Story of the Caliph's seeing Laylá.
The Caliph said to Laylá: “Art thou she by whom Majnún was distracted and led astray?
Thou art not superior to other fair ones.” “Be silent,” she replied, “since thou art not Majnún.”
Whosoever is awake (to the material world) is the more asleep (to the spiritual world); his wakefulness is worse than his sleep.
When our soul is not awake to God, wakefulness is like closing our doors (to Divine influences).
All day long, from the buffets of phantasy and from (thoughts of) loss and gain and from fear of decline,
There remains to it (the soul) neither joy nor grace and glory nor way of journeying to Heaven.
The one asleep (to spiritual things) is he who hath hope of every vain fancy and holds parley with it.
Diabolum per somnum videt tanquam virginem caelestem, deinde propter libidinem effundit cum diabolo aquam (seminis).
Postquam semen generationis in terram salsuginosam infudit, ipse ad se rediit, fugit ab eo illa imago.
Hinc percipit languorem capitis et (videt) corpus pollutum. Proh dolor ob illud simulacrum visum (sed revera) non visum!
The bird is flying on high, and its shadow is speeding on the earth, flying like a bird:
Some fool begins to chase the shadow, running (after it) so far that he becomes powerless (exhausted),
Not knowing that it is the reflexion of that bird in the air, not knowing where is the origin of the shadow.
He shoots arrows at the shadow; his quiver is emptied in seeking (to shoot it):
The quiver of his life became empty: his life passed in running hotly in chase of the shadow.
(But) when the shadow of God is his nurse, it delivers him from (every) phantom and shadow.
The shadow of God is that servant of God who is dead to this world and living through God.
Lay hold of his skirt most quickly without misgiving, that you may be saved in the skirt (end) of the last days (of the world).
(The shadow mentioned in the words) How He (God) extended the shadow is the form of the saints, which guides to the light of the Divine Sun.
Do not go in this valley without this guide; say, like Khalíl (Abraham), “I love not them that set.”
Go, from the shadow gain a sun: pluck the skirt of the (spiritual) king, Shams-i Tabrízí (the Sun of Tabríz)!
If you do not know the way to this feast and bridal, ask of Ziyá’u ’l-Haqq (the Radiance of God) Husámu’ddín.
And if on the way envy seize you by the throat, it belongs to (is characteristic of) Iblís to go beyond bounds in envy;
For he because of envy hath disdain for Adam, and because of envy is at war with felicity.
In the Way there is no harder pass than this. Oh, fortunate he who is not companioned by envy!
This body, you must know, is the house of envy, for the household are tainted with envy.
If the body is the house of envy, yet God made that body very pure.
(The text) Cleanse My house, ye twain, is the explanation of (such) purity: it (the purified heart) is a treasure of (Divine) light, though its talisman is of earth.
When you practise deceit and envy against one who is without envy, from that envy black stain arise in your heart.
Become (as) dust under the feet of the men of God; throw dust on the head of envy, even as we do.
