Laws

2 min

Then a lawyer said, But what of our Laws, master?

Then a lawyer said, But what about our Laws, master?

And he answered:

You delight in laying down laws,

You take pleasure in making laws,

Yet you delight more in breaking them.

But you enjoy breaking them even more.

Like children playing by the ocean who build sand-towers with constancy and then destroy them with laughter.

Like children playing by the ocean, who patiently build sand towers and then destroy them with laughter.

But while you build your sand-towers the ocean brings more sand to the shore,

But while you build your sand towers, the ocean brings more sand to the shore,

And when you destroy them the ocean laughs with you.

And when you destroy them, the ocean laughs with you.

Verily the ocean laughs always with the innocent.

The ocean truly always laughs with the innocent.

But what of those to whom life is not an ocean, and man-made laws are not sand-towers,

But what about those who do not see life as an ocean or human laws as sandcastles,

But to whom life is a rock, and the law a chisel with which they would carve it in their own likeness? What of the cripple who hates dancers?

But what about those who see life as a rock and the law as a chisel to carve it in their own image? What about the disabled person who hates dancers?

What of the ox who loves his yoke and deems the elk and deer of the forest stray and vagrant things?

What about the ox who loves his yoke and sees the elk and deer of the forest as wandering strays?

What of the old serpent who cannot shed his skin, and calls all others naked and shameless?

What about the old snake that cannot shed its skin and calls all the others naked and shameless?

And of him who comes early to the wedding-feast, and when over-fed and tired goes his way saying that all feasts are violation and all feasters lawbreakers?

And what of the person who arrives early at the wedding feast? After eating too much and growing tired, he leaves, saying that all feasts are violations and all who attend them are lawbreakers?

What shall I say of these save that they too stand in the sunlight, but with their backs to the sun?

What can I say about them except that they, too, stand in the sunlight with their backs to the sun?

They see only their shadows, and their shadows are their laws.

And what is the sun to them but a caster of shadows?

And what is the sun to them but something that casts shadows?

And what is it to acknowledge the laws but to stoop down and trace their shadows upon the earth?

And what does it mean to acknowledge the laws except to bend down and trace their shadows on the earth?

But you who walk facing the sun, what images drawn on the earth can hold you?

But you who walk facing the sun, what images drawn on the ground can hold you?

You who travel with the wind, what weather-vane shall direct your course?

You who travel with the wind, what weather vane can guide your course?

What man’s law shall bind you if you break your yoke but upon no man’s prison door?

What human law can bind you if you break your yoke, but not against anyone’s prison door?

What laws shall you fear if you dance but stumble against no man’s iron chains?

What laws should you fear if you dance without stumbling against anyone’s iron chains?

And who is he that shall bring you to judgment if you tear off your garment yet leave it in no man’s path?

And who will judge you if you tear off your garment but leave it out of everyone’s path?

People of Orphalese, you can muffle the drum, and you can loosen the strings of the lyre, but who shall command the skylark not to sing?

People of Orphalese, you can muffle the drum and loosen the lyre’s strings. But who can command the skylark not to sing?