16: His disciples did not understand this at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they
remembered that this had been written of him and had been done to him.
17: The crowd that had been with him when he called Laz'arus out of the tomb and raised
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him from the dead bore witness.
18: The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this
sign.
19: The Pharisees then said to one another, "You see that you can do nothing; look, the
world has gone after him."
20: Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks.
21: So these came to Philip, who was from Beth-sa'ida in Galilee, and said to him, "Sir,
we wish to see Jesus."
22: Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew went with Philip and they told Jesus.
23: And Jesus answered them, "The hour has come for the Son of man to be glorified.
24: Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it
remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
25: He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for
eternal life.
26: If any one serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there shall my servant be
also; if any one serves me, the Father will honor him.
27: "Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? `Father, save me from this hour'?
No, for this purpose I have come to this hour.
28: Father, glorify thy name." Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and I
will glorify it again."
29: The crowd standing by heard it and said that it had thundered. Others said, "An angel
has spoken to him."
30: Jesus answered, "This voice has come for your sake, not for mine.
31: Now is the judgment of this world, now shall the ruler of this world be cast out;
32: and I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself."
33: He said this to show by what death he was to die.
34: The crowd answered him, "We have heard from the law that the Christ remains for
ever. How can you say that the Son of man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of man?"
35: Jesus said to them, "The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the
light, lest the darkness overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where
he goes.
36: While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light."
When Jesus had said this, he departed and hid himself from them.
37: Though he had done so many signs before them, yet they did not believe in him;
38: it was that the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: "Lord, who has
believed our report, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?"
39: Therefore they could not believe. For Isaiah again said,
40: "He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they should see with their
eyes and perceive with their heart, and turn for me to heal them."
41: Isaiah said this because he saw his glory and spoke of him.
42: Nevertheless many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the
Pharisees they did not confess it, lest they should be put out of the synagogue:
43: for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
44: And Jesus cried out and said, "He who believes in me, believes not in me but in him
who sent me.
45: And he who sees me sees him who sent me.
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46: I have come as light into the world, that whoever believes in me may not remain in
darkness.
47: If any one hears my sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not
come to judge the world but to save the world.
48: He who rejects me and does not receive my sayings has a judge; the word that I have
spoken will be his judge on the last day.
49: For I have not spoken on my own authority; the Father who sent me has himself
given me commandment what to say and what to speak.
50: And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the
Father has bidden me."
Chapter 13
1: Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to
depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he
loved them to the end.
2: And during supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot,
Simon's son, to betray him,
3: Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had
come from God and was going to God,
4: rose from supper, laid aside his garments, and girded himself with a towel.
5: Then he poured water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe
them with the towel with which he was girded.
6: He came to Simon Peter; and Peter said to him, "Lord, do you wash my feet?"
7: Jesus answered him, "What I am doing you do not know now, but afterward you will
understand."
8: Peter said to him, "You shall never wash my feet." Jesus answered him, "If I do not
wash you, you have no part in me."
9: Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!"
10: Jesus said to him, "He who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but
he is clean all over; and you are clean, but not every one of you."
11: For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, "You are not all clean."
12: When he had washed their feet, and taken his garments, and resumed his place, he
said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you?
13: You call me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am.
14: If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one
another's feet.
15: For I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.
16: Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent
greater than he who sent him.
17: If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
18: I am not speaking of you all; I know whom I have chosen; it is that the scripture may
be fulfilled, `He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.'
19: I tell you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe
that I am he.
20: Truly, truly, I say to you, he who receives any one whom I send receives me; and he
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who receives me receives him who sent me."
21: When Jesus had thus spoken, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, "Truly, truly, I
say to you, one of you will betray me."
22: The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke.
23: One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was lying close to the breast of Jesus;
24: so Simon Peter beckoned to him and said, "Tell us who it is of whom he speaks."
25: So lying thus, close to the breast of Jesus, he said to him, "Lord, who is it?"
26: Jesus answered, "It is he to whom I shall give this morsel when I have dipped it." So
when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.
27: Then after the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, "What you are going
to do, do quickly."
28: Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him.
29: Some thought that, because Judas had the money box, Jesus was telling him, "Buy
what we need for the feast"; or, that he should give something to the poor.
30: So, after receiving the morsel, he immediately went out; and it was night.
31: When he had gone out, Jesus said, "Now is the Son of man glorified, and in him God
is glorified;
32: if God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at
once.
33: Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me; and as I said to the
Jews so now I say to you, `Where I am going you cannot come.'
34: A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved
you, that you also love one another.
35: By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one
another."
36: Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, where are you going?" Jesus answered, "Where I am
going you cannot follow me now; but you shall follow afterward."
37: Peter said to him, "Lord, why cannot I follow you now? I will lay down my life for
you."
38: Jesus answered, "Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the
cock will not crow, till you have denied me three times.
Chapter 14
1: "Let not your hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me.
2: In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, would I have told you that I go
to prepare a place for you?
3: And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to
myself, that where I am you may be also.
4: And you know the way where I am going."
5: Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going; how can we know
the way?"
6: Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the
Father, but by me.
7: If you had known me, you would have known my Father also; henceforth you know
him and have seen him."
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8: Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the Father, and we shall be satisfied."
9: Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you do not know me, Philip?
He who has seen me has seen the Father; how can you say, `Show us the Father'?
10: Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father in me? The words that I say
to you I do not speak on my own authority; but the Father who dwells in me does his
works.
11: Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me; or else believe me for the
sake of the works themselves.
12: "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in me will also do the works that I do; and
greater works than these will he do, because I go to the Father.
13: Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the
Son;
14: if you ask anything in my name, I will do it.
15: "If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
16: And I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, to be with you for
ever,
17: even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him
nor knows him; you know him, for he dwells with you, and will be in you.
18: "I will not leave you desolate; I will come to you.
19: Yet a little while, and the world will see me no more, but you will see me; because I
live, you will live also.
20: In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.
21: He who has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me; and he who
loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him."
22: Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, "Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us,
and not to the world?"
23: Jesus answered him, "If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will
love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.
24: He who does not love me does not keep my words; and the word which you hear is
not mine but the Father's who sent me.
25: "These things I have spoken to you, while I am still with you.
26: But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will
teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
27: Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to
you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
28: You heard me say to you, `I go away, and I will come to you.' If you loved me, you
would have rejoiced, because I go to the Father; for the Father is greater than I.
29: And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place, you
may believe.
30: I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no
power over me;
31: but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the
Father. Rise, let us go hence.
Chapter 15
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1: "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.
2: Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, he takes away, and every branch that does
bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
3: You are already made clean by the word which I have spoken to you.
4: Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in
the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.
5: I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that
bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
6: If a man does not abide in me, he is cast forth as a branch and withers; and the
branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned.
7: If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be
done for you.
8: By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my
disciples.
9: As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love.
10: If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my
Father's commandments and abide in his love.
11: These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may
be full.
12: "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
13: Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
14: You are my friends if you do what I command you.
15: No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is
doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made
known to you.
16: You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and
bear fruit and that your fruit should abide; so that whatever you ask the Father in my
name, he may give it to you.
17: This I command you, to love one another.
18: "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.
19: If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of
the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
20: Remember the word that I said to you, `A servant is not greater than his master.' If
they persecuted me, they will persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours
also.
21: But all this they will do to you on my account, because they do not know him who
sent me.
22: If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin; but now they have no
excuse for their sin.
23: He who hates me hates my Father also.
24: If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have
sin; but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father.
25: It is to fulfil the word that is written in their law, `They hated me without a cause.'
26: But when the Counselor comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, even the
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Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness to me;
27: and you also are witnesses, because you have been with me from the beginning.
Chapter 16
1: "I have said all this to you to keep you from falling away.
2: They will put you out of the synagogues; indeed, the hour is coming when whoever
kills you will think he is offering service to God.
3: And they will do this because they have not known the Father, nor me.
4: But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember
that I told you of them. "I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I
was with you.
5: But now I am going to him who sent me; yet none of you asks me, `Where are you
going?'
6: But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts.
7: Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not
go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.
8: And when he comes, he will convince the world concerning sin and righteousness and
judgment:
9: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me;
10: concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more;
11: concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
12: "I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.
13: When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not
speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to
you the things that are to come.
14: He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
15: All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and
declare it to you.
16: "A little while, and you will see me no more; again a little while, and you will see
me."
17: Some of his disciples said to one another, "What is this that he says to us, `A little
while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me'; and,
`because I go to the Father'?"
18: They said, "What does he mean by `a little while'? We do not know what he means."
19: Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him; so he said to them, "Is this what you are
asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, `A little while, and you will not see me, and
again a little while, and you will see me'?
20: Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you
will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy.
21: When a woman is in travail she has sorrow, because her hour has come; but when she
is delivered of the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a child is born
into the world.
22: So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no
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one will take your joy from you.
23: In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask anything
of the Father, he will give it to you in my name.
24: Hitherto you have asked nothing in my name; ask, and you will receive, that your joy
may be full.
25: "I have said this to you in figures; the hour is coming when I shall no longer speak to
you in figures but tell you plainly of the Father.
26: In that day you will ask in my name; and I do not say to you that I shall pray the
Father for you;
27: for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I
came from the Father.
28: I came from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am leaving the world
and going to the Father."
29: His disciples said, "Ah, now you are speaking plainly, not in any figure!
30: Now we know that you know all things, and need none to question you; by this we
believe that you came from God."
31: Jesus answered them, "Do you now believe?
32: The hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, every man to his
home, and will leave me alone; yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me.
33: I have said this to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have
tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."
Chapter 17
1: When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven and said,
"Father, the hour has come; glorify thy Son that the Son may glorify thee,
2: since thou hast given him power over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom thou
hast given him.
3: And this is eternal life, that they know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom
thou hast sent.
4: I glorified thee on earth, having accomplished the work which thou gavest me to do;
5: and now, Father, glorify thou me in thy own presence with the glory which I had with
thee before the world was made.
6: "I have manifested thy name to the men whom thou gavest me out of the world; thine
they were, and thou gavest them to me, and they have kept thy word.
7: Now they know that everything that thou hast given me is from thee;
8: for I have given them the words which thou gavest me, and they have received them
and know in truth that I came from thee; and they have believed that thou didst send me.
9: I am praying for them; I am not praying for the world but for those whom thou hast
given me, for they are thine;
10: all mine are thine, and thine are mine, and I am glorified in them.
11: And now I am no more in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to
thee. Holy Father, keep them in thy name, which thou hast given me, that they may be
one, even as we are one.
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12: While I was with them, I kept them in thy name, which thou hast given me; I have
guarded them, and none of them is lost but the son of perdition, that the scripture might
be fulfilled.
13: But now I am coming to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they may
have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
14: I have given them thy word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the
world, even as I am not of the world.
15: I do not pray that thou shouldst take them out of the world, but that thou shouldst
keep them from the evil one.
16: They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
17: Sanctify them in the truth; thy word is truth.
18: As thou didst send me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.
19: And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be consecrated in truth.
20: "I do not pray for these only, but also for those who believe in me through their word,
21: that they may all be one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also
may be in us, so that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
22: The glory which thou hast given me I have given to them, that they may be one even
as we are one,
23: I in them and thou in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may
know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them even as thou hast loved me.
24: Father, I desire that they also, whom thou hast given me, may be with me where I am,
to behold my glory which thou hast given me in thy love for me before the foundation of
the world.
25: O righteous Father, the world has not known thee, but I have known thee; and these
know that thou hast sent me.
26: I made known to them thy name, and I will make it known, that the love with which
thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them."
Chapter 18
1: When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples across the
Kidron valley, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered.
2: Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place; for Jesus often met there with his
disciples.
3: So Judas, procuring a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the
Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons.
4: Then Jesus, knowing all that was to befall him, came forward and said to them,
"Whom do you seek?"
5: They answered him, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus said to them, "I am he." Judas, who
betrayed him, was standing with them.
6: When he said to them, "I am he," they drew back and fell to the ground.
7: Again he asked them, "Whom do you seek?" And they said, "Jesus of Nazareth."
8: Jesus answered, "I told you that I am he; so, if you seek me, let these men go."
9: This was to fulfil the word which he had spoken, "Of those whom thou gavest me I
lost not one."
10: Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's slave and cut
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off his right ear. The slave's name was Malchus.
11: Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup which the
Father has given me?"
12: So the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the Jews seized Jesus and
bound him.
13: First they led him to Annas; for he was the father-in-law of Ca'iaphas, who was high
priest that year.
14: It was Ca'iaphas who had given counsel to the Jews that it was expedient that one
man should die for the people.
15: Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. As this disciple was known
to the high priest, he entered the court of the high priest along with Jesus,
16: while Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the
high priest, went out and spoke to the maid who kept the door, and brought Peter in.
