English    Türkçe    فارسی   

1
279-328

  • (But) between this rod and that rod there is a vast difference; from this action (magic) to that action (miracle) is a great way.
  • This action is followed by the curse of God, (while) that action receives in payment the mercy (blessing) of God. 280
  • The infidels in contending (for equality with the prophets and saints) have the nature of an ape: the (evil) nature is a canker within the breast.
  • Whatever a man does, the ape at every moment does the same thing that he sees done by the man.
  • He thinks, “I have acted like him”: how should that quarrelsome-looking one know the difference?
  • This one (the holy man) acts by the command (of God), and he (the apish imitator) for the sake of quarrelling (rivalry). Pour dust on the heads of those who have quarrelsome faces!
  • That (religious) hypocrite joins in ritual prayer with the (sincere) conformist (only) for quarrelling's sake, not for supplication. 285
  • In prayer and fasting and pilgrimage and alms-giving the true believers are (engaged) with the hypocrite in (what brings) victory and defeat.
  • Victory in the end is to the true believers; upon the hypocrite (falls) defeat in the state hereafter.
  • Although both are intent on one game, in relation to each other they are (as far apart as) the man of Merv and the man of Rayy.
  • Each one goes to his (proper) abiding-place; each one fares according to his name.
  • If he be called a true believer, his soul rejoices; and if (he be called) “hypocrite,” he becomes fierce and filled with fire (rage). 290
  • His (the true believer's) name is loved on account of its essence (which is true faith); this one's (the hypocrite's) name is loathed on account of its pestilent qualities.
  • (The four letters) mím and wáw and mím and nún do not confer honour: the word múmin (true believer) is only for the sake of denotation.
  • If you call him (the true believer) hypocrite, this vile name is stinging (him) within like a scorpion.
  • If this name is not derived from Hell, then why is there the taste of Hell in it?
  • The foulness of that ill name is not from the letters; the bitterness of that sea-water is not from the vessel (containing it). 295
  • The letters are the vessel: therein the meaning is (contained) like water; (but) the sea of the meaning is (with God)—with Him is the Ummu ’l-Kitáb.
  • In this world the bitter sea and the sweet sea (are divided)— between them is a barrier which they do not seek to cross.
  • Know that both these flow from one origin. Pass on from them both, go (all the way) to their origin!
  • Without the touchstone you will never know in the assay adulterated gold and fine gold by (using your own) judgement.
  • Any one in whose soul God shall put the touchstone, he will distinguish every certainty from doubt. 300
  • A piece of rubbish jumps into the mouth of a living man, and only when he ejects it is he at ease.
  • When, amongst thousands of morsels (of food), one little piece of rubbish entered (his mouth), the living man's sense (of touch or taste) tracked it down.
  • The worldly sense is the ladder to this world; the religious sense is the ladder to Heaven.
  • Seek ye the well-being of the former sense from the physician; beg ye the well-being of the latter sense from the Beloved.
  • The health of the former arises from the flourishing state of the body; the health of the latter arises from the ruin of the body. 305
  • The spiritual way ruins the body and, after having ruined it, restores it to prosperity:
  • Ruined the house for the sake of the golden treasure, and with that same treasure builds it better (than before);
  • Cut off the water and cleansed the river-bed, then caused drinking-water to flow in the river-bed;
  • Cleft the skin and drew out the iron point (of the arrow or spear)—then fresh skin grew over it (the wound);
  • Rased the fortress and took it from the infidel, then reared thereon a hundred towers and ramparts. 310
  • Who shall describe the action of Him who hath no like? This that I have said (is what) the present necessity is affording.
  • Sometimes it (the action of God) appears like this and sometimes the contrary of this: the work of religion is naught but bewilderment.
  • (I mean) not one bewildered in such wise that his back is (turned) towards Him; nay, but one bewildered (with ecstasy) like this and drowned (in God) and intoxicated with the Beloved.
  • The face of the one is set towards the Beloved, (while) the face of the other is just his own face (he is facing himself).
  • Look long on the face of every one, keep watch attentively: it may be that by doing service (to Súfís) you will come to know the face (of the true saint). 315
  • Since there is many a devil who hath the face of Adam, it is not well to give your hand to every hand,
  • Because the fowler produces a whistling sound in order to decoy the bird,
  • (So that) the bird may hear the note of its congener and come down from the air and find trap and knife-point.
  • The vile man will steal the language of dervishes, that he may thereby chant a spell over (fascinate and deceive) one who is simple.
  • The work of (holy) men is (as) light and heat; the work of vile men is trickery and shamelessness. 320
  • They make a woollen lion for the purpose of begging; they give the title of Ahmad (Mohammed) to Bú Musaylim;
  • (But) to Bú Musaylim remained the title of Kadhdháb (Liar), to Mohammed remained (the title of) Ulu ’l-albáb (Endowed with understanding).
  • The wine of God, its seal (last result) is pure musk, (but) as for (the other) wine, its seal is stench and torment
  • Story of the Jewish king who for bigotry's sake used to slay the Christians.
  • Amongst the Jews there was a king who wrought oppression, an enemy of Jesus and a destroyer of Christians.
  • ’Twas the epoch of Jesus and the turn was his: he was the soul of Moses, and Moses the soul of him; 325
  • (But) the squint-eyed (double-seeing) king separated in the way of God those two Divine (prophets) who were (really) in accord (with each other).
  • The master said to a squint-eyed (pupil), “Come on; go, fetch that bottle out of the room.”
  • Said the squint-eyed one: “Which of the two bottles shall I bring to you? Explain fully.”