Tenth Matter

 

 

Fluency lies in avoiding conceitedness and pursuit of superiority through complexity and ambiguity, and therefore in not causing misconception or confusion, and in imitating the natural order, being clear and comprehensible, not diverting from the basic point in explanations and descriptions, and in the clarity of the purpose and the way that is followed to reach it. Affectations or feigned sentimentality and the confusion of one’s words with other words and feelings damage fluency.

We should also avoid disordered detailing and rambling, and be careful that the arguments and meanings corroborate one another.

Again, we should be a student of nature though the power of imagination, so that the Divine laws that operate in nature may be reflected in our work of art.

In addition, our concepts should correspond with the outer world. Supposing our conceptions were able to leave our minds and take on forms in the outer world, this world should be able to accept them and not deny their origin, saying, “These belong to me, or these resemble mine, or these are my own products.”

We should advance to the purpose with determination, without deviating to the right or left, so that those who stand on the side will not be able to distract us from the purpose towards themselves. Rather, those who are on the sides should contribute to the main purpose from their own beauties and riches.

Furthermore, like the pivot around which speech turns and the purpose is followed, the common meeting points of the basic and secondary purposes should be clear.

 

Said Nursi