بخش 79 - عذر گفتن شیخ بهر ناگریستن بر فرزندان

The Shaykh said to her (his wife), “Do not think, O gracious one, that I have not pity and affection and a compassionate heart.

I have pity for all the unbelievers, though the souls of them all are ungrateful.

I have pity and forgiveness for dogs, saying (to myself), ‘Why do they suffer chastisement from the stones (which are cast at them)?’

I utter a prayer for the dog that bites, crying, ‘O God, deliver him from this (evil) disposition!

Keep also these dogs in that (good) thought, so that they may not be stoned by the people.’”

He (God) brought the saints on to the earth, in order that He might make them a mercy to (all) created beings.

He (the saint) calls the people to the Portal of Grace; he calls unto God, saying, “Give (them) release in full!”

He earnestly strives to admonish them in regard to this, and when it does not succeed, he says, “O God, do not shut the door!”

To the vulgar belongs (only) the particular mercy; the universal mercy belongs to the hero (the perfect saint).

His particular (individual) mercy has been united with the universal: the mercy of the Sea is the guide on (all) the ways.

O (thou who hast the) particular mercy, become joined to the universal: deem the universal mercy the true guide, and go (forward).

So long as he is (only) a part, he does not know the way to the Sea: he makes out every pool to be like unto the Sea.

Inasmuch as he does not know the way to the Sea, how should he act as a guide? How should he lead the people towards the Sea?

(When) he becomes united with the Sea, then he guides to the Sea, like a torrent or river.

And if (before this) he call (the people to God), it is in a conventional fashion; it is not from vision and inspiration or any (Divine) aid.

She (the Shaykh's wife) said, “Then, since thou hast pity on all, and art like the shepherd (going watchfully) around this flock,

How mournest thou not for thine own sons, when Death, the Bleeder, has pierced them with his lancet?

Since the evidence of pity is tears in the eyes, why are thine eyes without moisture and tearless?”

He turned towards his wife and said to her, “Old woman, verily the season of December is not like Tamúz (July).

Whether they all are dead or living, when are they absent and hid from the eye of the heart?

Inasmuch as I see them distinct before me, for what reason should I rend my face as thou doest?

Although they are outside of Time's revolution, they are with me and playing around me.

Weeping is caused by severance or by parting; I am united with my dear ones and embracing them.

(Other) people see them (their dear ones) in sleep; I see them plainly in (my) waking state.

I hide myself for a moment from this world, I shake the leaves of sense perception from the tree (of my bodily existence).”

Sense-perception is captive to the intellect, O reader; know also that the intellect is captive to the spirit.

The spirit sets free the chained hand of the intellect and brings its embarrassed affairs into harmony.

The (bodily) senses and (sensual) thoughts are like weeds on the clear water— covering the surface of the water.

The hand of the intellect sweeps those weeds aside; (then) the water is revealed to the intellect.

The weeds lay very thick on the stream, like bubbles; when the weeds went aside, the water was revealed.

Unless God loose the hand of the intellect, the weeds on our water are increased by sensual desire.

Every moment they cover the water (more and more): that desire is laughing, and thy intellect is weeping;

(But) when piety has chained the hands of desire, God looses the hands of the intellect.

So, when the intellect becomes thy captain and master, the dominant senses become subject to thee.

He (who is ruled by the intellect), without being asleep (himself), puts his senses to sleep, so that the unseen things may emerge from (the world of) the Soul.

Even in his waking state he dreams dreams and opens withal the gates of Heaven.