worship me." The only object of the world is to worship God. Though the object of a book is to teach an art, If you make a pillow of it, it serves that purpose too. Yet its main object is not to serve as a pillow, But to impart knowledge and useful instruction. If you use a sword for a tent-peg, You prefer the worse use of it to the better. Though the object of all men's being is wisdom, Yet each man has a different place of worship. The place of worship of the noble is nobility, The place of worship of the base is degradation. Smite the base to make them bow the head. Give to the noble to make them repay liberally. Inasmuch as the base are evil and arrogant, Hell and humbling are the "small gate" for them. Verily God has created two places of adoration, Hell for the base and increased bliss for the noble. Even so Moses made a small gate in Jerusalem, To make the Israelites bow the head in entering it. The discussion is continued and illustrated by anecdotes of the Sufi who preferred a table with no food upon it, because he ever sought "not-being," of Jacob's vision of Joseph, and of a devout slave who obtained leave of his mas- ter to say his prayers in a mosque, but tarried there so long that the doors were shut, and he could not get out, nor his master in. The prophets at last despaired of making any impression upon the unbelievers, but called to mind the text "When at last the Apostles lost all hope, and deemed that they were reckoned as liars, our aid reached them, and we delivered whom we would, but our vengeance was not averted from the wicked." The despair of the prophets. The prophets said, "How long, in our benevolence, Shall we give to this and that one good advice? How long shall we hammer cold iron in vain? How long waste breath in blowing into a lattice? Men are moved by God's decree and fixed ordinance, As sharp-set teeth are caused by heat of belly. 'Tis Primal Soul that dominates the Second Soul, Fish begins to stink at the head, not the tail. Yet be advised and keep your steed straight as an arrow, When God says 'Proclaim' we must obey. O men, ye know not to which party ye belong, Exert yourselves then, till ye see which ye are. When you place goods upon a ship, You do it in trust that the voyage will be prosperous; You know not which of the two events will befall you,

worship me." The only object of the world is to worship God. Though the object of a book is to teach an art, If you make a pillow of it, it serves that purpose too. Yet its main object is not to serve as a pillow, But to impart knowledge and useful instruction. If you use a sword for a tent-peg, You prefer the worse use of it to the better. Though the object of all men's being is wisdom, Yet each man has a different place of worship. The place of worship of the noble is nobility, The place of worship of the base is degradation. Smite the base to make them bow the head. Give to the noble to make them repay liberally. Inasmuch as the base are evil and arrogant, Hell and humbling are the "small gate" for them. Verily God has created two places of adoration, Hell for the base and increased bliss for the noble. Even so Moses made a small gate in Jerusalem, To make the Israelites bow the head in entering it. The discussion is continued and illustrated by anecdotes of the Sufi who preferred a table with no food upon it, because he ever sought "not-being," of Jacob's vision of Joseph, and of a devout slave who obtained leave of his mas- ter to say his prayers in a mosque, but tarried there so long that the doors were shut, and he could not get out, nor his master in. The prophets at last despaired of making any impression upon the unbelievers, but called to mind the text "When at last the Apostles lost all hope, and deemed that they were reckoned as liars, our aid reached them, and we delivered whom we would, but our vengeance was not averted from the wicked." The despair of the prophets. The prophets said, "How long, in our benevolence, Shall we give to this and that one good advice? How long shall we hammer cold iron in vain? How long waste breath in blowing into a lattice? Men are moved by God's decree and fixed ordinance, As sharp-set teeth are caused by heat of belly. 'Tis Primal Soul that dominates the Second Soul, Fish begins to stink at the head, not the tail. Yet be advised and keep your steed straight as an arrow, When God says 'Proclaim' we must obey. O men, ye know not to which party ye belong, Exert yourselves then, till ye see which ye are. When you place goods upon a ship, You do it in trust that the voyage will be prosperous; You know not which of the two events will befall you,

Whether you will be drowned or come safe to land. If you say, 'Till I know which will be my fate I will not set foot upon the ship; Shall I be drowned on the voyage or a survivor? Reveal to me in which class I shall be. I shall not undertake the voyage on the chance On the bare hope of reaching land, as the rest do.' In that case no trade at all will be undertaken by you, As the secret of these two events is always hidden. The lamp of the heart, that is a timid trader, Acquires neither loss nor gain by its ventures. Nay, it acquires loss, for it is precluded from gain; 'Tis the lamp that takes fire that acquires light. Since all things are dependent on probability, Religion is so first of all, for thereby you find release. In this world no knocking at the door is possible Save hope, and God knows what is best." Probability the guide of life in religion as well as in common matters. "Religion dependent an hope and fear. " The final cause of trading is hope or probability, When traders work themselves lean as spindles. When the merchant goes to his shop in the morning, He does so in hope and probability of gaining bread. If you have no hope of getting bread, why go? There is the fear of loss, since you are not strong. But does not this fear of utter loss in your trade Become weakened in the course of your exertions? You say, "Although the fear of loss is before me, Yet I feel greater fear in remaining idle. I have a better hope through exerting myself; My fear is increased by remaining idle." Why then, O faint-hearted one, in the matter of religion Are you paralysed by the fear of loss? See you not how the traders in this market of ours Make large profits, both apostles and saints? What a mine of wealth awaits them on leaving it, Seeing they make such profits while still here! Fire is soft to them as cotton raiment, The ocean bears them gently like a porter; Iron in their hands is soft as wax, The winds are their obedient slaves. 2. Anvar i Suhaili, chap. iv. Story IV. 4. Koran lxi. 5: "God led their hearts astray." 5. God said, "Come ye either in obedience, or in spite of your wishes" (Koran xli. 10). 7. See Koran ii. 55, with Sale's note. 9. "All things have we created after a fixed decree, every action great and small is written." Koran liv. 49. 10. The Logos or first Emanation produced the second or "Universal Soul." 1 1. "O Apostle! proclaim all that hath been sent down" (Koran v. 71). 12. "Which party," i.e., those doomed to be saved or those doomed to destruction. 13. "Nothing shall be reckoned to a man save that for which he hath made effort" (Koran liii. 40). 14. So Sa'di Bostan Book I. Cp. Butler's Analogy, Conclusion. 15. i.e., exert themselves much. STORY XIV. Miracles performed by the Prophet Muhammad. It is related that the Prophet was once present at a ban- quet, and after he had eaten and drunk, his servant Anas threw the napkin which he had used into the fire, and the napkin was not burnt, 'but only purified by the fire. On another occasion a caravan of Arabs was traveling in the desert, and was in sore distress through lack of water, where-

