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2588-2637

  • And to another it will give burning pain in evacuation: its taste will deal him a blow that pierces his liver.
  • And to another (it will become manifest) after days and months; and to another after death, from the depth of the grave;
  • And if he be given a respite in the depth of the grave, (then) it will inevitably become manifest on the Day of Resurrection. 2590
  • Every piece of candy and sugar (desirable thing) in the world manifestly has a period granted to it from the revolution of Time.
  • Years are needed in order that the ruby in (exposed to the rays of) the sun may obtain (the perfect) tint and splendour and brilliance.
  • Vegetables, again, reach maturity in two months, while the red rose comes to perfection in a year.
  • For this reason the Almighty and Glorious God in the Súratu ’l-An‘ám has made mention of an appointed term (ajal).
  • You have heard this (discourse): may the whole of you, hair by hair, be an ear (to receive it)! ’Tis the Water of Life: (if) you have drunk, may it do you good! 2595
  • Call it the Water of Life, call it not a discourse: behold the new spirit in the body of the old letter!
  • (Now), my friend, hearken to another saying (which is), like the soul, very clear (to mystics) and abstruse (to the rest):
  • In a certain place (spiritual degree), through Divine dispositions even this poison and snake (worldliness and sensuality) is (rendered) digestible.
  • In one place (it is) poison and in one place medicine, in one place infidelity and in one place approved.
  • Although there it is injurious to the soul, when it arrives here it is a remedy. 2600
  • In the young grape (ghúra) the juice is sour, but it is sweet and good when the ghúra comes to be an angúr (ripe grape).
  • Again in the wine-jar it becomes bitter and unlawful, (but) in the state (form) of vinegar how excellent it is as a seasoning!
  • Concerning the impropriety of the disciple's (muríd) presuming to do the same things as are done by the saint (walí), inasmuch as sweetmeat does no harm to the physician, but is harmful to the sick, and frost and snow do no harm to the ripe grape, but are injurious to the young fruit; for he (the disciple) is (still) on the way, for he has not (yet) become (the saint to whom are applicable the words in the Qur’án): “That God may forgive thee thy former and latter sins.”
  • If the saint drinks a poison it becomes an antidote, but if the seeker (disciple) drinks it, his mind is darkened.
  • From Solomon have come the words, “O Lord, give me (a kingdom that it behoves not any one after me to obtain),” that is, “do not give this kingdom and power to any but me.
  • Do not bestow this grace and bounty on any but me.” This looks like envy, but it was not that (in reality). 2605
  • Read with your soul the mystery of “it behoves not,” do not deem the inward meaning of “after me” (to be derived) from his (Solomon's) avarice.
  • Nay, but in sovereignty he saw a hundred dangers: the kingdom of this world was (has ever been), hair by hair (in every respect), fear for one's head.
  • Fear for head with fear for heart with fear for religion— there is no trial for us like this.
  • Therefore one must needs possess the high aspiration of a Solomon in order to escape from these myriads of colours and perfumes (enticing vanities).
  • Even with such (great) strength (of spirit) as he had, the waves of that (worldly) kingdom were stifling his breath (choking him). 2610
  • Since dust settled on him from this sorrow, he had compassion for all the kings of the world.
  • He interceded (with God on their behalf) and said, “Give this kingdom and banner (to them) with (accompanied by) the (spiritual) perfection which Thou hast given to me.
  • To whomsoever Thou wilt give (it), and (on whomsoever) Thou wilt confer that bounty, he (that person) is Solomon, and I also am he.
  • He is not ‘after me,’ he is with me. What of ‘with me,’ indeed? I am without rival.”
  • ’Tis my duty to explain this, but (now) I will return to the story of the man and wife. 2615
  • The moral of the altercation of the Arab and his wife.
  • The heart of one who is sincere is seeking (to find) a moral for the altercation of the man and wife.
  • The altercation of the man and wife has been related (as a story): know that it is a parable of your own flesh (nafs) and reason.
  • This man and wife, which are the flesh and the reason, are very necessary for (the manifestation of) good and evil;
  • And this necessary pair in this house of earth are (engaged) in strife and altercation day and night.
  • The wife is craving requisites for the household, that is to say, reputation and bread and viands and rank. 2620
  • Like the wife, the flesh, in order to contrive the means (of gratifying its desires), is at one time seeking (having recourse to) humility and at another time to domination.
  • The reason is really unconscious of these (worldly) thoughts: in its brain is nothing but love of God.
  • Although the inner meaning of the tale is this bait and trap, listen now to the outward form of the tale in its entirety.
  • If the spiritual explanation were sufficient, the creation of the world would have been vain and idle.
  • If love were (only spiritual) thought and reality, the form of your fasting and prayer would be non-existent. 2625
  • The gifts of lovers to one another are, in respect of love, naught but forms;
  • (But the purpose is) that the gifts may have borne testimony to feelings of love which are concealed in secrecy,
  • Because outward acts of kindness bear witness to feelings of love in the heart, O dear friend.
  • Your witness is sometimes true, sometimes false, sometimes drunken with wine, sometimes with sour curds.
  • He that has drunk sour curds makes a show of intoxication, shouts ecstatically, and behaves like one whose head is heavy (with the fumes of wine); 2630
  • That hypocrite is (assiduous) in fasting and praying, in order that it may be supposed that he is drunken with devotion (to God).
  • In short, external acts are different (from internal feelings), (and their purpose is) to indicate that which is hidden.
  • O Lord, grant us according to our desire such discernment that we may know the false indication from the true.
  • Do you know how the sense-perception becomes discerning? In this way, that the sense-perception should be seeing by the light of God.
  • And if there be no effect (outward sign), the cause too makes manifest (that which is hidden), as (for example) kinship gives information concerning love (enables you to infer the presence of love). 2635
  • He to whom the light of God has become a guide is not a slave to effects or causes—
  • Or (if he is a slave to them) Love will throw a spark within, wax mighty, and make (the illumined one) independent of effect.