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6
3885-3934

  • Now, when you fix your attention on this division, (you will see that) this knowledge must be other than the present world, O father. 3885
  • What, then, is other than the present world? The next world, (the knowledge of) which will take you away from here and be your guide (to God).
  • How the three princes discussed the (best) plan to adopt in view of what had occurred.
  • The three afflicted ones put their heads together: all three felt the same grief and pain and sorrow.
  • All three were comrades in one meditation and one passion; all three were sick with one disease and one malady.
  • At the time of silence all three had one thought; at the time of speech, too, all three had one argument.
  • At one moment they all were shedding tears and weeping blood on the dining-table of calamity; 3890
  • At another moment all three, from the fire in their hearts, heaved burning sighs as (hot as) a chafing-pan.
  • The discourse of the eldest brother.
  • The eldest said, “O men of probity, were not we masculine (vigorous and bold) in giving counsel to others?
  • Whenever one of the (King's) retainers complained to us of affliction and poverty and fear and agitation,
  • We used to say, ‘Do not bewail thy hardships: be patient, for patience (fortitude) is the key to relief from pain.’
  • What has become now of this key, (namely) fortitude? Wonderful! The rule (which we laid down for others) is null and void (for us): what has become of it? 3895
  • Did not we always say, ‘In the (hour of) struggle laugh happily like gold in the fire’?
  • We said to the soldiers at the time of conflict in battle, ‘Hark, do not change colour (lose courage)!’
  • At the time when the ground trodden underfoot by the horses was entirely (composed of) severed heads,
  • We were shouting to our troops, ‘On, on! Advance irresistibly like the spearpoint!’
  • We preached fortitude to all the world, because fortitude (we said) is a lamp and light in the breast. 3900
  • Now it is our turn. Why have we become distracted and gone under the chádar (veil) like cowardly women?”
  • O heart that didst inspire all (others) with ardour, inspire thyself with ardour and be ashamed of thyself!
  • O tongue that wert a mentor to all (others), now ’tis thy turn: why art thou silent?
  • O reason, where is thy eloquent and persuasive counsel? Now ’tis thy turn: what has become of thy (former) admonitions?
  • O thou who hast removed a hundred anxieties from (other) hearts, now ’tis thy turn: wag thy beard! 3905
  • If now, in thy vile poltroonery, thou hast (only) stolen a beard (art devoid of real manhood), formerly thou must have been laughing at thy beard (making a mock display of manly virtue).
  • When thou exhortest others, (thy cry is), “Come on! come on!” In thine own anguish (thou criest), “Alas, alas!” like women.
  • Since thou wert a cure for others' pain, (how is it that) thou art silent when pain has become thy guest?
  • ’Twas thy fashion to shout at the soldiers (to encourage them): (now) shout (at thyself): why is thy voice choked?
  • For fifty years thou hast woven on (the loom of) thy intelligence: (now) put on an undervest of the fabric which thou thyself hast woven. 3910
  • The ears of thy friends were delighted by thy song: (now) put forth thy hand and pull thine own ear.
  • (Formerly) thou wert always a head (leader): do not make thyself a tail, do not lose thy feet and hands and beard and moustache.
  • (Now) ’tis for thee to make a move on the (chess-) board: restore thyself to thy normal state (of spiritual health) and thy (natural) vigour.
  • Anecdote of a king who brought a learned doctor into his banquet-hall by force and made him sit down. (When) the cup-bearer offered him wine and held out the goblet to him, the doctor averted his face and began to look sour and behave rudely. The king said to the cup-bearer, “Come, put him in a good humour.” The cup-bearer beat him on the head several times and made him drink the wine, etc.
  • (Whilst) a drunken king was feasting merrily, a certain jurist passed by his gate.
  • He gave directions, saying, “Bring him into this hall and give him a drink of the ruby wine.” 3915
  • So they brought him to the king, (for) he had no choice (power to resist): he sat down in the hall, (looking) sour as poison and snakes.
  • (When) he (the cup-bearer) offered him wine, he angrily refused it and averted his eyes from the king and the cup-bearer,
  • Saying, “I have never drunk wine in my life: rank poison would please me better than wine.
  • Hey, give me some poison instead of the wine, that I may be delivered from myself and ye from this (impoliteness).”
  • Without having drunk wine, he began to make a row and became as disagreeable to the company as death and (its) pangs. 3920
  • (This is) like (the behaviour of) carnal earthly-minded people in the world when they sit (associate) with spiritual folk.
  • God keeps His elect (ever) drinking secretly the wine of the free.
  • They offer the cup to one who is veiled (uninitiated), (but his) perception apprehends naught thereof except the (literal) words.
  • He averts his face from their guidance because he does not see their gift with his eye.
  • If there were a passage from his ear to his throat, the hidden meaning of their admonition would have entered his inward parts. 3925
  • Inasmuch as his spirit is wholly fire, not light, who would throw anything but husks into a blazing fire?
  • The kernel remains outside and the husk, (consisting of mere) words, goes (in): how should the stomach be made warm and stout by husks?
  • The Fire of Hell torments only the husks: the Fire has nothing to do with any kernel;
  • And if a fire should dart its flames at the kernel, know that ’tis in order to cook it, not to burn it.
  • So long as God is the Wise, know that this law is perpetual (both) in the past and in the time that has not (yet) come. 3930
  • The pure kernels and (also) the husks are pardoned by Him: how, then, should He burn the kernel? Far (be it) from Him!
  • If in His grace He beat the head of him (who resembles the husk), he (such an one) will feel an eager desire for the red wine;
  • And if He do not beat him, he will remain, like the jurist, with his mouth closed against the potations and festivity of these (spiritual) kings.
  • The king said to his cup-bearer, “O well-conducted (youth), why art thou silent? Give (it him) and put him in good humour.”