Showing how this difference lies in the form of the doctrine, not in the real nature of the Way.
He had no scent (perception) of the unicolority of Jesus, nor had he a disposition from (imbued with) the tincture of the dyeing-vat of Jesus.
From that pure vat a garment of a hundred colours would become as simple and one coloured as light.
(This) is not the unicolority from which weariness ensues; nay, it is (a case) like (that of) fishes and clear water:
Although there are thousands of colours on dry land, (yet) fishes are at war with dryness.
Who is the fish and what is the sea in (my) simile, that the King Almighty and Glorious should resemble them?
In (the world of) existence myriads of seas and fishes prostrate themselves in adoration before that Munificence and Bounty.
How many a rain of largesse hath rained, so that the sea was made thereby to scatter pearls!
How many a sun of generosity hath shone, so that cloud and sea learned to be bountiful!
The sunbeams of Wisdom struck on soil and clay, so that the earth became receptive of the seed.
The soil is faithful to its trust, and whatever you have sown in it, you carry away the (equivalent in) kind thereof without fraud (on the part of the soil).
It has derived this faithfulness from that (Divine) faithfulness, inasmuch as the sun of Justice has shone upon it.
Until springtide brings the token of God, the soil does not reveal its secrets.
The Bounteous One who gave to an inanimate thing these informations and this faithfulness and this righteousness,
His grace makes an inanimate thing informed, (while) His wrath makes blind the men of understanding.
Soul and heart cannot endure that ferment: to whom shall I speak? There is not in the world a single ear (capable of apprehension).
Wherever there was an ear, through Him it became an eye; wherever there was a stone, through Him it became a jasper.
He is an alchemist—what is alchemy (compared with His action)? He is a giver of miracles (to prophets)—what is magic (compared with these miracles)?
This uttering of praise (to Him) is (really) the omission of praise on my part, for this (praise) is a proof of (my) being, and being is a sin.
It behoves (us) to be not-being in the presence of His Being: in His presence what is (our) being? Blind and blue.
Were it not blind it would have been melted (consumed) by Him: it would have known the heat of (the Divine) sun;
And were it not blue from mourning, how would this region (of phenomenal existence) have (remained) frozen like ice?