Whether you will be drowned or come safe to land. If you say, 'Till I know which will be my fate I will not set foot upon the ship; Shall I be drowned on the voyage or a survivor? Reveal to me in which class I shall be. I shall not undertake the voyage on the chance On the bare hope of reaching land, as the rest do.' In that case no trade at all will be undertaken by you, As the secret of these two events is always hidden. The lamp of the heart, that is a timid trader, Acquires neither loss nor gain by its ventures. Nay, it acquires loss, for it is precluded from gain; 'Tis the lamp that takes fire that acquires light. Since all things are dependent on probability, Religion is so first of all, for thereby you find release. In this world no knocking at the door is possible Save hope, and God knows what is best." Probability the guide of life in religion as well as in common matters. "Religion dependent an hope and fear. " The final cause of trading is hope or probability, When traders work themselves lean as spindles. When the merchant goes to his shop in the morning, He does so in hope and probability of gaining bread. If you have no hope of getting bread, why go? There is the fear of loss, since you are not strong. But does not this fear of utter loss in your trade Become weakened in the course of your exertions? You say, "Although the fear of loss is before me, Yet I feel greater fear in remaining idle. I have a better hope through exerting myself; My fear is increased by remaining idle." Why then, O faint-hearted one, in the matter of religion Are you paralysed by the fear of loss? See you not how the traders in this market of ours Make large profits, both apostles and saints? What a mine of wealth awaits them on leaving it, Seeing they make such profits while still here! Fire is soft to them as cotton raiment, The ocean bears them gently like a porter; Iron in their hands is soft as wax, The winds are their obedient slaves. 2. Anvar i Suhaili, chap. iv. Story IV. 4. Koran lxi. 5: "God led their hearts astray." 5. God said, "Come ye either in obedience, or in spite of your wishes" (Koran xli. 10). 7. See Koran ii. 55, with Sale's note. 9. "All things have we created after a fixed decree, every action great and small is written." Koran liv. 49. 10. The Logos or first Emanation produced the second or "Universal Soul." 1 1. "O Apostle! proclaim all that hath been sent down" (Koran v. 71). 12. "Which party," i.e., those doomed to be saved or those doomed to destruction. 13. "Nothing shall be reckoned to a man save that for which he hath made effort" (Koran liii. 40). 14. So Sa'di Bostan Book I. Cp. Butler's Analogy, Conclusion. 15. i.e., exert themselves much. STORY XIV. Miracles performed by the Prophet Muhammad. It is related that the Prophet was once present at a ban- quet, and after he had eaten and drunk, his servant Anas threw the napkin which he had used into the fire, and the napkin was not burnt, 'but only purified by the fire. On another occasion a caravan of Arabs was traveling in the desert, and was in sore distress through lack of water, where-

upon the Prophet miraculously increased the water in a sin- gle water-skin, so that it sufficed to supply the needs of all the travelers. Moreover, the negro who carried the water- skin was rendered as white and fair as Joseph. Again, a hea- then woman came to the Prophet carrying her infant, aged only two months, and the infant saluted the Prophet as the veritable apostle of God. Again, when the prophet was about to put on his sandals, an eagle swooped down upon one of them and carried it off, when a viper was seen to drop from the sandal. The Prophet was at first inclined to grumble at this stroke of ill-luck; but when he saw the viper his discontent was turned into thankfulness to God, who had thus miraculously saved him from being bitten by the viper. In difficulties there is provided a way of salvation. In this tale there is a warning for thee, O Soul, That thou mayest acquiesce in God's ordinances, And be wary and not doubt God's benevolence, When sudden misfortunes befall thee. Let others grow pale from fear of ill fortune, Do thou smile like the rose at loss and gain; For the rose, though its petals be torn asunder, Still smiles on, and it is never cast down. It says, "Why should I fall into grief in disgrace? I gather beauty even from the thorn of disgrace." Whatsoever is lost to thee through God's decree Know of a surety is so much gained from misfortune. What is Sufiism? 'Tis to find joy in the heart Whensoever distress and care assail it. Know troubles to be that eagle of the Prophet's Which carried off the sandal of that holy one, In order to save his foot from the bite of the viper O excellent device! to preserve him from harm. 'Tis said, "Mourn not for your slaughtered cattle If a wolf has harried your flocks;" For that calamity may avert a greater calamity, And that loss may ward off a more grievous loss. 1 . Freytag, Arabum Proverbia, vol. iii. p. 334. STORY XV. The Man who asked Moses to teach him the language of animals. A certain man came to Moses and desired to be taught the language of animals, for, he said, men used their language only to get food and for purposes of deception, and possibly a knowledge of animals' languages might stimulate his faith.