17: The maid who kept the door said to Peter, "Are not you also one of this man's
disciples?" He said, "I am not."
18: Now the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they
were standing and warming themselves; Peter also was with them, standing and warming
himself.
19: The high priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching.
20: Jesus answered him, "I have spoken openly to the world; I have always taught in
synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together; I have said nothing secretly.
21: Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me, what I said to them; they know
what I said."
22: When he had said this, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand,
saying, "Is that how you answer the high priest?"
23: Jesus answered him, "If I have spoken wrongly, bear witness to the wrong; but if I
have spoken rightly, why do you strike me?"
24: Annas then sent him bound to Ca'iaphas the high priest.
25: Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They said to him, "Are not you
also one of his disciples?" He denied it and said, "I am not."
26: One of the servants of the high priest, a kinsman of the man whose ear Peter had cut
off, asked, "Did I not see you in the garden with him?"
27: Peter again denied it; and at once the cock crowed.
28: Then they led Jesus from the house of Ca'iaphas to the praetorium. It was early. They
themselves did not enter the praetorium, so that they might not be defiled, but might eat
the passover.
29: So Pilate went out to them and said, "What accusation do you bring against this
man?"
30: They answered him, "If this man were not an evildoer, we would not have handed
him over."
31: Pilate said to them, "Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law." The Jews
said to him, "It is not lawful for us to put any man to death."
32: This was to fulfil the word which Jesus had spoken to show by what death he was to
die.
33: Pilate entered the praetorium again and called Jesus, and said to him, "Are you the
King of the Jews?"
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34: Jesus answered, "Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you
about me?"
35: Pilate answered, "Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed
you over to me; what have you done?"
36: Jesus answered, "My kingship is not of this world; if my kingship were of this world,
my servants would fight, that I might not be handed over to the Jews; but my kingship is
not from the world."
37: Pilate said to him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king.
For this I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth.
Every one who is of the truth hears my voice."
38: Pilate said to him, "What is truth?" After he had said this, he went out to the Jews
again, and told them, "I find no crime in him.
39: But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover; will you
have me release for you the King of the Jews?"
40: They cried out again, "Not this man, but Barab'bas!" Now Barab'bas was a robber.
Chapter 19
1: Then Pilate took Jesus and scourged him.
2: And the soldiers plaited a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and arrayed him in a
purple robe;
3: they came up to him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" and struck him with their
hands.
4: Pilate went out again, and said to them, "See, I am bringing him out to you, that you
may know that I find no crime in him."
5: So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to
them, "Behold the man!"
6: When the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, "Crucify him, crucify
him!" Pilate said to them, "Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no crime in
him."
7: The Jews answered him, "We have a law, and by that law he ought to die, because he
has made himself the Son of God."
8: When Pilate heard these words, he was the more afraid;
9: he entered the praetorium again and said to Jesus, "Where are you from?" But Jesus
gave no answer.
10: Pilate therefore said to him, "You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have
power to release you, and power to crucify you?"
11: Jesus answered him, "You would have no power over me unless it had been given
you from above; therefore he who delivered me to you has the greater sin."
12: Upon this Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cried out, "If you release this
man, you are not Caesar's friend; every one who makes himself a king sets himself
against Caesar."
13: When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment
seat at a place called The Pavement, and in Hebrew, Gab'batha.
14: Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover; it was about the sixth hour. He
said to the Jews, "Behold your King!"
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15: They cried out, "Away with him, away with him, crucify him!" Pilate said to them,
"Shall I crucify your King?" The chief priests answered, "We have no king but Caesar."
16: Then he handed him over to them to be crucified.
17: So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called the
place of a skull, which is called in Hebrew Gol'gotha.
18: There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus
between them.
19: Pilate also wrote a title and put it on the cross; it read, "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of
the Jews."
20: Many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the
city; and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek.
21: The chief priests of the Jews then said to Pilate, "Do not write, `The King of the
Jews,' but, `This man said, I am King of the Jews.'"
22: Pilate answered, "What I have written I have written."
23: When the soldiers had crucified Jesus they took his garments and made four parts,
one for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was without seam, woven from top to
bottom;
24: so they said to one another, "Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall
be." This was to fulfil the scripture, "They parted my garments among them, and for my
clothing they cast lots."
25: So the soldiers did this. But standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his
mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Mag'dalene.
26: When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to
his mother, "Woman, behold, your son!"
27: Then he said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!" And from that hour the disciple
took her to his own home.
28: After this Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfil the scripture), "I
thirst."
29: A bowl full of vinegar stood there; so they put a sponge full of the vinegar on hyssop
and held it to his mouth.
30: When Jesus had received the vinegar, he said, "It is finished"; and he bowed his head
and gave up his spirit.
31: Since it was the day of Preparation, in order to prevent the bodies from remaining on
the cross on the sabbath (for that sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their
legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.
32: So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been
crucified with him;
33: but when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his
legs.
34: But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood
and water.
35: He who saw it has borne witness -- his testimony is true, and he knows that he tells
the truth -- that you also may believe.
36: For these things took place that the scripture might be fulfilled, "Not a bone of him
shall be broken."
37: And again another scripture says, "They shall look on him whom they have pierced."
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38: After this Joseph of Arimathe'a, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of
the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him
leave. So he came and took away his body.
39: Nicode'mus also, who had at first come to him by night, came bringing a mixture of
myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds' weight.
40: They took the body of Jesus, and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the
burial custom of the Jews.
41: Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new
tomb where no one had ever been laid.
42: So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, as the tomb was close at hand, they laid
Jesus there.
Chapter 20
1: Now on the first day of the week Mary Mag'dalene came to the tomb early, while it
was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.
2: So she ran, and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved,
and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where
they have laid him."
3: Peter then came out with the other disciple, and they went toward the tomb.
4: They both ran, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first;
5: and stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in.
6: Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; he saw the linen
cloths lying,
7: and the napkin, which had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths but rolled
up in a place by itself.
8: Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and
believed;
9: for as yet they did not know the scripture, that he must rise from the dead.
10: Then the disciples went back to their homes.
11: But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into
the tomb;
12: and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the
head and one at the feet.
13: They said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because they
have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him."
14: Saying this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it
was Jesus.
15: Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom do you seek?" Supposing
him to be the gardener, she said to him, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where
you have laid him, and I will take him away."
16: Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rab-bo'ni!" (which
means Teacher).
17: Jesus said to her, "Do not hold me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to
my brethren and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God
and your God."
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18: Mary Mag'dalene went and said to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord"; and she told
them that he had said these things to her.
19: On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the
disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them,
"Peace be with you."
20: When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples
were glad when they saw the Lord.
21: Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I
send you."
22: And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy
Spirit.
23: If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are
retained."
24: Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus
came.
25: So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them,
"Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the
nails, and place my hand in his side, I will not believe."
26: Eight days later, his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them.
The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them, and said, "Peace be with
you."
27: Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your
hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing."
28: Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!"
29: Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those
who have not seen and yet believe."
30: Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not
written in this book;
31: but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,
and that believing you may have life in his name.
Chapter 21
1: After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tibe'ri-as; and
he revealed himself in this way.
2: Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathan'a-el of Cana in Galilee, the sons of
Zeb'edee, and two others of his disciples were together.
3: Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We will go with
you." They went out and got into the boat; but that night they caught nothing.
4: Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; yet the disciples did not know that
it was Jesus.
5: Jesus said to them, "Children, have you any fish?" They answered him, "No."
6: He said to them, "Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some." So
they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, for the quantity of fish.
7: That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" When Simon Peter
heard that it was the Lord, he put on his clothes, for he was stripped for work, and sprang
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into the sea.
8: But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not
far from the land, but about a hundred yards off.
9: When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish lying on it, and
bread.
10: Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish that you have just caught."
11: So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred
and fifty-three of them; and although there were so many, the net was not torn.
12: Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." Now none of the disciples dared ask
him, "Who are you?" They knew it was the Lord.
13: Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish.
14: This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was
raised from the dead.
15: When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do
you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you."
He said to him, "Feed my lambs."
16: A second time he said to him, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" He said to him,
"Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Tend my sheep."
17: He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was
grieved because he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" And he said to him,
"Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my
sheep.
18: Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you girded yourself and walked
where you would; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will
gird you and carry you where you do not wish to go."
19: (This he said to show by what death he was to glorify God.) And after this he said to
him, "Follow me."
20: Peter turned and saw following them the disciple whom Jesus loved, who had lain
close to his breast at the supper and had said, "Lord, who is it that is going to betray
you?"
21: When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, "Lord, what about this man?"
22: Jesus said to him, "If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?
Follow me!"
23: The saying spread abroad among the brethren that this disciple was not to die; yet
Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, "If it is my will that he remain until I
come, what is that to you?"
24: This is the disciple who is bearing witness to these things, and who has written these
things; and we know that his testimony is true.
25: But there are also many other things which Jesus did; were every one of them to be
written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.
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The Koran
http://www.hti.umich.edu/k/koran/browse.html
The Opening (Sura 1)
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
[1.1] All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.
[1.2] The Beneficent, the Merciful.
[1.3] Master of the Day of Judgment.
[1.4] Thee do we serve and Thee do we beseech for help.
[1.5] Keep us on the right path.
[1.6] The path of those upon whom Thou hast bestowed favors. Not (the
path) of those upon whom Thy wrath is brought down, nor of those who go
astray.
The Cow (Sura 2)
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
[2.1] Alif Lam Mim.
[2.2] This Book, there is no doubt in it, is a guide to those who guard (against evil).
[2.3] Those who believe in the unseen and keep up prayer and spend out of what We have
given them.
[2.4] And who believe in that which has been revealed to you and that which was
revealed before you and they are sure of the hereafter.
[2.5] These are on a right course from their Lord and these it is that shall be successful.
[2.6] Surely those who disbelieve, it being alike to them whether you warn them, or do
not warn them, will not believe.
[2.7] Allah has set a seal upon their hearts and upon their hearing and there is a covering
over their eyes, and there is a great punishment for them.
[2.8] And there are some people who say: We believe in Allah and the last day; and they
are not at all believers.
[2.9] They desire to deceive Allah and those who believe, and they deceive only
themselves and they do not perceive.
[2.10] There is a disease in their hearts, so Allah added to their disease and they shall
have a painful chastisement because they lied.
[2.11] And when it is said to them, Do not make mischief in the land, they say: We are
but peace-makers.
[2.12] Now surely they themselves are the mischief makers, but they do not perceive.
[2.13] And when it is said to them: Believe as the people believe they say: Shall we
believe as the fools believe? Now surely they themselves are the fools, but they do not
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know.
[2.14] And when they meet those who believe, they say: We believe; and when they are
alone with their Shaitans, they say: Surely we are with you, we were only mocking.
[2.15] Allah shall pay them back their mockery, and He leaves them alone in their
inordinacy, blindly wandering on.
[2.16] These are they who buy error for the right direction, so their bargain shall bring no
gain, nor are they the followers of the right direction.
[2.17] Their parable is like the parable of one who kindled a fire but when it had
illumined all around him, Allah took away their light, and left them in utter darkness-they do not see.
[2.18] Deaf, dumb (and) blind, so they will not turn back.
[2.19] Or like abundant rain from the cloud in which is utter darkness and thunder and
lightning; they put their fingers into their ears because of the thunder peal, for fear of
death, and Allah encompasses the unbelievers.
[2.20] The lightning almost takes away their sight; whenever it shines on them they walk
in it, and when it becomes dark to them they stand still; and if Allah had pleased He
would certainly have taken away their hearing and their sight; surely Allah has power
over all things.
[2.21] O men! serve your Lord Who created you and those before you so that you may
guard (against evil).
[2.22] Who made the earth a resting place for you and the heaven a canopy and (Who)
sends down rain from the cloud then brings forth with it subsistence for you of the fruits;
therefore do not set up rivals to Allah while you know.
[2.23] And if you are in doubt as to that which We have revealed to Our servant, then
produce a chapter like it and call on your witnesses besides Allah if you are truthful.
[2.24] But if you do (it) not and never shall you do (it), then be on your guard against the
fire of which men and stones are the fuel; it is prepared for the unbelievers.
[2.25] And convey good news to those who believe and do good deeds, that they shall
have gardens in which rivers flow; whenever they shall be given a portion of the fruit
thereof, they shall say: This is what was given to us before; and they shall be given the
like of it, and they shall have pure mates in them, and in them, they shall abide.
[2.26] Surely Allah is not ashamed to set forth any parable-- (that of) a gnat or any thing
above that; then as for those who believe, they know that it is the truth from their Lord,
and as for those who disbelieve, they say: What is it that Allah means by this parable: He
causes many to err by it and many He leads aright by it! but He does not cause to err by it
(any) except the transgressors,
[2.27] Who break the covenant of Allah after its confirmation and cut asunder what Allah
has ordered to be joined, and make mischief in the land; these it is that are the losers.
