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6
1722-1771

  • You are very angry with its quartile aspects and its disdain and enmity and mischiefs;
  • You are very annoyed with its silence and inauspiciousness and severity and its endeavour to show hostility,
  • Saying, ‘Why doesn't the merry Venus dance?’ Do not depend on its good luck and auspicious dance.
  • Your star says, ‘If I jest any more, I shall cause you to be swindled entirely.’ 1725
  • Do not regard the counterfeiting of these stars: regard your love for the counterfeiter, O despicable man.
  • Parable.
  • A certain man was on the way to his shop (when) he found the road in front of him barred by women.
  • He was hurrying along hot-foot, and the way was blocked by a crowd of women (beautiful) as the moon.
  • He turned his face to one woman and said, ‘O vile (creature), how numerous you are, little girls, eh!’
  • The woman turned towards him and replied, ‘O man of trust, do not think it dreadful that there are so many of us. 1730
  • Consider that notwithstanding the multitude of us on the earth you (men) find it insufficient for your enjoyment.
  • Propter paucitatem feminarum inciditis in paedicationem: infamissini in mundo sunt agens et patiens.’ [Because of the scarcity of women, you engage in sodomy: (both) active and passive (homosexuals) are the shame of the world.]
  • (O Súfí), do not regard these happenings of Time which (proceed) from heaven (and) come to pass intolerably here.
  • Do not regard the (anxious) husbanding of (one's) daily bread and livelihood and this dearth (of food) and fear and trembling,
  • (But) consider that in spite of all its (the World's) bitternesses ye are mortally enamoured of it and recklessly devoted to it. 1735
  • Deem bitter tribulation to be a (Divine) mercy, deem the kingdom of Merv and Balkh to be a (Divine) vengeance.
  • That Ibráhím fled not from destruction and remained (safe), while this Ibráhím fled from (worldly) honour and rode away.
  • That one is not burnt, and this one is burnt. Oh, wonderful! In the Way of search (for God) everything is upside down.”
  • How the Súfí repeated his questions.
  • The Súfí said, “He (God) whose help is invoked hath the power to make our trading free from loss.
  • He who turns the fire (of Nimrod) into roses and trees is also able to make this (World-fire) harmless. 1740
  • He who brings forth roses from the very midst of thorns is also able to turn this winter into spring.
  • He by whom every cypress is made ‘free’ (evergreen) hath the power if He would turn sorrow into joy.
  • He by whom every non-existence is made existent—what damage would He suffer if He were to preserve it for ever?
  • He who gives the body a soul that it may live—how would He be a loser if He did not cause it to die?
  • What, indeed, would it matter if that Bounteous One should bestow on His servant the desire of his soul without (painful) toil, 1745
  • And keep far off from poor (mortals) the cunning of the flesh and the temptation of the Devil (which lurk) in ambush?”
  • The Cadi's reply to the Súfí.
  • The Cadi said, “Were there no bitter (stern) Commandment (from God) and were there no good and evil and no pebbles and pearls,
  • And were there no flesh and Devil and passions, and were there no blows and battle and war,
  • Then by what name and title would the King call His servants, O abandoned man?
  • How could He say, ‘O steadfast one’ and ‘O forbearing one’? How could He say, ‘O brave one’ and ‘O wise one’? 1750
  • How could there be steadfast and sincere and spending men without a brigand and accursed Devil?
  • Rustam and Hamza and a catamite would be (all) one; knowledge and wisdom would be annulled and utterly demolished.
  • Knowledge and wisdom exist for the purpose of (distinguishing between) the right path and the wrong paths: when all (paths) are the right path, knowledge and wisdom are void (of meaning).
  • Do you think it allowable that both the worlds should be ruined for the sake of this briny (foul) shop of the (sensual) nature?
  • I know that you are pure (enlightened), not raw (foolish), and that these questions of yours are (asked) for the sake of (instructing) the vulgar. 1755
  • The cruelty of Time (Fortune) and every affliction that exists are lighter than farness from God and forgetfulness (of Him),
  • Because these (afflictions) will pass, (but) that (forgetfulness) will not. (Only) he that brings his spirit (to God) awake (and mindful of Him) is possessed of felicity.”
  • A Story setting forth that patience in bearing worldly affliction is easier than patience in bearing separation from the Beloved.
  • A certain woman said to her husband, “Hey, O you who have finished with generosity once and for all,
  • Why have you no care for me? How long shall I dwell in this abode of misery?”
  • The husband replied, “I am doing my best to earn money; though I am destitute, I am moving hand and foot. 1760
  • O beloved, it is my duty (to provide you with) money and clothes: you get both these from me and they are not insufficient.”
  • The wife showed (him) the sleeve of her chemise: the chemise was very coarse and dirty.
  • “It is so rough,” said she, “it eats (wounds) my body: does any one get a garment of this kind for any one?”
  • He said, “O wife, I will ask you one question. I am a poor man: this is all I know (how to do).
  • This (chemise) is rough and coarse and disagreeable, but think (well), O thoughtful (anxious) wife! 1765
  • Is this (chemise) rougher and nastier, or divorce? Is this (chemise) more odious to you, or separation?”
  • Even so, O Khwája who art reviling on account of affliction and poverty and distress and tribulations,
  • No doubt this renunciation of sensuality gives bitter pain, but ’tis better than the bitterness of being far from God.
  • If fighting (against the flesh) and fasting are hard and rough, yet these are better than being far from Him who inflicts tribulation.
  • How should pain endure for a single moment when the Giver of favours says to thee, “How art thou, O My sick one?” 1770
  • And (even) if He say (it) not, because thou hast not the understanding and knowledge (needed) for it, yet thy inward feeling (of supplication) is (equivalent to His) inquiring (after thee).