the door which he improves he has perfected in its entirety and its matter and its secret to him are like its outward appearance and he is not preoccupied with anything nor with himself from anything. and were it not that he would distract himself with sleep he would not sleep although his sleep is mixed with wakefulness and his wakefulness is free from drowsiness. and if there were prophets in their midst and wise men in their land and these thoughts had passed through their hearts and struck their ears they would have made you forget the literature of the basrans the wisdom of the greeks and the craftsmanship of the chinese.
والباب الذي يحسنه قد أحكمه بأسره وأمره وخفيه عنده كظاهره، ولا يتشاغل بشيء، ولا على نفسه من شيء. ولولا أن يجم نفسه بالنوم لما نام، على أن نومه مشوب باليقظة، ويقظته سليمة من الوسنة، ولو كان في شقهم أنبياء، وفي أرضهم حكماء، وكانت هذه الخواطر قد مرت على قلوبهم، وقرعت أسماعهم، لأنسوك أدب البصريين، وحكمة اليونانيين، وصنعة أهل الصين.