Story of the sons of ‘Uzayr, on whom be peace, who were making inquiries about their father from (one who really was) their father. “Yes,” he replied, “I have seen him: he is coming.” Some (of them) recognised him and became unconscious, (while) others did not recognise him and said, “He has only announced (our father's coming): what is this unconsciousness?”
(The case is) like (that of) the sons of ‘Uzayr who
came into the thoroughfare, asking news of
their father.
They had grown old, while their
father had been made young. Then suddenly their father
met them.
So they inquired of him,
saying, “O
wayfarer, we wonder if you
have news of our ‘Uzayr;
For some one
told us that to-day that man of (great)
authority would arrive from abroad
after we had given up hope (of seeing him).”
3275. “Yes,” he replied, “he will arrive after me.”
That one (the son of ‘Uzayr)
rejoiced when he heard the good tidings,
Crying, “Joy to
you, O bringer of the good
news!” But the other (son)
recognised (him)
and fell
(to the ground) unconscious,
Saying, “What
occasion is there for good tidings,
O scatterbrain, when
we have fallen
into the mine (the very midst) of sugar?”
To Opinion it is
(merely) good tidings, whereas
in the sight of
Reason it is ready cash
(actuality), because
the eye of Opinion
is veiled by
missing
(the object sought).
It is pain to the infidels and
glad news to the faithful, but in the eye of the seer it is immediate experience.
3280. Inasmuch as the lover is
intoxicated at the moment of
immediacy, he is
necessarily superior to infidelity and faith.
Indeed, both infidelity and faith
are his door-keeper (who
secures him
from intrusion); for he is
the kernel,
while infidelity and
religion are his two rinds.
Infidelity is the dry peel that has averted its face (from the kernel);
faith, again, is the peel (inner integument) that has gained a delicious flavour.
The place for the dry peels is the fire, (but) the peel attached to the spiritual kernel is sweet.
The kernel itself
is above the
grade of “sweet”: it is above “sweet” because
it is the dispenser
of deliciousness.
3285. This discourse has no end: turn back, that my Moses may cleave the sea asunder.
This (preceding part) of the discourse has been spoken suitably
to the intelligence of the vulgar;
the remainder thereof
has been concealed.
The gold, (which is) your intelligence, is in fragments, O suspected one: how should I set the stamp of the die upon clippings?
Thy intelligence
is distributed over a hundred
important affairs, over thousands of desires and
great matters and small.
You must unite
the
(scattered) parts by means of love, to the
end that you mayst become sweet
as Samarcand and
Damascus.
3290. When
you becomest
united, grain by
grain, from (after your dispersion in) perplexity, then it is
possible to stamp
upon you the King's die;
And if thou, foolish
man, become greater than a mithqál (dinar), the King will make of
you a cup of gold.
Then thereon will be both
the name and
the titles of the King and
also his effigy,
O you that cravest to attain,
So that the
Beloved will be to you both
bread and water and lamp
and minion and dessert
and wine.
Unite yourself—union is (a Divine)
mercy—that I may be able to speak unto
you that which is;
3295. For speaking
is for the
purpose of (producing) belief: the spirit
of polytheism is
quit
(devoid) of belief in God.
The spirit that has been distributed over the contents
of the (mundane) sphere is shared
amongst
sixty passions;
Therefore silence is best: it gives
peace to it (
to
that spirit); therefore ( I ought to
follow the adage) “Silence is the answer
to fools.”
This I know, but
intoxication of the
body is opening my mouth without
volition on my part, Just as in sneezing and yawning this
mouth becomes open
without your willing it.
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