English    Türkçe    فارسی   

6
763-812

  • That thereby consideration and pity may grow (in thy heart), so that the root of hatred and jealousy and enmity may be cut off.
  • Look on thy kinsman with that intention, so that thy heart may burn (with pity) for his death-agony.
  • “Everything that is coming will come”: deem it (to have come) here and now, deem thy friend to be in the death-agony and in the act of losing (his life). 765
  • And if (selfish) motives debar (thee) from this insight, cast these motives out of thy bosom;
  • And if thou canst not (cast them out), do not stand inertly in a state of incapacity: know that with (every) incapable there is a goodly Incapacitator.
  • Incapacity is a chain: He laid it upon thee: thou must open thine eye to (behold) Him who lays the chain.
  • Therefore make humble entreaty, saying, “O Guide (in the ways) of life, I was free, (and now) I have fallen into bondage: what is the cause of this?
  • I have planted my foot in evil more firmly (than ever), for through Thy omnipotence verily I am (engaged) in a losing business all the time. 770
  • I have been deaf to Thy admonitions: while professing to be an idol-breaker, I have (really) been an idol-maker.
  • Is it more incumbent (on me) to think of Thy works or of death? (Of death): death is like autumn, and Thou art (the root which is) the origin of the leaves.”
  • For years this death has been beating the drum, (but only when it is) too late is your ear moved (to listen).
  • In his agony he (the heedless man) cries from his (inmost) soul, “Alas, I am dying!” Has Death made you aware of himself (only) now?
  • Death's throat is exhausted with shouting: his drum is split with the astounding blows (with which it has been beaten). 775
  • (But) you enmeshed yourself in trivialities: (only) now have you apprehended the mystery of dying.
  • Comparison of (the behaviour of) the heedless man who wastes his life and (only) begins to repent and ask pardon (of God) when he lies in extreme distress on his death-bed to the yearly mourning of the Shí‘ites of Aleppo at the Antioch Gate (of the city) during the ‘Áshúrá; and how a poet, who was a stranger, arrived (there) on his journey and asked what was the cause of these shrieks of mourning.
  • On the Day of ‘Áshúrá all the people of Aleppo gather at the Antioch Gate till nightfall,
  • Men and women, a great multitude, and keep up a constant lamentation for the (Holy) Family.
  • During the ‘Áshúrá the Shí‘ites wail and lament with tears and sobs on account of Karbalá.
  • They recount the oppressions and tribulations which the (Holy) Family suffered at the hands of Yazíd and Shimr. 780
  • They utter shrieks mingled with cries of woe and grief: the whole plain and desert is filled (with their cries).
  • A stranger, (who was) a poet, arrived from the road on the Day of ‘Áshúrá and heard that lamentation.
  • He left the city and resolved (to go) in that direction: he set out to investigate (the cause of) those shrill cries.
  • He went along, asking many questions in his search—“What is this sorrow? Whose death has occasioned this mourning?
  • It must be a great personage who has died: such a concourse is no small affair. 785
  • Inform me of his name and titles, for I am a stranger and ye belong to the town.
  • What is his name and profession and character? (Tell me) in order that I may compose an elegy on his gracious qualities.
  • I will make an elegy—for I am a poet—that I may carry away from here some provision and morsels of food.”
  • “Eh,” said one (of them), “are you mad? You are not a Shí‘ite, you are an enemy of the (Holy) Family.
  • Don't you know that the Day of ‘Áshúrá is (a day of) mourning for a single soul that is more excellent than a (whole) generation? 790
  • How should this anguish (tragedy) be lightly esteemed by the true believer? Love for the ear-ring is in proportion to love for the ear.
  • In the true believer's view the mourning for that pure spirit is more celebrated than a hundred Floods of Noah.”
  • The poet's subtle discourse in criticism of the Shí‘ites of Aleppo.
  • “Yes,” said he; “but where (in relation to our time) is the epoch of Yazíd? When did this grievous tragedy occur? How late has (the news of) it arrived here!
  • The eyes of the blind have seen that loss, the ears of the deaf have heard that story.
  • Have ye been asleep till now, that (only) now ye have rent your garments in mourning? 795
  • Then, O sleepers, mourn for yourselves, for this heavy slumber is an evil death.
  • A royal spirit escaped from a prison: why should we rend our garments and how should we gnaw our hands?
  • Since they were monarchs of the (true) religion, ’twas the hour of joy (for them) when they broke their bonds.
  • They sped towards the pavilion of empire, they cast off their fetters and chains.
  • ’Tis the day of (their) kingship and pride and sovereignty, if thou hast (even) an atom of knowledge of them. 800
  • And if thou hast not (this) knowledge, go, weep for thyself, for thou art disbelieving in the removal (from this world to the next) and in the assembly at the Last Judgement.
  • Mourn for thy corrupt heart and religion, for it (thy heart) sees naught but this old earth.
  • Or if it is seeing (the spiritual world), why is it not brave and supporting (others) and self-sacrificing and fully contented?
  • In thy countenance where is the happiness (which is the effect) of the wine of (true) religion? If thou hast beheld the Ocean (of Bounty), where is the bounteous hand?
  • He that has beheld the River does not grudge water (to the thirsty), especially he that has beheld that Sea and (those) Clouds.” 805
  • Comparison of the covetous man, who does not see the all-providingness of God and the (infinite) stores of His mercy, to an ant struggling with a single grain of wheat on a great threshing-floor and showing violent agitation and trembling and dragging it hurriedly along, unconscious of the amplitude of the threshing-floor.
  • The ant trembles for a grain (of wheat) because it is blind to the goodly threshing-floors.
  • It drags a grain along greedily and fearfully, for it does not see such a noble stack of winnowed wheat (as is there).
  • The Owner of the threshing-floor is saying (to the ant), “Hey, thou who in thy blindness deemest nothing something,
  • Hast thou regarded that (alone) as belonging to My threshing-floors, so that thou art devoted with (all) thy soul to that (single) grain?”
  • O thou who in semblance art (insignificant as) a mote, look at Saturn; thou art a lame ant: go, look at Solomon. 810
  • Thou art not this body: thou art that (spiritual) Eye. If thou hast beheld the spirit, thou art delivered from the body.
  • Man (essentially) is eye: the rest (of him) is (mere) flesh and skin: whatsoever his eye has beheld, he is that thing.