,,wisdom ,,of ,,the ,,east ,,the ,,persian ,,mystics ,,jal,,lu',d-,d,n ,r,m ,,by ,f4 ,,hadland ,,davis ,,author ,,of ,,in ,,the ,,valley ,,of ,,stars ,,there ,,is ,a ,,tower ,,op ,,silence ,,london ,,john ,,murray1 ,,albemarle ,,street1 ,w4 #aibj ,,to ,a4 ,t4 ,k4 ,,this ,,little ,,book ,,of ,,eastern ,,wisdom ,,is ,,lovingly ,,inscribed ,,our ,,journey ,,is ,,to ,,the ,,rose-,,garden ,,of ,,union ,,jal,,lu',d-,d,n ,r,m4 ,,preface ,i desire to thank ,mr4 ,r4 ,a4 ,nicholson for his kind and generous permission to use selections from his ,dvni ,shamsi ,tabrz1 and also his publishers1 the ,cambridge ,press4 ,i am deeply indebted to ,mr4 ,e4 ,h4 ,whinfield for allowing me to use quotations from his rendering of the ,masnavi 7,trbner's ,oriental ,series74 ,i also cordially thank ,mr4 ,john ,hastie for giving me permission to quote a few passages from the late ,rev4 ,professor ,hastie's ,festival of ,spring 7,james ,maclehose and ,sons1 ,glasgow74 ,the poems quoted from this volume are entitled3 ,thy ,rose1 ,i saw the ,winter weaving1 ,love sounds the ,music of the ,spheres1 ,the ,souls ,love-moved1 and ,the ,beloved ,all in ,all4 ,all the other translations from the lyrical poetry of ,jallu'd-,dn ,rm are by ,mr4 ,r4 ,a4 ,nicholson4 ,to these gentlemen1 and to those ,i have left unnamed1 ,i tender my warmest thanks for their help1 sympathy1 and interest in my attempt to popularise the wisest of the ,persian ,sfs4 ,f4 ,,hadland ,,davis4 ,,london1 ,january #bb1 #aijg4 ,,contents ,,introduction ,i4 ,,origin ,,of ,s,f,,ism ,,ii4 ,,the ,,early ,s,f,s ,,iii4 ,,the ,,nature ,,of ,s,f,,ism ,,iv4 ,,the ,,influence ,,of ,s,f,,ism ,v4 ,,analysis ,,of ,,the ,,religion ,,of ,,love ,,the ,,life ,,and ,,work ,,of ,,jal,,lu',d-,d,n ,r,m ,i4 ,,life ,,ii4 ,,shamsi ,,tabr,z ,,iii4 ,,the ,,stories ,,of ,,al-,,afl,k ,,and ,,the ,,death ,,of ,,jal,,lu',d-,d,n ,r,m ,,iv4 ,,the ,,nature ,,and ,,significance ,,of ,,jal,,lu',d-,d,n ,r,m',s ,,poetry ,,selections ,,from ,,the ,d,v,,ni ,,shamsi ,,tabr,z ,,selections ,,from ,,the ,,masnavi ,,appendix3 ,a ,,note ,,on ,,persian ,,poetry ,,editorial ,,note ,the object of the ,editors of this series is a very definite one4 ,they desire above all things that1 in their humble way1 these books shall be the ambassadors of good-will and understanding between ,east and ,west--the old world of ,thought and the new of ,action4 ,in this endeavour1 and in their own sphere1 they are but followers of the highest example in the land4 ,they are confident that a deeper knowledge of the great ideals and lofty philosophy of ,oriental thought may help to a revival of that true spirit of ,charity which neither despises nor fears the nation of another creed and colour4 ,l4 ,,cranmer-,,byng4 ,s4 ,a4 ,,kapadia4 ,,northbrook ,,society1 #ba1 ,,cromwell ,,road1 ,,kensington1 ,s4,w4 ,,introduction ,i4 ,,the ,,origin ,,of ,s,f,,ism ,among the ,mohammedans ,sfism1 or ,persian mysticism1 is known as tasawwuf4 ,the word ,sidi is derived from sf1 meaning wool4 ,when a little ,persian sect at the end of the eighth century ,a4,d4 broke away from the orthodox ,muslim religion1 and struck out on an independent path1 they ignored costly robes and worldly ostentation1 and clad themselves in a white wool garment4 ,hence they were known as wool wearers1 or ,sfs4 ,prof4 ,edward ,g4 ,browne#a gives four theories in regard to the origin of ,sfism1 viz43 7#a7 ,esoteric ,doctrine of the ,prophet47#b7 ,reaction of the ,aryan mind against a ,semitic religion4 7#c7 ,neo-,platonist influence47#d7 ,independent origin4 ,neither of the four theories altogether satisfies the learned professor1 and very certain it is that the last-mentioned theory is of very little account4 ,prof4 ,browne seems in favour of a spontaneous growth existing in various forms1 under various names throughout the civilised world2 but after all this is not very tangible evidence4 ,moreover1 we must bear in mind that the ,neo-,platonist philosophers paid a visit to the ,persian court in the sixth century ,a4,d41 and founded a school there in the reign of ,nshr-wan4 ,it is highly probable1 therefore1 that these seven philosophers1 forced to leave their homes through the tyranny of ,justinian1 who forbade the teaching of philosophy at ,athens1 should have had considerable influence upon a few of the more thoughtful ,persians4 ,we shall now find that this theory is borne out by internal evidence4 ,let us briefly study the tenets of ,neo-,platonism4 ,the ,neo-,platonists believed in the ,supreme ,good as the ,source of all things4 ,self-existent1 it generated from itself4 ,creation was the reflection of its own ,being4 ,nature1 therefore1 was permeated with ,god4 ,matter was essentially non-existent1 a temporary and ever-moving shadow for the embodiment of the ,divine4 ,the ,neo-,platonists believed that by ecstasy and contemplation of the ,all-,good1 man would rise to that ,source from whence he came4 ,these points bear directly upon the ,sf teaching4 ,they form a broad outline of the tenets of ,sfism4 ,the ,sfs1 from temperamental and other causes1 elaborated these ideas1 gave them a rich and beautiful setting1 and1 what is all-important1 built about them one of the most interesting phases of mystical poetry the world has ever known1 and this particular phase may be said to date from the twelfth century ,a4,d4 ,thus1 ,i think1 it