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1
118-167

  • The shadow, like chat in the night-hours, brings sleep to thee; when the sun rises the moon is cloven asunder.
  • There is nothing in the world so wondrous strange as the Sun, the everlasting spiritual Sun which hath no yesterday.
  • Although the external sun is unique, still it is possible to imagine one resembling it; 120
  • But the Sun by which the aether was brought into existence hath no peer.
  • Where is room in the imagination for His essence, that the like of Him should come into the imagination?
  • When news arrived of the face of Shamsu’ddín (the Sun of the Religion), the sun of the fourth heaven drew in its head (hid itself for shame).
  • Since his name has come (to my lips), it behoves me to set forth some hint of his bounty.
  • At this moment my Soul has plucked my skirt: he has caught the perfume of Joseph's vest. 125
  • (He said): “For the sake of our years of companionship, recount one of those sweet ecstasies,
  • That earth and heaven may laugh (with joy), that intellect and spirit and eye may increase a hundredfold.”
  • (I said): “Do not lay tasks on me, for I have passed away from myself (faná); my apprehensions are blunted and I know not how to praise.
  • Everything that is said by one who has not returned to consciousness, if he constrains himself or boastfully exaggerates, is unseemly.
  • How should I—not a vein of mine is sensible—describe that Friend who hath no peer? 130
  • The description of this severance and this heart's blood do thou at present leave over till another time.”
  • He said: “Feed me, for I am hungry, and make haste, for Time is a cutting sword.
  • The Súfí is the son of the (present) time, O comrade: it is not the rule of the Way to say ‘To-morrow.’
  • Art not thou indeed a Súfí, then? That which is (in hand) is reduced to naught by postponing the payment.”
  • I said to him: “It is better that the secret of the Friend should be disguised: do thou hearken (to it as implied) in the contents of the tale. 135
  • It is better that the lovers' secret should be told in the talk of others.”
  • He said: “Tell this openly and nakedly: talk of religion is better overt than covert.
  • Lift the veil and speak nakedly, for I do not wear a shirt when I sleep with the Adored One.”
  • I said: “If He should become naked in (thy) vision, neither wilt thou remain nor thy bosom nor thy waist.
  • Ask thy wish, but ask with measure: a blade of straw will not support the mountain. 140
  • If the Sun, by whom this world is illumined, should approach a little (nearer), all will be burned.
  • Do not seek trouble and turmoil and bloodshed: say no more concerning the Sun of Tabriz!”
  • This (mystery) hath no end: tell of the beginning. Go, relate the conclusion of this tale.
  • How that saint demanded of the king to be alone for the purpose of discovering her malady.
  • He said: “O king, make the house empty; send away both kinsfolk and strangers.
  • Let no one listen in the entrance-halls, that I may ask certain things of this handmaiden.” 145
  • The house was left empty, and not one inhabitant (remained): nobody save the physician and that sick girl.
  • Very gently he said (to her), “Where is thy native town? for the treatment suitable to the people of each town is separate.
  • And in that town who is related to thee? With what hast thou kinship and affinity?”
  • He laid his hand on her pulse and put questions, one by one, about the injustice of Heaven.
  • When a thorn darts into any one's foot, he sets his foot upon his knee, 150
  • And keeps searching for its head with the point of a needle, and if he does not find it, he keeps moistening it (the place) with his lip.
  • A thorn in the foot is so hard to find: how (then) is it with a thorn in the heart? Answer (that)!
  • If every base fellow had seen the thorn in the heart, when would sorrows gain the upper hand over any one?
  • Somebody sticks a thorn under a donkey's tail: the donkey does not know how to get rid of it: he starts jumping.
  • He jumps, and the thorn strikes more firmly (pierces deeper): it needs an intelligent person to extract a thorn. 155
  • In order to get rid of the thorn, the donkey from irritation and pain went on kicking and dealing blows in a hundred places,
  • (But) that thorn-removing physician was an expert: putting his hand on one spot after another, he tested (it).
  • He inquired of the girl concerning her friends, by way of narrative,
  • And she disclosed to the physician (many) circumstances touching her home and (former) masters and town and dwelling.
  • He listened to her story (while) he continued to observe her pulse and its beating, 160
  • So that at whosoever's name her pulse should begin to throb, (he might know that) that person is the object of her soul's desire in the world.
  • He reckoned up the friends and town; then he mentioned another town by name.
  • He said: “When you went forth from your own town, in which town did you live mostly?”
  • She mentioned the name of a certain town and from that too she passed on (to speak of another, and meanwhile) there was no change in the colour of her face or in her pulse.
  • Masters and towns, one by one, she told of, and about dwelling-place and bread and salt. 165
  • She told stories of many a town and many a house, (and still) no vein of her quivered nor did her cheek grow pale.
  • Her pulse remained in its normal state, unimpaired, till he asked about Samarcand, the (city) sweet as candy.