upon the Prophet miraculously increased the water in a sin- gle water-skin, so that it sufficed to supply the needs of all the travelers. Moreover, the negro who carried the water- skin was rendered as white and fair as Joseph. Again, a hea- then woman came to the Prophet carrying her infant, aged only two months, and the infant saluted the Prophet as the veritable apostle of God. Again, when the prophet was about to put on his sandals, an eagle swooped down upon one of them and carried it off, when a viper was seen to drop from the sandal. The Prophet was at first inclined to grumble at this stroke of ill-luck; but when he saw the viper his discontent was turned into thankfulness to God, who had thus miraculously saved him from being bitten by the viper. In difficulties there is provided a way of salvation. In this tale there is a warning for thee, O Soul, That thou mayest acquiesce in God's ordinances, And be wary and not doubt God's benevolence, When sudden misfortunes befall thee. Let others grow pale from fear of ill fortune, Do thou smile like the rose at loss and gain; For the rose, though its petals be torn asunder, Still smiles on, and it is never cast down. It says, "Why should I fall into grief in disgrace? I gather beauty even from the thorn of disgrace." Whatsoever is lost to thee through God's decree Know of a surety is so much gained from misfortune. What is Sufiism? 'Tis to find joy in the heart Whensoever distress and care assail it. Know troubles to be that eagle of the Prophet's Which carried off the sandal of that holy one, In order to save his foot from the bite of the viper O excellent device! to preserve him from harm. 'Tis said, "Mourn not for your slaughtered cattle If a wolf has harried your flocks;" For that calamity may avert a greater calamity, And that loss may ward off a more grievous loss. 1 . Freytag, Arabum Proverbia, vol. iii. p. 334. STORY XV. The Man who asked Moses to teach him the language of animals. A certain man came to Moses and desired to be taught the language of animals, for, he said, men used their language only to get food and for purposes of deception, and possibly a knowledge of animals' languages might stimulate his faith.

Moses was very unwilling to comply with his request, as he knew such knowledge would prove destructive to him, but, on his persisting, took counsel of God, and finally taught him the language of fowls and dogs. Next morning the man went amongst the fowls, and heard a discussion between the cock and the dog. The dog was abusing the cock for picking up the morsels of bread which fell from their master's table, because the cock could find plenty of grains of corn to eat, whereas the dog could only eat bread. The cock, to appease him, said that on the morrow the master's horse would die, and then the dog would have enough and to spare. The mas- ter, hearing this, at once sold his horse, and the dog, being disappointed of his meal, again attacked the cock. The cock then told him the mule would die, whereupon the master sold the mule. Then the cock foretold the death of a slave, and the master again sold the slave. At this the dog, losing patience, upbraided the cock as the chief of deceivers, and the cock excused himself by showing that all three deaths had taken place just as he had predicted, but the master had sold the horse, mule, and slave, and had thrown the loss on others. He added that, to punish him for his fraudulent deal- ing, the master would himself die on the morrow, and there would be plenty for the dog to eat at the funeral feast. Hearing this, the master went to Moses in great distress, and prayed to be saved. Moses besought the Lord for him, and gained permission that he should die in the peace of God. Why freewill is good for man. God said, "Do thou grant his earnest request, Enlarge his faculty according to his freewill. Freewill is as the salt to piety, Otherwise heaven itself were matter of compulsion. In its revolutions reward and punishment were needless, For 'tis freewill that has merit at the great reckoning. If the whole world were framed to praise God, There would be no merit in praising God. Place a sword in his hand and remove his impotence, To see if he turns out a warrior or a robber. Because freewill is that wherewith 'we honor Adam,' Half the swarm become bees and half wasps. The faithful yield honeycombs like bees, The infidels yield store of poison like wasps. For the faithful feed on choice herbs, So that, like bees, their chyle yields life-giving food, Whilst infidels feed on filth and garbage, And generate poison according to their food." Men inspired of God are the fountain of life; Men of delusions are a synonym for death. In the world the praise "Well done faithful servant!" Is given to freewill which is used with prudence. If all dissolute men were shut up in prison, They would all be temperate and devout and pious. When power of choice is absent actions are worthless; But beware lest death snatch away your capital! Your power of choice is a capital yielding profit, Remember well the day of final account! STORY XVI. The Woman who lost all her infants.

Moses was very unwilling to comply with his request, as he knew such knowledge would prove destructive to him, but, on his persisting, took counsel of God, and finally taught him the language of fowls and dogs. Next morning the man went amongst the fowls, and heard a discussion between the cock and the dog. The dog was abusing the cock for picking up the morsels of bread which fell from their master's table, because the cock could find plenty of grains of corn to eat, whereas the dog could only eat bread. The cock, to appease him, said that on the morrow the master's horse would die, and then the dog would have enough and to spare. The mas- ter, hearing this, at once sold his horse, and the dog, being disappointed of his meal, again attacked the cock. The cock then told him the mule would die, whereupon the master sold the mule. Then the cock foretold the death of a slave, and the master again sold the slave. At this the dog, losing patience, upbraided the cock as the chief of deceivers, and the cock excused himself by showing that all three deaths had taken place just as he had predicted, but the master had sold the horse, mule, and slave, and had thrown the loss on others. He added that, to punish him for his fraudulent deal- ing, the master would himself die on the morrow, and there would be plenty for the dog to eat at the funeral feast. Hearing this, the master went to Moses in great distress, and prayed to be saved. Moses besought the Lord for him, and gained permission that he should die in the peace of God. Why freewill is good for man. God said, "Do thou grant his earnest request, Enlarge his faculty according to his freewill. Freewill is as the salt to piety, Otherwise heaven itself were matter of compulsion. In its revolutions reward and punishment were needless, For 'tis freewill that has merit at the great reckoning. If the whole world were framed to praise God, There would be no merit in praising God. Place a sword in his hand and remove his impotence, To see if he turns out a warrior or a robber. Because freewill is that wherewith 'we honor Adam,' Half the swarm become bees and half wasps. The faithful yield honeycombs like bees, The infidels yield store of poison like wasps. For the faithful feed on choice herbs, So that, like bees, their chyle yields life-giving food, Whilst infidels feed on filth and garbage, And generate poison according to their food." Men inspired of God are the fountain of life; Men of delusions are a synonym for death. In the world the praise "Well done faithful servant!" Is given to freewill which is used with prudence. If all dissolute men were shut up in prison, They would all be temperate and devout and pious. When power of choice is absent actions are worthless; But beware lest death snatch away your capital! Your power of choice is a capital yielding profit, Remember well the day of final account! STORY XVI. The Woman who lost all her infants.