[2.28] How do you deny Allah and you were dead and He gave you life? Again He will
cause you to die and again bring you to life, then you shall be brought back to Him.
[2.29] He it is Who created for you all that is in the earth, and He directed Himself to the
heaven, so He made them complete seven heavens, and He knows all things.
[2.30] And when your Lord said to the angels, I am going to place in the earth a khalif,
they said: What! wilt Thou place in it such as shall make mischief in it and shed blood,
and we celebrate Thy praise and extol Thy holiness? He said: Surely I know what you do
not know.
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[2.31] And He taught Adam all the names, then presented them to the angels; then He
said: Tell me the names of those if you are right.
[2.32] They said: Glory be to Thee! we have no knowledge but that which Thou hast
taught us; surely Thou art the Knowing, the Wise.
[2.33] He said: O Adam! inform them of their names. Then when he had informed them
of their names, He said: Did I not say to you that I surely know what is ghaib in the
heavens and the earth and (that) I know what you manifest and what you hide?
[2.34] And when We said to the angels: Make obeisance to Adam they did obeisance, but
Iblis (did it not). He refused and he was proud, and he was one of the unbelievers.
[2.35] And We said: O Adam! Dwell you and your wife in the garden and eat from it a
plenteous (food) wherever you wish and do not approach this tree, for then you will be of
the unjust.
[2.36] But the Shaitan made them both fall from it, and caused them to depart from that
(state) in which they were; and We said: Get forth, some of you being the enemies of
others, and there is for you in the earth an abode and a provision for a time.
[2.37] Then Adam received (some) words from his Lord, so He turned to him mercifully;
surely He is Oft-returning (to mercy), the Merciful.
[2.38] We said: Go forth from this (state) all; so surely there will come to you a guidance
from Me, then whoever follows My guidance, no fear shall come upon them, nor shall
they grieve.
[2.39] And (as to) those who disbelieve in and reject My communications, they are the
inmates of the fire, in it they shall abide.
[2.40] O children of Israel! call to mind My favor which I bestowed on you and be
faithful to (your) covenant with Me, I will fulfill (My) covenant with you; and of Me, Me
alone, should you be afraid.
[2.41] And believe in what I have revealed, verifying that which is with you, and be not
the first to deny it, neither take a mean price in exchange for My communications; and
Me, Me alone should you fear.
[2.42] And do not mix up the truth with the falsehood, nor hide the truth while you know
(it).
[2.43] And keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate and bow down with those who bow
down.
[2.44] What! do you enjoin men to be good and neglect your own souls while you read
the Book; have you then no sense?
[2.45] And seek assistance through patience and prayer, and most surely it is a hard thing
except for the humble ones,
[2.46] Who know that they shall meet their Lord and that they shall return to Him.
[2.47] O children of Israel! call to mind My favor which I bestowed on you and that I
made you excel the nations.
[2.48] And be on your guard against a day when one soul shall not avail another in the
least, neither shall intercession on its behalf be accepted, nor shall any compensation be
taken from it, nor shall they be helped.
[2.49] And when We delivered you from Firon's people, who subjected you to severe
torment, killing your sons and sparing your women, and in this there was a great trial
from your Lord.
[2.50] And when We parted the sea for you, so We saved you and drowned the followers
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of Firon and you watched by.
[2.51] And when We appointed a time of forty nights with Musa, then you took the calf
(for a god) after him and you were unjust.
[2.52] Then We pardoned you after that so that you might give thanks.
[2.53] And when We gave Musa the Book and the distinction that you might walk aright.
[2.54] And when Musa said to his people: O my people! you have surely been unjust to
yourselves by taking the calf (for a god), therefore turn to your Creator (penitently), so
kill your people, that is best for you with your Creator: so He turned to you (mercifully),
for surely He is the Oft-returning (to mercy), the Merciful.
[2.55] And when you said: O Musa! we will not believe in you until we see Allah
manifestly, so the punishment overtook you while you looked on.
[2.56] Then We raised you up after your death that you may give thanks.
[2.57] And We made the clouds to give shade over you and We sent to you manna and
quails: Eat of the good things that We have given you; and they did not do Us any harm,
but they made their own souls suffer the loss.
[2.58] And when We said: Enter this city, then eat from it a plenteous (food) wherever
you wish, and enter the gate making obeisance, and say, forgiveness. We will forgive you
your wrongs and give more to those who do good (to others).
[2.59] But those who were unjust changed it for a saying other than that which had been
spoken to them, so We sent upon those who were unjust a pestilence from heaven,
because they transgressed.
[2.60] And when Musa prayed for drink for his people, We said: Strike the rock with
your staff So there gushed from it twelve springs; each tribe knew its drinking place: Eat
and drink of the provisions of Allah and do not act corruptly in the land, making
mischief.
[2.61] And when you said: O Musa! we cannot bear with one food, therefore pray Lord
on our behalf to bring forth for us out of what the earth grows, of its herbs and its
cucumbers and its garlic and its lentils and its onions. He said: Will you exchange that
which is better for that which is worse? Enter a city, so you will have what you ask for.
And abasement and humiliation were brought down upon them, and they became
deserving of Allah's wrath; this was so because they disbelieved in the communications
of Allah and killed the prophets unjustly; this was so because they disobeyed and
exceeded the limits.
[2.62] Surely those who believe, and those who are Jews, and the Christians, and the
Sabians, whoever believes in Allah and the Last day and does good, they shall have their
reward from their Lord, and there is no fear for them, nor shall they grieve.
[2.63] And when We took a promise from you and lifted the mountain over you: Take
hold of the law (Tavrat) We have given you with firmness and bear in mind what is in it,
so that you may guard (against evil).
[2.64] Then you turned back after that; so were it not for the grace of Allah and His
mercy on you, you would certainly have been among the losers.
[2.65] And certainly you have known those among you who exceeded the limits of the
Sabbath, so We said to them: Be (as) apes, despised and hated.
[2.66] So We made them an example to those who witnessed it and those who came after
it, and an admonition to those who guard (against evil).
[2.67] And when Musa said to his people: Surely Allah commands you that you should
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sacrifice a cow; they said: Do you ridicule us? He said: I seek the protection of Allah
from being one of the ignorant.
[2.68] They said: Call on your Lord for our sake to make it plain to us what she is. Musa
said: He says, Surely she is a cow neither advanced in age nor too young, of middle age
between that (and this); do therefore what you are commanded.
[2.69] They said: Call on your Lord for our sake to make it plain to us what her color is.
Musa said: He says, Surely she is a yellow cow; her color is intensely yellow, giving
delight to the beholders.
[2.70] They said: Call on your Lord for our sake to make it plain to us what she is, for
surely to us the cows are all alike, and if Allah please we shall surely be guided aright.
[2.71] Musa said: He says, Surely she is a cow not made submissive that she should
plough the land, nor does she irrigate the tilth; sound, without a blemish in her. They
said: Now you have brought the truth; so they sacrificed her, though they had not the
mind to do (it).
[2.72] And when you killed a man, then you disagreed with respect to that, and Allah was
to bring forth that which you were going to hide.
[2.73] So We said: Strike the (dead body) with part of the (Sacrificed cow), thus Allah
brings the dead to life, and He shows you His signs so that you may understand.
[2.74] Then your hearts hardened after that, so that they were like rocks, rather worse in
hardness; and surely there are some rocks from which streams burst forth, and surely
there are some of them which split asunder so water issues out of them, and surely there
are some of them which fall down for fear of Allah, and Allah is not at all heedless of
what you do.
[2.75] Do you then hope that they would believe in you, and a party from among them
indeed used to hear the Word of Allah, then altered it after they had understood it, and
they know (this).
[2.76] And when they meet those who believe they say: We believe, and when they are
alone one with another they say: Do you talk to them of what Allah has disclosed to you
that they may contend with you by this before your Lord? Do you not then understand?
[2.77] Do they not know that Allah knows what they keep secret and what they make
known?
[2.78] And there arc among them illiterates who know not the Book but only lies, and
they do but conjecture.
[2.79] Woe, then, to those who write the book with their hands and then say: This is from
Allah, so that they may take for it a small price; therefore woe to them for what their
hands have written and woe to them for what they earn.
[2.80] And they say: Fire shall not touch us but for a few days. Say: Have you received a
promise from Allah, then Allah will not fail to perform His promise, or do you speak
against Allah what you do not know?
[2.81] Yeal whoever earns evil and his sins beset him on every side, these are the inmates
of the fire; in it they shall abide.
[2.82] And (as for) those who believe and do good deeds, these are the dwellers of the
garden; in it they shall abide.
[2.83] And when We made a covenant with the children of Israel: You shall not serve any
but Allah and (you shall do) good to (your) parents, and to the near of kin and to the
orphans and the needy, and you shall speak to men good words and keep up prayer and
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pay the poor-rate. Then you turned back except a few of you and (now too) you turn
aside.
[2.84] And when We made a covenant with you: You shall not shed your blood and you
shall not turn your people out of your cities; then you gave a promise while you
witnessed.
[2.85] Yet you it is who slay your people and turn a party from among you out of their
homes, backing each other up against them unlawfully and exceeding the limits; and if
they should come to you, as captives you would ransom them-- while their very turning
out was unlawful for you. Do you then believe in a part of the Book and disbelieve in the
other? What then is the re ward of such among you as do this but disgrace in the life of
this world, and on the day of resurrection they shall be sent back to the most grievous
chastisement, and Allah is not at all heedless of what you do.
[2.86] These are they who buy the life of this world for the hereafter, so their
chastisement shall not be lightened nor shall they be helped.
[2.87] And most certainly We gave Musa the Book and We sent apostles after him one
after another; and We gave Isa, the son of Marium, clear arguments and strengthened him
with the holy spirit, What! whenever then an apostle came to you with that which your
souls did not desire, you were insolent so you called some liars and some you slew.
[2.88] And they say: Our hearts are covered. Nay, Allah has cursed them on account of
their unbelief; so little it is that they believe.
[2.89] And when there came to them a Book from Allah verifying that which they have,
and aforetime they used to pray for victory against those who disbelieve, but when there
came to them (Prophet) that which they did not recognize, they disbelieved in him; so
Allah's curse is on the unbelievers.
[2.90] Evil is that for which they have sold their souls-- that they should deny what Allah
has revealed, out of envy that Allah should send down of His grace on whomsoever of
His servants He pleases; so they have made themselves deserving of wrath upon wrath,
and there is a disgraceful punishment for the unbelievers.
[2.91] And when it is said to them, Believe in what Allah has revealed, they say: We
believe in that which was revealed to us; and they deny what is besides that, while it is
the truth verifying that which they have. Say: Why then did you kill Allah's Prophets
before if you were indeed believers?
[2.92] And most certainly Musa came to you with clear arguments, then you took the calf
(for a god) in his absence and you were unjust.
[2.93] And when We made a covenant with you and raised the mountain over you: Take
hold of what We have given you with firmness and be obedient. They said: We hear and
disobey. And they were made to imbibe (the love of) the calf into their hearts on account
of their unbelief Say: Evil is that which your belief bids you if you are believers.
[2.94] Say: If the future abode with Allah is specially for you to the exclusion of the
people, then invoke death if you are truthful.
[2.95] And they will never invoke it on account of what their hands have sent before, and
Allah knows the unjust.
[2.96] And you will most certainly find them the greediest of men for life (greedier) than
even those who are polytheists; every one of them loves that he should be granted a life
of a thousand years, and his being granted a long life will in no way remove him further
off from the chastisement, and Allah sees what they
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[2.97] Say: Whoever is the enemy of Jibreel-- for surely he revealed it to your heart by
Allah's command, verifying that which is before it and guidance and good news for the
believers.
[2.98] Whoever is the enemy of Allah and His angels and His apostles and Jibreel and
Meekaeel, so surely Allah is the enemy of the unbelievers.
[2.99] And certainly We have revealed to you clear communications and none disbelieve
in them except the transgressors.
[2.100] What! whenever they make a covenant, a party of them cast it aside? Nay, most
of them do not believe.
[2.101] And when there came to them an Apostle from Allah verifying that which they
have, a party of those who were given the Book threw the Book of Allah behind their
backs as if they knew nothing.
[2.102] And they followed what the Shaitans chanted of sorcery in the reign of Sulaiman,
and Sulaiman was not an unbeliever, but the Shaitans disbelieved, they taught men
sorcery and that was sent down to the two angels at Babel, Harut and Marut, yet these
two taught no man until they had said, "Surely we are only a trial, therefore do not be a
disbeliever." Even then men learned from these two, magic by which they might cause a
separation between a man and his wife; and they cannot hurt with it any one except with
Allah's permission, and they learned what harmed them and did not profit them, and
certainly they know that he who bought it should have no share of good in the hereafter
and evil was the price for which they sold their souls, had they but known this.