will be readily admitted that the ,sfs certainly owed something to the ,neo-,platonists4 ,the cry for the ,beloved was in their hearts before the ,greek philosophers came2 but ,neo-,platonism appealed to their ,oriental minds4 ,it was a stepping-stone across the river of their particular spiritual tendencies1 and they trod thereon1 and proceeded to lay down other stones across the stream4 ,i have pointed out the similarities between this particular ,greek and ,persian belief4 ,there was1 however1 one very important difference4 ,the ,neo-,platonist's conception of ,god was purely abstract1 the ,sf's essentially personal1 as far as the early ,sfs were concerned4 ,we shall consider other influences which were brought to bear upon ,sfism a little later on4 ,there is a very great difference between the early ,sfism and the elaborate additions that followed as an evolutionary matter of course4 ,in brief1 then1 ,neo-,platonism was the doctrine of ,ecstasy4 ,a quotation from the letter of ,plotinus to ,flaccus on ,ecstasy will still further show the similarities between this ,greek and ,persian teaching3 ,the wise man recognises the idea of the ,good within him4 ,this he develops by withdrawal into the ,holy ,place of his own soul4 ,he who does not understand how the soul contains the ,beautiful within itself1 seeks to realise beauty without1 by laborious production4 ,his aim should rather be to concentrate and simplify1 and so to expand his being2 instead of going out into the ,manifold1 to forsake it for the ,one1 and so to float upwards towards the ,divine ,fount of ,being whose stream flows within him4 ,this is ,sfism in prose4 ,the ,sf turned the same conception into poetry4 ,,ii4 ,,the ,,early ,s,f,s4 ,ab ,hashm 7ob4 #aej ,a4,h47 was the first to bear the name of ,sf1 while ,dhu'l-,nn-al-,misri 7#bde ,a4,h47 may be said to have given ,sfism its permanent shape4 ,rbi'a1 of ,basra1 was the first woman to join the sect1 and her saintliness and wise sayings have been preserved by ,fardu'd-,dn ',attr4 ,one day a great sickness fell upon ,rabi'a1 and on being asked the reason for it she replied3 ,i dwelt upon the joys of ,paradise and therefore my ,beloved has chastened me4 ,rbi'a did not believe in earthly marriage4 ,her remark on the subject is given as follows3 ,the bonds of wedlock have descended upon me4 ,i am not my own1 but my ,lord's1 and must not be unfaithful to ,him4 ',attr also informs us that when ,rbi'a was asked if she hated the devil1 she replied3 ,my love to ,god leaves me no time to hate him4 ,rbi'a was a woman of much independence of thought1 ethical rather than metaphysical in her remarks1 and strongly opposed to outward ceremonials4 ,she is said to have died at ,jerusalem1 #gec ,a4,d4 ,it was at ,ramla1 in ,palestine1 that a ,christian nobleman built a convent 7,khngh7 for the ,sfs4 ,thus in the early days the sect defied their ,prophet's condemnation of monkery by building an abode for members of the order4 ,the ,sfs were strongly opposed to the idea of free-will or distinct and self-existent personality apart from the ,beloved4 ,the orthodox ,muslim's idea was precisely the reverse4 ,the ,sfs have always made the ,koran their text-book4 ,with infinite licence they ingeniously quote therefrom1 and still more ingeniously add their own explanations when necessary4 ,no doubt there were political reasons for adopting this method of concealing heterodox ideas under the cloak of orthodoxy4 ,we shall see1 however1 as the sect grew and still further broadened its views1 that these clever compromises did not prevent the appearance of martyrs among their number in the future4 ,by the end of the second century of the ,hijira the ,sfs were a much-respected religious order4 ,in the following century ,quietism had not only changed to ,pantheism1 but ,pantheism had kindled a belief that ,beloved and lover were identical4 ,the step was inevitable and at this juncture it was that ,sfism became essentially mystical1 and it became more mystical as years advanced4 ,about this time1 viz41 the beginning of the third century ,a4,h41 we come across two interesting ,sfs who seem to have been the prime movers in this new development1 by name ,bayzd and ,mansur al-,hallj4 ,concerning the saint ,bayzd an interesting story is told in the ,fourth ,book of the ,masnavi4 ,the saint surprised his disciples one day by saying3 ,lo1 ,i myself am ,god ,almighty4 ,there is no ,god beside me2 worship me6 ,the disciples1 thinking their ,master was beside himself1 told him1 when the strange ecstasy had passed1 what he had said4 ,bayzd promptly replied3 ,if ,i do so again straightway slay me6 ,his disciples accordingly sharpened their knives4 ,once more ,bayzd cried out3 ,within my vesture is naught but ,god1 whether you seek ,him on earth or heaven4 ,the disciples1 horror-struck at his remarks1 straightway plunged their knives into ,bayzd's body4 ,but their blades were turned back against their own throats1 so that they died4 ,he explained to the few disciples1 who had not struck him1 that the ecstasy he had been experiencing annihilated self1 ,his form is vanished1 he is a mere mirror4 ,the disciples who had struck him saw their own faces in that mirror and so wounded themselves1 and not ,bayzd1 whose soul had left the mirror of his body and was one with the ,beloved4 ,perhaps the