Another bird said to the hoopoe: “If the king of whom you speak possesses justice and fidelity, God has also given me great uprightness and integrity, and I have never failed to treat anyone with fairness. When these qualities are united in one person, how high will be his rank in the knowledge of spiritual things?”
“Justice,” replied the hoopoe, “is the king of salvation. He who is equitable has saved himself from vanities. Indeed, it is far better to observe equity than to spend one’s whole life in the prostrations and genuflections of outward worship. Even liberality is not preferable, in either world, to justice practised in secret. But he who puts it openly into practice will scarcely be free from hypocrisy. As for the men of the spiritual path, they ask no one to do them justice, but receive it generously from God!”
“Justice,” replied the hoopoe, “is the king of salvation. He who is equitable has saved himself from vanities. Indeed, it is far better to observe equity than to spend one’s whole life in the prostrations and genuflections of outward worship. Even liberality is not preferable, in either world, to justice practised in secret. But he who puts it openly into practice will scarcely be free from hypocrisy. As for the men of the spiritual path, they ask no one to do them justice, but receive it generously from God!”