On Serving
LXXI. On Serving
1. O God, Who has served man
insofar as You have united <Yourself> with him!
May You be praised and blessed.
2. Man has been created to serve,
love, honour and bless God,
rather than to make one’s relatives wealthy.
3. A man gives better service by means of thoughts
that are humble, faithful and knowledgeable,
than he does with a spear or with money.
4. To serve God because He is good,
is to serve <Him> with greater cause
than to do so in order that He may bestow <things> upon one.
5. He who wishes to bestow <something> gives better service
than does he who wishes to retain <another thing>
and than does he who serves without love.
6. He is a virtuous servant
who enters the service of virtuous love,
virtuous remembering and virtuous worth.[1]
7. He who provides unwilling service
lacks the slightest knowledge of serving,
since he often proceeds deceitfully.
8. It is much better to provide service on account of love
than to do so on account of fear,
because one’s Lord is more honoured thereby.
9. To serve God for the love of Him
represents a service that <both> honours the Lord
and honours His servant.
10. It is better to serve a humble man,
than to serve a noble one
who is dishonourable in his <business> affairs.
[1] In this entire versicle, the term “virtuous” stands in for the Old Cat. bo (lit. “good”).