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5
2880-2929

  • The light in the lamp is the gift of the Almighty; the glass and earthenware (vessels) are His creatures' handiwork. 2880
  • Necessarily in respect of the vessels there is number, (but) in respect of the flames (of light) there is naught but unity.
  • When the light of six lamps is mingled together, there is no number and plurality in their light.
  • The Jew has become a polytheist from (regarding) the vessels; the true believer regarded the light and (consequently) has become endowed with (spiritual) perception.
  • When the sight falls upon the spirit's vessel, it regards Seth and Noah as being two.
  • When there is water in it (the canal), (only then) is it (really) a canal: the (real) man is he that hath the spirit (within him). 2885
  • These (others) are not men, they are (mere) forms: they are dead with (desire for) bread and killed by appetite.
  • Story of the Christian ascetic who went about with a lamp in the daytime in the midst of the bazaar because of the ecstasy which he had (in his heart).
  • That person was going about in a bazaar in the daytime with a candle, his heart full of love and (spiritual) ardour.
  • A busybody said to him, “Hey, O such-and-such, what are you seeking beside every shop?
  • Hey, why are you going about in search (of something) with a lamp in bright daylight? What is the joke?”
  • He replied, “I am searching everywhere for a man that is alive with the life inspired by that (Divine) Breath. 2890
  • Is there a man in existence?” “This bazaar,” said the other, “is full: surely they are men, O noble sage.”
  • He answered, “I want (one who is) a man on the two-wayed road—in the way of anger and at the time of desire.
  • Where is (one who is) a man at the moment of anger and at the moment of appetite? In search of (such) a man I am running from street to street.
  • Where in the world is (one who is) a man on these two occasions, that I may devote my life to him to-day?”
  • “You are seeking a rare thing,” said he; “but you take no heed of the (Divine) ordinance and destiny. Consider well! 2895
  • You regard (only) the branch, you are unaware of the root: we are the branch, the ordinances of the (Divine) decree are the root.”
  • The (Divine) destiny causes the rolling sphere (of heaven) to lose its way; the (Divine) destiny makes a hundred Mercuries to be ignorant;
  • It makes the world of (our) contrivance to be straitened; it makes iron and hard rock to be (unresisting as) water.
  • O thou who hast resolved upon the way (thou wilt go), step by step, thou art the rawest of the raw, the rawest of the raw, the rawest of the raw.
  • Since thou hast seen the revolution of the millstone, come now, see also the water of the river. 2900
  • Thou hast seen the dust rise into the air: amidst the dust see the wind.
  • Thou seest the kettles of thought boiling: look with intelligence on the fire too.
  • God said to Job, “I have graciously bestowed a (gift of) patience upon every hair of thee.
  • Hark, do not pay so much regard to thy patience: thou hast seen (thy) patience, (now) look at (My) giving (thee) patience.”
  • How long wilt thou behold the revolution of the water-wheel? Put forth thy head and behold the rapid water (that turns it). 2905
  • Thou wilt say, “I am beholding it”; but there are many good signs of (really) beholding it.
  • When thou hast taken a summary view of the circling movement of the foam, look upon the Sea if thou wantest (to feel) bewilderment.
  • He that regards the foam tells of the mystery, while he that regards the Sea is bewildered.
  • He that regards the foam forms intentions, while he that regards the Sea makes his heart (one with) the Sea.
  • He that regards the foam-flakes is (engaged) in reckoning (and calculation), while he that regards the Sea is without (conscious) volition. 2910
  • He that regards the foam is in (continual) movement, while he that regards the Sea is devoid of hypocrisy.
  • How a Moslem called a Magian (to accept Islam).
  • A certain man said to a Magian, “O such-and-such, hark, become a Moslem, be one of the true believers!”
  • He replied, “If God will, I shall become a true believer; and if He increase His grace, I shall become possessed of intuitive faith.”
  • He (the Moslem) said, “God wills thy true belief, in order that thy spirit may be delivered from the hand (power) of Hell;
  • But thy ill-omened carnal soul and the wicked Devil are dragging thee towards infidelity and the fire-temple.” 2915
  • He replied, “O reasonable man, since they are predominant I shall (necessarily) be on the side of the stronger.
  • I can side (only) with him who is predominant: I (must) fall in the direction to which the predominant one is pulling (me).
  • Since (according to thy assertion) God was desiring of me a firm belief (in Islam), what is the use of His desire when He does not succeed (in attaining His object)?
  • The carnal soul and the Devil have carried their will to success, while that act of (Divine) favour has been defeated and pulverised.
  • (’Tis as if) thou hadst built a palace and pavilion and erected therein a hundred beautiful (ornamental) designs, 2920
  • And desired that that goodly place should be a mosque— and (then) some one else had come and made it a Christian monastery;
  • Or (as if) thou hadst woven a piece of linen cloth, in order deftly to make it a coat for some one to wear,
  • And (when) thou wert desiring (it to be) a coat, a rival, from (motives of) hostility, made the linen stuff into a pair of trousers in spite of thee.
  • What resource has the linen, my dear friend, but to submit to the purpose of the one who is predominant?
  • (Since) he (the owner of the cloth) is reduced to submission, what is the crime of this linen? Who is he that is not dominated by the predominant? 2925
  • When some one has forced his way in against his (the householder's) will and planted a thornbush in his property and house,
  • The master of the house is humiliated because such a shabbiness (abasement) is inflicted on him.
  • I too, though I am fresh and new, would become shabby (abased) through being associated with such a contemptible person.
  • Since the will of the carnal soul is besought for help, ’tis mockery (to say) that whatever God wills shall come to pass.