Conclusion of the story of the lover who fled from the night-patrol into an orchard unknown to him, and for joy at finding his beloved in the orchard called down blessings on the night-patrol and said, “It may be that ye loathe a thing although it is better for
you.”
40. We were at the
point (of
the
story) where
that person (fled)
in terror from the
night-patrol
(and) galloped into the orchard.
In the orchard
was the beauteous one
for love of whom this (youth) had
been in tribulation eight years.
He had no possibility of seeing
(even) her shadow: he was (only)
hearing the description of
her,
as (of) the ‘Anqá,
Except (for)
one meeting
which happened to him
by (Divine)
destiny at the
first and enravished his heart.
After that,
however much effort he
made, in sooth that cruel
one would give him no opportunity.
45. Neither entreaty nor wealth availed
him: that
(fresh) sapling was fully satisfied and
without desire.
(In the case of) the
lover of any craft or object of
pursuit, God has touched his lip
(with honey or the like) at the
beginning of the
affair;
(But) when
at that contact
they have entered
upon the quest,
He lays a snare
before their feet
every
day.
When He has plunged him
(the lover) into
search for the
matter (which he has at heart),
after that He
shuts the door, saying, “Bring the
dowry.”
Still they cling
to
that (sweet) scent
(hope) and go (on their quest):
at every moment they become hopeful and despairing.
50. Every one (of them) has hope
of (winning) the
fruit whereto a door was opened
to him on a certain day;
Then it was shut (upon them) again; (but) that devotee to the door, (continuing) in the same hope,
has
become fire-footed.
When the youth joyously entered
that orchard, verily on a
sudden his foot sank in (struck upon)
the (buried) treasure.
God had made
the night-patrol the means, so that in fear of him he
(the lover) should run
into the orchard by night
And should
see the beloved one searching with a lantern for a ring in the rivulet of the orchard.
55. Therefore at that moment,
from the delight (which
he experienced),
he conjoined praise of God with prayers for
the night-patrol,
Saying, “I caused
loss to the
night-patrol by fleeing
(from him): scatter
o’er him twenty times as
much silver and gold.
Set him free from
policing: make him glad even as I am glad.
Keep him blest
in this world and
in
that world, deliver
him
from policing and
currishness— Though it is the nature
of that policeman,
O God, that he
always desires the people
to be afflicted.”
60. If news
come that the
king has imposed a fine upon the Moslems,
he
(the policeman)
waxes big and exultant;
And if news
come that the king has shown mercy
and has generously taken
off that (penalty)
from the Moslems,
A mournfulness falls upon his soul thereat: the policeman
has a hundred such depravities.
He (the lover) was bringing
the
policeman into
the
prayer (of benediction), because such solace had come to him from the
policeman.
He (the
policeman) was poison to all (others),
but
to him (he
was) the antidote: the
policeman
was the
means of uniting that
longing lover (with the
object of his
desire).
65. Hence there is no absolute evil in the world: evil is relative. Know this (truth) also.
In (the
realm of) Time
there is no poison or sugar that is not a foot
(support) to one and a fetter
(injury) to another—
To one a foot, to
another a fetter; to one
a poison and
to
another (sweet and wholesome) like sugar.
Snake-poison is life to the snake, (but) it is death in relation to man.
The sea is as a
garden to the
water-creatures; to the creatures of earth
it is death and a (painful)
brand.
70. Reckon
up likewise, O man of experience, (instances
of) this relativity from a
single individual to a thousand.
Zayd, in
regard to that (particular) one, may
be a devil, (but) in
regard to another person
he may be a (beneficent)
sultan.
That one will
say that Zayd is an exalted
siddíq (saint), and this one will say that Zayd is an infidel who ought to be killed.
Zayd is one person—to
that one (he is as) a shield, (while) to this other one (he is)
wholly pain and loss.
If you wish that to you he should be (as)
sugar, then look
on him with the eye of lovers.
75. Do not
look on that Beauteous One with your own
eye: behold the Sought
with the eye of seekers.
Shut your own eye to that Sweet-eyed One: borrow an eye from His lovers. Nay, borrow eye and
sight from Him,
and then look on His face with His eye,
So that you may be secure from satiety and
weariness: on this account
the Almighty said, “God shall belong to him:
I shall be his eye and hand and heart,” to the end
that His fortunate
one should escape from adversities.
80. Whatsoever is loathed is a lover and friend when it becomes
your guide towards
your beloved.
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