[2.103] And if they had believed and guarded themselves (against evil), reward from
Allah would certainly have been better; had they but known (this).
[2.104] O you who believe! do not say Raina and say Unzurna and listen, and for the
unbelievers there is a painful chastisement.
[2.105] Those who disbelieve from among the followers of the Book do not like, nor do
the polytheists, that the good should be sent down to you from your Lord, and Allah
chooses especially whom He pleases for His mercy, and Allah is the Lord of mighty
grace.
[2.106] Whatever communications We abrogate or cause to be forgotten, We bring one
better than it or like it. Do you not know that Allah has power over all things?
[2.107] Do you not know that Allah's is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and
that besides Allah you have no guardian or helper?
[2.108] Rather you wish to put questions to your Apostle, as Musa was questioned
before; and whoever adopts unbelief instead of faith, he indeed has lost the right direction
of the way.
[2.109] Many of the followers of the Book wish that they could turn you back into
unbelievers after your faith, out of envy from themselves, (even) after the truth has
become manifest to them; but pardon and forgive, so that Allah should bring about His
command; surely Allah has power over all things.
[2.110] And keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate and whatever good you send before for
yourselves, you shall find it with Allah; surely Allah sees what you do.
[2.111] And they say: None shall enter the garden (or paradise) except he who is a Jew or
a Christian. These are their vain desires. Say: Bring your proof if you are truthful.
[2.112] Yes! whoever submits himself entirely to Allah and he is the doer of good (to
others) he has his reward from his Lord, and there is no fear for him nor shall he grieve.
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[2.113] And the Jews say: The Christians do not follow anything (good) and the
Christians say: The Jews do not follow anything (good) while they recite the (same)
Book. Even thus say those who have no knowledge, like to what they say; so Allah shall
judge between them on the day of resurrection in what they differ.
[2.114] And who is more unjust than he who prevents (men) from the masjids of Allah,
that His name should be remembered in them, and strives to ruin them? (As for) these, it
was not proper for them that they should have entered them except in fear; they shall
meet with disgrace in this world, and they shall have great chastisement in the hereafter.
[2.115] And Allah's is the East and the West, therefore, whither you turn, thither is
Allah's purpose; surely Allah is Amplegiving, Knowing.
[2.116] And they say: Allah has taken to himself a son. Glory be to Him; rather, whatever
is in the heavens and the earth is His; all are obedient to Him.
[2.117] Wonderful Originator of the heavens and the earth, and when He decrees an
affair, He only says to it, Be, so there it is.
[2.118] And those who have no knowledge say: Why does not Allah speak to us or a sign
come to us? Even thus said those before them, the like of what they say; their hearts are
all alike. Indeed We have made the communications clear for a people who are sure.
[2.119] Surely We have sent you with the truth as a bearer of good news and as a warner,
and you shall not be called upon to answer for the companions of the flaming fire.
[2.120] And the Jews will not be pleased with you, nor the Christians until you follow
their religion. Say: Surely Allah's guidance, that is the (true) guidance. And if you follow
their desires after the knowledge that has come to you, you shall have no guardian from
Allah, nor any helper.
[2.121] Those to whom We have given the Book read it as it ought to be read. These
believe in it; and whoever disbelieves in it, these it is that are the losers.
[2.122] O children of Israel, call to mind My favor which I bestowed on you and that I
made you excel the nations.
[2.123] And.be on your guard against a day when no soul shall avail another in the least
neither shall any compensation be accepted from it, nor shall intercession profit it, nor
shall they be helped.
[2.124] And when his Lord tried Ibrahim with certain words, he fulfilled them. He said:
Surely I will make you an Imam of men. Ibrahim said: And of my offspring? My
covenant does not include the unjust, said He.
[2.125] And when We made the House a pilgrimage for men and a (place of) security,
and: Appoint for yourselves a place of prayer on the standing-place of Ibrahim. And We
enjoined Ibrahim and Ismail saying: Purify My House for those who visit (it) and those
who abide (in it) for devotion and those who bow down (and) those who prostrate
themselves.
[2.126] And when Ibrahim said: My Lord, make it a secure town and provide its people
with fruits, such of them as believe in Allah and the last day. He said: And whoever
disbelieves, I will grant him enjoyment for a short while, then I will drive him to the
chastisement of the fire; and it is an evil destination.
[2.127] And when Ibrahim and Ismail raised the foundations of the House: Our Lord!
accept from us; surely Thou art the Hearing, the Knowing:
[2.128] Our Lord! and make us both submissive to Thee and (raise) from our offspring a
nation submitting to Thee, and show us our ways of devotion and turn to us (mercifully),
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surely Thou art the Oft-returning (to mercy), the Merciful.
[2.129] Our Lord! and raise up in them an Apostle from among them who shall recite to
them Thy communications and teach them the Book and the wisdom, and purify them;
surely Thou art the Mighty, the Wise.
[2.130] And who forsakes the religion of Ibrahim but he who makes himself a fool, and
most certainly We chose him in this world, and in the hereafter he is most surely among
the righteous.
[2.131] When his Lord said to him, Be a Muslim, he said: I submit myself to the Lord of
the worlds.
[2.132] And the same did Ibrahim enjoin on his sons and (so did) Yaqoub. O my sons!
surely Allah has chosen for you (this) faith, therefore die not unless you are Muslims.
[2.133] Nay! were you witnesses when death visited Yaqoub, when he said to his sons:
What will you serve after me? They said: We will serve your God and the God of your
fathers, Ibrahim and Ismail and Ishaq, one God only, and to Him do we submit.
[2.134] This is a people that have passed away; they shall have what they earned and you
shall have what you earn, and you shall not be called upon to answer for what they did.
[2.135] And they say: Be Jews or Christians, you will be on the right course. Say: Nay!
(we follow) the religion of Ibrahim, the Hanif, and he was not one of the polytheists.
[2.136] Say: We believe in Allah and (in) that which had been revealed to us, and (in)
that which was revealed to Ibrahim and Ismail and Ishaq and Yaqoub and the tribes, and
(in) that which was given to Musa and Isa, and (in) that which was given to the prophets
from their Lord, we do not make any distinction between any of them, and to Him do we
submit.
[2.137] If then they believe as you believe in Him, they are indeed on the right course,
and if they turn back, then they are only in great opposition, so Allah will suffice you
against them, and He is the Hearing, the Knowing.
[2.138] (Receive) the baptism of Allah, and who is better than Allah in baptising? and
Him do we serve.
[2.139] Say: Do you dispute with us about Allah, and He is our Lord and your Lord, and
we shall have our deeds and you shall have your deeds, and we are sincere to Him.
[2.140] Nay! do you say that Ibrahim and Ismail and Yaqoub and the tribes were Jews or
Christians? Say: Are you better knowing or Allah? And who is more unjust than he who
conceals a testimony that he has from Allah? And Allah is not at all heedless of what you
do.
[2.141] This is a people that have passed away; they shall have what they earned and you
shall have what you earn, and you shall not be called upon to answer for what they did.
[2.142] The fools among the people will say: What has turned them from their qiblah
which they had? Say: The East and the West belong only to Allah; He guides whom He
likes to the right path.
[2.143] And thus We have made you a medium (just) nation that you may be the bearers
of witness to the people and (that) the Apostle may be a bearer of witness to you; and We
did not make that which you would have to be the qiblah but that We might distinguish
him who follows the Apostle from him who turns back upon his heels, and this was
surely hard except for those whom Allah has guided aright; and Allah was not going to
make your faith to be fruitless; most surely Allah is Affectionate, Merciful to the people.
[2.144] Indeed We see the turning of your face to heaven, so We shall surely turn you to
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a qiblah which you shall like; turn then your face towards the Sacred Mosque, and
wherever you are, turn your face towards it, and those who have been given the Book
most surely know that it is the truth from their Lord; and Allah is not at all heedless of
what they do.
[2.145] And even if you bring to those who have been given the Book every sign they
would not follow your qiblah, nor can you be a follower of their qiblah, neither are they
the followers of each other's qiblah, and if you follow their desires after the knowledge
that has come to you, then you shall most surely be among the unjust.
[2.146] Those whom We have given the Book recognize him as they recognize their sons,
and a party of them most surely conceal the truth while they know (it).
[2.147] The truth is from your Lord, therefore you should not be of the doubters.
[2.148] And every one has a direction to which he should turn, therefore hasten to (do)
good works; wherever you are, Allah will bring you all together; surely Allah has power
over all things.
[2.149] And from whatsoever place you come forth, turn your face towards the Sacred
Mosque; and surely it is the very truth from your Lord, and Allah is not at all heedless of
what you do.
[2.150] And from whatsoever place you come forth, turn your face towards the Sacred
Mosque; and wherever you are turn your faces towards it, so that people shall have no
accusation against you, except such of them as are unjust; so do not fear them, and fear
Me, that I may complete My favor on you and that you may walk on the right course.
[2.151] Even as We have sent among you an Apostle from among you who recites to you
Our communications and purifies you and teaches you the Book and the wisdom and
teaches you that which you did not know.
[2.152] Therefore remember Me, I will remember you, and be thankful to Me, and do not
be ungrateful to Me.
[2.153] O you who believe! seek assistance through patience and prayer; surely Allah is
with the patient.
[2.154] And do not speak of those who are slain in Allah's way as dead; nay, (they are)
alive, but you do not perceive.
[2.155] And We will most certainly try you with somewhat of fear and hunger and loss of
property and lives and fruits; and give good news to the patient,
[2.156] Who, when a misfortune befalls them, say: Surely we are Allah's and to Him we
shall surely return.
[2.157] Those are they on whom are blessings and mercy from their Lord, and those are
the followers of the right course.
[2.158] Surely the Safa and the Marwa are among the signs appointed by Allah; so
whoever makes a pilgrimage to the House or pays a visit (to it), there is no blame on him
if he goes round them both; and whoever does good spontaneously, then surely Allah is
Grateful, Knowing.
[2.159] Surely those who conceal the clear proofs and the guidance that We revealed
after We made it clear in the Book for men, these it is whom Allah shall curse, and those
who curse shall curse them (too).
[2.160] Except those who repent and amend and make manifest (the truth), these it is to
whom I turn (mercifully); and I am the Oft-returning (to mercy), the Merciful.
[2.161] Surely those who disbelieve and die while they are disbelievers, these it is on
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whom is the curse of Allah and the angels and men all;
[2.162] Abiding in it; their chastisement shall not be lightened nor shall they be given
respite.
[2.163] And your God is one God! there is no god but He; He is the Beneficent, the
Merciful.
[2.164] Most surely in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the
night and the day, and the ships that run in the sea with that which profits men, and the
water that Allah sends down from the cloud, then gives life with it to the earth after its
death and spreads in it all (kinds of) animals, and the changing of the winds and the
clouds made subservient between the heaven and the earth, there are signs for a people
who understand.
[2.165] And there are some among men who take for themselves objects of worship
besides Allah, whom they love as they love Allah, and those who believe are stronger in
love for Allah and O, that those who are unjust had seen, when they see the chastisement,
that the power is wholly Allah's and that Allah is severe in requiting (evil).
[2.166] When those who were followed shall renounce those who followed (them), and
they see the chastisement and their ties are cut asunder.
[2.167] And those who followed shall say: Had there been for us a return, then we would
renounce them as they have renounced us. Thus will Allah show them their deeds to be
intense regret to them, and they shall not come forth from the fire.
[2.168] O men! eat the lawful and good things out of what is in the earth, and do not
follow the footsteps of the Shaitan; surely he is your open enemy.
[2.169] He only enjoins you evil and indecency, and that you may speak against Allah
what you do not know.
[2.170] And when it is said to them, Follow what Allah has revealed, they say: Nay! we
follow what we found our fathers upon. What! and though their fathers had no sense at
all, nor did they follow the right way.
[2.171] And the parable of those who disbelieve is as the parable of one who calls out to
that which hears no more than a call and a cry; deaf, dumb (and) blind, so they do not
understand.
[2.172] O you who believe! eat of the good things that We have provided you with, and
give thanks to Allah if Him it is that you serve.
[2.173] He has only forbidden you what dies of itself, and blood, and flesh of swine, and
that over which any other (name) than (that of) Allah has been invoked; but whoever is
driven to necessity, not desiring, nor exceeding the limit, no sin shall be upon him; surely
Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
[2.174] Surely those who conceal any part of the Book that Allah has revealed and take
for it a small price, they eat nothing but fire into their bellies, and Allah will not speak to
them on the day of resurrection, nor will He purify them, and they shall have a painful
chastisement.
[2.175] These are they who buy error for the right direction and chastisement for
forgiveness; how bold they are to encounter fire.
