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2
1612-1661

  • The drop that has become an envoy from the Sea of Unity— the seven seas would be captive to that drop.
  • If a handful of earth become His courier, His heavens will lay their heads (in homage) before His earth.
  • Since the earth of Adam became God's courier, God's angels lay their heads (in worship) before His earth.
  • Wherefore (was it), pray, that heaven was rent asunder? Because of one (spiritual) eye that an earthly creature opened. 1615
  • Earth, from its grossness, settles beneath water; (but) see how earth has sped beyond the empyrean!
  • Know, then, that the subtlety (of water) is not (derived) from the water: ’tis only the gift of the Bounteous Originator.
  • If He make air and fire low (in place), and if He let the thorn surpass the rose,
  • He is the Ruler and (the One who said) God doeth what He willeth: from the very self of pain He raises the remedy.
  • If He make air and fire low (in place), and make (them assume the qualities of) darkness and grossness and heaviness, 1620
  • And if He make earth and water high (in place), and make the path of heaven (to be) traversed by foot—
  • Then it has become certain that Thou exaltest whomso Thou wilt: He (God) said to an earthly creature, “Unfold thy wings.”
  • To the creature of fire He said, “Go, become Iblís: begone under the Seventh Earth with (thy) imposture!
  • O earthly Adam, go thou above (the star) Suhá; O fiery Iblís, go to (the bottom of) the Earth.
  • I am not the four temperaments or the first cause, I am ever remaining in (absolute) control. 1625
  • My action is uncaused and upright (independent): I have (the power of) predetermination, (I have) no cause, O infirm one.
  • I alter My custom at the time (I choose): at the time (I will) I lay the dust (that rises) in front.
  • I say to the sea, ‘Hark, be full of fire!’ I say to the fire, ‘Go, be a rose-garden!’
  • I say to the mountain, ‘Be light as wool!’ I say to heaven, ‘Be rent asunder before the eye!’
  • I say, ‘O sun, be joined to the moon!’ I make them both like two black clouds. 1630
  • We make dry the fountain of the sun: by Our art We turn into musk the fountain of blood.”
  • Sun and moon (shall be) like two black oxen: God will fasten a yoke upon their necks.
  • How a philosopher showed disbelief at the recitation of (the text), “if your water shall have sunk into the ground.”
  • A teacher of Qur’án-recitation was reading from the page of the Book, “(if) your water (shall have) sunk into the ground: (that is, if) I stop the water from (reaching) the spring,
  • And hide the water in the depths, and make the springs dry and a place of drought,
  • Who shall bring the water to the spring again except Me who have no like, the Gracious, the Glorious?” 1635
  • A contemptible philosopher and logician was passing beside the school at that moment.
  • When he heard the verse (of the Qur’án), he said in disapproval, “We bring the water (back) with a mattock;
  • With strokes of the spade and (with) the sharpness of the axe we bring the water up from below.”
  • At night he fell asleep and saw (in dream) a lion-hearted man (who) gave (him) a blow on the face and blinded both his eyes,
  • And said, “O wretch, if you are speaking the truth, bring up some light with an axe from these two springs of vision.” 1640
  • At (dawn of) day he jumped up and found (he had) two blind eyes: from both his eyes the overflowing light had vanished.
  • If he had moaned and asked pardon (of God), the departed light would have appeared (again) through (God's) kindness;
  • But (the power of) asking pardon, also, is not in (our) hands: the savour of repentance is not the dessert of every inebriate.
  • The wickedness of (his) actions and the disastrousness of (his) denial (of the Truth) had barred the way of repentance to his heart.
  • His heart became in hardness as the face of a rock: how should repentance cleave it for sowing? 1645
  • Where is one like Shu‘ayb, that by prayer he may make the mountain earth (fit) for sowing?
  • Through the supplication and (firm) belief of that Friend (Abraham) the thing that was hard and impossible became possible.
  • Or, (to give another example), through the Muqawqis' begging the Prophet a stony ground became a goodly cornfield.
  • So, contrariwise, a man's disbelief turns gold into copper and peace into war.
  • This falseness draws after it an evil transformation: it turns ground capable (of tillage) into stones and pebbles. 1650
  • Nor is it granted to every heart to fall down in prayer: the wages of (Divine) mercy are not the (allotted) portion of every hireling.
  • Beware! Do not commit crime and sin in reliance on (the thought), “I will repent and come to (take) refuge (with God).”
  • For (true) repentance, there must needs be a glow (of inward feeling) and a flood (of tears): (such) lightning and clouds are the condition indispensable to repentance.
  • There must needs be fire and water (rain) for the fruit: clouds and lightning are necessary for this accomplishment.
  • Until there is the lightning of the heart and the rain-clouds of the two eyes, how shall the fire of (Divine) menace and wrath be allayed? 1655
  • How shall the herbage grow, (the herbage) of the delight of union (with God)? How shall the fountains of clear water gush forth?
  • How shall the rose-beds tell their secret to the garden? How shall the violet make an engagement with the jasmine?
  • How shall a plane-tree open its hands (spread its leaves) in prayer? How shall any tree toss its head in the air (of love-desire)?
  • How shall the blossoms begin to shake out their sleeves full of largesse in the days of Spring?
  • How shall the cheeks of the anemone flame like blood? How shall the rose bring gold out of its purse? 1660
  • How shall the nightingale come and smell the rose? How shall the dove say “coo, coo,” as one that seeks?