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4
836-885

  • His reality (real self) was hidden, though he was in people’s presence: how should the people see aught but beard and frock (of the dervish)?
  • When he became far (disappeared) from his own and the people’s eyes, he became renowned in the world, like the ‘Anqá.
  • Whenever the soul of any (spiritual) bird has come to (Mount) Qáf, all the world boast and brag on account of it.
  • When this orient light (from Solomon) reached Sabá, a tumult arose in Bilqís and her people.
  • All the dead spirits took wing: the dead put forth their heads from the grave, (which is) the body. 840
  • They gave the good news to one another, saying, “Hark! Lo, a voice is coming from Heaven.”
  • At (the sound of) that voice (men’s) religions wax great; the leaves and boughs of the heart become green.
  • Like the blast of the trumpet (on Judgement-Day) that breath from Solomon delivered the dead from the tombs.
  • May (such) felicity be thine after this (epoch of Solomon)! This (epoch) is past. God best knoweth the certain truth.
  • The rest of the story of the people of Sabá, and of the admonition and guidance given by Solomon, on whom be peace, to the kinsfolk of Bilqís—to every one (the particular guidance) suitable to his religious and spiritual difficulties; and how he caught (decoyed) each sort of conceptional bird with the whistle and bait proper for that sort of bird.
  • I will tell the story of Sabá in lover’s style. When the Zephyr came towards the tulip-field, 845
  • The bodies met (experienced) the day of their union (with the spirits which dwell in them)’: the children turned again in the direction of their home.
  • Amongst the communities the community of secret Love is like a liberality surrounded by the meanness of (spiritual) distemper.
  • The baseness of spirits is (derived) from their bodies; the nobility of bodies is (derived) from their spirits.
  • O lovers, the draught (of Love) is given to you. Ye are the everlasting: everlastingness is bestowed on you.
  • O ye that are forgetful, arise and love! That is the wind of Joseph: smell (its perfume)! 850
  • Come, O (master of the) bird-speech of Solomon, sing the song of every bird that comes.
  • Since God hath sent thee to the birds, He hath instructed thee in the note of every bird.
  • To the necessitarian bird speak the language of necessitarianism ; to the bird whose wings are broken speak of patience (quietism).
  • Keep the patient bird happy and free from harm; to the bird (resembling the) ‘Anqá recite the descriptions of (Mount) Qáf.
  • Bid the pigeon beware of the falcon; to the falcon speak of forbearance and being on its guard (against acting unjustly). 855
  • And as for the bat that is left destitute (of spiritual illumination), make it to consort and to be familiar with the Light.
  • Cause the warlike partridge to learn peace; to the cocks display the signs of dawn.
  • Even so proceed from the hoopoe to the eagle, and show the way. And God best knoweth the right course.
  • How Bilqís was freed from her kingdom and was intoxicated with longing for the Faith, and how at the moment of her (spiritual) emigration the regard of her desire became severed from the whole of her kingdom except from her throne.
  • When Solomon uttered a single whistling note to the birds of Sabá he ensnared them all,
  • Except, maybe, the bird that was without spirit or wings, or was dumb and deaf, like a fish, from the beginning. 860
  • Nay, I have spoken wrongly, for if the deaf one lay his head before the inspiration of the Divine Majesty, it will give to him (the power of) hearing.
  • When Bilqís set out (from Sabá) with heart and soul, she felt remorse too for the bygone time,
  • She took leave of her kingdom and riches in the same way as those lovers (of God) take leave of honour and disgrace (reputation).
  • Those charming pages and handmaidens (of hers seemed) to her eye (loathly) as a rotten onion.
  • For love’s sake, orchards and palaces and river-water seemed to her eye (contemptible as) a dunghill. 865
  • Love, in the hour of domination and anger, makes the pleasing ones to become hideous to the eye.
  • Love’s jealousy causes every emerald to appear as a leek: this is the (inner) meaning of Lá.
  • O (thou who givest) protection , (the meaning of) “There is no god but He” is that the moon should seem to thee a black kettle.
  • No wealth, no treasury, and no goods or gear were being grudged by her (Bilqis) except her throne.
  • Then Solomon became aware of (this feeling in) her heart, for the way was open from his heart to hers. 870
  • He that hears the voice of ants will also hear the cry from the inmost soul of them that are afar.
  • He that declares the mystery of “an ant said” will also know the mystery of this ancient dome.
  • From afar he (Solomon) discerned that to her (Bilqís) who was following the path of resignation ‘twas bitter to part with her throne.
  • If I explain the reason why she had that love and complaisance to her throne, it (the discourse) will become (too) long.
  • Although this reed-pen is in fact an insensible thing and is not homogeneous with the writer, (yet) it is a familiar friend to him. 875
  • Likewise, every tool of a craftsman is, (though) lifeless, the familiar friend of the spirit of Man.
  • This reason I would have explained precisely, if there were not some moisture (dimness) in the eye of your understanding.
  • There was no possibility of transporting the throne (from Sabá) because of its hugeness which exceeded (all) bounds.
  • It was filigree work, and there was danger in taking it to pieces, (since its parts were joined) like the limbs of the body with one another.
  • Therefore Solomon said, “Although in the end the diadem and throne will become chilling (repulsive) to her”— 880
  • (For) when the spirit puts forth its head (manifests itself) from the Unity (to which it has attained), in comparison with its splendour the body hath no splendour (at all);
  • When the pearl comes up from the depths of the seas, you will look with contempt on the foam and sticks and straws.
  • (When) the flaming sun lifts up its head, who will make Scorpio’s tail his resting—place’?—
  • “Yet, notwithstanding all this, in the actual case (the means of) transporting her throne (hither) must be sought,
  • In order that she may not feel hurt at the time of meeting (with me), and that her wish may be fulfilled, like (the wishes of) children. 885