A woman bore many children in succession, but none of them lived beyond the age of three or four months. In great distress she cried to God, and then beheld in a vision the beautiful gardens of Paradise, and many fair mansions therein, and upon one of these mansions she read her own name inscribed. And a voice from heaven informed her that God would accept the sorrows she had endured in lieu of her blood shed in holy war, as, owing to her sex, she was unable to go out to battle like the men. On looking again, the woman beheld in Paradise all the children she had lost, and she cried, "O Lord ! they were lost to me, but were safe with Thee!" This story is followed by anecdotos of Hamza going out to battle without his coat-of-mail, of the Prophet advising a man who complained of being cheated in his bargains to take time before completing them, and of the death of Bilal, Muhammad's crier, and by illustrations of the illusive nature of the world, of the difference between things self-evident and mere matters of inference, and between knowing a thing through illustrations and on the authority of others and knowing it as it really is in its essence. The difference between knowing a thing merely by similitudes and on the authority of others, and knowing the very essence thereof. God's mercy is known through the fruits thereof, But who save God knows His essence? No one knows the very essence of God's attributes But only in their effects and by similitudes. A child knows naught of the nature of sexual intercourse, Except what you tell him, that it is like sweetmeats. Yet how far does the pleasure of sexual intercourse Really resemble that derived from sweetmeats? Nevertheless the fiction produces a relation Between you, with your perfect knowledge, and the child; So that the child knows the matter by a similitude, Though he knows not its essence or actual nature. Hence if he says, "I know it," 'tis not far wrong And if he says, "I know it not," 'tis not wrong. Should one say, "Do you know Noah, That prophet of God and luminary of the Spirit?" If you say, "Do I not know him, for that moon Is more famed than the sun and moon of heaven? Little children in their schools, And elders in their mosques, All read his name prominently in the Koran, And preachers tell his story from times of yore;" You say true, for you know him by report, Though the real nature of Noah is not revealed to you. On the other hand, if you say, "What know I of Noah As his contemporaries knew him? I am a poor ant what can I know of the elephant? What knows a fly of the motions of the elephant?" This statement also is true, O brother, Seeing that you know not his real nature. But this impotence to perceive real essence, Though common to ordinary men, is not universal; Because essence and its deepest secrets Are open and manifest to the eyes of the perfect. Negation and affirmation of one proposition are lawful; When the aspects differ the relation is double. "Thou castest not when thou castest" shows such relation, Here negation and affirmation are both correct. Thou castest it, since it is in thy hand, Thou castest not, since 'tis God who affords the strength. The might of the sons of Adam is limited, How can a handful of sand shatter an army?

A woman bore many children in succession, but none of them lived beyond the age of three or four months. In great distress she cried to God, and then beheld in a vision the beautiful gardens of Paradise, and many fair mansions therein, and upon one of these mansions she read her own name inscribed. And a voice from heaven informed her that God would accept the sorrows she had endured in lieu of her blood shed in holy war, as, owing to her sex, she was unable to go out to battle like the men. On looking again, the woman beheld in Paradise all the children she had lost, and she cried, "O Lord ! they were lost to me, but were safe with Thee!" This story is followed by anecdotos of Hamza going out to battle without his coat-of-mail, of the Prophet advising a man who complained of being cheated in his bargains to take time before completing them, and of the death of Bilal, Muhammad's crier, and by illustrations of the illusive nature of the world, of the difference between things self-evident and mere matters of inference, and between knowing a thing through illustrations and on the authority of others and knowing it as it really is in its essence. The difference between knowing a thing merely by similitudes and on the authority of others, and knowing the very essence thereof. God's mercy is known through the fruits thereof, But who save God knows His essence? No one knows the very essence of God's attributes But only in their effects and by similitudes. A child knows naught of the nature of sexual intercourse, Except what you tell him, that it is like sweetmeats. Yet how far does the pleasure of sexual intercourse Really resemble that derived from sweetmeats? Nevertheless the fiction produces a relation Between you, with your perfect knowledge, and the child; So that the child knows the matter by a similitude, Though he knows not its essence or actual nature. Hence if he says, "I know it," 'tis not far wrong And if he says, "I know it not," 'tis not wrong. Should one say, "Do you know Noah, That prophet of God and luminary of the Spirit?" If you say, "Do I not know him, for that moon Is more famed than the sun and moon of heaven? Little children in their schools, And elders in their mosques, All read his name prominently in the Koran, And preachers tell his story from times of yore;" You say true, for you know him by report, Though the real nature of Noah is not revealed to you. On the other hand, if you say, "What know I of Noah As his contemporaries knew him? I am a poor ant what can I know of the elephant? What knows a fly of the motions of the elephant?" This statement also is true, O brother, Seeing that you know not his real nature. But this impotence to perceive real essence, Though common to ordinary men, is not universal; Because essence and its deepest secrets Are open and manifest to the eyes of the perfect. Negation and affirmation of one proposition are lawful; When the aspects differ the relation is double. "Thou castest not when thou castest" shows such relation, Here negation and affirmation are both correct. Thou castest it, since it is in thy hand, Thou castest not, since 'tis God who affords the strength. The might of the sons of Adam is limited, How can a handful of sand shatter an army?

The sand was in man's hands, the casting was God's. Owing to the two relations negation and affirmation are both true. The infidels know the prophets, As well as they doubtless know their own children; Yea, the infidels know them as well as their own sons, By a hundred tokens and a hundred evidences, But from envy and malice conceal their knowledge, And incline themselves to say, "We know them not." So when God says in one place "knows them," In another He says, "None knows them beside me." For in truth they are hid under God's overshadowing, And none but God knows them by actual experience. Therefore take this declaration with its context, Remembering how you know and do not know Noah. 1. There is a Hadis, "Think on God's mercies, and not on His essence." 2. Koran viii. 17. Said of the sand cast into the eyes of the men of Mecca at Beder. 3. See Gulshan i Raz, I. 354, where the commentator says the allusion is to Moses at Mount Sinai. Koran vii. 139. STORY XVII. The Vakil of the Prince of Bokhara. The Prince of Bokhara had a Vakil who, through fear of punishment for an offence he had committed, ran away and remained concealed in Kuhistan and the desert for the space often years. At the end of that time, being unable to endure absence from his lord and his home any longer, he deter- mined to return to Bokhara and throw himself at his lord's feet, and endure whatever punishment his lord might be pleased to inflict upon him. His friends did all they could to dissuade him, assuring him that the Prince's wrath was still hot against him, and that if he appeared at Bokhara he would be put to death, or at least imprisoned for the rest of his life. He replied, "O advisers, be silent, for the force of the love which is drawing me to Bokhara is stronger than the force of prudent counsels. When love pulls one way all the wisdom of Abu Hanifa and Ash-Shafi'i is impotent to withstand it. If it shall please my lord to slay me, I will yield up my life without reluctance, for this life of estrangement from him which I am now leading is the same as death, and release from it will be eternal happiness. I will return to Bokhara and throw myself at my lord's feet, and say to him, 'Deal with me as thou wilt, for I can no longer bear absence from thee, and life or death at thy hands is all the same to me!'" Accordingly, he journeyed back to Bokhara, counting the very toils and discomforts of the road sweet and delight- ful, because they were steps in his homeward course. When