life of ,mansur al-,hallj is even more interesting4 ,whether he was a mere adventurer or genuine exponent of ,sfism is still open to controversy among modern ,sfs4 ,it will be perfectly safe to describe him as either a saint or a vagabond4 ,he was possibly both extremes to suit the necessities of a very exciting and eventful career4 ,he was born in the close of the ninth century ,a4,d41 and was said to perform many miracles1 such as raising the dead to life1 and drawing gold and flowers from the air4 ,according to his own belief he could write verses equal to those of the ,koran4 ,he went one better than the superman theory1 however1 and called himself ,god1 and his disciples after the various prophets4 ,akbar was called ,god1 but deification in this case did not sound from his own trumpet2 it sounded from the trumpet of an enthusiastic poet3 ,see ,akbar and you see ,god4 ,al-,hallj visited ,india for the purpose of studying magic1 and there saw the celebrated ,rope ,trick1 on that occasion performed by a woman1 a point of considerable interest4#b ,this mystic-adventurer wrote forty-six books1 and certainly gained considerable influence over the lower classes by his many signs and wonders4 ,he is said to have disputed the necessity of making a pilgrimage to ,mecca by stating that by occult practices it could be performed equally well in any room4 ,on a certain occasion1 however1 we cannot help but admire ,al-,hallj's wit and aptitude4 ,one day he stretched forth an empty hand and produced from the air an apple1 which he asserted he had plucked from ,paradise4 ,one of his witnesses disputed his assertion1 because this particular apple was maggot-eaten1 and therefore not of ,divine origin4 ,al-,hallj at once replied3 ,it is because it bath come forth from the ,mansion of ,eternity to the ,abode of ,decay3 therefore to its heart hath corruption found its way6 ,al-,hallj1 on account of his various heretical teachings1 was imprisoned and subjected to all manner of cruelties4 ,bravely he went forth to the place of crucifixion4 ,for four days he was nailed on a cross on both sides of the ,tigris4 ,from these tortures he was finally released4 ,ten years later he was executed1 telling his disciples he would return to them in thirty days1 and exultantly reciting poetry1 he cried3 ,from ,his own cup ,he bade me sup1 for such is hospitality6 ,a comment of his on ,sfism--a very ironical one--was3 ,that which is mine1 for by ,god ,i never distinguished for a moment between pleasure and pain6 ,yet another characteristic saying of his was3 ,the way to ,god is two steps3 one step out of this world and one step out of the next world1 and lo6 you are there with the ,lord6 ,whatever were the faults of ,al-,hallj1 and they were many1 at least it may be said of him that he was a brave man4 ,with all his fanaticism1 his absurd indiscretion and love of conjuring1 he left much behind of permanent value to the ,sfs4 ,the ,government1 in those days1 did all in its power to restrain the publicity of his books2 but a light that was never for a moment set under a bushel cannot be hid2 the very attempt to obliterate it is in itself the cause for a keener and more persistent search4 ,in the fifth century of the ,hijira we may note ,abu-l-,khair as the first to give ,sfism politic significance1 and ,imn ,ghazl as the first to give it a metaphysical basis4 ,at this time we find in ,sf books many terms borrowed from the ,neo-,platonists4 ,books on ethics1 as well as poetry1 now became impregnated with ,sf ideas4 ,,iii4 ,,the ,,nature ,,of ,s,f,,ism ,the ,sfs are folk who have preferred ,god to everything1 so that ,god has preferred them to everything4--,,dhu',l-,,nun4#c ,in the ,islm faith there are eight ,paradises arranged one within the other in ascending stages4 ,the highest is called ,the ,garden of ,eden4 ,all are lovely gardens full of luxuriant flowers and trees1 amid which gleam the domes and minarets of gorgeous palaces1 rich with precious stones1 where the departed are feasted and entertained by beautiful houris4 ,all the ,paradises are watered by rivers1 such as the ,kevser1 the ,tesnm1 and the ,selsebl4 ,the great ,tba tree grows in the highest ,paradise2 its branches fall into the seven other gardens4#d ,this brief description will be sufficient to show the nature of the ,muslim heaven4 ,that it was a glorified creation of the earth in eight degrees is evident4 ,it was sensuous rather than metaphysical4 ,the five worlds of the ,sfs are3 #a4 ,the ,plane of the ,absolute ,invisible4 #b4 ,the ,relatively ,invisible4 #c4 ,the ,world of ,similitudes4 #d4 ,the ,visible ,world 7or the plane of ,form1 ,generation and ,corruption74 #e4 ,the ,world of ,man4 ,these ,five ,planes are often regarded as ,three3 the ,invisible1 the ,intermediate1 and the ,visible1 or yet again as simply the ,visible and ,invisible4 ,above the ,plane of the ,absolute ,invisible is an infinity which we might1 perhaps1 compare with ,dante's ,spaceless ,empyrean4 ,the ,sfs regarded the existence of the soul as pre-natal4 ,moreover that the full perception of ,earthly ,beauty was the remembrance of that ,supreme ,beauty in the ,spiritual world4 ,the body was the veil2 but by ecstasy 7,hl7 the soul could behold the ,divine ,mysteries4 ,as ,avicenna1 in his poem on the soul1 has written3 ,lo1 it was hurled ,midst the