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6
4502-4551

  • In order that he may buy this (chest) with gold from this witless fellow and take it fastened, just as it is, to my house.”
  • O Lord, appoint a spiritually endowed company to redeem us from the chest of the body!
  • Who but the prophets and apostles can redeem the people from confinement in the chest of guile?
  • Among thousands there is (only) one person of comely aspect, who knows that he is inside the chest. 4505
  • He must formerly have beheld the (spiritual) world, so that by means of that contrary this contrary should be made evident to him.
  • Because “knowledge is the true believer's lost camel,” he recognises his own lost camel and feels certain (that it is his).
  • (But) he that has never seen good fortune, how will he be perturbed in this calamity?
  • Either he fell into captivity in childhood, or was born a slave at first from his mother's womb.
  • His soul has never known the delight of (spiritual) freedom: the chest of (phenomenal) forms is his arena. 4510
  • His mind is for ever imprisoned in forms: he (only) passes from cage into cage.
  • He has no means of passing beyond the cage (and going) aloft: he goes to and fro into (successive) cages.
  • In the Qur’án (is the text), “If ye have the power, pass beyond”: these words came from Him (God) to the Jinn and mankind.
  • He said, “There is no way for you to pass beyond the sky save by (Divine) authority and by inspiration from Heaven.”
  • If he (any one) go from chest to chest, he is not of Heaven, he is of the chest (the lower world). 4515
  • The pleasure of changing his chest (only) stupefies him anew: he does not perceive that he is inside the chest.
  • If he is not deluded by (all) these chests, he seeks release and deliverance, like the cadi.
  • Know that the mark of one who apprehends this is his crying for help and being in terror.
  • Like the cadi, he will be quaking (with fear): how should a breath of joy rise from his soul?
  • The arrival of the cadi's deputy in the bazaar and his purchase of the chest from Júhí, etc.
  • The deputy arrived and asked, “How much (do you want) for your chest?” “They are offering nine hundred pieces of gold and more,” said he, 4520
  • “(But) I will not come lower than a thousand: if you intend to buy, open your purse and produce (the money).”
  • He replied, “Have some shame, you in the short felt frock! The value of the chest is self-evident.”
  • He (Júhí) said, “To buy without seeing is an iniquity: our bargain is (being made) in the dark: this is not right.
  • I will open (it): if it is not worth (the money), don't buy, lest you be defrauded, O father!”
  • He (the deputy) said (addressing God), “O Veiler (of faults), do not reveal the secret!” (Then he said to Júhí), “I will buy it with the lid on: come to terms with me. 4525
  • Veil (the faults of others) in order that (the like) veiling may be vouchsafed to you: do not deride any one till you see (yourself in) security.
  • Many like you have been left in this chest and have landed themselves in tribulation.
  • Inflict upon another (only) the pain and injury that you would wish and approve for yourself,
  • For God is lying in wait and in ambush, ready to give retribution before the Day of Judgement.
  • All-encompassing is the Throne of Him who is throned in grandeur: over all souls is spread the Throne of His justice. 4530
  • A corner of His throne is touching you: beware, do not move a hand to act impiously or unjustly.
  • Keep a careful watch over your own behaviour: observe that the honey is (contained) in justice and that after injustice comes the sting.”
  • He (Júhí) said, “Yes, what I did is wrong, but at the same time (you must) know (the proverb) that the aggressor is the more unjust (of the two).”
  • The deputy replied, “We are aggressors, every one of us, but notwithstanding our blackness of face we are happy,
  • Like the negro who is happy and pleased, (for) he does not see his face, (though) others see it.” 4535
  • The altercation in bidding (for the chest) was prolonged: (finally) he paid a hundred dinars and bought it from him.
  • O thou that findest wickedness agreeable, thou art always in the chest: the hátifs (voices from Heaven) and those who belong to the Unseen are redeeming thee.
  • Expounding the Tradition that Mustafá (Mohammed) said, the blessings of God be upon him: “When I am the protector of any one, ‘Alí too is his protector,” so that the Hypocrites asked sarcastically, “Was not he satisfied with the obedience and service rendered by us to himself that he bids us render the same service to a snivelling child?” etc.
  • For this reason the Prophet, who laboured with the utmost zeal (in devotion), applied the name “protector” (mawlá) to himself and to ‘Alí.
  • He said, “My cousin ‘Alí is the protector and friend of every one who is under my protection.”
  • Who is the “protector”? He that sets you free and removes the fetters of servitude from your feet. 4540
  • Since prophethood is the guide to freedom, freedom is bestowed on true believers by the prophets.
  • Rejoice, O community of true believers: show yourselves to be “free” (pure and noble) as the cypress and the lily;
  • But do ye, like the gay-coloured garden, at every moment give unspoken thanks to the Water.
  • The cypresses and the green orchard mutely thank the water (that nourishes them) and show (silent) gratitude for the justice of Spring:
  • Clad in (fresh) robes and trailing their skirts, drunken and dancing and jubilant and scattering perfume; 4545
  • Every part (of them) impregnated by royal Spring, their bodies as caskets filled with pearly fruit;
  • (Like) Maries, having no husband, yet big with a Messiah; silent ones, wordless and devoid of articulate expression,
  • (Saying implicitly), “Our Moon hath shone brightly (upon us) without speech: every tongue hath derived its speech from our beauty.”
  • The speech of Jesus is (derived) from the (spiritual) beauty of Mary; the speech of Adam is a ray (reflexion) of the (Divine) Breath.
  • (This thanksgiving of the orchard is a lesson to you) in order that from (your) thanksgiving, O men of trust, increase (of spiritual glory) may accrue; (and if ye give thanks) then other plants are (springing up) amidst the herbage. 4550
  • Here the reverse (of the well-known Tradition) is (applicable), (for) he that is content (with a modicum of thanksgiving) shall be abased; (and similarly), in this case, he that covets (excess of thanksgiving) shall be exalted.