بخش 91 - بیان آنک هر حس مدرکی را از آدمی نیز مدرکاتی دیگرست کی از مدرکات آن حس دگر بی‌خبرست چنانک هر پیشه‌ور استاد اعجمی کار آن استاد دگر پیشه‌ورست و بی‌خبری او از آنک وظیفهٔ او نیست دلیل نکند کی آن مدرکات نیست اگرچه به حکم حال منکر بود آن را اما از منکری او اینجا جز بی‌خبری نمی‌خواهیم درین مقام

Thy perception is the measure of thy vision of the world: thy impure senses are the veil (which prevents thee from having sight) of the pure (holy men).

Wash thy senses for a while with the water of clairvoyance: know that the garment- washing of the Súfís is like this.

When thou hast become purified, the spirit of the pure ones will tear off the veil and attach itself to thee.

If the whole world be (filled with) light and (radiant) forms, (only) the eye would be aware of that loveliness.

(Suppose) thou hast shut the eye and art bringing forward the ear that thou mayst show unto it the locks and face of an adorable beauty,

The ear will say, “I do not attend to the (visible) form: if the form utter a cry, I will hearken.

I am skilled, but (only) in my own art: my art is (the perception of) a (spoken) word or sound, no more.”

(And if thou say), “Hey, nose, come and see this beauteous one,” the nose is not fit for this purpose.

“If there be any musk or rose-water, I will smell it: this is my art and science and knowledge.

How should I see the face of that silver-shanked one? Take heed, do not lay (on me) as a task that which cannot be done.”

Again, the crooked (perverted) sense hath naught but crooked (perverse) perception, (so) go crookedly into His presence or go straight, as thou wilt (it matters not).

Know for sure that the eye of him who sees double is remote from seeing the Unity, O Khwája who aidest (the true Religion).

Thou who art a Pharaoh art wholly deceit and hypocrisy: (hence) thou knowest no difference between me and thyself.

Do not regard (judge of) me from thyself, O false-playing man, that thou mayst not see the single as double.

Regard (judge of) me from me (with my eyes) for one moment, that thou mayst behold a spacious region beyond (phenomenal) existence,

And mayst be delivered from straitness and dishonour and renown (good and evil repute) and behold love within love, and peace (be with thee)!

Then, when thou hast been delivered from the body, thou wilt know that ear and nose can become eye.

That sweet-tongued (spiritual) king has said with truth that every hair of gnostics becomes an eye.

Certainly the eye had no eye (vision) at first: it was an embryo of flesh in the womb.

Deem not the fat (the white of the eye) to be the cause of sight, O son; otherwise none would see (visible) forms in dream.

The genie and the demon see the like, and there is no fat in the sight-organ of either.

In fact there was (originally) no relationship between light and the fat (of the eye): the loving Creator gave them relationship.

Adam is of earth, (but) how does he resemble earth? The genie is of fire without any participation (of the other elements);

(But) the genie is not similar (in form) to fire, though when thou considerest (thou wilt acknowledge that) it is his origin.

The bird is (originally) of wind (air), (but) how does it resemble wind? God gave relationship to the unrelated.

The relation of these derivatives to the originals is ineffable, although He connected them.

Since man is born of dust, where is the relation between this son and his father?

If there is a relation hidden from the understanding, it is ineffable, and how should the understanding follow its track?

If He did not give the wind vision without eye, how was it making a distinction among the people of ‘Ád?

How was it knowing the true believer from the enemy? How was it knowing the wine from the gourd-shaped goblet?

If the fire of Nimrod hath no eye, how is a taking pains (to show respect) towards Abraham (explicable)?

If the Nile had not possessed that light and sight, wherefore should it have picked out the Egyptians from the Israelites?

If mountain and rock had not been endowed with sight, then how should it (the mountain) have become a friend (accompanist) to David?

If this earth had not possessed a spiritual eye, wherefore should it have swallowed Qárún in such a fashion?

If the Moaning (Pillar) had not possessed the eye of the heart (oculus cordis), how should it have seen the separation (from it) of that august one (the Prophet)?

If the gravel had not been possessed of an eye, how should it have given testimony in the closed fist (of Abú Jahl)?

O intellect, unfold thy wings and pinions: read the Súra (which begins with the words), (when the earth) shall be caused to quake with a mighty quaking.

At the Resurrection how should this earth give testimonies concerning good and evil without having seen?

For she will relate her experiences and informations: the earth will reveal her secrets to us.

“This sending of me (as a prophet) to thee, O prince, is a clear evidence that the Sender was aware

That such a medicine as this is suitable to such a desperate malady, for the purpose of success (in curing it).

Heretofore thou hadst seen visions (warning thee) that God would choose me out (to go to thee),

(And that) I, having taken the rod and the Light in my hand, would break thy insolent horn.

On this account the Lord of the Judgement was showing unto thee terrible visions of diverse sorts,

Suitable to thy evil conscience and thy inordinate disobedience, that thou might’st know that He knows what is proper for thee;

That thou might’st know that He is wise and omniscient and the healer of irremediable maladies.

Through false interpretations thou wert made blind and deaf to those (visions), saying, ‘This is caused by heavy slumber’;

And the physician and the astrologer in flashes (of intelligence) saw the (true) explanation thereof, but concealed it from (motives) of cupidity.

He (the physician) said, ‘Far be it from thy empire and kingship that anxiety should enter into thy consciousness.

When the (human) constitution is indisposed by food that disagrees with it or by (rich) viands, it sees visions in sleep.’

(He said this) because he perceived that thou art not one that desires good counsel, and that thou art violent and blood-drinking and not of lowly nature.

Kings shed blood for righteousness' sake, but their mercy is greater than their severity.

The king must have the nature of the Lord: His mercy hath precedence over His wrath.

Wrath must not prevail (in the king), like (as it does in) the Devil, (so that) he sheds blood unnecessarily for the purpose of guile;

Nor, again, (should) an effeminate mildness (prevail in him), for in consequence of that his wife and handmaids will become harlots.

Thou hadst made thy breast a house for the Devil, thou hadst made hatred a qibla (object on which thy mind was bent).

Many are the hearts which thy sharp horn has wounded: lo, my rod has broken thy froward horn.