sign-posts and ruined abodes of this desolate world4 ,it weeps1 when it thinks of its home and the peace it possessed1 ,with tears welling forth from its eyes without pausing or rest1 ,and with plaintive mourning it broodeth like one bereft ,o'er such trace of its home as the fourfold winds have left4 ,creation was regarded as the output of the ,all-,beautiful4 ,the visible world and all therein was a reflection of the ,divine1 an ever-changing scene full of the ,spirit of ,god4 ,the following beautiful poem of ,jm1 from ,ysuf-u-,zulaykh1 will illustrate the ,sf's conception of the ,beloved and ,his significance and relationship to ,his world of lovers3 ,no mirror to reflect ,its loveliness1 ,nor comb to touch ,its locks2 the morning breeze ,ne'er stirred ,its tresses2 no collyrium ,lent lustre to ,its eyes2 no rosy cheeks ,o'ershadowed by dark curls like hyacinth1 ,nor peach-like down were there4444 ,to ,itself it sang of love ,in wordless measure4 ,by ,itself it cast ,the die of love4444 ,one gleam fell from ,it on the ,universe ,and on the angels1 and this single ray ,dazzled the angels1 till their senses whirled ,like the revolving sky4 ,in diverse forms ,each mirror showed it forth1 and everywhere ,its praise was chanted in new harmonies4 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,the spirits who explore the depths ,of boundless seas1 wherein the heavens swim ,like some small boat1 cried with one mighty voice1 ,praise to the ,lord of all the universe6 ,his beauty everywhere doth show itself1 ,and through the forms of earthly beauties shines ,obscured as through a veil4444 ,where'er thou seest a veil1 ,beneath that veil ,he hides4 ,whatever heart ,doth yield to love1 ,he charms it4 ,in ,his love ,the heart hath life4 ,longing for ,him1 the soul ,hath victory4#e ,man was1 therefore1 a part of ,god1 because he was a fragment of the ,whole2 or1 better still1 he was a divine emanation4#f ,the ,sf recognised this fact1 and his supreme desire was to be reunited with the ,beloved4 ,his difficulty1 however1 was to bear in mind that his worship should ever be of ,god1 and not of ,god's many beautiful forms4 ,love came into his heart1 and he endeavoured to recognise that earthly objects1 however dear and beautiful they might be1 were but lanterns where ,god's ,light shone through4 ,here it must be readily admitted that ,sfism often fails4 ,the ,sf poets were much given to excessive laudations of physical beauty1 and we often find1 with all the toleration and ingenuity we can bring to bear1 that some of ,hfiz's lines are no more spiritual than ,anacreon's1 to whom he has been compared4 ,we have a number of ,sf words with a strictly ,sf meaning2 but it would not be wise to strain the analogy of earthly love too far and say that everything that ,hfiz wrote was spiritual4 ,the ,sf poets1 for the most part1 wrote about the ,love of ,god in the terms applied to their beautiful women1 for the simple reason that no one can write the celestial language and be understood at the same time4 ,is it to be wondered at that the ,sfs1 still remembering their old love-songs1 their old earthly delights in women dear to them1 should find it difficult not to apply such names1 such ideas even in their love of the ,one ,beloved8 ,take those expressions literally and many of them are sensuous1 but consider them as brave1 strong strivings1 fraught with much spiritual fervour1 after ,god1 and you at once annihilate prejudice and come very near understanding the meaning of ,sfism4 ,we need not fly to ,mrs4 ,grundy and seek shelter under her hypocritical wing when some really devout and sincere ,sf calls ,god the ,eternal ,darling or sings about the ,beloved's curls4 ,in studying ,sfism from ,sf poetry we must always remember that ,eastern poetry is essentially erotic in expression1 but just as essentially symbolic in meaning4 ,we must also bear in mind--and this point must have had its influence upon ,sfism--that the ,muslim's reward for having lived a good life1 according to the teaching of ,mohammed1 was that he should enjoy an eternal liaison with lovely houris4 ,it may be questioned that if the earthly object of ,love was a mere passing shadow of ,god1 the man who loved that object was equally insignificant4 ,and again1 how can ,god be the ,all-,one when1 according to the ,sf thesis1 ,he divided ,himself into creation8 ,the part is not equal to the whole4 ,these questions are easily answered4 ,the stars shine in the sky1 and on the bosom of the sea without diminution4 ,let the sea pass away1 and the star-shadows pass away too2 but the stars are still there4 ,so when the world shall pass away it will only be the fading of innumerable shadows we call ,humanity4 ,god will still be there1 and we shall still be there because we came alone from ,him4 ,there was a ,voice that sounded in men and women1 in mountains and in seas1 in the beasts of the jungle and the swinging of the stars4 ,it was the ,voice of ,love1 the great beckoning in the ,hereafter to which all things must go4 ,that ,voice to the ,sf was ,god calling ,his lovers into one chamber1 one mighty love-feast4 ,jm has expressed the finality of ,love in the following lines3 ,gaze1 till ,gazing out of ,gazing ,grew to ,,being ,her ,i gaze on1 ,she and ,i no more1 but in ,one ,undivided ,being blended4 ,all that is not ,one