Story of the tanner who fainted and sickened on smelling otto and musk in the bazaar of the perfumers.
A certain man fell senseless and curled up as soon as he came into the
bazaar of the perfumers. The scent of the perfume (floating) from the goodly perfumers smote
him, so that his head
reeled and he fell on
the
spot.
He fell unconscious,
like a car case,
at
noontide in the middle of the thoroughfare.
260. Thereupon the
people gathered
over him, all crying
Lá hawl and applying remedies. One was putting his hand on his (the tanner's)
heart, while another sprinkled rose-water upon
him;
(For) he did
not know that from
(smelling) rose-water in
the
meadow (the bazaar) that calamity had overtaken him.
One was massaging
his hands and
head, and another
was bringing moist clay mixed
with straw
(to serve as
a cold plaster);
One compounded incense
of aloes-wood and
sugar, while another was
divesting him of part
of his clothes;
265. And another
felt his pulse, to see how it was beating; and another was
smelling his mouth,
To see whether he had
drunk wine or eaten beng
or hashish: the people (having
exhausted
every resource) remained in despair at his insensibility.
So they speedily brought
the
news to his kinsfolk—“Such
and such a person
is lying there in a state of collapse;
No one knows how he was stricken with
catalepsy, or what it was that led to this public exposure.”
That stout tanner
had a brother, (who was)
cunning and sagacious: he
came at once
in hot haste.
270. (With) a small quantity of dog's dung in his sleeve,
he cleft (his way through)
the crowd and approached (the
senseless man) with cries of grief.
“I know,” said he,
“whence his illness
arises: when you know
the cause (of a
disease), the
(means of) curing
(it) is manifest.
When the cause is unknown, the remedy
for the illness
is difficult (to find),
and in that (case)
there are a hundred
grounds to which it
may be referred;
(But) when you
have ascertained the cause, it becomes easy: knowledge of causes is the means of expelling ignorance.”
He said to himself, “The smell of that
dog's dung is multiplied in
his
brain and veins.
275. Up to the waist in filth, he is absorbed in the tanner's craft till nightfall, seeking his livelihood.
Thus then has the great Jálínús (Galen) said: ‘Give the patient that to which he was habituated
(before his illness);
For his illness arises from
doing the contrary
to (his usual) habit:
therefore seek the
remedy for his illness in that which is habitual (to him).’
He (the tanner), from carrying dung,
has become like the
dung-beetle: the dung-beetle
is made insensible by
rose-water.
The remedy for him
consists in
that same dog's dung
to
which he is
habituated and accustomed.”
280. Recite (the text), the wicked women for the wicked men: recognise (both) the front
and the back of this saying.
The sincere mentors prepare
medicine for him (the wicked
man) with ambergris or rose-water
to
open the
door (of Divine Mercy);
(But) sweet words will not do for the wicked: it is not fitting and suitable, O ye trusty ones!
When from the perfume of the Revelation they (the wicked
infidels) became crooked
(disordered in mind) and lost (in
error),
their lament was, “We augur evil from you.
This discourse (of yours) is illness and sickness to us: your exhortation is not of good
omen to us.
285. If ye once
begin to admonish (us) overtly, at that instant we will
stone you.
We have waxed fat on frivolity and diversion:
we have not steeped ourselves in admonition.
Our food is falsehood and idle boasts and jests: our
stomachs are turned
by your delivering this message.
Ye are making
the illness hundredfold
and more: ye are drugging the intelligence with opium.”
How the tanner’s brother sought to cure him secretly with the smell of dung.
The youth kept
driving the people away from him (the tanner),
in order that
those persons might not
see
his treatment (of the sick
man).
290. He brought
his head (close)
to his ear, like one
telling a secret; then he put
the thing
(which he had in his hand) to his (the tanner’s) nose;
For he had
rubbed the dog’s dung on his
palm: he had deemed
it (to be) the
remedy for the polluted brain.
A short while passed: the
man began to
move: the people said, “This was a wonderful charm;
For this
(youth) recited charms and breathed
(them) into his ear:
he was dead: the charms came to succour him.”
The movement of iniquitous folk is to the quarter in which there is fornication and ogling glances
and eyebrows.
295. Any one to whom
the musk, admonition, is of no use must necessarily make himself familiar with the bad smell.
God has
called the polytheists najas (uncleanness)’ for the reason that they were born in dung from of old.
The worm that
has been born in dung will nevermore
change its evil nature
by means of ambergris.
Since the largesse of sprinkled light did not
strike upon him
(the wicked man), he is
wholly body, without heart (spirit), like (empty)
husks.
300. And if God gave him a portion of the
sprinkled
light, the dung hatched
a bird, as is the custom in Egypt— so But not the cheap domestic fowl; nay, but the bird of know ledge and wisdom.
“You resemblest that (wicked
man) for you art devoid of that light, inasmuch
as you art putting your nose to filth.
Because of being parted
(from me) your cheeks and
face have become
yellow (pale):
you art (a tree with) yellow
leaves and unripened
fruit,
The pot was blackened by the fire
and became like smoke in colour,
(but) the meat,
on
account of (its)
hardness, has
remained so raw as this!
Eight years have I boiled,
you in separation (from
me): your rawness and
hypocrisy have not
become less
by a single mote.