[2.176] This is because Allah has revealed the Book with the truth; and surely those who
go against the Book are in a great opposition.
[2.177] It is not righteousness that you turn your faces towards the East and the West, but
righteousness is this that one should believe in Allah and the last day and the angels and
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the Book and the prophets, and give away wealth out of love for Him to the near of kin
and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer and the beggars and for (the
emancipation of) the captives, and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate; and the
performers of their promise when they make a promise, and the patient in distress and
affliction and in time of conflicts-- these are they who are {rue (to themselves) and these
are they who guard (against evil).
[2.178] O you who believe! retaliation is prescribed for you in the matter of the slain, the
free for the free, and the slave for the slave, and the female for the female, but if any
remission is made to any one by his (aggrieved) brother, then prosecution (for the
bloodwit) should be made according to usage, and payment should be made to him in a
good manner; this is an alleviation from your Lord and a mercy; so whoever exceeds the
limit after this he shall have a painful chastisement.
[2.179] And there is life for you in (the law of) retaliation, O men of understanding, that
you may guard yourselves.
[2.180] Bequest is prescribed for you when death approaches one of you, if he leaves
behind wealth for parents and near relatives, according to usage, a duty (incumbent) upon
those who guard (against evil).
[2.181] Whoever then alters it after he has heard it, the sin of it then is only upon those
who alter it; surely Allah is Hearing, Knowing.
[2.182] But he who fears an inclination to a wrong course or an act of disobedience on
the part of the testator, and effects an agreement between the parties, there is no blame on
him. Surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
[2.183] O you who believe! fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those
before you, so that you may guard (against evil).
[2.184] For a certain number of days; but whoever among you is sick or on a journey,
then (he shall fast) a (like) number of other days; and those who are not able to do it may
effect a redemption by feeding a poor man; so whoever does good spontaneously it is
better for him; and that you fast is better for you if you know.
[2.185] The month of Ramazan is that in which the Quran was revealed, a guidance to
men and clear proofs of the guidance and the distinction; therefore whoever of you is
present in the month, he shall fast therein, and whoever is sick or upon a journey, then (he
shall fast) a (like) number of other days; Allah desires ease for you, and He does not
desire for you difficulty, and (He desires) that you should complete the number and that
you should exalt the greatness of Allah for His having guided you and that you may give
thanks.
[2.186] And when My servants ask you concerning Me, then surely I am very near; I
answer the prayer of the suppliant when he calls on Me, so they should answer My call
and believe in Me that they may walk in the right way.
[2.187] It is made lawful to you to go into your wives on the night of the fast; they are an
apparel for you and you are an apparel for them; Allah knew that you acted unfaithfully
to yourselves, so He has turned to you (mercifully) and removed from you (this burden);
so now be in contact with them and seek what Allah has ordained for you, and eat and
drink until the whiteness of the day becomes distinct from the blackness of the night at
dawn, then complete the fast till night, and have not contact with them while you keep to
the mosques; these are the limits of Allah, so do not go near them. Thus does Allah make
clear His communications for men that they may guard (against evil).
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[2.188] And do not swallow up your property among yourselves by false means, neither
seek to gain access thereby to the judges, so that you may swallow up a part of the
property of men wrongfully while you know.
[2.189] They ask you concerning the new moon. Say: They are times appointed for (the
benefit of) men, and (for) the pilgrimage; and it is not righteousness that you should enter
the houses at their backs, but righteousness is this that one should guard (against evil);
and go into the houses by their doors and be careful (of your duty) to Allah, that you may
be successful.
[2.190] And fight in the way of Allah with those who fight with you, and do not exceed
the limits, surely Allah does not love those who exceed the limits.
[2.191] And kill them wherever you find them, and drive them out from whence they
drove you out, and persecution is severer than slaughter, and do not fight with them at the
Sacred Mosque until they fight with you in it, but if they do fight you, then slay them;
such is the recompense of the unbelievers.
[2.192] But if they desist, then surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
[2.193] And fight with them until there is no persecution, and religion should be only for
Allah, but if they desist, then there should be no hostility except against the oppressors.
[2.194] The Sacred month for the sacred month and all sacred things are (under the law
of) retaliation; whoever then acts aggressively against you, inflict injury on him
according to the injury he has inflicted on you and be careful (of your duty) to Allah and
know that Allah is with those who guard (against evil).
[2.195] And spend in the way of Allah and cast not yourselves to perdition with your own
hands, and do good (to others); surely Allah loves the doers of good.
[2.196] And accomplish the pilgrimage and the visit for Allah, but if, you are prevented,
(send) whatever offering is easy to obtain, and do not shave your heads until the offering
reaches its destination; but whoever among you is sick or has an ailment of the head, he
(should effect) a compensation by fasting or alms or sacrificing, then when you are
secure, whoever profits by combining the visit with the pilgrimage (should take) what
offering is easy to obtain; but he who cannot find (any offering) should fast for three days
during the pilgrimage and for seven days when you return; these (make) ten (days)
complete; this is for him whose family is not present in the Sacred Mosque, and be
careful (of your duty) to Allah, and know that Allah is severe in requiting (evil).
[2.197] The pilgrimage is (performed in) the well-known months; so whoever determines
the performance of the pilgrimage therein, there shall be no intercourse nor fornication
nor quarrelling amongst one another; and whatever good you do, Allah knows it; and
make provision, for surely the provision is the guarding of oneself, and be careful (of
your duty) to Me, O men of understanding.
[2.198] There is no blame on you in seeking bounty from your Lord, so when you hasten
on from "Arafat", then remember Allah near the Holy Monument, and remember Him as
He has guided you, though before that you were certainly of the erring ones.
[2.199] Then hasten on from the Place from which the people hasten on and ask the
forgiveness of Allah; surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
[2.200] So when you have performed your devotions, then laud Allah as you lauded your
fathers, rather a greater lauding. But there are some people who say, Our Lord! give us in
the world, and they shall have no resting place.
[2.201] And there are some among them who say: Our Lord! grant us good in this world
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and good in the hereafter, and save us from the chastisement of the fire.
[2.202] They shall have (their) portion of what they have earned, and Allah is swift in
reckoning.
[2.203] And laud Allah during the numbered days; then whoever hastens off in two days,
there is no blame on him, and whoever remains behind, there is no blame on him, (this is)
for him who guards (against evil), and be careful (of your duty) to Allah, and know that
you shall be gathered together to Him.
[2.204] And among men is he whose speech about the life of this world causes you to
wonder, and he calls on Allah to witness as to what is in his heart, yet he is the most
violent of adversaries.
[2.205] And when he turn,s back, he runs along in the land that he may cause mischief in
it and destroy the tilth and the stock, and Allah does not love mischief-making.
[2.206] And when it is said to him, guard against (the punish ment of) Allah; pride carries
him off to sin, therefore hell is sufficient for him; and certainly it is an evil resting place.
[2.207] And among men is he who sells himself to seek the pleasure of Allah; and Allah
is Affectionate to the servants.
[2.208] O you who believe! enter into submission one and all and do not follow the
footsteps of Shaitan; surely he is your open enemy.
[2.209] But if you slip after clear arguments have come to you, then know that Allah is
Mighty, Wise.
[2.210] They do not wait aught but that Allah should come to them in the shadows of the
clouds along with the angels, and the matter has (already) been decided; and (all) matters
are returned to Allah.
[2.211] Ask the Israelites how many a clear sign have We given them; and whoever
changes the favor of Allah after it has come to him, then surely Allah is severe in
requiting (evil).
[2.212] The life of this world is made to seem fair to those who disbelieve, and they
mock those who believe, and those who guard (against evil) shall be above them on the
day of resurrection; and Allah gives means of subsistence to whom he pleases without
measure.
[2.213] (All) people are a single nation; so Allah raised prophets as bearers of good news
and as warners, and He revealed with them the Book with truth, that it might judge
between people in that in which they differed; and none but the very people who were
given it differed about it after clear arguments had come to them, revolting among
themselves; so Allah has guided by His will those who believe to the truth about which
they differed and Allah guides whom He pleases to the right path.
[2.214] Or do you think that you would enter the garden while yet the state of those who
have passed away before you has not come upon you; distress and affliction befell them
and they were shaken violently, so that the Apostle and those who believed with him
said: When will the help of Allah come? Now surely the help of Allah is nigh!
[2.215] They ask you as to what they should spend. Say: Whatever wealth you spend, it is
for the parents and the near of kin and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer, and
whatever good you do, Allah surely knows it.
[2.216] Fighting is enjoined on you, and h is an object of dislike to you; and it may be
that you dislike a thing while it is good for you, and it may be that you love a thing while
it is evil for you, and Allah knows, while you do not know.
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[2.217] They ask you concerning the sacred month about fighting in it. Say: Fighting in it
is a grave matter, and hindering (men) from Allah's way and denying Him, and
(hindering men from) the Sacred Mosque and turning its people out of it, are still graver
with Allah, and persecution is graver than slaughter; and they will not cease fighting with
you until they turn you back from your religion, if they can; and whoever of you turns
back from his religion, then he dies while an unbeliever-- these it is whose works shall go
for nothing in this world and the hereafter, and they are the inmates of the fire; therein
they shall abide.
[2.218] Surely those who believed and those who fled (their home) and strove hard in the
way of Allah these hope for the mercy of Allah and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
[2.219] They ask you about intoxicants and games of chance. Say: In both of them there
is a great sin and means of profit for men, and their sin is greater than their profit. And
they ask you as to what they should spend. Say: What you can spare. Thus does Allah
make clear to you the communications, that you may ponder
[2.220] On this world and the hereafter. And they ask you concerning the orphans Say:
To set right for them (their affairs) is good, and if you become co-partners with them,
they are your brethren; and Allah knows the mischief-maker and the pacemaker, and if
Allah had pleased, He would certainly have caused you to fall into a difficulty; surely
Allah is Mighty, Wise.
[2.221] And do not marry the idolatresses until they believe, and certainly a believing
maid is better than an idolatress woman, even though she should please you; and do not
give (believing women) in marriage to idolaters until they believe, and certainly a
believing servant is better than an idolater, even though he should please you; these invite
to the fire, and Allah invites to the garden and to forgiveness by His will, and makes clear
His communications to men, that they may be mindful.
[2.222] And they ask you about menstruation. Say: It is a discomfort; therefore keep
aloof from the women during the menstrual discharge and do not go near them until they
have become clean; then when they have cleansed themselves, go in to them as Allah has
commanded you; surely Allah loves those who turn much (to Him), and He loves those
who purify themselves.
[2.223] Your wives are a tilth for you, so go into your tilth when you like, and do good
beforehand for yourselves, and be careful (of your duty) to Allah, and know that you will
meet Him, and give good news to the believers.
[2.224] And make not Allah because of your swearing (by Him) an obstacle to your
doing good and guarding (against evil) and making peace between men, and Allah is
Hearing, Knowing.
[2.225] Allah does not call you to account for what is vain in your oaths, but He will call
you to account for what your hearts have earned, and Allah is Forgiving, Forbearing.
[2.226] Those who swear that they will not go in to their wives should wait four months;
so if they go back, then Allah is surely Forgiving, Merciful.
[2.227] And if they have resolved on a divorce, then Allah is surely Hearing, Knowing.
[2.228] And the divorced women should keep themselves in waiting for three courses;
and it is not lawful for them that they should conceal what Allah has created in their
wombs, if they believe in Allah and the last day; and their husbands have a better right to
take them back in the meanwhile if they wish for reconciliation; and they have rights
similar to those against them in a just manner, and the men are a degree above them, and
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Allah is Mighty, Wise.
[2.229] Divorce may be (pronounced) twice, then keep (them) in good fellowship or let
(them) go with kindness; and it is not lawful for you to take any part of what you have
given them, unless both fear that they cannot keep within the limits of Allah; then if you
fear that they cannot keep within the limits of Allah, there is no blame on them for what
she gives up to become free thereby. These are the limits of Allah, so do not exceed them
and whoever exceeds the limits of Allah these it is that are the unjust.
[2.230] So if he divorces her she shall not be lawful to him afterwards until she marries
another husband; then if he divorces her there is no blame on them both if they return to
each other (by marriage), if they think that they can keep within the limits of Allah, and
these are the limits of Allah which He makes clear for a people who know.
[2.231] And when you divorce women and they reach their prescribed time, then either
retain them in good fellowship or set them free with liberality, and do not retain them for
injury, so that you exceed the limits, and whoever does this, he indeed is unjust to his
own soul; and do not take Allah's communications for a mockery, and remember the
favor of Allah upon you, and that which He has revealed to you of the Book and the
Wisdom, admonishing you thereby; and be careful (of your duty to) Allah, and know that
Allah is the Knower of all things.