must ever ,suffer with the ,wound of ,absence2 ,and whoever in ,love's ,city ,enters1 finds but ,room for ,one1 ,and but in ,,oneness ,union4 ,the ,rev4 ,professor ,w4 ,r4 ,inge1 in ,christian ,mysticism1 has brought a good deal of adverse criticism to bear upon ,sfism4 ,he remarks3 ,the ,sfs1 or ,mohammedan ,mystics1 use erotic language very freely1 and appear1 like true ,asiatics1 to have attempted to give a sacramental or symbolic character to the indulgence of their passions4 ,the same writer accuses ,emerson of playing with pantheistic ,mysticism of the ,oriental type1 and goes on to compare him with the ,persian ,sfs on account of his self-deification4 ,this critic1 in his desire to defame the ,sfs1 states that they are among the most shocking and blasphemous of the mystics1 because they believe that state is present with them even in their earthly life4 ,this1 however1 is no teaching of the ,sfs1 and1 rightly considered1 we cannot even except the sayings of ,bayzd already referred to1 because here he undoubtedly denies all claim to human personality1 admitting ,god only4 ,self-deification is no teaching of the ,sfs4 ,as the ,buddhist's belief in ,nirvana was a state only to be reached by degrees1 after much striving and severe discipline1 so was the fusion of the ,beloved and ,his lover a belief and a beautiful hope far out on the spiritual horizon4 ,hadj ,khan1 in his interesting book ,with the ,pilgrims to ,mecca1 briefly touches upon this sect and mentions seven stages in the spiritual growth of the ,sf1 and not an arrogant proclamation of ,deity and man being coequal in the earthly existence4 ,the gradually ascending scale of the ,sf's heaven is another point in favour of this argument4 ,for the love that thou would'st find demands the sacrifice of self to the end that the heart may be filled with the passion to stand within the ,holy of ,holies1 in which alone the mysteries of the ,true ,beloved can be revealed unto thee4 ,the average ,sf was a poet4 ,all that was beautiful was ,god to him4 ,he tried to be nearer the ,beautiful every day1 and thus his soul swept on from flower to flower1 higher and higher1 until he was absorbed into the ,divine4 ,we have now seen that ,sfism is essentially a religion of ,love without a creed or dogma4 ,no merciless hells leap up in the ,sf's beliefs4 ,he has no one way theory for the ,life beyond3 ,the ways of ,god are as the number of the souls of men4 ,there is splendid1 magnificent broad-mindedness in this ,sf remark4 ,this unsectarian teaching should be applied to every religion4 ,it would tend to sweeten and deepen the thoughts of men1 who would forget the petty non-essentials of creeds and dogmas1 lost in the perception of the ,all-,beautiful4 ,,iv4 ,,the ,,influence ,,of ,s,f,,ism ,this love here forms the centre which expands on all sides and into all regions4--,,hegel4 ,although ,jallu'd-,dn ,rm lived for fifty years in a ,turkish city he scarcely ever used any ,turkish words2 but nevertheless his influence on ,turkish poetry was very considerable4 ,the ,turkish poets of that day poured forth innumerable spiritual couplets of a mystical nature4 ,indeed nearly all the ,ottoman poets were either ,sfs or men who wrote after the manner of the ,persian ,sfs4 ,jall's son1 ,sultan ,valad1 wrote in ,turkish the following concerning his father3 ,wot ye well ,mevln is of saints the ,pole2 ,whatsoever thing he sayeth1 do in whole4 ,all his words are mercies from the ,heavenly ,king2 ,such that blind folks' eyes were opened1 did they sing4 ,the ,sf influence on ,turkish poetry1 many years after ,jall's death1 gradually weakened as time went on1 and their poetry became less mystical4 ,the ,french were probably responsible for this change to a certain extent4 ,then1 again1 ,sfism influenced the poetry of ,india2 but in this case there was influence on both sides1 and the ,sfs probably borrowed some of the ,buddhistic ideas1 especially in regard to their later conception of ,divine absorption4 ,the following remark of ,ab ,bahu al-,shibl certainly points to the belief that the ,sfs inculcated certain ideas from the ,vedanta ,philosophy3--,tasawwuf is control of the faculties and observance of the breaths4 ,sf poetry has greatly influenced ,western thought4 ,many of the ,german mystics wrote as the ,sf poets had written before them4 ,particularly might be mentioned ,eckhart1 ,tauler and ,suso4 ,concerning the last mentioned ,i may quote the following passage to demonstrate my meaning3 ,earthly friends must needs endure to be distinct and separate from those whom they love2 but ,thou1 ,o fathomless sweetness of all true love1 meltest into the heart of ,thy beloved1 and pourest ,thyself fully into the essence of his soul1 that nothing of ,thee remains outside1 but ,thou art joined and united most lovingly with ,thy beloved4 ,there was rapturous language both with the ,persian and ,german mystics4 ,the great difference between them was that the ,german mystics1 for the most part1 were ascetics1 the ,persians were not4 ,then again in the nineteenth century ,hegel was loud in his praise of ,jallu'd-,dn ,rm1 calling him a great thinker as well as a great poet1 but somehow he seems to put ,jall's ,pantheism first1 his ,mysticism second4 ,surely this was putting the cart before the horse8 ,to trace the scope of the influence of ,sf thought in ,england would be extremely interesting1 but the limits of this little book will not admit of our doing so4 ,the influence was at first among the few2 but optimistic lovers of the ,east believe that ,oriental thought is daily becoming of more interest to ,western minds4 ,the student knows that ,edward ,fitz,gerald's rendering of ,omar ,khayym1 was anything but a faithful translation2 that ,fitz,gerald shook up ,omar's words like so many dice and set them to the music of wine1 roses1 and pessimism4 ,the ,omar ,khayym ,club read ,fitz,gerald1 but not ,omar ,khayym1 and in consequence they have fallen into the error of associating ,omar with ,bacchus4 ,but1 nevertheless1 we must be grateful to ,fitz,gerald4 ,he has given us a great poem1 and stirred1 let us hope1 many of his countless readers to a more faithful study of ,persian poetry4 ,the indefatigable ,dr4 ,johnson has written the following on the ,persian poet1 who is the subject of our present volume3 ,he makes plain to the ,pilgrim the secrets of the ,way of ,unity1 and unveils the ,mysteries of the ,path of ,eternal ,truth4 ,concerning our modern poets ,i have quoted elsewhere a few lines of ,mr4 ,arthur ,symons on a dancing dervish4 ,many of the late ,thomas ,lake ,harris's poems are of a ,sf nature4 ,in ,mr4 ,stephen ,phillip's beautiful poem ,marpessa1 the following lines are full of ,sidi mysticism3 ,for they1 ,seeking that perfect face beyond the world1 ,approach in vision earthly semblances1 ,and touch1 and at the shadows flee away4 ,it is interesting to note that at least one celebrated ,englishman adopted the ,sf teaching4 ,i refer to ,sir ,richard ,burton4#g ,the ,sfs believed heart and soul in the beautiful lines of ,cameons1 the poet for whom ,burton had so great an affection3 ,do what thy manhood bids thee do1 from none but self expect applause4 ,he noblest lives and noblest dies who makes and keeps his self-made laws4 ,all other life is living death1 a world where none but phantoms dwell2 ,a breath1 a wind1 a sound1 a voice1 a tinkling of the camel-bell4 ,v4 ,,analysis ,,of ,,the ,,religion ,,of ,,love ,put away the tale of love that travellers tell2 ,do thou serve ,god with all thy might4 ,,jal,,lu',d-,d,n ,r,m4 ,sfism1 then1 is the religion of ,love4 ,lafcadio ,hearn tells us1 in his inimitable way1 that earthly love is brought about by the memories of innumerable loves in the past1 a host of the phantoms of you seeking in your momentary ego the joy of ,love over again4 ,schopenhauer1 with much pride1 quotes ,rochefoucauld as having said that love may be compared to a ghost since it is something we talk about but have never seen4 ,precisely2 but this is no antagonistic statement1 as ,schopenhauer supposed4 ,rather than belittling the beauty of ,love1 it is an unconscious defence of a very great truth4 ,love can only be compared with ,love4 ,there is nothing else to compare it with4 ,no one has seen ,love1 because no one has seen ,god4 ,a little child plays at funerals and tenderly buries a dead butterfly1 not because it understands the mystery of ,death1 but because ,love prompted the action4 ,and so we love without knowing the why and the wherefore4 ,scientists have already proved that first love is not controlled by either of the individuals loving2 that it is but the expression of thousands of tendencies in past lives4 ,that ,love can be ever personal1 ever limited to the individual1 is unthinkable4 ,we must recognise some day that those countless tendencies1 those strivings after men and women seeming to hold our souls' affinities1 were but the momentary finding of ,god in ,his creatures4 ,we do not love a woman merely because she is pretty1 possesses a pleasing mannerism4 ,we love her because1 in an indescribable way1 she sings a song we alone can fully understand1 a voice that lifts up our soul and makes it strong4 ,we follow that ,invisible ,figure from land to land1 from heart to heart1 from ,death into ,life1 on and on4 ,when ,love loves ,love for its own sake1 when the self is dead1 we shall meet ,him4 ,we shall find the ,beloved to be the ,perfection1 the realisation of that strong desire that made us lose ourselves in others4 ,the more we lose ourselves in ,god the more we find ,him4 ,men and women love and die4 ,but ,love is a ,divine ,essence working through and through innumerable lives for its own eternal glory4 ,personality is limited only to the finite world--perhaps a phase or two beyond the grave4 ,even that is the sum-total of countless so-called personalities in the past4 ,we love instinctively4 ,if it was wholly physical then it dies with the death of the object4 ,if it was infinitely more than that1 if it was the love of ,goodness and ,purity and the ,beautiful it lives on for ever4 ,but these things live not eternally in humanity4 ,they are parts of that all-pervading ,essence--the ,love ,divine4 ,love ,god's light in men and women1 and not the lanterns through which ,it shines1 for human bodies must turn to dust2 human memories1 human desires1 fade away4 ,but the love of the ,all-,good1 ,all-,beautiful remains1 and when such is found in earthly love it is ,god finding ,himself in you1 and you in ,him4 ,that is the supreme teaching of ,sfism1 the religion of ,love4 ,footnote #a3 ,a ,literary ,history of ,persia1 vol4 i4 ,footnote #b3 ,among the ,adepts