The sand was in man's hands, the casting was God's. Owing to the two relations negation and affirmation are both true. The infidels know the prophets, As well as they doubtless know their own children; Yea, the infidels know them as well as their own sons, By a hundred tokens and a hundred evidences, But from envy and malice conceal their knowledge, And incline themselves to say, "We know them not." So when God says in one place "knows them," In another He says, "None knows them beside me." For in truth they are hid under God's overshadowing, And none but God knows them by actual experience. Therefore take this declaration with its context, Remembering how you know and do not know Noah. 1. There is a Hadis, "Think on God's mercies, and not on His essence." 2. Koran viii. 17. Said of the sand cast into the eyes of the men of Mecca at Beder. 3. See Gulshan i Raz, I. 354, where the commentator says the allusion is to Moses at Mount Sinai. Koran vii. 139. STORY XVII. The Vakil of the Prince of Bokhara. The Prince of Bokhara had a Vakil who, through fear of punishment for an offence he had committed, ran away and remained concealed in Kuhistan and the desert for the space often years. At the end of that time, being unable to endure absence from his lord and his home any longer, he deter- mined to return to Bokhara and throw himself at his lord's feet, and endure whatever punishment his lord might be pleased to inflict upon him. His friends did all they could to dissuade him, assuring him that the Prince's wrath was still hot against him, and that if he appeared at Bokhara he would be put to death, or at least imprisoned for the rest of his life. He replied, "O advisers, be silent, for the force of the love which is drawing me to Bokhara is stronger than the force of prudent counsels. When love pulls one way all the wisdom of Abu Hanifa and Ash-Shafi'i is impotent to withstand it. If it shall please my lord to slay me, I will yield up my life without reluctance, for this life of estrangement from him which I am now leading is the same as death, and release from it will be eternal happiness. I will return to Bokhara and throw myself at my lord's feet, and say to him, 'Deal with me as thou wilt, for I can no longer bear absence from thee, and life or death at thy hands is all the same to me!'" Accordingly, he journeyed back to Bokhara, counting the very toils and discomforts of the road sweet and delight- ful, because they were steps in his homeward course. When

he reached Bokhara his friends and relations all warned him not to show himself, as the Prince was still mindful of his offence and bent on punishing him; but he replied to them as to his other advisers, that he was utterly regardless of his life, and was resolved to commit himself to his lord's good pleasure. He then went to the court and threw himself at his lord's feet and swooned away. The Prince, seeing the strong affection borne to him by his repentant servant, conceived a similar affection towards him, and descended from his throne and graciously raised him from the ground, and par- doned his offence. Thus it is that eternal life is gained by utter abandonment of one's own life. When God appears to His ardent lover the lover is absorbed in Him, and not so much as a hair of the lover remains. True lovers are as shad- ows, and when the sun shines in glory the shadows vanish away. He is a true lover of God to whom God says, "I am thine, and thou art mine!" In the course of this story, which is narrated at great length, are introduced anecdotes of a lover and his mistress, of the Virgin Mary being visited by the "Blessed Spirit" or Angel Gabriel, of the fatal mosque, of Galen's devotion to carnal learning, of Satan's treachery to the men of Mecca at the battle of Bedr, and of Solomon and the gnat. There also occur comments on various texts, and a curious comparison of the trials and wholesome afflictions of the righteous to the boiling of potherbs in a saucepan by the cook. The reply of the lover when asked by his mistress which city of all those he had seen was most pleasing in his sight. A damsel said to her lover, "O fond youth, You have visited many cities in your travels; Which of those cities seems most delightful to you?" He made answer, "The city wherein my love dwells. In whatever nook my queen alights, Though it be as the eye of a needle, 'tis a wide plain; Wherever her Yusuf-like face shines as a moon, Though it be the bottom of a well, 'tis Paradise. With thee, my love, hell itself were heaven, With thee a prison would be a rose-garden. With thee hell would be a mansion of delight, Without thee lilies and roses would be as flames of fire!" The answer of the Vakil to those who advised him not to court death by yielding himself up to his lord. He said, "I am a drawer of water; water attracts me, Even though I know water may be my death. No drawer of water flees from water, Even though it may cause him a hundred deaths. Though it may make my hand and belly dropsical, My love for water will never be lessened. I should say, when they asked me about my belly, 'Would that the ocean might flow into it!' Though the bottle of my belly were burst with water, And though I should die, my death would be acceptable. Wheresoever I see one seeking water, I envy him, And cry, 'Would I were in his place!' My hand is a tabor and my belly a drum, Like the rose I beat the drum of love of water. Like the earth or like a fetus I devour blood, Since I became a lover this is my occupation. If that 'Faithful Spirit' should shed my blood, I would drink it up drop by drop like the earth.

