Another bird said to the hoopoe: “O thou whose intentions are pure! tell me how one must act sincerely in the way of God. Since I am not permitted to give myself over to the ardour of my heart, I spend all that I possess in order to attain my goal. What I acquire brings me to ruin and becomes like a scorpion in my hands. I bind myself by no tie; I have cast off every chain and every fetter. I act with frankness in the spiritual way, in the hope of seeing the face of the object of my worship.”
The hoopoe replied: “This path is not open to everyone; one must have rectitude for one’s provision. He who strives to embark upon it must do so frankly and peacefully. Do not bind thy rent heart to a broken heart! Rather, burn utterly all that thou possessest therein. When thou hast burned everything with thy fiery sighs, gather the ashes and sit upon them. When thou hast acted thus, thou wilt be free of all things; if thou art not, drink blood until at last thou art. Until thou art dead to all things, one by one, thou canst not set foot within this portal. Since thou canst remain but a short while in the prison of the world, withdraw from all things; for at the hour of death, will the things that enslave thee turn aside the hand that must strike thee? Begin first by withdrawing thy hand from thyself, then undertake to enter the spiritual path. Until sincerity is thine from the outset, thou canst not complete this journey.”