and ,mystics of ,hindostam4 ,the ,occult ,review1 ,december1 #aije4 ,footnote #c3 ,for further extracts from ,sf writers see ,a ,historical ,enquiry concerning the ,origin and ,development of ,sfism1 ,by ,r4 ,a4 ,nicholson4 ,the ,journal of the ,royal ,asiatic ,society1 ,march1 #aijf4 ,footnote #d3 ,see ,history of ,ottoman ,poetry1 by ,e4 ,g4 ,w4 ,gibb1 vol4 i4 ,footnote #e3 ,translation by ,professor ,e4 ,g4 ,browne4 ,footnote #f3 ,compare the ,alexandrian doctrine of ,emanations4 ,also ,jm's ,law'ih4 ,translated by ,e4 ,h4 ,whinfield and ,mrz ,muhammad ,kazvn4 ,footnote #g3 ,life of ,sir ,richard ,burton4 #b vols4 ,by ,thomas ,wright4 ,,the ,,life ,,and ,,work ,,of ,,jal,,lu',d-,d,n ,r,m ,i4 ,,life ,jallu'd-,dn ,rm was born at ,balkh on ,september #cjth1 #abjg1 ,a4,d41 or according to ,mohammedan reckoning1 in #fjd ,a4,h4 ,his father1 ,baha-'d-,dn1 was a man of much learning1 but gave offence to the reigning king by an attack on that monarch's innovations4 ,another account disputes this in the place of jealousy on the part of the king4 ,whatever the cause1 however1 ,baha-'d-,dn left ,balkh1 together with his family1 and settled at ,nishapur4 ,it was here that the celebrated ,sf1 ,fardu'd-,dn ',attr1 presented young ,jallu'd-,dn ,rm with his ,asrarnama1#a and informed his father that the child would some day become famous throughout the world4 ,after the destruction of ,balkh the family went to ,qonia1#b an old ,roman province1 where the poet acquired his name ,rm1 or the ,roman4 ,young ,jall must have been a child prodigy if we are to believe the many wonderful stories of his early days4 ,at six years of age he is said to have seen visions1 taught his playmates philosophy1 and performed many marvellous feats1 such as flying into the celestial regions4 ,on the death of his father ,jall took the professorial chair4 ,he also founded an order of ,dervishes known as ,maulavis1 where he authorised music and religious dance4 ,when asked why he introduced singing and dance at a funeral1 such practice being contrary to custom1 ,jall replied3 ,when the human spirit1 after years of imprisonment in the cage and dungeon of the body1 is at length set free1 and wings its flight to the ,source whence it came1 is not this an occasion for rejoicings1 thanks1 and dancing8 ,jall was an indomitable optimist4 ,in his sayings1 and still more in his poetry1 we find an almost untrammelled ecstasy4 ,the religious dances1 known as ,riz ,kul1 may in some way account for ,jall's occasional lack of care displayed in his poetry1 and also for the outbursts not far removed from insanity4 ,we are informed by ,daulat ,shh that ,there was a pillar in the ,maulavi's house1 and when he was drowned in the ocean of ,love he used to take hold of that pillar and set himself turning round it4 ,it was while turning round the pillar that he not infrequently dictated much of his poetry4 ,as ,mr4 ,arthur ,symons has sung3 ,i turn until my sense1 ,dizzied with waves of air1 ,spins to a point intense1 ,and spires and centres there4#c ,we can well imagine ,jall writing the following under the conditions just mentioned3 ,come6 ,come6 ,thou art the ,soul1 the ,soul so dear1 revolving6 ,come6 ,come6 ,thou art the ,cedar1 the ,cedar's ,spear1 revolving6 ,oh1 come6 ,the well of ,light up-bubbling springs2 ,and ,morning ,stars exult1 in ,gladness sheer1 revolving6#d ,in #abbf ,a4,d4 ,jall was married at ,lerenda to ,gevher 7,pearl74 ,she bore two sons and died early in life4 ,jall married again and his second wife survived him4 ,,ii4 ,,shamsi ,,tabriz ,a word must now be said about ,shamsi ,tabrz1 an intimate friend of ,jall4 ,we have sufficient evidence to prove that ,shamsi ,tabrz1 ,jall's nom de guerre1 was an actual person1 and not a mythical creation on the part of the poet4 ,this mysterious being1 who flitted across ,jall's life so tragically1 seems to have had great personal influence over the poet1 who went with him into solitary places and there discussed profound mysteries4 ,the scholars of ,jall looked upon the whole affair as an unworthy infatuation on the part of their ,master1 and on the part of ,shams a shameful seduction4 ,their protests brought about the flight of ,shams1 who fled to ,tabrz4 ,but it was only a momentary separation4 ,jall followed this strange figure and brought him back again4 ,most of his lighter poetry was composed during this separation4 ,another disturbance1 however1 caused the departure of ,shams to ,damascus4 ,we then have no clear record of him4 ,various legends exist in regard to the death of this mysterious person4 ,it may be safely stated1 however1 that ,shams met with a violent death1 the exact nature of which it is impossible to say definitely4 ,this strange union is by no means unique in the history of the world's literature4 ,the union1 however1 in this particular case1 is extremely difficult to rightly fathom4 ,we may reasonably infer that ,jall's intense poetic temperament became fascinated by the dogmatic and powerful ,shams4 ,the very treatment of this friendship1 both in the ,lyrical ,poems1 and in the ,masnavi1 is ,sf ,the two following quotations1 from many that might be cited1 will prove sufficient to illustrate this point3 ,the face of ,shamsi ,dn1 ,tabrz's glory1 is the sun ,in whose track the cloud-like hearts are moving4 ,o ,shamsi ,tabrz1 beauty and