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The Boastful Are Not Privy to the Path of Loving-Kindness

Wine worship is the way

          of the ocean-hearted, O friend,

and the game of love

          is the art of the perfected ones, O friend.


The soft and pampered

          are not admitted to the gathering of drunks;

proud airs and impatience

          are the way of intellectuals, O friend.


Idol breaking is the creed

          of the rendan alone;

idol worship is the religion

          of the futile, O friend.


The boastful are not privy

          to the path of loving-kindness;

our retreat is far removed

          from such unworthy ones, O friend.


Do not seek erudition and logic

          in the circle of the people of love;

those fables are taught

          only by the learned, O friend.


If you belong at our banquet

          then drink and be silent;

brawling in drunkenness

          is the manner of the ignorant, O friend.


Nurbakhsh drank vats of wine

          and still remained silent.

Whoever acts disgracefully in drinking

          lacks discipline, O friend.

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