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1
2243-2267

  • And if you cannot become (one of the frequenters) of this threshold (sublime court), at least hear from me the following tale.
  • The story of the Caliph who in his time surpassed Hátim of Tayyi in generosity and had no rival.
  • In former days there was a Caliph who made Hátim the slave of his liberality.
  • He had raised high the banner of munificence and largesse, he had removed poverty and want from the world. 2245
  • (He was) a sea (of bounty), and the pearls (in it) came pure (untarnished) from his munificence: his largesse reached from Qáf to Qáf.
  • In this world of dust he was the cloud and the rain: he was the centre wherein the bounty of the Giver of all displayed itself.
  • His gifts caused sea and mine to quake (tremble with shame): caravan on caravan (were hastening) towards his liberality.
  • His gate and portal was the point to which Need turned: the fame of his munificence had gone (far and wide) into the world.
  • Persians and Greeks, Turcomans and Arabs, were lost in amazement at his liberality and generosity. 2250
  • He was the Water of Life and the Ocean of Bounty: by him both Arabs and foreigners were revived.
  • Story of the poor Arab of the desert and his wife's altercation with him because of (their) penury and poverty.
  • One night a Bedouin woman said to her husband—and she carried (her) talk beyond bounds—
  • “We are suffering all this poverty and hardship: all the world are (living) in happiness, we (alone) are unhappy.
  • We have no bread, our (only) condiment is anguish and envy: we have no jug, our (only) water is the tears (that flow) from our eyes.
  • Our garment by day is the burning sunshine; at night our bed and coverlet is (made) of the moonbeams. 2255
  • We fancy the disk of the moon is a disk (round cake) of bread and lift up our hands towards the sky.
  • The (poorest of the) poor feel shame at our poverty: day is turned to night (darkened) by our anxiety about our daily portion (of food).
  • Kinsfolk and strangers have come to flee from us in like fashion as Sámirí from men.
  • If I beg a handful of lentils from some one, he says to me, ‘Be silent, O death and plague!’
  • The Arabs take pride in fighting and giving: thou amongst the Arabs art like a fault in writing.” 2260
  • What fighting (can we do)? We are killed without fighting, we have been beheaded by the sword of want.
  • What gifts (can we make)? We are continually in beggary, we are slitting the vein of (slaughtering) the gnat in the air.
  • If any guest arrive, if I am I (as sure as I am living) (when) he goes to sleep at night, I will tear the tattered cloak from his body.
  • How disciples (novices in Súfism) are beguiled in their need by false impostors and imagine them to be Shaykhs and venerable personages and (saints) united (with God), and do not know the difference between fact (naqd) and fiction (naql) and between what is tied on (artificially) and what has grown up (naturally).
  • For this reason the wise have said with knowledge, ‘One must become the guest of those who confer benefits.’
  • Thou art the disciple and guest of one who, from his vileness, robs thee of all thou hast. 2265
  • He is not strong: how should he make thee strong? He does not give light, (nay) he makes thee dark.
  • Since he had no light (in himself), how in association (with him) should others obtain light from him?