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4
261-310

  • One was putting his hand on his (the tanner's) heart, while another sprinkled rose-water upon him;
  • (For) he did not know that from (smelling) rose-water in the meadow (the bazaar) that calamity had overtaken him.
  • One was massaging his hands and head, and another was bringing moist clay mixed with straw (to serve as a cold plaster);
  • One compounded incense of aloes-wood and sugar, while another was divesting him of part of his clothes;
  • And another felt his pulse, to see how it was beating; and another was smelling his mouth, 265
  • To see whether he had drunk wine or eaten beng or hashish: the people (having exhausted every resource) remained in despair at his insensibility.
  • So they speedily brought the news to his kinsfolk—“Such and such a person is lying there in a state of collapse;
  • No one knows how he was stricken with catalepsy, or what it was that led to this public exposure.”
  • That stout tanner had a brother, (who was) cunning and sagacious: he came at once in hot haste.
  • (With) a small quantity of dog's dung in his sleeve, he cleft (his way through) the crowd and approached (the senseless man) with cries of grief. 270
  • “I know,” said he, “whence his illness arises: when you know the cause (of a disease), the (means of) curing (it) is manifest.
  • When the cause is unknown, the remedy for the illness is difficult (to find), and in that (case) there are a hundred grounds to which it may be referred;
  • (But) when you have ascertained the cause, it becomes easy: knowledge of causes is the means of expelling ignorance.”
  • He said to himself, “The smell of that dog's dung is multiplied in his brain and veins.
  • Up to the waist in filth, he is absorbed in the tanner's craft till nightfall, seeking his livelihood. 275
  • Thus then has the great Jálínús (Galen) said: ‘Give the patient that to which he was habituated (before his illness);
  • For his illness arises from doing the contrary to (his usual) habit: therefore seek the remedy for his illness in that which is habitual (to him).’
  • He (the tanner), from carrying dung, has become like the dung-beetle: the dung-beetle is made insensible by rose-water.
  • The remedy for him consists in that same dog's dung to which he is habituated and accustomed.”
  • Recite (the text), the wicked women for the wicked men: recognise (both) the front and the back of this saying. 280
  • The sincere mentors prepare medicine for him (the wicked man) with ambergris or rose-water to open the door (of Divine Mercy);
  • (But) sweet words will not do for the wicked: ’tis not fitting and suitable, O ye trusty ones!
  • When from the perfume of the Revelation they (the wicked infidels) became crooked (disordered in mind) and lost (in error), their lament was, “We augur evil from you.
  • This discourse (of yours) is illness and sickness to us: your exhortation is not of good omen to us.
  • If ye once begin to admonish (us) overtly, at that instant we will stone you. 285
  • We have waxed fat on frivolity and diversion: we have not steeped ourselves in admonition.
  • Our food is falsehood and idle boasts and jests: our stomachs are turned by your delivering this message.
  • Ye are making the illness hundredfold and more: ye are drugging the intelligence with opium.”
  • How the tanner’s brother sought to cure him secretly with the smell of dung.
  • The youth kept driving the people away from him (the tanner), in order that those persons might not see his treatment (of the sick man).
  • He brought his head (close) to his ear, like one telling a secret; then he put the thing (which he had in his hand) to his (the tanner’s) nose; 290
  • For he had rubbed the dog’s dung on his palm: he had deemed it (to be) the remedy for the polluted brain.
  • A short while passed: the man began to move: the people said, “This was a wonderful charm;
  • For this (youth) recited charms and breathed (them) into his ear: he was dead: the charms came to succour him.”
  • The movement of iniquitous folk is to the quarter in which there is fornication and ogling glances and eyebrows.
  • Any one to whom the musk, admonition, is of no use must necessarily make himself familiar with the bad smell. 295
  • God has called the polytheists najas (uncleanness)’ for the reason that they were born in dung from of old.
  • The worm that has been born in dung will nevermore change its evil nature by means of ambergris.
  • Since the largesse of sprinkled light did not strike upon him (the wicked man), he is wholly body, without heart (spirit), like (empty) husks.
  • And if God gave him a portion of the sprinkled light, the dung hatched a bird, as is the custom in Egypt— so
  • But not the cheap domestic fowl; nay, but the bird of know ledge and wisdom. 300
  • “Thou resemblest that (wicked man) for thou art devoid of that light, inasmuch as thou art putting thy nose to filth.
  • Because of being parted (from me) thy cheeks and face have become yellow (pale): thou art (a tree with) yellow leaves and unripened fruit,
  • The pot was blackened by the fire and became like smoke in colour, (but) the meat, on account of (its) hardness, has remained so raw as this!
  • Eight years have I boiled, thee in separation (from me): thy rawness and hypocrisy have not become less by a single mote.
  • Thy young grape is indurated; for through sickness the (other) young grapes are now raisins, while thou art (still) immature.” 305
  • How the lover begged to be excused for his sin, (but) with duplicity and dissimulation; and how the beloved perceived that also.
  • The lover said, “I made the trial—do not take offence—that I might see whether thou art a hetaera or a modest woman. [The lover said, “I made the trial—do not take offence—that I might see whether thou art a courtesan or a modest woman.]
  • I was knowing (it) without the trial, but how should hearing be the same as seeing?
  • Thou art (like) the sun: thy name is renowned and known to all: what harm is there if I have tested it?
  • Thou art I: every day I am making trial of myself in profit and loss (good and evil).
  • The prophets were put to the trial by their enemies, with the result that miracles were displayed by them. 310