[2.232] And when you have divorced women and they have ended-- their term (of
waiting), then do not prevent them from marrying their husbands when they agree among
themselves in a lawful manner; with this is admonished he among you who believes in
Allah and the last day, this is more profitable and purer for you; and Allah knows while
you do not know.
[2.233] And the mothers should suckle their children for two whole years for him who
desires to make complete the time of suckling; and their maintenance and their clothing
must be-- borne by the father according to usage; no soul shall have imposed upon it a
duty but to the extent of its capacity; neither shall a mother be made to suffer harm on
account of her child, nor a father on account of his child, and a similar duty (devolves) on
the (father's) heir, but if both desire weaning by mutual consent and counsel, there is no
blame on them, and if you wish to engage a wet-nurse for your children, there is no
blame on you so long as you pay what you promised for according to usage; and be
careful of (your duty to) Allah and know that Allah sees what you do.
[2.234] And (as for) those of you who die and leave wives behind, they should keep
themselves in waiting for four months and ten days; then when they have fully attained
their term, there is no blame on you for what they do for themselves in a lawful manner;
and Allah is aware of what you do.
[2.235] And there is no blame on you respecting that which you speak indirectly in the
asking of (such) women in marriage or keep (the proposal) concealed within your minds;
Allah knows that you win mention them, but do not give them a promise in secret unless
you speak in a lawful manner, and do not confirm the marriage tie until the writing is
fulfilled, and know that Allah knows what is in your minds, therefore beware of Him, and
know that Allah is Forgiving, Forbearing.
[2.236] There is no blame on you if you divorce women when you have not touched them
or appointed for them a portion, and make provision for them, the wealthy according to
his means and the straitened in circumstances according to his means, a provision
according to usage; (this is) a duty on the doers of good (to others).
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[2.237] And if you divorce them before you have touched them and you have appointed
for them a portion, then (pay to them) ha!f of what you have appointed, unless they
relinquish or he should relinquish in whose hand is the marriage tie; and it is nearer to
righteousness that you should relinquish; and do not neglect the giving of free gifts
between you; surely Allah sees what you do.
[2.238] Attend constantly to prayers and to the middle prayer and stand up truly obedient
to Allah.
[2.239] But if you are in danger, then (say your prayers) on foot or on horseback; and
when you are secure, then remember Allah, as. He has taught you what you did not know.
[2.240] And those of you who die and leave wives behind, (make) a bequest in favor of
their wives of maintenance for a year without turning (them) out, then if they themselves
go away, there is no blame on you for what they do of lawful deeds by themselves, and
Allah is Mighty, Wise.
[2.241] And for the divorced women (too) provision (must be made) according to usage;
(this is) a duty on those who guard (against evil).
[2.242] Allah thus makes clear to you His communications that you may understand.
[2.243] Have you not considered those who went forth from their homes, for fear of
death, and they were thousands, then Allah said to them, Die; again He gave them life;
most surely Allah is Gracious to people, but most people are not grateful.
[2.244] And fight in the way of Allah, and know that Allah is Hearing, Knowing.
[2.245] Who is it that will offer of Allah a goodly gift, so He will multiply it to him
manifold, and Allah straitens and amplifies, and you shall be returned to Him.
[2.246] Have you not considered the chiefs of the children of Israel after Musa, when
they said to a prophet of theirs: Raise up for us a king, (that) we may fight in the way of
Allah. He said: May it not be that you would not fight if fighting is ordained for you?
They said: And what reason have we that we should not fight in the way of Allah, and we
have indeed been compelled to abandon our homes and our children. But when fighting
was ordained for them, they turned back, except a few of them, and Allah knows the
unjust.
[2.247] And their prophet said to them: Surely Allah has raised Talut to be a king over
you. They said: How can he hold kingship over us while we have a greater right to
kingship than he, and he has not been granted an abundance of wealth? He said: Surely
Allah has chosen him in preference to you, and He has increased him abundantly in
knowledge and physique, and Allah grants His kingdom to whom He pleases, and Allah
is Amplegiving, Knowing.
[2.248] And the prophet said to them: Surely the sign of His kingdom is, that there shall
come to you the chest in which there is tranquillity from your Lord and residue of the
relics of what the children of Musa and the children of Haroun have left, the angels
bearing it; most surely there is a sign in this for those who believe.
[2.249] So when Talut departed with the forces, he said: Surely Allah will try you with a
river; whoever then drinks from it, he is not of me, and whoever does not taste of it, he is
surely of me, except he who takes with his hand as much of it as fills the hand; but with
the exception of a few of them they drank from it. So when he had crossed it, he and
those who believed with him, they said: We have today no power against Jalut and his
forces. Those who were sure that they would meet their Lord said: How often has a small
party vanquished a numerous host by Allah's permission, and Allah is with the patient.
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[2.250] And when they went out against Jalut and his forces they said: Our Lord, pour
down upon us patience, and make our steps firm and assist us against the unbelieving
people.
[2.251] So they put them to flight by Allah's permission. And Dawood slew Jalut, and
Allah gave him kingdom and wisdom, and taught him of what He pleased. And were it
not for Allah's repelling some men with others, the earth would certainly be in a state of
disorder; but Allah is Gracious to the creatures.
[2.252] These are the communications of Allah: We recite them to you with truth; and
most surely you are (one) of the apostles.
[2.253] We have made some of these apostles to excel the others among them are they to
whom Allah spoke, and some of them He exalted by (many degrees of) rank; and We
gave clear miracles to Isa son of Marium, and strengthened him with the holy spirit. And
if Allah had pleased, those after them would not have fought one with another after clear
arguments had come to them, but they disagreed; so there were some of them who
believed and others who denied; and if Allah had pleased they would not have fought one
with another, but Allah brings about what He intends.
[2.254] O you who believe! spend out of what We have given you before the day comes
in which there is no bargaining, neither any friendship nor intercession, and the
unbelievers-- they are the unjust.
[2.255] Allah is He besides Whom there is no god, the Everliving, the Self-subsisting by
Whom all subsist; slumber does not overtake Him nor sleep; whatever is in the heavens
and whatever is in the earth is His; who is he that can intercede with Him but by His
permission? He knows what is before them and what is behind them, and they cannot
comprehend anything out of His knowledge except what He pleases, His knowledge
extends over the heavens and the earth, and the preservation of them both tires Him not,
and He is the Most High, the Great.
[2.256] There is no compulsion in religion; truly the right way has become clearly
distinct from error; therefore, whoever disbelieves in the Shaitan and believes in Allah he
indeed has laid hold on the firmest handle, which shall not break off, and Allah is
Hearing, Knowing.
[2.257] Allah is the guardian of those who believe. He brings them out of the darkness
into the light; and (as to) those who disbelieve, their guardians are Shaitans who take
them out of the light into the darkness; they are the inmates of the fire, in it they shall
abide.
[2.258] Have you not considered him (Namrud) who disputed with Ibrahim about his
Lord, because Allah had given him the kingdom? When Ibrahim said: My Lord is He
who gives life and causes to die, he said: I give life and cause death. Ibrahim said: So
surely Allah causes the sun to rise from the east, then make it rise from the west; thus he
who disbelieved was confounded; and Allah does not guide aright the unjust people.
[2.259] Or the like of him (Uzair) who passed by a town, and it had fallen down upon its
roofs; he said: When will Allah give it life after its death? So Allah caused him to die for
a hundred years, then raised him to life. He said: How long have you tarried? He said: I
have tarried a day, or a part of a day. Said He: Nay! you have tarried a hundred years;
then look at your food and drink-- years have not passed over it; and look at your ass; and
that We may make you a sign to men, and look at the bones, how We set them together,
then clothed them with flesh; so when it became clear to him, he said: I know that Allah
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has power over all things.
[2.260] And when Ibrahim said: My Lord! show me how Thou givest life to the dead, He
said: What! and do you not believe? He said: Yes, but that my heart may be at ease. He
said: Then take four of the birds, then train them to follow you, then place on every
mountain a part of them, then call them, they will come to you flying; and know that
Allah is Mighty, Wise.
[2.261] The parable of those who spend their property in the way of Allah is as the
parable of a grain growing seven ears (with) a hundred grains in every ear; and Allah
multiplies for whom He pleases; and Allah is Ample-giving, Knowing
[2.262] (As for) those who spend their property in the way.of Allah, then do not follow
up what they have spent with reproach or injury, they shall have their reward from their
Lord, and they shall have no fear nor shall they grieve.
[2.263] Kind speech and forgiveness is better than charity followed by injury; and Allah
is Self-sufficient, Forbearing.
[2.264] O you who believe! do not make your charity worthless by reproach and injury,
like him who spends his property to be seen of men and does not believe in Allah and the
last day; so his parable is as the parable of a smooth rock with earth upon it, then a heavy
rain falls upon it, so it leaves it bare; they shall not be able to gain anything of what they
have earned; and Allah does not guide the unbelieving people.
[2.265] And the parable of those who spend their property to seek the pleasure of Allah
and for the certainty 'of their souls is as the parable of a garden on an elevated ground,
upon which heavy rain falls so it brings forth its fruit twofold but if heavy rain does not
fall upon it, then light rain (is sufficient); and Allah sees what you do.
[2.266] Does one of you like that he should have a garden of palms and vines with
streams flowing beneath it; he has in it all kinds of fruits; and old age has overtaken him
and he has weak offspring, when, (lo!) a whirlwind with fire in it smites it so it becomes
blasted; thus Allah makes the communications clear to you, that you may reflect.
[2.267] O you who believe! spend (benevolently) of the good things that you earn and or
what We have brought forth for you out of the earth, and do not aim at what is bad that
you may spend (in alms) of it, while you would not take it yourselves unless you have its
price lowered, and know that Allah is Self-sufficient, Praiseworthy.
[2.268] Shaitan threatens you with poverty and enjoins you to be niggardly, and Allah
promises you forgiveness from Himself and abundance; and Allah is Ample-giving,
Knowing.
[2.269] He grants wisdom to whom He pleases, and whoever is granted wisdom, he
indeed is given a great good and none but men of understanding mind.
[2.270] And whatever alms you give or (whatever) vow you vow, surely Allah knows it;
and the unjust shall have no helpers.
[2.271] If you give alms openly, it is well, and if you hide it and give it to the poor, it is
better for you; and this will do away with some of your evil deeds; and Allah is aware of
what you do.
[2.272] To make them walk in the right way is not incumbent on you, but Allah guides
aright whom He pleases; and whatever good thing you spend, it is to your own good; and
you do not spend but to seek Allah's pleasure; and whatever good things you spend shall
be paid back to you in full, and you shall not be wronged.
[2.273] (Alms are) for the poor who are confined in the way of Allah-- they cannot go
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about in the land; the ignorant man thinks them to be rich on account of (their) abstaining
(from begging); you can recognise them by their mark; they do not beg from men
importunately; and whatever good thing you spend, surely Allah knows it.
[2.274] (As for) those who spend their property by night and by day, secretly and openly,
they shall have their reward from their Lord and they shall have no fear, nor shall they
grieve.
[2.275] Those who swallow down usury cannot arise except as one whom Shaitan has
prostrated by (his) touch does rise. That is because they say, trading is only like usury;
and Allah has allowed trading and forbidden usury. To whomsoever then the admonition
has come from his Lord, then he desists, he shall have what has already passed, and his
affair is in the hands of Allah; and whoever returns (to it)-- these arc the inmates of the
fire; they shall abide in it.
[2.276] Allah does not bless usury, and He causes charitable deeds to prosper, and Allah
does not love any ungrateful sinner.
[2.277] Surely they who believe and do good deeds and keep up prayer and pay the poorrate they shall have their reward from their Lord, and they shall have no fear, nor shall
they grieve.
[2.278] O you who believe! Be careful of (your duty to) Allah and relinquish what
remains (due) from usury, if you are believers.
[2.279] But if you do (it) not, then be apprised of war from Allah and His Apostle; and if
you repent, then you shall have your capital; neither shall you make (the debtor) suffer
loss, nor shall you be made to suffer loss.
[2.280] And if (the debtor) is in straitness, then let there be postponement until (he is in)
ease; and that you remit (it) as alms is better for you, if you knew.
[2.281] And guard yourselves against a day in which you shall be returned to Allah; then
every soul shall be paid back in full what it has earned, and they shall not be dealt with
unjustly.
