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5
1485-1534

  • He sows most of it and consumes (only) a little, for he has no doubt of its growing. 1485
  • The Turk shakes (moves to and fro) his hand in sowing, because that (former) crop of his has been produced from the same soil.
  • Likewise the shoemaker buys hide and leather and morocco (with) the surplus left over from (what he spends on) bread,
  • Saying, “These have (always) been the sources of my income: from these, accordingly, my means of livelihood are flowing.”
  • His income has come from that place: consequently he bestows (it) in the same place with liberality and generosity.
  • This soil (that produces crops) and (this) morocco are only a veil (secondary cause): know that at every moment the (real) source of livelihood is in God. 1490
  • When you sow, sow in the soil of the Origin, that for every single (seed) a hundred thousand (blessings) may grow.
  • If just now (recently) you have sown seed, (as) I will suppose, in a soil which you thought (would be) a means (of producing crops)—
  • When it (the seed) does not grow during two or three years, how can you do aught but put your hand (to your head) in supplication and prayer?
  • You will beat your hand on your head in the presence of God: (your) hand and head bear witness to His giving sustenance;
  • So that you may know that He is the Source of the source of (all) sustenance, and that the seeker of sustenance may seek only Him. 1495
  • Seek sustenance from Him, do not seek it from Zayd and ‘Amr: seek intoxication from Him, do not seek it from beng and wine.
  • Desire wealth from Him, not from treasure and possessions: desire aid from Him, not from paternal and maternal uncles.
  • At the last you will be left without (all) these things: hark, unto whom will you call then?
  • Call unto Him now, and leave (all) the rest, that you may inherit the kingdom of the world.
  • When comes (the Day on which) a man shall flee from his brother and on such a Day the son will flee from his father, 1500
  • In that hour every friend will become your foe, because (in the world) he was your idol and one who hindered (you) from (following) the (right) Way.
  • You were averting your face from the Painter of the face, since you were gaining heart's delight from a (mere) picture.
  • If at this (present) time your friends become hostile to you and turn aside from you and quarrel (with you),
  • Take heed and say, “Lo, my fortune is triumphant: that which would have happened to-morrow (at the Last Judgement) has happened to-day.
  • The people of this caravanseray (the world) have become my enemies, in order that the Resurrection might be made clearly visible to me beforehand, 1505
  • Ere I should lose my time and associate with them to the end of my life.
  • I had bought defective goods: thanks (to God) that I have become aware of their defectiveness in time,
  • Ere the stock-in-trade should go out of my hands and finally come forth (be exposed) as defective.
  • My wealth was (all but) gone, my life was (all but) gone, O man of noble lineage: I had (all but) given away my wealth and life for damaged goods.
  • I sold my merchandise, I received base gold: I was going home in great jubilation. 1510
  • Thanks (to God) that this gold was shown to be base now, before too much of my life had passed.
  • The base coin would have remained (as a shackle) on my neck for ever: to waste my life (thus) would have been an iniquity.
  • Since its (the coin's) baseness has been revealed earlier (in good time), I will step back from it very quickly.”
  • When your friend displays enmity (and when) the itch of his hatred and jealousy shoots forth (manifests itself),
  • Do not bewail his aversion, do not make yourself (do not let yourself behave as) a fool and ignoramus; 1515
  • Nay, thank God and give bread (alms), (in gratitude) that you have not become old (and rotten) in his sack,
  • (But) have quickly come out of his sack to seek the true Eternal Friend,
  • The delectable Friend whose friendship's cord becomes threefold (thrice as strong) after thy death.
  • That friend, in sooth, may be the (Divine) Sultan and exalted King, or he may be one accepted of the Sultan and one who intercedes (with Him).
  • You are (now) delivered from the false coiner and (his) hypocrisy and fraud: you have seen his tumour (imposture) plainly before death. 1520
  • If you understood (aright) this injustice shown towards you by the people in the world, it is a hidden treasure of gold.
  • The people are made to be thus evil-natured towards you, that your face may inevitably be turned Yonder.
  • Know this for sure that in the end all of them will become adversaries and foes and rebels.
  • You will be left in the tomb, lamenting and beseeching the One (God), (and crying), “Do not leave me (here) alone!
  • O Thou whose harshness is better than the troth of the faithful, the honey (kindness) of the faithful is also from Thy bounty.” 1525
  • Hearken to your own reason, O possessor of a granary, and commit your wheat to the earth of Allah,
  • That it may be safe from thieves and weevils. Kill the Devil with the wood-fretter (of reason) as quickly as possible;
  • For he is always frightening you with (the threat of) poverty: make him your prey like a partridge, O valiant hawk.
  • It would be a shame for the falcon of the mighty and fortunate Sultan to be made a prey by the partridge.
  • He (the father) gave many injunctions (to his sons) and sowed the seed of exhortation, (but) as their soil was nitrous (barren), ’twas of no avail. 1530
  • Although the admonisher have a hundred appeals, counsel demands a retentive ear.
  • You counsel him (the heedless man) with a hundred courtesies, and he turns aside from your counsel.
  • A single person who obstinately refuses to listen will baffle a hundred (eloquent) speakers.
  • Who should be more persuasive in counselling and sweeter-tongued than the prophets, whose words made an impression (even) on stones?