The laughable stories collected by Mâr Gregory John Bar Hebræ

PROFITABLE SAYINGS OF THE ARAB ASCETICS AND OLD MEN.
CCLXXI. One of the Arab ascetics happened to
be present in the mosque with the governor of the
country, and the governor said to him, "Ask of me
"whatsoever thou needest." The ascetic repHed, "In
"the house of God it is meet to make supplication to
"God alone."
CCLXXII. Another ascetic said, "Extinguish the light
"of your anger by the remembrance of the fire
of Ge-
"henna" [z. e., hell).
CCLXXIII. It was said to another ascetic when he
was threatening sinners with [God's] punishment, "Where,
"then, is the lovingkindness of God?" He replied,
"It is spread abroad over the righteous."
CCLXXIV. Another ascetic said, "It may be known
"that this world is a world of tribulation and wicked-
"ness, from the fact that there is no man in it who doth
"not seek to be something very much better than what
"he is."
CCLXXV. Another ascetic said, "The desirable things
"of this world which are transient are like dreams, and
"those who look for the things of the next world are
"in
doubt about them."
CCLXXVI. Another ascetic said, "The world is carried
"on by those who serve God and by those who do not."