305. Thy young
grape is indurated; for through sickness the
(other) young grapes
are now raisins, while you art (still) immature.”
How the lover begged to be excused for his sin, (but) with duplicity and dissimulation; and how the beloved perceived that also.
The lover said, “I
made the trial—do not take offence—that I
might see whether
you art a hetaera
or a modest woman.
I was knowing (it) without the trial, but how should
hearing be the same
as seeing?
You art (like) the sun:
your name is renowned
and known to all: what
harm is there if I have tested it?
You art I: every
day I am making trial
of myself in profit and loss
(good and evil).
310. The prophets were
put to the trial
by their enemies,
with the result that
miracles were displayed
by them.
I made trial of my own
eye with light, O you from
whose eyes may the evil eye be far! This world is as the ruin, and you the
treasure (buried
there): if I have
made investigation concerning
your treasure, be not
aggrieved.
I recklessly
committed such an indiscretion, that I may always boast (of
your virtue) to (your)
enemies;
So that, when my
tongue bestows a name on you,
my eye may give testimonies of this which I
have seen.
315. If I have sought to rob you of
your honour I come,
O Moon (of
beauty), with sword and winding-sheet.
Do not cut off my feet
arid head save with yours own hand, for I belong to this hand, not to
another hand.
You art talking again of separation: do whatsoever you wilt, but do not
this!”
The way is now
made (open for entering) into the realm of Discourse
(Exposition); (but)
it is impossible to speak (on the subject),
since there is no time (to do so at present).
We have told the husks (externals),
but the kernel
(the inner meaning) is buried;
if
we remain
(alive), this will not remain
(concealed) as it is now.
How the beloved rejected the excuses of the lover and rubbed h duplicity into him
320. The loved one opened
her lips to answer him, saying, “On my side it is day,
and on
your side it is
night.
Why in contention do you bring forward dark
evasions be fore
those who see (the truth
plainly)?
To us, all the
deceit and dissimulations that
you ha in your heart are
manifest and
clear as day. If
we, in kindness
to our servant, cover it up, why do you carry shamelessness beyond the
limit?
Learn from your Father; for in (the
hour of) sin Adam came down willingly to the vestibule
325. When he beheld that
Knower of secrets,
he stood up on his
feet to ask forgiveness.
He seated
himself on the
ashes of contrition: he did not jump from
one branch of idle pleading to
another
He said only, ‘O
Lord, verily we have done
wrong,’ when he saw the
(angelic) life-guards in front
and behind.
He saw the life-guards who
are invisible, as the spirit is—each
one’s mace (reaching) to the sky—
-
Saying, ‘Hola! be (as) the ant before
Solomon, lest this mace
cleave you asunder.
330. Do not for one moment
stand (anywhere) but in the
place of truth:
a man has no guardian like the (seeing) eye.
(Even) if the blind man be purified by admonition, he continually becomes polluted again.
O Adam,
you art not blind of vision, but when the Divine destiny comes,
the sight becomes blind.’”
Lifetimes are needed—(so) rarely and occasionally (does it happen)—for
the seeing man to fall by destiny into the
pit.
As regards the blind
man, this destiny in sooth is his companion on the way; for it
is his nature and disposition to fall.
335. He falls into the
filth and does not know
what the smell
is; (he asks himself), “Is this
smell
from me
or
from (my) being polluted?”
And likewise,
if
any one sprinkle some musk over him, he
thinks it (comes) from himself and not from the kindness of his friend.
Therefore to you,
0 man of vision, two
clear eyes are (as) a
hundred mothers and a hundred
fathers;
Especially the eye of the heart (the
spiritual
‘eye), which
is seventy-fold
and of which
these two sensible eyes are (only)
the gleaners.
Oh, alas, the
highwaymen are seated (and lying in wait for me): they have
tied a hundred
knots
beneath my tongue.
340. How should the smooth-paced
horse move well, when his leg is tied? This is a very heavy chain: hold me excused!
These words (of mine)
are coming (forth)
brokenly, 0 heart;
for these words are
pearls, and (the
Divine) jealousy is the mill (which breaks them);
(But), though the
pearls be broken
into small fragments, they become
tutty (collyrium)
for the sore eye (of the spirit).
O pearl, do not beat
your head (in grief) at your being broken, for
through being broken
you wilt
become (radiant)
light.
It (the
word) has to be uttered thus brokenly and
in bandages:
God, who is
Self-sufficient, will make it whole
at last.
345. If wheat is broken and torn asunder (in the mill), it appears
in the (baker’s) shop, saying,
“Look! a perfect loaf!”
“You too, O lover, since your crime has become manifest, abandon water and oil (specious varnish) and be
broken (contrite).
Those who
are
the elect children of Adam sigh
forth (the confession), ‘verily we have done wrong.’
Submit your petition, do not argue like
the
accursed hard- faced
(impudent) Iblis.
If impudence concealed his fault, go, exert yourself in (showing) obstinacy and impudence!
350. Abu Jahl, like a vindictive Ghuzz Turcoman, demanded a miracle
from the Prophet; But that
Siddiq of God
(Abu Bakr) did not
crave a miracle: he
said, ‘Verily, this face
speaks naught but truth.’
How should it beseem one like
you, from egoism, to make trial of a
beloved like me?”
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