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2
2144-2193

  • The first profit is that the sick person may perchance be a Qutb and a glorious (spiritual) king;
  • And if he be not a Qutb, he may be a friend of the (Súfí) Way; if he be not the king, he may be the cavalier of the host. 2145
  • Deem it, then, incumbent (on you) to attach yourselves to the friends of the Way, whosoever it may be, and whether (he be) footman or rider.
  • And if he be a foe (to you), still this kindness is good, for by kindness many a foe hath been made a friend;
  • And though he do not become a friend, his enmity is lessened, because kindness becomes the balm for enmity.
  • There are many profits besides these, but I am afraid of being tedious, good friend.
  • The gist (of the matter) is this: be the friend of the whole community (of Súfís): like the idol-maker, carve a friend out of the stone, 2150
  • Because the throng and multitude of a caravan will break the backs and spears of the highwaymen.
  • Inasmuch as you have not the heart's two eyes, O contumacious man, so that you cannot distinguish firewood from aloes-wood,
  • (You may despair of finding the true friend of God; but) since there exists a treasure in the world, do not grieve: deem no ruined place empty of treasure.
  • Betake yourself to every dervish at random, and when you find the mark (of the true saint), frequent (him) assiduously.
  • As the inward-seeing eye was not (granted) to you, think always (that) the treasure (may be) in everybody. 2155
  • How the high God revealed to Moses, on whom be peace, (the words), “Wherefore didst not thou visit Me in sickness?”
  • To Moses there came from God this reproach: “O thou who hast seen the rising of the moon from thy bosom,
  • Thou whom I have made (radiant as) the place of sunrise by (illumining thee with) the Divine Light! I am God, I fell sick, thou camest not.”
  • Moses said, “O Thou transcendent in Thy glory, Thou art clear of loss (defect). What mystery is this? Explain this, O Lord!”
  • God said unto him again, “Wherefore in My sickness didst not thou kindly ask after Me?”
  • He answered, “O Lord, Thou hast no imperfection. (My) understanding is lost: unfold (the meaning of) these words.” 2160
  • God said, “Yea; a favourite and chosen slave (of Mine) fell sick. I am he. Consider well!
  • His excusability (infirmity) is My excusability, his sickness is My sickness.”
  • Whoever wishes to sit with God, let him sit in the presence of the saints.
  • If you are broken off (divided) from the presence of the saints, you are in perdition, because you are a part without the whole.
  • Whomsoever the Devil cuts off from the noble (saints), he finds him without any one (to help him), and he devours his head. 2165
  • To go for one moment a single span apart from the community (of saints) is (a result of) the Devil's guile. Hearken, and know (it) well.
  • How the gardener isolated the Súfí, the jurist, and the descendant of ‘Alí from one another.
  • A gardener, when he looked into the orchard, saw three men in his orchard, as (though they were) thieves:
  • A jurist and a Sharíf and a Súfí: each one an impudent, knavish and perfidious rogue.
  • He said, “I have a hundred arguments against these fellows, but they are united, and a united party is (a source of) strength.
  • I cannot cope singly with three persons, so first I will sunder them from one another. 2170
  • I will cause each one to set out in a (different) direction, and when each is alone, I will tear out his moustache.”
  • He employed a ruse and got the Súfí away, that he might poison (the minds of) his friends against him.
  • He said to the Súfí, “Go to the house and fetch a rug for these companions (of yours).”
  • (As soon as) the Súfí departed, he (the gardener) said in private to the two friends, “Thou art a jurist, and this (other) is a renowned Sharíf.
  • ’Tis according to thy legal decision that we eat a loaf (of bread): ’tis by the wings of thy knowledge that we fly. 2175
  • And this other is our prince and sovereign: he is a Sayyid, he is of the House of Mustafá (Mohammed).
  • Who is this gluttonous vile Súfí, that he should associate with kings like you?
  • When he comes (back), drive him away and take possession of my orchard and field for a week.
  • What is (it to offer you) my orchard? My life is yours, O ye who have (always) been (as dear to me) as my right eye.”
  • He made evil suggestions and beguiled them. Ah, one must not patiently suffer the loss of friends. 2180
  • When they had turned the Súfí away and he was gone, the enemy went after him with a stout cudgel.
  • “O dog,” he cried, “is it Súfism that of a sudden you come into my orchard in spite (of me)?
  • Did Junayd or Báyazíd direct you to behave in this way? From what Shaykh and Pír did this (instruction) reach you?”
  • He beat the Súfí when he found him alone; he half killed him and cracked his head.
  • Said the Súfí, “Mine is over, but O comrades, take good care of yourselves! 2185
  • Ye regarded me as an alien. Look out! I am not more alien than this scoundrel.
  • That (cup) which I have drunk must be drunk by you, and such a draught as this is the due of every cad.”
  • This world is (like) the mountain, and (all) thy words come back to thee from the echo.
  • After the gardener had finished with the Súfí, he invented a pretext of the same kind as the former,
  • Saying, “O my Sharíf, go to the house, for I have baked (some) thin cakes of bread for breakfast. 2190
  • At the house-door tell Qaymáz to fetch those cakes and the goose.”
  • Having sent him off, he said (to the other), “O keen-sighted one, thou art a jurist; this is manifest and sure.
  • (But) he (thy friend) a Sharíf! ’Tis an absurd claim he is making. Who knows who committed adultery with his mother?