he reached Bokhara his friends and relations all warned him not to show himself, as the Prince was still mindful of his offence and bent on punishing him; but he replied to them as to his other advisers, that he was utterly regardless of his life, and was resolved to commit himself to his lord's good pleasure. He then went to the court and threw himself at his lord's feet and swooned away. The Prince, seeing the strong affection borne to him by his repentant servant, conceived a similar affection towards him, and descended from his throne and graciously raised him from the ground, and par- doned his offence. Thus it is that eternal life is gained by utter abandonment of one's own life. When God appears to His ardent lover the lover is absorbed in Him, and not so much as a hair of the lover remains. True lovers are as shad- ows, and when the sun shines in glory the shadows vanish away. He is a true lover of God to whom God says, "I am thine, and thou art mine!" In the course of this story, which is narrated at great length, are introduced anecdotes of a lover and his mistress, of the Virgin Mary being visited by the "Blessed Spirit" or Angel Gabriel, of the fatal mosque, of Galen's devotion to carnal learning, of Satan's treachery to the men of Mecca at the battle of Bedr, and of Solomon and the gnat. There also occur comments on various texts, and a curious comparison of the trials and wholesome afflictions of the righteous to the boiling of potherbs in a saucepan by the cook. The reply of the lover when asked by his mistress which city of all those he had seen was most pleasing in his sight. A damsel said to her lover, "O fond youth, You have visited many cities in your travels; Which of those cities seems most delightful to you?" He made answer, "The city wherein my love dwells. In whatever nook my queen alights, Though it be as the eye of a needle, 'tis a wide plain; Wherever her Yusuf-like face shines as a moon, Though it be the bottom of a well, 'tis Paradise. With thee, my love, hell itself were heaven, With thee a prison would be a rose-garden. With thee hell would be a mansion of delight, Without thee lilies and roses would be as flames of fire!" The answer of the Vakil to those who advised him not to court death by yielding himself up to his lord. He said, "I am a drawer of water; water attracts me, Even though I know water may be my death. No drawer of water flees from water, Even though it may cause him a hundred deaths. Though it may make my hand and belly dropsical, My love for water will never be lessened. I should say, when they asked me about my belly, 'Would that the ocean might flow into it!' Though the bottle of my belly were burst with water, And though I should die, my death would be acceptable. Wheresoever I see one seeking water, I envy him, And cry, 'Would I were in his place!' My hand is a tabor and my belly a drum, Like the rose I beat the drum of love of water. Like the earth or like a fetus I devour blood, Since I became a lover this is my occupation. If that 'Faithful Spirit' should shed my blood, I would drink it up drop by drop like the earth.

At night I boil on the fire like a cooking-pot, From morn till eve I drink blood like the sand. It repents me that I planned a stratagem, And that I fled from before his wrath. Tell him to sate his wrath on my poor life, He is the 'Feast of Sacrifice,' and I his loving cow. The cow, whether it eats or sleeps, Thinks of naught but sacrificing itself. Know me to be that cow of Moses which gave its life, Each part of me gives life to the righteous. That cow of Moses was made a sacrifice, And its least part became a source of life. That murdered man leapt up from his deadness At the words, ' Strike the corpse with part of her.' pious ones, slay the cow (of lust), If ye desire true life of soul and spirit! 1 died as inanimate matter and arose a plant, I died as a plant and rose again an animal. I died as an animal and arose a man. Why then should I fear to become less by dying? I shall die once again as a man To rise an angel perfect from head to foot! Again when I suffer dissolution as an angel, I shall become what passes the conception of man! Let me then become non-existent, for non-existence Sings to me in organ tones, 'To him shall we return.' Know death to be the gathering together of the people. The water of life is hidden in the land of darkness. Like a water-lily seek life there! Yea, like that drawer of water, at the risk of life, Water will be his death, yet he still seeks water, And still drinks on, and God knows what is right. O lover, cold-hearted and void of loyalty, Who from fear for your life shun the beloved! O base one, behold a hundred thousand souls Dancing towards the deadly sword of his love: Behold water in a pitcher; pour it out; Will that water run away from the stream? When that water joins the water of the stream It is lost therein, and becomes itself the stream. Its individuality is lost, but its essence remains, And hereby it becomes not less nor inferior. I will hang myself upon my lord's palm-tree In excuse for having fled away from him!" Even as a ball rolling along on head and face, He fell at the feet of the Prince with streaming eyes. The people were all on the alert, expecting That the Prince would burn him or hang him, Saying, "Moth-like he has seen the blaze of the light, And fool-like has plunged therein and lost his life." But the torch of love is not like that torch, 'Tis light, light in the midst of light, 'Tis the reverse of torches of fire, It appears to be fire, but is all sweetness. Love generates love. "If ye love God, God will love you. " That Bokharian then cast himself into the flame, But his love made the pain endurable; And as his burning sighs ascended to heaven, The love of the Prince was kindled towards him. The heart of man is like the root of a tree, Therefrom grow the leaves on firm branches. Corresponding to that root grow up branches As well on the tree as on souls and intellects. The tops of the perfect trees reach the heavens, The roots firm, and the branches in the sky. Since then the tree of love has grown up to heaven, How shall it not also grow in the heart of the Prince?

