بخش 100 - ماخذهٔ یوسف صدیق صلوات‌الله علیه به حبس بضع سنین به سبب یاری خواستن از غیر حق و گفتن اذکرنی عند ربک مع تقریره

That is like Joseph's (asking help) of a (fellow-) prisoner, a needy abject groundling.

He besought him for help and said, “When you come out (of prison), your affairs will prosper with the king.

Make mention of me before the throne of that mighty prince, that he may redeem (release) me also from this prison.”

(But) how should a prisoner in captivity give release to another imprisoned man?

All the people of this world are prisoners (waiting) in expectation of death in the abode that is passing away;

Except, to be sure, in the rare case of one who is single (fardání), one whose body is in the prison (of this world) and his spirit like Saturn (in the seventh heaven).

Therefore, in retribution for having regarded him (the fellow-prisoner) as a helper, Joseph was left in prison for several years.

The Devil erased from his mind the recollection of Joseph and removed from his memory those words (which Joseph had spoken).

In consequence of the sin which proceeded from that man of goodly qualities (Joseph), he was left in prison for several years by the (Divine) Judge,

Who said, “What failure was shown by the Sun of justice that thou shouldst fall, like a bat, into the blackness (of night)?

Hark, what failure was shown by the sea and the cloud that thou shouldst seek help from the sand and the mirage?

If the vulgar are bats by nature and unreal (unspiritual), thou, at least, O Joseph, hast the eye of the falcon.

If a bat went into the blind and blue (the world of darkness and misery), (’tis no wonder, but) after all what ailed the falcon that had seen the Sultan?”

Therefore the (Divine) Master punished him for this sin, saying, “Do not make thy prop of rotten wood”;

But He caused Joseph to be engrossed with Him, to the end that his heart should not be pained by that imprisonment.

God gave him such intimate joy and rapture that neither the prison nor the mirk (of his dungeon) remained (visible) to him.

There is no prison more frightful than the womb—noisome and dark and full of blood and unhealthy;

(Yet), when God has opened for you a window in His direction, your body (hidden) in the womb grows more (and more) every moment,

And in that prison, from the immeasurable delight (which you feel therein), the senses blossom happily from the plant, your body.

’Tis grievous to you to go forth from the womb: you are fleeing from her (your mother's) pubes towards her back.

Know that the way of (spiritual) pleasure is from within, not from without: know that it is folly to seek palaces and castles.

One man is enraptured and delighted in the nook of a mosque, while another is morose and disappointed in a garden.

The palace (body) is nothing: ruin your body! The treasure lies in the ruin, O my prince.

Don't you see that at the wine-feast the drunkard becomes happy (only) when he becomes ruined (senseless)?

Although the (bodily) house is full of pictures, demolish it: seek the treasure, and with the treasure put it (the house) into good repair.

’Tis a house filled with pictures of imagination and fancy, and these forms (ideas) are as a veil over the treasure of union (with God).

’Tis the radiance of the Treasure and the splendours of the (spiritual) gold that cause the forms (ideas) to surge up in this breast.

’Tis from the purity and translucence of the noble Water that the particles of foam have veiled the face of the Water.

’Tis from the purity and (ceaseless) agitation of the precious Spirit that the bodily figure has veiled the face of the Spirit.

Hearken, then, to the adage that issued from the mouths (of men)—“this which is (cast) upon us, O brother, is (derived) from us.” Because of this veil, these thirsty ones who are (so) fond of the foam have got out of reach of the pure Water.

“O (Divine) Sun, notwithstanding (that we have) a qibla (object of adoration) and Imám like Thee,

we worship the night and behave in the manner of bats.

Make these bats to fly towards Thee and redeem them from this bat-like disposition, O Thou whose protection is implored!

This youth (the Amír), by (committing) this sin, has gone astray and trespassed (against Thee), for he came to me (for help); but do not chastise him.”

In the ‘Imádu ’l-Mulk these thoughts were raging like a lion (rushing) through the jungles.

His exterior (person) stood before the Sultan, (but) his soaring spirit was in the meadows of the Unseen.

Like the angels, he was momently being intoxicated with fresh draughts (of spiritual wine) in the realm of Alast;

Inwardly (merry as) a wedding-feast, but outwardly like a man filled with sorrow; a delectable world (concealed) in a tomb-like body.

