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4
738-787

  • But since it is mingled with the earth of sorrow, how should this treble and bass give (us) the same delight?
  • When water is mingled with urine and stalings, its temperament is made bitter and acid by the commixture.
  • There is a small quantity of water in his (a man's) body: suppose it is urine, (yet) it will extinguish a fire. 740
  • If the water has been defiled, (still) this natural property of it remains, for by its nature it allays the fire of grief.
  • Therefore samá‘ (music) is the food of lovers (of God), since therein is the phantasy of composure (tranquillity of mind).
  • From (hearing) sounds and pipings the mental phantasies gather a (great) strength; nay, they become forms (in the imagination).
  • The fire of love is made keen (inflamed) by melodies, just as the fire (ardour) of the man who dropped walnuts (into the water).
  • Story of the thirsty man who dropped walnuts from the top of a walnut-tree into the water-brook that was in the hollow, without reaching the water (himself), in order that he might hear the sound made by the walnuts falling on the water, which thrilled him with joy as (though it were) sweet music.
  • The water was in a deep place: the thirsty man went up the tree and scattered the walnuts one by one. 745
  • The walnuts were falling from the walnut-tree into the water: the sound was coming (to his ears), and he was seeing the bubbles.
  • A sensible person said to him, “Leave off, O youth: truly the (loss of the) walnuts will bring thirst (regret) to you.
  • The more the fruit falls into the water—(since) the water is below at a (great) distance from you,
  • The river-water will have carried it (the fruit) far away before you with effort come down from the top (of the tree).”
  • He replied, “My purpose in this scattering is not (to obtain possession of) the walnuts: look more keenly, do not stop at this superficial (view). 750
  • My purpose is that the sound of the water should come (to my ears); also, that I should see these bubbles on the surface of the water.”
  • What, indeed, is the thirsty man's business in the world? To circle for ever round the base of the tank,
  • Round the channel and round the Water and the sound of the Water, like a pilgrim circumambulating the Ka‘ba of Truth.
  • Even so, in (composing) this Mathnawí thou, O Ziyá’u ’l-Haqq (Radiance of God) Husámu’ddín, art my object.
  • The whole Mathnawí in its branches and roots is thine: thou hast accepted (it). 755
  • Kings accept (both) good and bad: when they accept (anything), it is reprobate no more.
  • Since thou hast planted the sapling, give it water. Since thou hast given it freedom (to grow), untie the knots.
  • In (all) its expressions my object is (to reveal) thy mystery; in composing it my object is (to hear) thy voice.
  • To me thy voice is the voice of God: Heaven forfend that (I should say) the lover is separate from the Beloved.
  • There is a union beyond description or analogy between the Lord of Man and the spirit of Man. 760
  • But I said nás (Man), not nasnás; nás is none but the spirit that knows the (Divine) Spirit.
  • Nás is Man, and where is Manhood? You have never beheld the head (spiritual principle) of Man: you are a tail.
  • You have recited (the text) thou didst not throw when thou threwest, but you are a (mere) body: you have remained in division.
  • Like Bilqís, O foolish one, abandon the kingdom of your body for the sake of the prophet Solomon.
  • I am crying “lá hawl,” not on account of my own words, nay, but on account of the false suggestions of the person accustomed to think (evil), 765
  • Who is conceiving in his heart a vain fancy about my words, (a fancy arising) from the false suggestions and incredulities of (evil) thought.
  • I am crying “lá hawl,” that is, “there is no help,” because in your heart there is a contradiction of me.
  • Since my words have stuck in your throat, I am silent: do you speak your own (words).
  • A sweet flute-player was playing the flute subito e podice ejus erupit ventus. [A sweet flute-player was playing the flute: suddenly, some wind escaped from his ass.]
  • Fistulam in podice posuit, saying, “If you play better than I, take it (the flute) and play!” [He placed the flute on his anus, saying, “If you play better than I, take it (the flute) and play!”] 770
  • O Musalmán, (whilst you are still engaged) in the quest, good manners are indeed nothing but forbearance with every one that is unmannerly.
  • When you see any one complaining of such and such a person's ill-nature and bad temper,
  • Know that the complainant is bad-tempered, forasmuch as he speaks ill of that bad-tempered person,
  • Because he (alone) is good-tempered who is quietly forbearing towards the bad-tempered and ill-natured.
  • But in (the case of) the Shaykh, the complaint is (made) by the command of God; it is not (made) in consequence of anger and contentiousness and vain desire. 775
  • It is not a complaint, it is spiritual correction, like the complaints made by the prophets.
  • Know that the intolerance of the prophets is by command (of God); otherwise, their clemency is exceedingly tolerant of evil.
  • They mortified their (carnal) nature in toleration of evil; if there be intolerance (on their part), it is Divine.
  • O Solomon (of the age), amidst the crows and falcons be thou (a manifestation of) the clemency of God: sort with (adapt thyself to) all the birds.
  • Oh, two hundred (like) Bilqís are abased before thy clemency, for (thou sayest in the words of the Prophet), “(O God), guide my people, verily they know not.” 780
  • How Solomon, on whom be peace, sent a threatening message to Bilqís, saying, "Do not think to persist in polytheism and do not make delay."
  • “Hark, Bilqís, come! Else, it will be bad (for thee): thy army will become thine enemy and will revolt.
  • Thy chamberlain will destroy thy door: thy soul with (all) its soul will act as an enemy towards thee.”
  • All the atoms of earth and heaven are God’s army, (as you will find out) on putting it to the test.
  • You have seen what the wind did to the people of ‘Ád, you have seen what the water did at the Deluge;
  • How that vengeful Sea dashed on Pharaoh, and how this Earth behaved to Qárún (Korah); 785
  • And what those bábíl (swifts) did to the Elephant, and how the gnat devoured the skull of Nimrod;
  • And how a David hurled with his hand a stone (which) became six hundred pieces and shattered an army.