English    Türkçe    فارسی   

1
1364-1413

  • Explain! for in consequence of the iniquity of that tyrant our souls have myriads of wounds.”
  • “O Sirs,” said he, “it was (by) God's aid; else, who in the world is a hare (who am I, that I should have been able to do this)? 1365
  • He (God) bestowed power on me and gave light to my heart: the light in my heart gave strength to hand and foot.”
  • From God come preferments (to high position), from God also come changes (which bring one to low estate).
  • God in (due) course and turn is ever displaying this (Divine) aid to doubters and seers (alike).
  • How the hare admonished the beasts, saying, “Do not rejoice in this!”
  • Take heed! Do not exult in a kingdom bestowed in turns (passing from one to another), O thou who art the bondsman of Vicissitude, do not act as though thou wert free!
  • (But) those for whom is prepared a kingdom beyond Vicissitude, for them the drums (of sovereignty) are beaten beyond the Seven Planets. 1370
  • Beyond Vicissitude are the kings everlasting: their spirits are circling with the Cupbearer perpetually.
  • If thou wilt renounce this drinking (of worldly pleasures) for a day or two (for thy brief lifetime), thou wilt dip thy mouth in the drink of Paradise.
  • Commentary on (the Tradition) “We have returned from the lesser Jihád to the greater Jihád.”
  • O kings, we have slain the outward enemy, (but) there remains within (us) a worse enemy than he.
  • To slay this (enemy) is not the work of reason and intelligence: the inward lion is not subdued by the hare.
  • This carnal self (nafs) is Hell, and Hell is a dragon (the fire of) which is not diminished by oceans (of water). 1375
  • It would drink up the Seven Seas, and still the blazing of that consumer of all creatures would not become less.
  • Stones and stony-hearted infidels enter it, miserable and shamefaced,
  • (But) still it is not appeased by all this food, until there comes to it from God this call—
  • “Art thou filled, art thou filled?” It says, “Not yet; lo, here is the fire, here is the glow, here is the burning!”
  • It made a mouthful of and swallowed a whole world, its belly crying aloud, “Is there any more?” 1380
  • God, from (the realm) where place is not, sets His foot on it: then it subsides at (the command) Be, and it was.
  • Inasmuch as this self of ours is a part of Hell, and the parts always have the nature of the whole,
  • To God (alone) belongs this foot (power) to kill it: who, indeed, but God should draw its bow (vanquish it)?
  • Only the straight arrow is put on the bow, (but) this bow (of the self) has (its) arrows bent back and crooked.
  • Be straight, like an arrow, and escape from the bow, for without doubt every straight (arrow) will fly from the bow (to its mark). 1385
  • When I turned back from the outer warfare, I set my face towards the inner warfare.
  • We have returned from the lesser Jihád, we are engaged along with the Prophet in the greater Jihád.
  • I pray God to grant me strength and aid and (the right of) boasting, that I may root up with a needle this mountain of Qáf.
  • Deem of small account the lion (champion) who breaks the ranks (of the enemy): the (true) lion is he that breaks (conquers) himself.
  • How the ambassador of Rúm came to the Commander of the Faithful, ‘Umar, may God be well-pleased with him, and witnessed the gifts of grace with which ‘Umar, may God be well-pleased with him, was endowed.
  • To ‘Umar in Medina there came through the wide desert an ambassador from the Emperor of Rúm. 1390
  • He said, “O ye attendants, where is the palace of the Caliph, that I may take thither my horse and baggage?”
  • The folk said to him, “He has no palace: ‘Umar's (only) palace is an illumined spirit.
  • Though he has a (great) renown from being Commander (of the Faithful), he has (no dwelling except) a hut, like the poor.
  • O brother, how wilt thou behold his palace, when hair has grown in the eye of thy heart?
  • Purge thy heart's eye of hair and defect, and then hope to behold his palace. 1395
  • Whoever hath a spirit purged of (sensual) desires will at once behold the Presence and the Holy Porch.
  • When Mohammed was purged of this fire and smoke (of human passions), wheresoever he turned his face, was the Face of Allah.
  • Inasmuch as thou art a friend to the evil suggestions of the malign one (Satan), how wilt thou know (the true meaning of) There is the Face of Allah?
  • Every one in whose breast the gate is opened will behold from every city the sun (shining).
  • God is manifest amongst others as the moon amidst the stars. 1400
  • Lay two finger-ends on thy two eyes, and wilt thou see aught of the world? Deal justly (confess that thou wilt see nothing).
  • If thou dost not see this world, (yet) it is not non-existent: the fault lies not save in the finger of thy evil self.
  • Come, lift the finger from thine eye, and then behold whatsoever thou wishest.
  • To Noah his people said, ‘Where is the Divine recompense?’ He said, ‘On the other side of they cover themselves with their garments.
  • Ye have wrapped your faces and heads in your clothes: of necessity ye have eyes and see not.’ 1405
  • Man is eye, and (all) the rest is (worthless) skin: the sight of that (eye) is (consists in) seeing the Beloved.
  • When there is not sight of the Beloved, it (the eye) is better blind; the beloved who is not everlasting is better afar (away and out of sight).”
  • When the ambassador of Rúm admitted these fresh (spiritual) words into his hearing (gave ear to them), he became more full of longing.
  • He fixed his eye on seeking ‘Umar, he let his baggage and horse be lost.
  • He was going in every direction after that man of (great) accomplishment, inquiring madly for him, 1410
  • Saying, “Can there be in the world such a man, and he be hid, like the spirit, from the world?”
  • He sought him, that he might be as a slave to him: inevitably the seeker is a finder.
  • An Arab woman of the desert saw that he was a stranger-guest. “Look,” said she, “there is ‘Umar under that palm.