He was in this (state of) bewilderment and waiting to see what would appear from the (world of) things occult and mysterious,

(When) at that time the officers brought the horse along into the presence of the Khwárizmsháh.

Verily beneath this azure sky there was no (other) colt like that in (tallness and comeliness of) figure and in fleetness.

Its colour (splendid appearance) dazzled every eye: (all would exclaim), “Hail to the (steed) born of the lightning and the moon!”

It moved as swiftly as the moon and Mercury: you might say that its fodder was the sarsar wind, not barley.

The moon traverses the expanse of heaven in one night during a single journey and course.

Since the moon traversed the signs of the zodiac in one night, wherefore wilt thou disbelieve the Ascension (of the Prophet)?

That wondrous orphan Pearl is as a hundred moons, for at a nod from him the moon became (split in) two halves.

(Even) the marvel which he displayed in splitting the moon was only according to the measure of the weakness of the perception possessed by the (common) people.

The work and business of the prophets and (Divine) messengers is beyond the skies and the stars.

Do thou also go beyond (transcend) the skies and the revolving (orb), and then contemplate that work and business.

(Whilst) thou art inside the egg, like chicks, thou canst not hear the glorification of God by the birds of the (supermundane) air.

The miracles (of the Prophet) will not be set forth here: tell of the horse and the Khwárizmsháh and what happened.

Whatsoever the sun of God's grace shines upon, whether it be dog or horse, gains (is endowed with) the glory of the Cave;

Yet deem not the radiance of His grace to be uniform: it has given a sign (distinctive character) to the pebble and the ruby.

From that (radiance) the ruby has a borrowed treasure, (while) the pebble has only heat and brightness.

(The radiance of) the sun falling on a wall is not the same as (when it is reflected) from water and quivering movement.

After the peerless king had been astounded by (gazing at) it (the horse) for a moment, he turned his face to the ‘Imádu ’l-Mulk,

Saying, “O vizier, is not this an exceedingly beautiful horse? Surely it belongs to Paradise, not to the earth.”

Thereupon the ‘Imádu ’l-Mulk said to him, “O emperor, a demon is made angelic by thy (fond) inclination.

That on which thou lookest (fondly) becomes (appears good (to thee). This steed is very handsome and graceful, and yet

The head is a blemish in its (elegant) form: you might say that its head is like the head of an ox.”

These words worked on the heart of the Khwárizmsháh and caused the horse to be cheap in the king's sight.

When prejudice becomes a go-between and describer (of beauty), you may get (buy) a Joseph for three ells of linen.

When the hour arrives for the spirit's parting (from the body), the Devil becomes a broker (depreciator) of the pearl of Faith,

And then in that (moment of) sore distress the fool hastily sells his faith for a jug of water;

But ’tis a (mere) phantom and not (really) a jug: the aim of the broker (the Devil) is naught but trickery.

At this (present) time, when you are healthy and fat, you are giving up the Truth for a phantom.

You are constantly selling the pearls of the (spiritual) mine and taking walnuts (in exchange), like a child;

Therefore it is no wonder if you act in this (same) way in the (mortal) sickness of your day of doom (death).

You have concocted an idea (a vain notion) in your fancy: when you are rattled (tested) like a walnut, you are (proved to be) rotten.

In the beginning that phantom resembles the full-moon, but in the end it will become like the new-moon.

If you regard its first (state) as being (really) like its last (state), you will be quit of its feeble deception.

This world is a rotten walnut: O man of trust, do not make trial of it, (but) behold it from afar.

The king viewed the horse with regard to the present, while the ‘Imádu ’l- Mulk (viewed it) with regard to the future.

The king's eye, because of (its) distortion, saw (only) two ells, (but) the eye of him who regarded the end saw fifty ells.

What a (wondrous) collyrium is that which God applies (to the spiritual eye), so that the spirit discerns the truth behind a hundred curtains!

Since the Chief's (the Prophet's) eye was ever fixed on the end, by reason of (seeing with) that eye he called the world a carcase.

On hearing only this single (word of) blame from him (the ‘Imádu ’l-Mulk), the love (that was) in the king's heart for the horse became chilled.

He abandoned his own eye and preferred his (the ‘Imádu ’l-Mulk's) eye: he abandoned his own intelligence and hearkened to his (the other's) words.

This (speech of the ‘Imádu ’l-Mulk) was (only) the pretext, and (in reality) at (his) entreaty the unique Judge caused it (the horse) to be cold (despicable) in the king's heart.

