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(Masnavi Book 4: 29) “O thou that wrappest thyself”






Commentary on O you that wrappest yourself.

For this reason He (God) called the Prophet muzzammil (one who wraps himself), saying, “Come forth from the cloak, O you who art fond of taking flight.
Do not draw your head into the cloak and do not cover your face, for the world is a reeling body:
you art the intelligence (rational spirit).

1455. Hark, do not hide on account of the opprobrium of the adversary, since you have the resplendent candle of the Revelation.
Hark, stand up (in prayer) during the night, for you art a candle, O prince: at night a candle
stands up (and burns).
Without your radiance, even the bright day is (dark as) night: without your protection, the lion is captive to the hare.
Be the captain (pilot) of the ship in this sea of (spiritual) purity, for you art a second Noah, O Mustafá (elect one).


An expert guide, (endowed) with understanding, is needed for every road, especially in the road
(journey) on the water.

1460. Arise! Look upon the waylaid caravan: everywhere a ghoul has become captain of the ship.
You art the Khizr of the time and the Deliverer of every ship (in distress): do not, like (Jesus)
the Spirit of God, practise solitude.
In the sight of this assembly (of people) you art as the candle of heaven: leave off severing yourself (from them) and adopting seclusion.
It is not the time for seclusion: come into the assembly, O you who art (as) the humáy, while the guidance (of souls) is like Mount Qáf.
The full-moon is moving by night on the upper part of the sky: it does not cease from its journey
because of the outcry of the dogs.

1465. The scoffers keep making an outcry, like dogs, at your full-moon in the direction of your high place.
These dogs are deaf to the (Divine) command, Be ye silent: from folly (they are) bow-wowing at your full-moon.
Hark, O (you who art) the cure for the sick, do not, on account of anger against the deaf, let go
the staff of the blind.
Didst not you say?—He that leads a blind man on the (right) way gains a hundred recompenses and rewards from God.
Whoever leads a blind man forty steps is pardoned and will find salvation.’

1470. Do thou, therefore, lead away from this impermanent world the multitude of the blind, file on file.
This is the business of a guide: you art the Guide, you art the joy for (dispelling) the sorrow of the last (period of) time.
Hark, O Imám of the God-fearing, cause these thinkers of vain fancies to go (onward) till (they attain unto) certainty.
Whoever has his heart in pawn (devoted) to plotting against you, I will smite his neck: do you advance joyously.
I will lay (more) blindnesses on the top of his blindness: he will deem it sugar, and I will (really)
give him poison.

1475. (All) intellects have been kindled by My light; (all) plots have been learned from My plotting.
What indeed is the Turcoman's tent of black felt before the feet of the male (fierce) elephants of this world?
Before My sarsar wind what in sooth is that lamp of his (contrivance), O My greatest prophet?
Do you arise and blow on the terrible trumpet, that you sands of the dead may spring up from the earth.
Since you art the upright-rising Isráfíl (Seraphiel) of the time, make a resurrection ere the
Resurrection.

1480. O beloved, if any one say, Where is the Resurrection? show yourself, saying, ‘Behold, I
am the Resurrection.
Look, O questioner who art stricken with tribulation, (and see) that from this resurrection a hundred worlds have grown!
And if he (the scoffer) be not fit for this praise (of Me) and humble supplication, then, O
(spiritual) Sultan, the (proper) reply to a fool is silence.
From God's Heaven silence comes in reply when, O (dear) soul, the prayer is unanswered.” Oh, alas, it is harvest-time, but by our (ill) fortune the day has become late.



1485. Time is pressing, and the amplitude of this (subject of) discussion (is such that) a perpetual life will be (too) restricted for it.
To dart the lance in these narrow lanes brings to disgrace those who dart the lance.
The time is narrow (limited), and the mind and understanding of the vulgar is narrower a hundredfold than the time, O youth.
Inasmuch as silence is the (proper) reply to the fool, how art you thus prolonging the discourse? (Because) He (God), from the perfection of His mercy and the waves of His bounty, bestows rain and moisture on every barren soil.

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