48.

In the name of God, the Ever-Living, the Great, may the sublime Light be glorified.

O Lord, the Truth! I bear witness to You, as a man who seeks knowledge. To You I lift my eyes, to You, the Good, the Chosen. Command my heart to rest; command my inner being to be healed. Command my thoughts to be firm and to stay in their place. Command the guardian of the sea to keep for me a crossing in the sea. Command him who bridges rivers to build me a bridge over the rivers. Command him who levels mountains to level a road for me over the mountains. Say to the maker of images and statues: desire strikes upon your own head. Say to the builder of the body: hasten to raise your building. Hasten to raise your building, for very soon you must leave it. For this world is perishable, and its works fall apart. Lost is the beloved gold, and the silver is sought and not found. The hearts of joy are torn out, and their song passes away and comes to nothing. The king leaves his crown behind, and the nobles go into captivity. The perfect ascend to the light, but the wrongdoers are held back here.

God is exalted and victorious, and victorious is the man who went forth to this place.