一千零一夜-天方夜谭-1001 Nights(英文版)-第52部分
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future； even as it hath presented itself to me in the past； since God； even as He hath made life to be in water （162） and sustenance in food and the healing of the sick in the physician's skill； so hath He appointed the cure of the ignorant to be in the learning of the wise。 Give ear； therefore； to my speech。' 'O luminous of wit and master of apt questions；' replied the vizier； 'thou whose superiority all the learned men attest； by reason of the goodliness of thy discrimination of things and thy departition （163） thereof and the justness of thine answers to the questions I have put to thee； thou knowest that thou canst ask me of nought but thou art better able ＇than I＇ to form a just judgment thereon and expound it truly； for that God hath vouchsafed unto thee such wisdom as He hath bestowed on none other： but tell me of e。' Quoth the prince； 'Tell me from what did the Creator （magnified be His power！） create the world； albeit there was before it nought and there is nought seen in this world but it is created from something； and the Divine Creator （blessed and exalted be He！） is able to create things from nothing； yet hath His will decreed； for all the perfection of ＇His＇ power and grandeur； that He shall create nought but from something。' 'As for those；' answered the vizier； 'who fashion vessels of potters' clay； and other handicraftsmen； who cannot produce one thing except from another； they are themselves but created things： but； as for the Creator； who hath wrought the world after this wondrous fashion； if thou wouldst know His power （blessed and exalted be He！） of calling things into existence； consider the various kinds of created things； and thou wilt find signs and tokens； denoting the perfection of His omnipotence and that He is able to create things out of nothing： nay； He called them into being； after absolute nonentity； for the elements that are the matter of created things were sheer nothingness。 I will expound this to thee； so thou mayst be in no doubt thereof； and this the phenomenon of the alternation of night and day shall make clear to thee。 When the day departs and the night es； the day is hidden from us and we know not where it abideth； and when the night passes away with its darkness and its terror； the day es and we know not the abidingplace of the night。 In like manner； when the sun rises upon us； we know not where it has laid up its light； and when it sets； we know not the abidingplace of its setting： and the examples of this among the works of the Creator （magnified be His name and exalted be His power！） abound in what confounds the thought of the keenestwitted of human beings。' 'O sage；' rejoined the prince； 'thou hast set before me of the power of the Creator what may not be denied； but tell me how He called His creatures into existence。' '＇He created them＇ by ＇the sole power of＇ His Word；' （164） answered Shimas； 'which existed before time； and with it He created all things。' 'Then；' said the prince； 'God （be His name magnified and His power exalted！） only willed the existence of created things； before they came into being？' 'And of His will；' replied Shimas； 'He created them with His Word and but for His speech and Manifest Word； the creation had not e into existence。 And； O my son； there is no man can tell thee other than this that I have said； except he pervert the words handed down to us of the law of God and turn the truths thereof from their evident meaning。 And such a perversion is their saying that the Word hath power ＇of itself＇ and I take refuge with God from such a conclusion。 Nay； the meaning of our saying that God （to whom belong might and majesty） created the world with His Word is that He （exalted be His name！） is One in His essence and His attributes and not that His Word hath power ＇of itself＇。 On the contrary； power is one of God's attributes； even as speech and other attributes of perfection are attributes of God （exalted be His dignity and magnified be His dominion！）； wherefore He may not be conceived without His Word； nor may His Word be conceived without Him； for； with His Word； God （extolled be His praise！） created all His creatures； and without His Word； he created nought。 Indeed； He created all things but by His Word of Truth； and by Truth are we created。' Quoth the prince； 'I apprehend that which thou hast said on the subject of the Creator and accept this from thee with understanding； but I hear thee say that He created the world by His Word of Truth。 Now Truth is the opposite of Falsehood； whence then arose Falsehood and its opposition unto Truth； and bow es it to be possible that it should be confounded therewith and be obscure （165） to human beings； so that they need to distinguish between them？ And doth the Creator （to whom belong might and majesty！） love Falsehood or hate it？ If thou say He loves the Truth and by it created all things and hates Falsehood； how came the latter； which the Creator hates； to invade the Truth； as； 'Verily God the Most High created man after His own image and likened him to Himself； all of him truth； without falsehood； then He gave him dominion over himself and ordered him and forbade him； and it was man who transgressed His mandment and erred in his disobedience and brought falsehood upon himself of his own will。 When God created man with Truth； he had no need of repentance； till Falsehood invaded the Truth by which he was created； by means of the ableness （166） that God had placed in him； being the will and the inclination called acquisitiveness。 （167） When Falsehood invaded Truth on this wise； it became confounded therewith； by reason of the will of man and his ableness and acquisitiveness； which is the voluntary party together with the weakness of human nature： wherefore God created repentance for man； to turn away from him falsehood and stablish him in truth； and He created for him also punishment； if he should abide in the obscurity of falsehood。' Quoth the prince； 'Tell me how came falsehood to invade truth； so as to be confounded therewith and how became man liable to punishment and so stood in need of repentance。' 'When God created man with truth；' replied Shimas； 'He made him loving to Himself and there was for him neither repentance nor punishment； but he abode thus till God put in him the soul； which is of the perfection of humanity； with the inclination to lusts which is inherent therein。 From this sprang the growth of falsehood and its confusion with the truth； wherewith man was created and with the love whereof he had been informed； and when man came to this pass； he swerved from the truth with disobedience； and whoso swerves from the truth falls into falsehood。' 'Then；' said the prince； 'falsehood invaded truth only by reason of disobedience and transgression？' 'Yes；' answered Shimas； 'and it is thus because God loves man； and of the abundance of His love to him； He created him having need of Himself； that is to say； of the very Truth： but oftentimes man falls away from this by reason of the inclination of the soul to lusts and turns unto frowardness； wherefore he falls into falsehood by the very act of disobeying his Lord and thus renders himself liable to punishment； and by the putting away from himself of falsehood with repentance and the returning to the love of the truth； he merits reward。' Quoth the prince； 'Tell me the origin of frowardness。 We see that all mankind trace their being to Adam； and how es it that he； being created of God with truth； drew disobedience on himself； then was his disobedience coupled with repentance； after the soul had been set in him； that his issue might be reward or punishment？ Indeed； we see some men constant in frowardness； inclining to that which God loves not and transgressing in this the original exigence of their creation； which is the love of the Truth and drawing on themselves the wrath of their Lord； whilst others are constant in seeking to please their Creator and obeying Him and meriting mercy and repense。 Whence es this difference between them？' 'The origin of disobedience in mankind；' replied Shimas； 'is attributable to Iblis； who was the noblest of all that God （magnified be His name！） created of angels and men and Jinn； and the love ＇of the Truth＇ was inherent in him； for he knew nou
