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6
3245-3294

  • That which is (in the world) above is in this River: take possession of it either (in the world) above or in that (River) as you please. 3245
  • Do not assume this River to be of (the same class as) other rivers: know that this ray of the moon-faced (Beauty) is the Moon (itself).
  • This topic is endless. The poor stranger wept exceedingly: he was heart-broken by grief for (the death of) the Khwája.
  • How the (Inspector's) bailiff sought subscriptions in all parts of the city of Tabríz, and how (only) a small amount was collected, and how the poor stranger went to visit the Inspector's tomb and related this (pitiful) tale on his grave by the method of concentrating the mind on prayer (for his help), etc.
  • The calamity of his debts became notorious, and the bailiff was distressed by his grief.
  • He (the bailiff) went round the city to collect subscriptions and everywhere, in hope (of exciting compassion), he told all that had happened;
  • (But) that devoted beggar obtained by means of begging no more than a hundred dinars. 3250
  • (Then) the bailiff came to him and took his hand and went (with him) to (visit) the grave of that very wonderful generous man.
  • He said, “When a servant (of God) gains the Divine favour so that he entertains a fortunate man,
  • And gives up his own wealth for his sake and sacrifices his own dignity for the sake of (conferring) dignity on him,
  • Gratitude to him (the benefactor) is certainly (the same as) gratitude to God, since (it was) the Divine favour (that) caused him to show beneficence.
  • To be ungrateful to him is to be ungrateful to God: beyond doubt his right (to gratitude) is consequent on (that of) God. 3255
  • Always give thanks to God for His bounties, and always give thanks and praise to the Khwája (your benefactor) too.
  • Though a mother's tenderness is (derived) from God, (yet) ’tis a sacred duty and a worthy task to serve her.
  • For this reason God hath said, ‘Do ye bless him (the Prophet),’ for Mohammed was one to whom (the attributes of Divine Providence) were transferred.
  • At the Resurrection God will say to His servant, ‘Hark, what have you done with that which I bestowed on you?’
  • He will reply, ‘O Lord, I gave thanks to Thee with (all) my soul, since the source of my daily provision and bread was in Thee.’ 3260
  • (Then) God will say to him, ‘Nay, you did not give thanks to Me, inasmuch as you did not give thanks to him who made a practice of generosity.
  • You have done wrong and injustice to a generous man: did not My bounty come to you by his hand?’”
  • When he (the debtor) arrived at the tomb of his benefactor, he began to weep bitterly and broke into loud lamentation.
  • He said, “O thou who wert the support and refuge of every noble (righteous) man and the hope and helper of wayfarers,
  • O thou on whose heart the care for our means of livelihood (lay constantly), O thou whose beneficence and charity were (like) the universal provision of sustenance, 3265
  • O thou who wert (as) kinsfolk and parents to the poor in (paying) their taxes and expenses and in discharging their debts,
  • O thou who, like the sea, gavest pearls for those near (to thee) and (didst send) rain as a gift to those afar,
  • Our backs were warmed by thee, O sun (who wert) the splendour in every palace and the treasure in every ruin.
  • O thou in whose eyebrow none ever saw knots (wrinkles), O thou (who wert) generous and bountiful as (the archangel) Michael,
  • O thou whose heart was connected with the Sea of the Unseen, O thou who wert the invisible ‘Anqá on the Qáf (mountain) of munificence, 3270
  • Who never tookest thought how much of thy wealth had gone, and the roof of the azimuth (amplitude) of thy magnanimity was never cloven,
  • O thou to whom in (every) month and year I and a hundred like me had become a family (tenderly cared for) like thine own children,
  • Thou wert our ready money and our movables and our furniture, our fame and our glory and our fortune.
  • Thou art not dead; (but) our luxury and fortune are dead, our happy life is dead and the sustenance that was provided in full measure.
  • (Thou wert) a single person like (equivalent to) a thousand in warfare and in generosity; (thou wert) as a hundred Hátims in the hour of lavishing bounties unselfishly. 3275
  • If Hátim bestows dead (worldly goods) on the (spiritually) dead (worldlings), he (is like one who) bestows a certain number of walnuts (on children).
  • Thou at every moment art bestowing a life that, because of its preciousness, cannot be contained in breath (words).
  • Thou art bestowing a life exceedingly enduring, real gold coin exempt from depreciation and beyond count.
  • There exists no heir (even) to one (noble) disposition of thine, O thou to whose abode Heaven is bowing in worship.
  • Thy grace is the shepherd of all who have been created, (guarding them) from the wolf of pain—a loving shepherd like God's Kalím (Moses).” 3280
  • One sheep fled from God's Kalím: the feet of Moses were blistered (in following it) and his shoes dropped off.
  • (He continued) searching after it till nightfall, and (meanwhile) the flock had vanished from his sight.
  • The (lost) sheep was enfeebled and exhausted by fatigue: then God's Kalím shook the dust off it,
  • And stroked its back and head with his hand, fondling it lovingly like a mother.
  • Not (even) half a mite of irritation and anger, nothing but love and pity and tears! 3285
  • He said (to the sheep), “I grant you (naturally) had no pity on me, (but) why did your nature show (such) cruelty to itself?”
  • At that moment God said to the angels, “So-and-so is suitable for prophethood.”
  • Mustafá (Mohammed) himself has said that every prophet herded sheep as a young man or boy,
  • (And that) without his having been a shepherd and (having undergone) that trial, God did not bestow on him the leadership of the world.
  • A questioner said, “Even thou, O man of might?” “I too,” he replied, “was a shepherd for a long while.” 3290
  • In order that their (the prophets') calmness and fortitude should be displayed, God made them shepherds before (investing them with) prophethood.
  • Every prince who performs the task of shepherding mankind in such wise that he obeys the Commandments (of God),
  • (And) in tending them with foresight and understanding shows a forbearance like that of Moses,
  • Inevitably God will bestow on him a spiritual shepherd's office (exalted) above the sphere of the moon,