English    Türkçe    فارسی   

6
990-1039

  • Be my agent, buy a half share (in him) on my account, and receive the payment from me.” 990
  • He replied, “I will do my utmost to serve thee.” Then he went to the house of the merciless Jew.
  • He said to himself, “From the hands of children one can buy pearls very cheaply, O father.”
  • From these foolish children the ghoul-like Devil is buying their reason and faith in exchange for the kingdom of this world.
  • He decks out the carcase so finely that (with it) he buys from them two hundred rose-gardens.
  • By magic he produces such moonshine that by means of (his) magic he carries off from worthless folk a hundred purses (of money). 995
  • The prophets taught them to trade (in the spiritual market) and lighted the candle of the (true) religion before them;
  • (But) by means of magic and in despite the devilish and ghoulish Magician caused the prophets to appear ugly in their eyes.
  • By (his) sorcery the Foe causes ugliness (to appear), so that divorce takes place between the wife and (her) husband.
  • Their eyes have been sealed by a (mighty) enchantment, so that they have sold such a (precious) pearl for rubbish.
  • This pearl is superior to both the worlds: hark, buy (it) from this ignorant child, for he is an ass. 1000
  • To the ass a cowrie and a pearl are alike: the ass has a (great) doubt concerning the (spiritual) pearl and the Sea.
  • He disbelieves in the Sea and its pearls: how should an animal be a seeker of pearls and adornments?
  • God has not put it into the animal's head to be engrossed with rubies and devoted to pearls.
  • Have you ever seen asses with ear-rings? The ear and mind of the ass are (set) on the meadow.
  • Read in (the Súra entitled) Wa’l-Tín (the words), (We created Man) in the best proportion, for the spirit, O friend, is a precious pearl. 1005
  • (That spirit created) in the best proportion surpasses the empyrean: (that spirit created) in the best proportion is beyond (the range of) thought.
  • If I declare the value of this inaccessible (pearl), I shall be consumed, and the hearer too will be consumed.
  • At this point close thy lips and proceed no further. This Siddíq went to those asses (the Jews).
  • He knocked the door-ring, and when the Jew opened the door he (the Siddíq) went into his house, beside himself (with indignation).
  • He sat down, beside himself and furious and full of fire: from his mouth leaped many bitter words— 1010
  • “Why art thou beating this friend of God? What hatred is this, O enemy of the Light?
  • If thou art steadfast in thy own religion, how is thy heart consenting to maltreat him who is steadfast (in his religion)?
  • O thou effeminate in Judaism, who dost impute this (same effeminacy) to a (spiritual) prince!
  • Do not view all (things) in the distorting mirror of thy selfhood, O thou who art banned with an everlasting curse!”
  • If I should tell what burst from the lips of the Siddíq at that moment, you would lose (both) foot and hand. 1015
  • (Coming) from (the world) beyond spatial relations, the fountains of wisdom (copious) as the Euphrates were running from his mouth,
  • As from the rock whence gushed a (great) water, (the rock) having no source of supply in (its own) side or interior;
  • (For) God made that rock a shield (veil) for Himself and opened (a way for) the blue crystalline water,
  • Even as He hath caused the light to flow from the fountain of your eye without stint or abatement:
  • It has no source of supply either in the fat (the white of the eye) or in the coating (retina); (but) the Beloved made (these) a veil (for Himself) when bringing (the light) into existence. 1020
  • The attracting air in the cavity of the ear apprehends that which is spoken, (whether) true or false.
  • What is that air within that little bone, (that air) which receives the words and sounds uttered by the story-teller?
  • The bone and the air are only a veil: in the two worlds there is none except God.
  • He is the hearer, He is the speaker, (whom mystics behold) unveiled; for the ears belong to the head, O you who have merited the Divine recompense.
  • He (the Jew) said, “If thou art feeling pity for him, give (me) gold and take him (in exchange), O man of generous disposition. 1025
  • Since thy heart is burning (with sympathy), ransom him from me: thy difficulty will not be solved without expense.”
  • He replied, “I will perform a hundred services (on his behalf) and five hundred prostrations (in thanksgiving for success). I have a handsome slave, but (he is) a Jew;
  • He has a white body, but a black heart: take (him), and give (me) in exchange that one whose body is black but whose heart is illumined.”
  • Then the chieftain (Abú Bakr) sent (a messenger) to fetch him: in sooth that slave was exceedingly comely,
  • So that the Jew was dumbfounded: at once his stony heart inclined (towards him). 1030
  • This is what happens to form-worshippers: their stone is (made) waxen by a (beauteous) form.
  • (Then) again he wrangled and would not be satisfied, saying, “Without any evasion, (thou must) give more than this.”
  • He offered him in addition a nisáb (two hundred dirhems) of silver, so that the Jew's cupidity was satisfied.
  • How the Jew laughed and imagined that the Siddíq had been swindled in this bargain.
  • The stony-hearted Jew guffawed jeeringly and mockingly in malice and spite.
  • The Siddíq said to him, “Why this laughter?” In reply to the question he laughed more loudly, 1035
  • And said, “Had it not been for the (extraordinary) earnestness and ardour shown by thee in the purchase of this black slave,
  • I would not have wrangled excitedly: indeed I would have sold him for a tenth of this (sum),
  • For in my opinion he is not worth half a dáng; (but) thou mad’st his price heavy by (thy) clamour.”
  • Then the Siddíq answered him, “O simpleton, thou hast given away a pearl in exchange for a walnut, like a (silly) boy;