[2.282] O you who believe! when you deal with each other in contracting a debt for a
fixed time, then write it down; and let a scribe write it down between you with fairness;
and the scribe should not refuse to write as Allah has taught him, so he should write; and
let him who owes the debt dictate, and he should be careful of (his duty to) Allah, his
Lord, and not diminish anything from it; but if he who owes the debt is unsound in
understanding, or weak, or (if) he is not able to dictate himself, let his guardian dictate
with fairness; and call in to witness from among your men two witnesses; but if there are
not two men, then one man and two women from among those whom you choose to be
witnesses, so that if one of the two errs, the second of the two may remind the other; and
the witnesses should not refuse when they are summoned; and be not averse to writing it
(whether it is) small or large, with the time of its falling due; this is more equitable in the
sight of Allah and assures greater accuracy in testimony, and the nearest (way) that you
may not entertain doubts (afterwards), except when it is ready merchandise which you
give and take among yourselves from hand to hand, then there is no blame on you in not
writing it down; and have witnesses when you barter with one another, and let no harm
be done to the scribe or to the witness; and if you do (it) then surely it will be a
transgression in you, and be careful of (your duty) to Allah, Allah teaches you, and Allah
knows all things.
[2.283] And if you are upon a journey and you do not find a scribe, then (there may be) a
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security taken into possession; but if one of you trusts another, then he who is trusted
should deliver his trust, and let him be careful (of his duty to) Allah, his Lord; and do not
conceal testimony, and whoever conceals it, his heart is surely sinful; and Allah knows
what you do.
[2.284] Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth is Allah's; and whether
you manifest what is in your minds or hide it, Allah will call you to account according to
it; then He will forgive whom He pleases and chastise whom He pleases, and Allah has
power over all things.
[2.285] The apostle believes in what has been revealed to him from his Lord, and (so do)
the believers; they all believe in Allah and His angels and His books and His apostles;
We make no difference between any of His apostles; and they say: We hear and obey, our
Lord! Thy forgiveness (do we crave), and to Thee is the eventual course.
[2.286] Allah does not impose upon any soul a duty but to the extent of its ability; for it is
(the benefit of) what it has earned and upon it (the evil of) what it has wrought: Our Lord!
do not punish us if we forget or make a mistake; Our Lord! do not lay on us a burden as
Thou didst lay on those before us, Our Lord do not impose upon us that which we have
not the strength to bear; and pardon us and grant us protection and have mercy on us,
Thou art our Patron, so help us against the unbelieving people.
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Love poems of Rumi
http://www.khamush.com/love_poems.html
♥
A moment of happiness
A moment of happiness,
you and I sitting on the verandah,
apparently two, but one in soul, you and I.
We feel the flowing water of life here,
you and I, with the garden's beauty
and the birds singing.
The stars will be watching us,
and we will show them
what it is to be a thin crescent moon.
You and I unselfed, will be together,
indifferent to idle speculation, you and I.
The parrots of heaven will be cracking sugar
as we laugh together, you and I.
In one form upon this earth,
and in another form in a timeless sweet land.
Lovers
O lovers, lovers it is time
to set out from the world.
I hear a drum in my soul's ear
coming from the depths of the stars.
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Our camel driver is at work;
the caravan is being readied.
He asks that we forgive him
for the disturbance he has caused us,
He asks why we travelers are asleep.
Everywhere the murmur of departure;
the stars, like candles
thrust at us from behind blue veils,
and as if to make the invisible plain,
a wondrous people have come forth.
Like This
If anyone asks you
how the perfect satisfaction
of all our sexual wanting
will look, lift your face
and say,
Like this.
When someone mentions the gracefulness
of the nightsky, climb up on the roof
and dance and say,
Like this.
If anyone wants to know what "spirit" is,
or what "God’s fragrance" means,
lean your head toward him or her.
Keep your face there close.
Like this.
When someone quotes the old poetic image
about clouds gradually uncovering the moon,
slowly loosen knot by knot the strings
of your robe.
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Like this.
If anyone wonders how Jesus raised the dead,
don’t try to explain the miracle.
Kiss me on the lips.
Like this. Like this.
When someone asks what it means
to "die for love," point
here.
If someone asks how tall I am, frown
and measure with your fingers the space
between the creases on your forehead.
This tall.
The soul sometimes leaves the body, then returns.
When someone doesn’t believe that,
walk back into my house.
Like this.
When lovers moan,
they’re telling our story.
Like this.
I am a sky where spirits live.
Stare into this deepening blue,
while the breeze says a secret.
Like this.
When someone asks what there is to do,
light the candle in his hand.
Like this.
How did Joseph’s scent come to Jacob?
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Huuuuu.
How did Jacob’s sight return?
Huuuu.
A little wind cleans the eyes.
Like this.
When Shams comes back from Tabriz,
he’ll put just his head around the edge
of the door to surprise us
Like this.
Ode 314
Those who don't feel this Love
pulling them like a river,
those who don't drink dawn
like a cup of spring water
or take in sunset like supper,
those who don't want to change,
let them sleep.
This Love is beyond the study of theology,
that old trickery and hypocrisy.
I you want to improve your mind that way,
sleep on.
I've given up on my brain.
I've torn the cloth to shreds
and thrown it away.
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If you're not completely naked,
wrap your beautiful robe of words
around you,
and sleep.
Let go of your worries
Let go of your worries
and be completely clear-hearted,
like the face of a mirror
that contains no images.
If you want a clear mirror,
behold yourself
and see the shameless truth,
which the mirror reflects.
If metal can be polished
to a mirror-like finish,
what polishing might the mirror
of the heart require?
Between the mirror and the heart
is this single difference:
the heart conceals secrets,
while the mirror does not.
From ‘The Essential Rumi’, Translations
by Coleman Barks with John Moyne
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Discourses of Rumi
http://www.littleknownpubs.com/RumiIntro.htm
Introduction:
The poetry of Jalal al-Din Rumi has recently become popular and well known, thanks
to new translations by Coleman Barks, Robert Bly and others. Anyone who is looking to
experience Rumi's incandescent love need go no further than his volumes of verse, but if
you want to see the subtleties of his wisdom and find insights into the real meaning of his
poetry, then Rumi's Discourses hold the key.
Until this publication, as far as the publishers know, all previous translations of
Rumi's Discourses into English have been made by scholars, written from the world of
academia. While their books were published with care to preserve the accuracy of Rumi's
literary meaning, this publication of It Is What It is strives to restore the subtle impacts of
Rumi's words that carry his real message.
Rumi is not just telling stories that teach, or relating his philosophical and religious
understanding, as the previous translations have focused on, but his words have been
crafted to transmit something of great substance. As the Sufis have often said, this matter
cannot be studied from the outside, it can only be discovered from within. No doubt such
statements will raise disagreements, but we need only refer to Rumi's own discourses to
see his own opinions on this very subject. Over and over Rumi criticizes those who study
at length the outward sense of things, but miss the inner Truth.
It is likely that the Discourses of Rumi will only appeal to those who are willing to
make some effort to study his words. But if the reader is willing to read carefully, he or
she should be able to find a greater glimpse of Rumi's relationship with life and his
spiritually intoxicating intimacy with the Path of Love.
Fourteen
Sheikh Ibrahim said: “Whenever Saif-al-Din Farrukh ordered someone to be given a
beating, he would immediately occupy himself until the beating was over, so that no one
could intercede.”
Rumi said: Whatever you see in this world corresponds exactly with what is in the
world beyond. All these realities are samples of the other Reality. Whatever exists in this
world has come from there.
The bald man of Baalbek carried on his head trays and samples of various herbs - a
pinch of pepper, a pinch of mastic, a pinch from every heap. The heaps were infinite, but
there was no room on his tray for more. People are like the bald man of Baalbek, they are
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loaded with pinches and pieces out of the treasuries of God, some known and some
hidden - a piece of hearing, a piece of speech, a piece of reason, a piece of generosity, a
piece of knowledge. For this reason our work is always a reflection of God.
There are beings who are hawkers of God. Night and day they fill trays. By day you
spend away your portion to make your living, by night these beings replenish your tray.
For instance, in the other world there are sights and visions of many kinds. A sample
of those has been sent to you to see in this world. Sight is not limited to this world only,
but the human body cannot bear more than this.
Thousands of people, generation after generation, have come and filled themselves
from that Sea, returning again and again. That source is infinite. The longer we stay upon
that Infinite Sea, the colder our heart grows for this world of samples.
This world is coined in that Mint and must return to that Mint again. All our parts
have issued from that Mint, are samples of that Mint, and must return again - small and
great, for all living creatures. Yet upon the tray of this world life becomes visible;
without the tray it is not visible.
That infinite world is a subtle world and does not reveal itself openly - yet look how
wonderfully it makes its appearance here! Don’t you see how the spring breeze becomes
visible in the trees and grasses, the rose-beds and sweet herbs? Through the swaying of
fields and flowers you witness the beauty of spring. But when you look upon the breeze
itself, you see nothing. This isn’t because the beauty of those rose-beds are outside the
reality of the breeze, for the spring breeze contains images of swaying rose-beds and
sweet herbs, but those images are subtle and invisible. Only through some medium are
they revealed out of their subtlety.
Likewise in the human being these qualities are hidden and only become manifest
through an inward or outward medium; one person through speech, another through
work, another during times of war or peace. You cannot see these attributes within
yourself - look and you will find nothing there - so you believe yourself empty of these
infinite attributes. These attributes do not come forth and change you into something else
from what you were. Rather, these qualities are hidden in you, like the water in the sea.
Water cannot leave the sea except through the sun’s heat in the form of a cloud; it
cannot become visible except in a wave. Your wave is a commotion visible within you,
but so long as the sea is still, you see nothing. Your body is on the shore of the sea, and
Soul is a part of the ocean itself. Do you not see how many fishes, snakes, birds, and
creatures of all kinds come forth and show themselves, and then return to the sea? Your
attributes such as patience, friendship, loyalty and the rest, come forth from this sea.
These qualities are subtle lovers of God. You can only glimpse them through the
medium of the tongue. But because of their subtlety, without speech they are naked and
they retreat back out of sight into the arms of God.
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http://www.littleknownpubs.com/Rumi14.htm
Four
Someone said: “There is something I have forgotten.”
Rumi replied: There is one thing in this world that must never be forgotten. If you were to
forget all else, but did not forget that, then you would have no reason to worry. But if you
performed and remembered everything else, yet forgot that one thing, then you would
have done nothing whatsoever.
It is just as if a king sent you to the country to carry out a specific task. If you go and
accomplish a hundred other tasks, but do not perform that particular task, then it is as
though you performed nothing at all. So, everyone comes into this world for a particular
task, and that is their purpose. If they do not perform it, then they will have done nothing.
All things are assigned a task. The heavens send rain and light for the herbs of the
field to germinate and spring into life. The earth receives the seeds and bears fruit, it
accepts and reveals a hundred thousand marvels too numerous to tell. The mountains give
forth mines of gold and silver. All these things the heavens, the earth and the mountains
do, yet they do not perform that one thing; that particular task is performed by us.
"We offered the Trust to the heavens,
The earth and the mountains,
They refused to carry it and were afraid of it,
But humans carried it.
Surely they are foolish and sinful."
So, people are given a task, and when they perform it all their sinfulness and
foolishness is dissolved.
You say, "Look at all the work I do accomplish, even if I do not perform that task."
You weren’t created for those other tasks! It is just as if you were given a sword of
priceless Indian steel, such as can only be found in the treasuries of kings, and you were
to treat it as a butcher’s knife for cutting up putrid meat, saying, "I am not letting this
sword stand idle, I am using it in so many useful ways." Or it is like taking a solid gold
bowl to cook turnips in, when a single grain of that gold could buy a hundred pots. Or it
is as if you took a Damascene dagger of the finest temper to hang a broken gourd from,
saying, "I am making good use of it. I am hanging a gourd on it. I am not letting this
dagger go to waste." How foolish that would be! The gourd can hang perfectly well from
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a wooden or iron nail whose value is a mere farthing, so why use a dagger valued at a
hundred pounds?
A poet once said:
You are more precious than heaven and earth.
What more can I say?
You do not know your own worth.
God says, "I will buy you...your moments, your breaths, your possessions, your lives.
Spend them on Me. Turn them over to Me, and their price is divine freedom, grace and
wisdom. This is your worth in My eyes." But if we keep our life for ourself, then we lose
what treasures we have been granted. Like the person who hammered the dagger, worth a
hundred pounds into the wall to hang a gourd upon, their great fortune was reduced to a
nail.
Still you offer another excuse, saying, "But I apply myself to lofty tasks. I study law,
philosophy, logic, astronomy, medicine and the rest." Well, for whose sake but your own
do you study these? If it is law, it is so nobody can steal a loaf from you, strip you of your
clothes, or kill you - in short, it is for your own security. If it is astronomy, the phases of
the spheres and their influence upon the earth, whether they are light or heavy, portending
tranquility or danger, all these things are concerned with your own situation, serving your
own ends. If it is medicine, it is related to your own health and also serves you. When
you consider this matter well, the root of all your studies is yourself. All these lofty tasks
are but branches of you.