At night I boil on the fire like a cooking-pot, From morn till eve I drink blood like the sand. It repents me that I planned a stratagem, And that I fled from before his wrath. Tell him to sate his wrath on my poor life, He is the 'Feast of Sacrifice,' and I his loving cow. The cow, whether it eats or sleeps, Thinks of naught but sacrificing itself. Know me to be that cow of Moses which gave its life, Each part of me gives life to the righteous. That cow of Moses was made a sacrifice, And its least part became a source of life. That murdered man leapt up from his deadness At the words, ' Strike the corpse with part of her.' pious ones, slay the cow (of lust), If ye desire true life of soul and spirit! 1 died as inanimate matter and arose a plant, I died as a plant and rose again an animal. I died as an animal and arose a man. Why then should I fear to become less by dying? I shall die once again as a man To rise an angel perfect from head to foot! Again when I suffer dissolution as an angel, I shall become what passes the conception of man! Let me then become non-existent, for non-existence Sings to me in organ tones, 'To him shall we return.' Know death to be the gathering together of the people. The water of life is hidden in the land of darkness. Like a water-lily seek life there! Yea, like that drawer of water, at the risk of life, Water will be his death, yet he still seeks water, And still drinks on, and God knows what is right. O lover, cold-hearted and void of loyalty, Who from fear for your life shun the beloved! O base one, behold a hundred thousand souls Dancing towards the deadly sword of his love: Behold water in a pitcher; pour it out; Will that water run away from the stream? When that water joins the water of the stream It is lost therein, and becomes itself the stream. Its individuality is lost, but its essence remains, And hereby it becomes not less nor inferior. I will hang myself upon my lord's palm-tree In excuse for having fled away from him!" Even as a ball rolling along on head and face, He fell at the feet of the Prince with streaming eyes. The people were all on the alert, expecting That the Prince would burn him or hang him, Saying, "Moth-like he has seen the blaze of the light, And fool-like has plunged therein and lost his life." But the torch of love is not like that torch, 'Tis light, light in the midst of light, 'Tis the reverse of torches of fire, It appears to be fire, but is all sweetness. Love generates love. "If ye love God, God will love you. " That Bokharian then cast himself into the flame, But his love made the pain endurable; And as his burning sighs ascended to heaven, The love of the Prince was kindled towards him. The heart of man is like the root of a tree, Therefrom grow the leaves on firm branches. Corresponding to that root grow up branches As well on the tree as on souls and intellects. The tops of the perfect trees reach the heavens, The roots firm, and the branches in the sky. Since then the tree of love has grown up to heaven, How shall it not also grow in the heart of the Prince?

A wave washes away the remembrance of the sin from his heart, For from each heart is a window to other hearts. Since in each heart there is a window to other hearts, They are not, separated and shut off like two bodies. Thus, even though two lamp-dishes be not joined, Yet their light is united in a single ray. No lover ever seeks union with his beloved, But his beloved is also seeking union with him. But the lover's love makes his body lean, While the beloved's love makes hers fair and lusty. When in this heart the lightning spark of love arises, Be sure this love is reciprocated in that heart. When the love of God arises in thy heart, Without doubt God also feels love for thee. The noise of clapping of hands is never heard From one of thy hands unaided by the other hand The man athirst cries, "Where is delicious water?" Water too cries, "Where is the water-drinker?" This thirst in my soul is the attraction of the water; I am the water's and the water is mine. God's wisdom in His eternal foreknowledge and decree Made us to be lovers one of the other. Nay more, all the parts of the world by this decree Are arranged in pairs, and each loves its mate. Every part of the world desires its mate, Just as amber attracts blades of straw. Heaven says to earth, "All hail to thee! We are related to one another as iron and magnet." Heaven is man and earth woman in character; Whatever heaven sends it, earth cherishes. When earth lacks heat, heaven sends heat; When it lacks moisture and dew, heaven sends them. The earthy sign succours the terrestrial earth, The watery sign (Aquarius) sends moisture to it; The windy sign sends the clouds to it, To draw off unwholesome exhalations. The fiery sign (Leo) sends forth the heat of the sun, Like a dish heated red-hot in front and behind. The heaven is busily toiling through ages, Just as men labor to provide food for women. And the earth does the woman's work, and toils In bearing offspring and suckling them. Know then earth and heaven are endued with sense, Since they act like persons endued with sense. If these two lovers did not suck nutriment from each other, Why should they creep together like man and wife? Without the earth how could roses and saffron grow? For naught can grow from the sole heat and rain of heaven. This is the cause of the female seeking the male, That the work of each may be accomplished. God has instilled mutual love into man and woman, That the world may be perpetuated by their union. Earth says to the earth of the body, "Come away, Quit the soul and come to me as dust. Thou art of my genus, and wilt be better with me, 'Thou had'st better quit the soul and fly to me!" Body replies "True, but my feet are fast bound, Though like thee I suffer from separation." Water calls out to the moisture of the body, "O moisture, return to me from your foreign abode!" Fire also calls out to the heat of the body, "Thou art of fire; return to thy root!" In the body there are seventy-and-two diseases; It is ill compacted owing to the struggle of its elements. Disease comes to rend the body asunder, And to drag apart its constituent elements. The four elements are as birds tied together by the feet; Death, sickness and disease loose their feet asunder.

A wave washes away the remembrance of the sin from his heart, For from each heart is a window to other hearts. Since in each heart there is a window to other hearts, They are not, separated and shut off like two bodies. Thus, even though two lamp-dishes be not joined, Yet their light is united in a single ray. No lover ever seeks union with his beloved, But his beloved is also seeking union with him. But the lover's love makes his body lean, While the beloved's love makes hers fair and lusty. When in this heart the lightning spark of love arises, Be sure this love is reciprocated in that heart. When the love of God arises in thy heart, Without doubt God also feels love for thee. The noise of clapping of hands is never heard From one of thy hands unaided by the other hand The man athirst cries, "Where is delicious water?" Water too cries, "Where is the water-drinker?" This thirst in my soul is the attraction of the water; I am the water's and the water is mine. God's wisdom in His eternal foreknowledge and decree Made us to be lovers one of the other. Nay more, all the parts of the world by this decree Are arranged in pairs, and each loves its mate. Every part of the world desires its mate, Just as amber attracts blades of straw. Heaven says to earth, "All hail to thee! We are related to one another as iron and magnet." Heaven is man and earth woman in character; Whatever heaven sends it, earth cherishes. When earth lacks heat, heaven sends heat; When it lacks moisture and dew, heaven sends them. The earthy sign succours the terrestrial earth, The watery sign (Aquarius) sends moisture to it; The windy sign sends the clouds to it, To draw off unwholesome exhalations. The fiery sign (Leo) sends forth the heat of the sun, Like a dish heated red-hot in front and behind. The heaven is busily toiling through ages, Just as men labor to provide food for women. And the earth does the woman's work, and toils In bearing offspring and suckling them. Know then earth and heaven are endued with sense, Since they act like persons endued with sense. If these two lovers did not suck nutriment from each other, Why should they creep together like man and wife? Without the earth how could roses and saffron grow? For naught can grow from the sole heat and rain of heaven. This is the cause of the female seeking the male, That the work of each may be accomplished. God has instilled mutual love into man and woman, That the world may be perpetuated by their union. Earth says to the earth of the body, "Come away, Quit the soul and come to me as dust. Thou art of my genus, and wilt be better with me, 'Thou had'st better quit the soul and fly to me!" Body replies "True, but my feet are fast bound, Though like thee I suffer from separation." Water calls out to the moisture of the body, "O moisture, return to me from your foreign abode!" Fire also calls out to the heat of the body, "Thou art of fire; return to thy root!" In the body there are seventy-and-two diseases; It is ill compacted owing to the struggle of its elements. Disease comes to rend the body asunder, And to drag apart its constituent elements. The four elements are as birds tied together by the feet; Death, sickness and disease loose their feet asunder.

