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4
618-642

  • How can (that which is) the sunbeams’ object of regard be compared with (that which is) an object of regard to the Lord of the quintessence’?
  • “Make of your souls a shield against my taking (you) captive, though (in truth) ye are my captives even now.”
  • The bird tempted by the bait is (still) on the roof: with wings outspread, it is (nevertheless) imprisoned in the trap. 620
  • Inasmuch as with (all) its soul it has given its heart to (has become enamoured of) the bait, deem it caught, (though apparently it is still) uncaught.
  • Deem the looks which it is directing to the bait to be the knot that it is tying on its legs.
  • The bait says, “If thou art stealing thy looks (away from me) I am stealing from thee patience and constancy.
  • When those looks have drawn thee after me, then thou wilt know that I am not inattentive to thee.”
  • Story of the druggist whose balance-weight was clay for washing the head; and how a customer, who was a clay-eater, stole some of that clay covertly and secretly, whilst sugar was being weighed.
  • A certain clay-eater went to a druggist to buy (a quantity of) fine hard sugar-loaf. 625
  • Now, at the druggist's, (who was) a crafty vigilant man, in place of the balance-weight there was clay.
  • He said, “If you want to buy sugar, my balance-weight is clay.”
  • He (the customer) said, “I am requiring sugar for an urgent affair: let the balance-weight be whatever you wish.”
  • To himself he said, “What does the weight matter to one that eats clay? Clay is better than gold.”
  • As the dallála (go-between) who said, “O son, I have found a very beautiful new bride (for you). 630
  • (She is) exceedingly pretty, but there is just one thing, that the lady is a confectioner's daughter.”
  • “(All the) better,” said he; “if it is indeed so, his daughter will be fatter and sweeter.”
  • “If you have no (proper) weight and your weight is of clay, this is better and better: clay is the fruit (desired) of my heart.”
  • He (the druggist) placed the clay, because of its being ready (to his hand), in one scale of the balance instead of the (proper) weight;
  • Then, for the other scale, he was breaking with his hand the equivalent amount of sugar. 635
  • Since he had no pick-axe, he took a long time and made the customer sit waiting.
  • (Whilst) his face was (turned) towards that (sugar), the clay-eater, unable to restrain himself, began covertly to steal the clay from him,
  • Terribly frightened lest his (the druggist's) eye should fall upon him of a sudden for the purpose of testing (his honesty).
  • The druggist saw it, but made himself busy, saying, “Come, steal more, O pale-faced one!
  • If you will be a thief and take some of my clay, go on (doing so), for you are eating out of your own side. 640
  • You are afraid of me, but (only) because you are a (stupid) ass: I am afraid you will eat less (too little).
  • Though I am occupied, I am not such a fool (as to suffer) that you should get too much of my sugar-cane.