He (God) shut the door on its beauty (made its beauty invisible) to the eye (of the king): those words (of the ‘Imádu ’l-Mulk) intervened (between the king's eye and the horse) like the sound of the door.

He (God) made that cryptic saying a veil over the king's eye, a veil through which the moon appears to be black.

Pure (transcendent) is the Builder who in the unseen world constructs castles of speech and beguiling talk.

Know that speech is the sound of the door (coming) from the palace of mystery: consider whether it is the sound of opening or shutting.

The sound of the door is perceptible, but the door (itself) is beyond perception: ye see (are aware of) this sound, but the door ye see not.

When the harp of wisdom breaks into melody, (bethink yourself) what door of the Garden of Paradise has been opened.

When the sound of evil speech becomes loud, (bethink yourself) what door of Hell is being opened.

Since you are far from its door, hearken to the sound of the door: oh, blest is he whose eye has been opened (so that he can recognise the wicked).

When you are aware of doing a good action, you obtain a (feeling of spiritual) life and joy;

And when a fault and evil deed issues (from you), that (feeling of) life and rapture disappears.

Do not abandon your own eye (judgement) from regard for the vile, for these vultures will lead you to the carcase.

You close your narcissus-like eye, saying, “What (is it)? Hey, sir, take my stick (and show me the way), for I am blind”;

But if you would only look, (you would see that) the guide whom you have chosen for the journey is (even) blinder than you.

Grasp in a blind man's fashion the rope of Allah: do not cling to aught but the Divine commandments and prohibitions.

What is the rope of Allah? To renounce self-will, for this self-will was a roaring wind (of destruction) to (the people of) ‘Ád.

’Tis from self-will that folk are sitting in gaol, ’tis from self-will that the (trapped) bird's wings are tied.

’Tis from self-will that the fish is (cooked) in a hot pan, ’tis from self-will that shame (bashfulness) is gone from the modest.

The anger of the police magistrate is a fiery spark from self-will; crucifixion and the awfulness of the gallows are (the consequence) of self-will.

You have seen the magistrate (who carries out the punishment) of bodies on the earth: (now) see also the magistrate who executes judgements against the soul.

Verily tortures are inflicted on the soul in the world invisible, but until you escape (from self-will) the torture is concealed (from view).

When you are freed you will behold the torture and perdition (of the soul), because contrary is made manifest by contrary.

He that was born in the well (of the material world) and the black water, how should he know the pleasantness of the open country and (distinguish it from) the pain of (being in) the well?

When, from fear of God, you have relinquished self-will, the goblet (of drink) from God's Tasním will arrive.

Do not in your self-will make a way: ask of God's Majesty the way to Salsabíl.

Be not submissive to self-will (and yielding) like hay: in sooth the shade of the Divine Throne is better than the summer-house (of the world).

The Sultan said, “Take the horse back (to the Amír) and with all speed redeem (deliver) me from (committing) this wrong.”

The King did not say in his heart, “Do not (seek to) deceive the lion so greatly by means of the head of an ox.

You (the ‘Imádu ’l-Mulk) drag in the ox in order to cheat (me): begone, God does not stick the horns of an ox upon a horse.”

This renowned Master-builder observes great congruity in His workmanship: how should He attach to a horse's body part of (the body of) an ox?

The Master-builder has made (all) bodies congruously: He has constructed moving palaces,

(With) balconies in them and cisterns (distributing water) from this (part of the palace) to that;

And within them an infinite world: all this (vast) expanse (is contained) in a single tent.

Now He causes (one beautiful as) the moon to seem like an incubus (nightmare), now He causes the bottom of a well to have the semblance of a garden.

Inasmuch as the closing and opening of the eye of the heart by the Almighty is continually working lawful magic,

For this reason Mustafá (Mohammed) entreated God, saying, “Let the false appear as false and the true as true,

So that at last, when Thou turnest the leaf, I may not (be stricken) by sorrow (and) fall into agitation.”

(’Twas) the Lord of the Kingdom (that) guided the peerless ‘Imádu ’l- Mulk to the deception which he practised.

God's deception is the fountainhead of (all) these deceptions: the heart is between the two fingers of the (Divine) Majesty.

He who creates deception and (false) analogy in your heart can (also) set the sackcloth (of deception) on fire.