The moment their feet are loosed from the others, 'The bird of each element flies off by itself. The repulsion of each of these principles and causes Inflicts every moment a fresh pang on our bodies. That it may dissolve these composite bodies of ours, The bird of each part tries to fly away to its origin; But the wisdom of God prevents this speedy end, And preserves their union till the appointed day. He says, "O parts, the appointed time is not yet; It is useless for you to take wing before that day." But as each part desires reunion with its original, How is it with the soul who is a stranger in exile? It says, "O parts of my habitation here below, My absence is sadder than yours, as I am heaven-born. The body loves green pastures and running water, For this cause that its origin is from them. The love of the soul is for life and the living one, Because its origin is the Soul not bound to place. The love of the soul is for wisdom and knowledge, That of the body for houses, gardens, and vineyards; The love of the soul is for things exalted on high, That of the body for acquisition of goods and food. The love too of Him on high is directed to the soul: Know this for 'He loves them that love Him.'" The sum is this, that whoso seeks another, The soul of that other who is sought inclines to him. Let us quit the subject. Love for that soul athirst Was kindled in the breast of the Prince of Bokhara. The smoke of that love and the grief of that burning heart Ascended to his master and excited his compassion. The praises addressed to the Prince by the Vakil. He said, "O phoenix of God and goal of the spirit I thank thee that thou hast come back from Mount Qaf] O Israfil of the resurrection-day of love, O love, love, and heart's desire of love! Let thy first boon to me be this, To lend thine ear to my orisons. Though thou knowest my condition clearly, O protector of slaves, listen to my speech. A thousand times, O prince incomparable, Has my reason taken flight in desire to see thee, And to hear thee and to listen to thy words, And to behold thy life-giving smiles. Thy inclining thine ear to my supplications Is as a caress to my misguided soul. The baseness of my heart's coin is known to thee, But thou hast accepted it as genuine coin. Thou art proud towards the arrogant and proud; All clemencies are as naught to thy clemency. First hear this, that while I remained in absence, First and last alike escaped me. Secondly, hear this. O prince beloved, That I searched much, but found no second to thee. Thirdly, that when I had departed outside thee, I said it was like the Christian Trinity. Fourthly, when my harvest was burned up, I knew not the fourth from the fifth. Wheresoever thou findest blood on the roads, Trace it, and 'tis tears of blood from my eyes. My words are thunder, and these sighs and tears Are drawn by it as rain from the clouds. I am distracted between speaking and weeping. Shall I weep, or shall I speak, or what shall I do? If I speak, my weeping ceases; If I weep, I cease to praise and magnify thee." He spoke thus, and then fell to weeping, So that high and low wept with him.

The moment their feet are loosed from the others, 'The bird of each element flies off by itself. The repulsion of each of these principles and causes Inflicts every moment a fresh pang on our bodies. That it may dissolve these composite bodies of ours, The bird of each part tries to fly away to its origin; But the wisdom of God prevents this speedy end, And preserves their union till the appointed day. He says, "O parts, the appointed time is not yet; It is useless for you to take wing before that day." But as each part desires reunion with its original, How is it with the soul who is a stranger in exile? It says, "O parts of my habitation here below, My absence is sadder than yours, as I am heaven-born. The body loves green pastures and running water, For this cause that its origin is from them. The love of the soul is for life and the living one, Because its origin is the Soul not bound to place. The love of the soul is for wisdom and knowledge, That of the body for houses, gardens, and vineyards; The love of the soul is for things exalted on high, That of the body for acquisition of goods and food. The love too of Him on high is directed to the soul: Know this for 'He loves them that love Him.'" The sum is this, that whoso seeks another, The soul of that other who is sought inclines to him. Let us quit the subject. Love for that soul athirst Was kindled in the breast of the Prince of Bokhara. The smoke of that love and the grief of that burning heart Ascended to his master and excited his compassion. The praises addressed to the Prince by the Vakil. He said, "O phoenix of God and goal of the spirit I thank thee that thou hast come back from Mount Qaf] O Israfil of the resurrection-day of love, O love, love, and heart's desire of love! Let thy first boon to me be this, To lend thine ear to my orisons. Though thou knowest my condition clearly, O protector of slaves, listen to my speech. A thousand times, O prince incomparable, Has my reason taken flight in desire to see thee, And to hear thee and to listen to thy words, And to behold thy life-giving smiles. Thy inclining thine ear to my supplications Is as a caress to my misguided soul. The baseness of my heart's coin is known to thee, But thou hast accepted it as genuine coin. Thou art proud towards the arrogant and proud; All clemencies are as naught to thy clemency. First hear this, that while I remained in absence, First and last alike escaped me. Secondly, hear this. O prince beloved, That I searched much, but found no second to thee. Thirdly, that when I had departed outside thee, I said it was like the Christian Trinity. Fourthly, when my harvest was burned up, I knew not the fourth from the fifth. Wheresoever thou findest blood on the roads, Trace it, and 'tis tears of blood from my eyes. My words are thunder, and these sighs and tears Are drawn by it as rain from the clouds. I am distracted between speaking and weeping. Shall I weep, or shall I speak, or what shall I do? If I speak, my weeping ceases; If I weep, I cease to praise and magnify thee." He spoke thus, and then fell to weeping, So that high and low wept with him.