If these subjects are filled with so many marvels and worlds of knowledge without
end, consider what worlds you pass through who are the root! If your branches have their
laws, their medicines, their histories, think of what transpires within you who are the
source; what spiritual laws and medicines affect your inward future and fate, what
histories portray your struggles of the heart!
For Soul there is other food besides this food of sleeping and eating, but you have
forgotten that other food. Night and day you nourish only your body. Now, this body is
like a horse, and this lower world is its stable. The food the horse eats is not the food of
the rider. You are the rider and have your own sleeping and eating, your own enjoyment.
But since the animal has the upper hand, you lag behind in the horse’s stable. You cannot
be found among the ranks of kings and princes in the eternal world. Your heart is there,
but since your body has the upper hand, you are subject to its rule and remain its prisoner.
When Majnun, as the story goes, was making for his beloved Laila’s home, as long as
he was fully conscious he drove his camel in that direction. But when for a moment he
became absorbed in the thought of Laila and forgot his camel, the camel turned in its
tracks toward the village where its foal was kept. On coming to his senses, Majnun found
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that he had gone back a distance of two day’s journey. For three months he continued this
way, coming no closer to his goal. Finally he jumped off the camel, saying, "This camel
is the ruin of me!" and continued on foot, singing:
My camel’s desire is now behind,
My own desire is before.
Our purposes were crossed,
We can agree no more.
Burhan al-Din was once greeted by someone, who said, "I have heard praises of you
sung by friends." Burhan al-Din answered, "Wait until I meet your friends to see whether
they know me well enough to praise me. If they know me only by word of mouth, then
they do not truly know me. For words do not endure. Syllables and sounds do not endure.
This body, these lips and this mouth will not endure. All these things are mere accidents
of the moment. But if they know me by my works, and they know my essential self, then
I know they are able to praise me, and that praise will go where it belongs."
This is like the story they tell of a certain king. This king entrusted his son to a team of
learned scholars. In due course, they taught him the sciences of astrology, geomancy, and
the interpretation of signs, until he became a complete master, despite his utter stupidity
and dullness of wit.
One day the king took a ring in his fist and put his son to the test.
"Come, tell me what I am holding in my fist."
"What you are holding is round, yellow, inscribed and hollow," the prince answered.
"You have given all the signs correctly," the king said. "Now say what it is."
"It must be a sieve." the prince replied.
"What?" cried the king. "You know all the minute details, which would baffle the
minds of anyone. How is it that out of all your powerful learning and knowledge, the
small point has escaped you that a sieve will not fit in a fist?"
In this same way, the great scholars of the age split hairs on details of all matters.
They know perfectly and completely those sciences that do not concern Soul. But as for
what is truly of importance and touches us more closely than anything else, namely our
own Self, this your great scholars do not know. They make statements about everything,
saying, "This is true and that is not true. This is right and that is wrong." Yet, they do not
know their own Self, whether it is true or false, pure or impure.
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Now being hollow and yellow, inscribed and circular, these features are accidental;
cast the ring into the fire and none of them will remain. It becomes its essential self,
purified of all appearances. So it is with the knowledge of scholars; what they know has
no connection with the essential reality that alone exists when all these "signs" are gone.
They speak wisely, expound at great length, and finally pronounce that what the king has
in his hand is a sieve. They have no knowledge about the root of the matter: life’s
purpose.
I am a bird. I am a nightingale. If they say to me, "Make some other kind of sound," I
cannot. My tongue is what it is. I cannot speak otherwise. However, those who learn the
song of birds are not birds themselves - on the contrary, they are the enemies of birds and
their captors. They sing and whistle so others will take them for birds. Ask them to
produce a different sound and they can do so, because that sound is merely assumed by
them. It is not truly their own. Like the scholars, they are able to sing other songs because
they have learned to rob those songs, and to show off a different tune stolen from every
breast.
Thirty Six
All forms spring from Love, as branches spring forth from their root. No branch can exist
without its root. Therefore, God is not called a form, since form is the branch. How can
God be called a branch?
Someone said: “Love too cannot be expressed or experienced without form. Hence it
is the branch of form.”
Why cannot Love be a form without form? On the contrary, Love is the sculptor of
form. A hundred thousand forms are raised up on Love’s pottery wheel. Although a
painter cannot exist without paintings, still painting is the branch and the painter is the
root. As the finger moves, so moves the ring.
Until someone has love for a house, no architect will draw up designs. In the same
way, corn is at the price of gold one year, another year it is at the price of dust. The form
of the corn is the same - therefore its value comes from love. The sciences you study with
such love - in your eyes they are valuable. But when no one pursues them and no one
wants to learn from them, then who will teach those sciences?
Someone said: “Love is the want and need for a certain thing. Hence the need is the
root, and that thing needed is its branch.”
These words of yours are also spoken out of need. First you had the desire for these
words, then they were born. So the need existed first and then your words were born from
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it. This means your need existed, in the beginning, without any words. Therefore, love
and need are not the branches of words.
Someone said: “But after all, the goal of that need was these words, so how can the
goal be the branch?”
The branch is always the goal. The tree’s roots exist for the sake of its branches.
Forty Eight
When God loves people He afflicts them. If they endure with fortitude, He chooses them.
If they are grateful, He elects them. Some men and women are grateful to God for His
wrathfulness and some for His graciousness. Both are good, for gratitude is the antidote
for all occasions, changing wrath into grace. The wise and complete servant is grateful
for harsh treatment, both publicly and in private, for with the voice of gratitude comes the
inspiration to give more. Even if God sends them to the lowest reaches of Hell, through
gratitude God’s purpose is advanced.
Outward complaining is a reflection of inward complaining to God. Mohammed said,
“I laugh as I slay.” That means, “My laughter in the face of attackers slays their anger
and hatred.” Laughter, here, is gratitude in place of complaining.
It is related that a certain Jew lived next door to one of the Companions. This Jew
lived in an upper room, from which all kinds of dirt and filth, the piddle of his children,
the water his clothes were washed in, fell into the Muslim’s apartment below. Yet the
Muslim always thanked the Jew, and instructed his family to do the same. For eight years
this continued, until the Muslim died. Then the Jew, while visiting the Muslim’s
apartment, to condole with the family, saw all the filth and how it came from his upper
room. He realized what had happened during the past years, and was filled with sorrow.
He said to the Muslim’s household, “Why on earth didn’t you tell me? Why did you
always thank me?” They replied, “Our father told us to always be grateful, and chided us
if we ever gave up being grateful.” So the Jew became a believer.
Examples of virtuous women and men
Encourage the development of virtues within,
Like the melodious minstrel’s rhyme
Inspires the passing of wine.
For this reason, God, who is All-powerful and All-forgiving, thanked His prophets and
servants for what they did for Him. Now, gratitude for milk to drink is a blessing, but
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gratitude for those who suck the breast is a Divine blessing. Although the breast is full,
until you suck it the milk does not flow.
Someone asked: “What is it that prevents gratitude?”
Rumi answered: Inordinate greed, for no matter how much people have, greed wants
more. Since they get less than what their heart is set upon, they cannot be grateful. But
people are unaware of their own defect, and they cannot see the flaw that taints the coin
they offer.
Greed is like eating raw meat - inevitably it makes you sick. Once we realize we have
eaten something rotten, a purge becomes necessary. God, in His wisdom, makes us suffer
through ingratitude to purge and rid us of that corrupt conceit, lest that one sickness
becomes a hundred sicknesses.
"And we tried them with good things and evil,
That gratefully they should return."
That is to say, “We planned for people in ways they do not know, such as when they
avoid seeing secondary causes as partners with God.” It is for this reason that Abu Yazid
said, “Lord, I have never associated anything else with You.” And God said, “O Abu
Yazid, not even on the night of the milk? You said one night, ‘This milk has done me
harm.’ It is I who create all harm and benefit.” Abu Yazid had seen the secondary causes
as separate from God, so God showed him up as a believer in many causes and said, “It is
I who harmed you, after the milk and before the milk. I made that milk so you would sin,
and I made that harm as a correction to teach you, like a teacher’s punishment.”
When a teacher says, “Don’t eat the fruit,” if the students eat it, and the teacher beats
them on the soles of their feet, it is not right for the pupils to say, “We ate the fruit and it
hurt our feet.” In the same way, whoever refuses to acknowledge that all things are
partners to God, God uses ingratitude to cleanse their spirit from the weeds of believing
in many causes. A little with God is much.
The difference between giving praise and giving thanks is that thanks are given for
benefits we receive. No one says, “I give thanks for that person’s beauty and bravery.”
Praise giving is less personal.
Forty Nine
Rumi said: A man was leading the prayers, and chanted from the Koran:
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"The Bedouins are stubborn in unbelief
and hypocrisy."
By chance a Bedouin chieftain was present. He gave the chanter a good box on the
ears. During the second genuflection, the leader of the prayers chanted a different quote
from the Koran:
"Some of the Bedouins believe in God
and the Last Day."
The Bedouin exclaimed, “Ha! That slap has taught you better manners!”
Every moment we receive a slap from the unseen world. Whatever our plans - one
slap and we take another course. As the saying goes, “We have no power of our own, it is
all a swallowing up and a vomiting.” The meaning of “swallowing” is descending into
this lower world and becoming a part of it. The meaning of “vomiting” is expelling
falsehood out of the heart. For instance, if people eat food that turns sour in their
stomach, they vomit it. If they did not cast out that poison, it would become a part of
them.
The disciple dances and serves to find a place in the heart of the sheik. Anything the
disciple does that displeases the sheik is cast forth from the sheik’s heart, like the food we
eat and then vomit. Just as bad food would become part of us, unless we rejected it, so
that disciple’s poor conduct in time would become a part of the sheik, unless the sheik
cast such actions out of their heart.
God’s love was proclaimed to the world
And every heart into confusion was hurled,
Those hearts were burned and into ashes turned
Then to the indifferent wind their ashes spurned.
In that wind of indifference the atoms of those hearts are dancing and singing. If they
are not, then how do we hear their song, and who is it every moment that tells their tale
anew? And if these hearts do not realize their very life consists in burning up and
spurning to the wind, how is it they are so eager to be burned? As for those hearts burned
up in the fire of worldly lusts and turned into ashes, do you hear any sound or see any
luster from them?
The poet, Urwa ibn Adhina, wrote, “I know well the way God provides our daily
bread. What use is there in running about here and there with no purpose? Truly, when I
forget about money, food, clothing and the desires of lust, my daily portion comes to me.
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But when I run after those desires, they only bring me pain and wear me out. If I sit
where I belong, with patience, my needs are fulfilled without pain and distress. For truly,
my daily supply is also seeking me and tugging at me. When it cannot pull me it comes to
me, just as when I cannot attract it I go after it.”
The upshot of these words is this: absorb yourself with the World to come so that
World will pursue you. “Sitting” means to sit detached from this world while being
absorbed in the affairs of the world to come. Those who run for the sake of the other
World, they are truly seated. If they are seated for the sake of the present world, they are
running. The Prophet said, “Whoever reduces all their cares to a single care, God fulfills
all their other needs.” If someone is plagued by ten cares let them worry only about that
care for the other World, and God will untangle those other nine knots without any effort.
The prophets cared nothing about fame and daily bread. Their only care was God’s
approval, and yet they received both daily bread and fame. Whoever seeks God’s
pleasure will become bedfellows with the prophets, in this world and the next.
"They are with those whom God has blessed,
Prophets, people of the path and heaven’s guests."
“I sit with those who remember Me.” If God did not sit with them, the yearning for
God would never have entered their hearts. The scent of the rose cannot exist without the
rose. The scent of musk never exists without the musk.
There is no end to these words. Even if they do end, still they are not like other words.
The night’s departed, still, my friend,
Our story’s not yet at an end.
The night and darkness of this world passes away while the light of these words
becomes clearer. Even though the night of the prophets’ lives have set, still the light of
their discourse has not left, nor ended, nor ever will.
People said about Majnun, “He loves Laila, what is so strange in that? After all, they
were children together and went to the same school.” Majnun said, “They are fools. What
pretty woman is not desirable?”
Is there any man whose heart is not stirred by a lovely woman? It is love that feeds our
heart, just as the sight of mother, father and brother, the pleasure of children, the pleasure
of lust - all forms of delight are rooted in love. Majnun was an example of all lovers, just
as in grammar other sentences are quoted.
Feast on sweetmeats or on roast,
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Drink the wine that you love most.
What’s that savor on your lips?
Water that a dreamer sips!
When tomorrow you arise,
And great thirst upon you lies,
Little use will be that deep
Draught you’ve taken while asleep.
The delights of this world are the same as people who eat while asleep. They chase
after worldly needs just as if they were looking for something in a dream. Even if they
find it, once they are awake what good will it do them if they have eaten while asleep?
Yet, still, what they ask for in their sleep they are given, for “The present is proportionate
to the request.”
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