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6
1517-1566

  • Because he struck him for his own benefit, (since) it is the duty of the son to serve him (the father).
  • (But) when a teacher strikes a boy and he (the boy) perishes (is killed by the blows), nothing (in the way of penalty) is (imposed) on the teacher; no fear’
  • For the teacher is a deputy (of God) and a trustee; and the ease of every trustee is the same as this
  • It is not his (the boy’s) duty to serve his master (teacher) therefore in chastising him the master was not seeking benefit (for himself), 1520
  • But if his father struck him, he struck for his own sake: consequently he was not freed from (responsibility for) paying the blood-price.
  • Behead (your) selfhood, then, O (you who resemble the sword) Dhu ‘l-faqár: become a selfless naughted one like the dervish.
  • When you have become selfless, everything that you do (is a case of) thou didst not throw when thou threwest, (and) you are safe.
  • The responsibility lies on God, not on the trustee: ‘tis set forth plainly in (books of) jurisprudence.
  • Every shop has a different (kind of) merchandise: the Mathnawi is the shop for (spiritual) poverty, O son. 1525
  • In the shoemaker’s shop there is fine leather: if you see wood (there), it is (only) the mould for the shoe.
  • The drapers have (in their shops) silk and dun-coloured cloth: if iron be (there), it is (only to serve) for a yard-measure.
  • Our Mathnawi is the shop for Unity: anything that you see (there) except the One God) is (only) an idol.
  • Know that to praise an idol for the purpose of ensnaring the vulgar is just like (the Prophet’s reference to) “the most exalted Cranes.”
  • He recited it those words) quickly in the Súra (entitled) Wa’l-Najm, but it was a temptation (of the Devil), it was not (really) part of the Súra. 1530
  • Thereupon all the infidels prostrated themselves (in worship): ‘twas a mystery (of Divine Wisdom), too, that they knocked their heads upon the door.
  • After this there is a perplexing and abstruse argument stay with Solomon and do not stir up the demons!
  • Hark, relate the story of the Súfí and the Cadi and the offender who was (so) feeble and wretchedly ill.
  • The Cadi said (to the Súfí), “Make the roof firm, O son, in order that I may decorate it with good and evil.
  • Where is the assailant? Where is that which is subject to vengeance? This man in (consequence of) sickness has become a (mere) phantom. 1535
  • The law is for the living and self-sufficient: where (how) is the law (binding) upon the occupants of the graveyard?”
  • The class (of men) who are headless (selfless) because of (their spiritual) poverty are in a hundred respects more naughted than those dead (and buried).
  • The dead man is naughted (only) from one point of view, namely), as regards loss (of bodily life); the Súfís have been naughted in a hundred respects.
  • (Bodily) death is a single killing, while this (spiritual death) is three hundred thousand (killings), for each one of which there is a blood-price beyond reckoning.
  • Though God hath killed these folk many a time, (yet) He hath poured forth (infinite) stores (of grace) in payment of the blood-price. 1540
  • Every one (of these martyrs) is inwardly like Jirjís (St George): they have been killed and brought to life (again) sixty times.
  • From his delight in (being smitten by) the spear-point of the (Divine) Judge, the killed one is ever burning (in rapture) and crying. Strike another blow!”
  • (I swear) by God, from love for the existence that fosters the spirit, the killed one longs (still) more passionately to be killed a second time.
  • The Cadi said, “I am the cadi for the living: how am I the judge of the occupants of the graveyard?
  • If to outward seeming this man is not laid low in the grave, (yet) graves have entered into his household. 1545
  • You have seen many a dead man in the grave: (now), O, blind one, see the grave in a dead man.
  • If bricks from the grave have fallen on you, how should reasonable persons seek redress from the grave?
  • Do not concern yourself with anger and hatred against a dead man: beware, do not wake war on (one who is as dead as) the pictures in a bath-house.
  • Give thanks that a living one did not strike you, for he whom the living one rejects is rejected of God.
  • The anger of the living ones is God’s anger and His blows for that pure-skinned one is living through God. 1550
  • God killed him and breathed on his trotters and quickly, like a butcher, stripped off his skin.
  • The breath remains in him till (he reaches) the final bourn: the breathing of God is not as the breathing of the butcher.
  • There is a great difference between the two breathings: this is wholly honour, while that (other) side is entirely, shame.
  • This (the latter) took life away from it (the slaughtered beast) and injured it, while by the breathing of God that (spiritual) life was made perpetual.
  • This (Divine) breath is not a breath that can be described: hark, come up from the bottom of the pit to the top of the palace. 1555
  • ‘Tis not a sound legal decision to mount him (the defendant) on an ass (and parade him): does any one lay upon an ass a (mere) picture of firewood?
  • The back of an ass is not his proper seat: the back of a bier is more fitting for him.          
  • What is injustice? To put (a thing) out of its proper place: beware, do not let it be lost (by putting it) out of its place.”
  • The Súfi said, “Then do you think it right for him to slap me without (my taking) retaliation and without (his paying) a farthing?
  • Is it right that a big rascally bear should inflict slaps on Súfis for nothing?” 1560
  • The Cadi said (to the defendant), “What (coins) have you, larger or smaller?” He replied, “I have (only) six dirhems in the world.”
  • Said the Cadi, “Spend three dirhems (on yourself) and give the other three to him without (any further) words.
  • (For,” he thought to himself), “he (the defendant) is weak and ill and poor and infirm: he will need three dirhems for vegetables and loaves.”
  • His (the defendant’s) eye fall on the nape of the Cadi’s neck: it was better (more inviting) than the nape of the Súfi.
  • He raised his hand to slap it, saying (to himself), “The retaliation (penalty) for my slap has been made cheap.” 1565
  • He approached the Cadi’s ear (as though) for the purpose of (whispering) a secret, and dealt the Cadi a (severe) blow with his palm.