G — Gloire
Original French
Ben-al-bétif, ce digne chef des derviches leur disait un jour: Mes frères, il est très-bon que vous vous serviez souvent de cette sacrée formule de notre Koran, Au nom de Dieu très-miséricordieux; car Dieu use de miséricorde, & vous apprenez à la faire en répétant souvent les mots qui recommandent une vertu, sans laquelle il resterait peut d’hommes sur la terre. Mais, mes frères, gardez vous bien d’imiter ces téméraires qui se vantent à tout propos de travailler à la gloire de Dieu. Si un jeune imbécile soutient une thése sur les cathégories, thése à laquelle préside un ignorant en fourure, il ne manque pas d’écrire en gros caractères à la tête de sa thése; Ek allhà abron doxa: Ad majorem Dei gloriam. Un bon Musulman a-t-il fait blanchir son salon, il grave cette sotise sur sa porte; un Saka porte de l’eau pour la plus grande gloire de Dieu. C’est un usage impie qui est pieusement mis en usage. Que diriez-vous d’un petit Chiaoux, qui en vuidant la chaise percée de notre Sultan, s’écrieroit, A la plus grande gloire de notre invincible Monarque? Il y a certainement plus loin du Sultan à Dieu, que du Sultan au petit Chiaoux.
Qu’avez-vous de commun, misérables vers de terre appellés hommes avec la gloire de l’être infini? Peut-il aimer la gloire? Peut-il en recevoir de vous? Peut-il en gouter? Jusqu’à quand, animaux à deux piés sans plumes, ferez-vous Dieu à votre image? Quoi! parce que vous êtes vains, parce que vous aimez la gloire, vous voulez que Dieu l’aime aussi! S’il y avait plusieurs Dieux, chacun d’eux peut-être voudrait obtenir les suffrages de ses semblables. Ce serait là la gloire d’un Dieu. Si l’on peut comparer la grandeur infinie avec la bassesse extrême, ce Dieu serait comme le roi Alexandre ou Scander, qui ne voulait entrer en lice qu’avec des rois: Mais vous, pauvres gens, quelle gloire pouvez-vous donner à Dieu? Cessez de profaner son nom sacré. Un empereur nommé Octave Auguste, défendit qu’on le louat dans les écoles de Rome, de peur que son nom ne fût avili. Mais vous ne pouvez ni avilir l’être suprême, ni l’honorer. Anéantissez vous, adorez & taisez vous.
Ainsi parlait Ben-al-bétif, & les derviches s’écrièrent, Gloire à Dieu! Ben-al-bétif a bien parlé.
Musean translation
Mouseia’s complete machine-assisted Musean translation of the 73 articles in the 1764 first edition, made directly from the French and reviewed against the scan-collated French text. The author’s notes, quotations and verse are retained. Historical ethnic labels, including offensive terms, are retained from the 1764 text.
Ben-al-Betif, that worthy head of the dervishes, once told them: “My brothers, it is very good that you often use this sacred formula from our Koran: In the name of God, the most merciful. For God shows mercy, and by often repeating the words that commend a virtue without which few people would remain on earth, you learn to practice it. But, my brothers, take care not to imitate those rash men who boast at every turn of laboring for the glory of God. If some young fool defends a thesis on the categories, presided over by an ignoramus in a fur gown, he never fails to write in large letters at its head: Ek allhà abron doxa: To the greater glory of God. Has a good Muslim had his drawing room whitewashed? He engraves this nonsense over his door. A water carrier carries water for the greater glory of God. This is an impious custom piously observed. What would you say of some petty palace officer who, emptying our sultan’s chamber pot, cried, ‘To the greater glory of our invincible monarch’? Surely the distance from the sultan to God is greater than that from the sultan to the petty palace officer.
“What have you, miserable earthworms called men, to do with the glory of the infinite being? Can he love glory? Can he receive it from you? Can he enjoy it? How long, featherless two-legged animals, will you make God in your own image? What! Because you are vain, because you love glory, you would have God love it too! If there were several gods, perhaps each would seek the approval of his peers. That would be a god’s glory. If infinite greatness may be compared with utter lowliness, this god would resemble King Alexander, or Scander, who would compete only against kings. But you, poor people, what glory can you give God? Stop profaning his sacred name. An emperor named Octavian Augustus forbade people to praise him in the schools of Rome, lest his name be debased. But you can neither debase the supreme being nor honor him. Reduce yourselves to nothing, worship, and be silent.”
So spoke Ben-al-Betif, and the dervishes cried: “Glory to God! Ben-al-Betif has spoken well.”
Plain English translation
Mouseia’s complete machine-assisted Plain English translation of the same 73 articles, made directly from the French and reviewed against the scan-collated French text. The author’s notes, quotations and verse are retained. Historical ethnic labels, including offensive terms, are retained from the 1764 text.
One day Ben-al-Betif, the worthy leader of the dervishes, said to them: “Brothers, it is a good thing to say these sacred words from our Koran often: In the name of God, who is most merciful. God acts with mercy. Repeating words that recommend mercy teaches you to act that way too. Without this virtue, not many people would be left on earth. But, brothers, do not copy the reckless people who keep boasting that they are working for God’s glory. If a foolish young man defends a thesis about the categories, with an ignorant man in a fur gown presiding, he is sure to put this in big letters at the top of his thesis: Ek allhà abron doxa: For God’s greater glory. If a good Muslim has his reception room whitewashed, he carves the same absurd words above his door. A water carrier delivers water for God’s greater glory. People devoutly follow this irreligious practice. Suppose a low-ranking officer at court emptied our sultan’s chamber pot and shouted, ‘For the greater glory of our invincible ruler!’ What would you think of that? The gap between the sultan and God is certainly larger than the gap between the sultan and that officer.
“You miserable worms called human beings, what connection do you have with the glory of the infinite being? Could he care about glory? Could you give him any? Could he take pleasure in it? You are animals with two legs and no feathers. How much longer will you go on making God like yourselves? You are vain and like glory, so you want God to like it as well! If several gods existed, each might want his equals to approve of him. That would be glory for a god. If we can compare infinite greatness to extreme insignificance, this god would be like King Alexander, also called Scander. He was willing to compete only with other kings. But what glory can you poor people give God? Stop misusing his holy name. The emperor Octavian Augustus banned praise of himself in Rome’s schools because he was afraid it would cheapen his name. You, however, cannot lower the supreme being or honor him. Count yourselves as nothing. Worship and keep quiet.”
That was Ben-al-Betif’s speech. The dervishes shouted, “Glory to God! Ben-al-Betif spoke well.”
About this section
G — Gloire is part of Pocket Philosophical Dictionary by Voltaire. This page sets the French original beside 2 direct-source translations, so any line can be checked against the source. It is article 44 of 73 in the work, which is kept in the European tradition.
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