glory of the horizons1 ,what king but is a beggar of thee with heart and soul8 ,,iii4 ,,the ,,stories ,,of ,,al-,,afl,k ,,and ,,the ,,death ,,of ,,jal,,lu',d-,d,n ,r,m4#e ,the historian al-,aflk1 in his collection of anecdotes called ,menaqibu ',l ',arifin1#f gives a number of stories relating to the miracles and wise sayings of ,jall4 ,many of these miraculous performances were followed by the conversion of those who witnessed them4 ,a marvel or a wise saying of ,jall was generally accompanied by music and dance1 which reminds us of the jubilations of the ,indian gods after ,rama's victories over his enemies4 ,these stories1 interesting enough in themselves1 can scarcely be credited to such a learned man as ,jall undoubtedly was4 ,according to tradition he spoke to frogs and fishes1 raised the dead to life1 and at the same time very ignominiously lost his temper when a disciple who said1 after having received ,jall's instructions3 ,god willing4 ,after all1 the significance of ,jall lies not in these rather lamentable fairy tales1 but in the fruit of his work4 ,jall1 like the ,lord ,buddha1 suffered considerably from the addition of fabulous tales and fancies of no real moment to his teachings4 ,al-,aflk tells a pretty story concerning the tenderness of ,jall for little children4 ,as the poet passed by some children1 they left their play and ran to him and bowed4 ,jall bowed in response4 ,one little boy1 some distance off1 seeing the honour bestowed upon his playmates1 cried to ,jall3 ,wait for me until ,i come6 ,and ,jall waited and bowed to the little child4 ,this story is worth far more than juggler's tricks4 ,jallu'd-,dn ,rm died at ,qonia in #abgc ,a4,d41 praising ,god and leaving to the world a vast store of spiritual knowledge and many wise instructions to his son1 ,baha-'d-,dn ,valad4 ,it is very gratifying to note that at the death of ,jall his mourners were of all creeds4 ,a ,christian was asked why he wept over a ,muslim grave1 and he replied3 ,we esteem him as the ,moses1 the ,david1 the ,jesus of our time2 and we are his disciples1 his adherents4 ,this was indeed a splendid and worthy tribute to the memory of so great a man4 ,i hope ,i have already demonstrated that the very nature of ,sf poetry is entirely lacking in creed or dogma1 and certainly the great singer of the ,masnavi has left in his songs a wealth of the wonder of ,divine ,love4 ,,iv4 ,,the ,,nature ,,and ,,significance ,,of ,,jal,,lu',d-,d,n ,r,m',s ,,poetry ,the ,lyrical4--,we have already noted the acceptance of the ,asrarnama4 ,among the other literary influences1 according to ,mr4 ,nicholson1 we may note the poems of ,sana'1 ,sa'di1 and ,nzam4 ,the fact that ,jall's poetry sometimes faintly resembles ,omar ,khayym's is too slight to be of any value4 ,mr4 ,nicholson very ably sums up the nature of the ,masnavi and ,divan respectively3 ,the one is a majestic river1 calm and deep1 meandering through many a rich and varied landscape to the immeasurable ocean2 the other a foaming torrent that leaps and plunges in the ethereal solitude of the hills4 ,the poetry of ,jall is not of equal merit4 ,his work seldom if ever has the technical polish of ,jm4 ,there is too much of it2 too much produced in the belief that all his poetry was inspired4 ,he is fond of harping on certain words1 and as far as the translations are concerned he has little sense of humour4#g ,there was certainly room for a touch of humour in the poet's description of ,iblis receiving from ,god a gift of beautiful women whereby to tempt mankind2 but ,jall entirely ignores it4 ,these weaknesses are almost lost in the strength and purity and lyrical grandeur of many of ,jall's poems4 ,he carries us along on a torrent of heavenly music4 ,the rhythmic1 swing of his wonderful dance is soul-stirring4 ,we seem to move exultantly1 ecstatically1 to the sound of the poet's singing1 far behind the silver stars into the ,presence of the ,beloved4 ,with what reverence1 with what a glow of simile and subtle suggestion he describes the ,beauty of the ,beloved6 ,with what exquisite passion he foretells the ,eternal ,union6 ,then there is a lull in this fierce spiritual song1 and ,jall sings1 ever so gently and with an infinite tenderness1 about human tears being turned into rain-clouds4 ,he sings about the meeting of two friends in ,paradise1 with the oft-repeated refrain1 ,thou and ,i4 ,there seems in this poem an indescribable and almost pathetic play on the idea of human friendship and the ,divine ,friendship1 a yearning tenderness for that human shadow1 passing shadow though it be4 ,jall appears to have the power of producing almost orchestral effects in his music of the ,spheres4 ,there is that terrific touch of ,wagner about his poetry1 and in those suggestive ,wagner-pauses there is a tenderness of expression more touching1 more truly great than the loud triumphant notes4 ,jall has truly said3 ,our journey is to the ,rose-,garden of ,union4 ,he sang about1 the ,divine ,rose-,garden2 but he did not forget to sing about the roses that fade and the human hearts that ache4 ,we seem to see ,jall ever bowing to the little child in all his wonderful singing4 ,the ,masnavi4--,jall is said to have been forty-three years engaged in writing the ,masnavi4 ,often whole nights were spent in its composition1 ,jall reciting and his friend ,hasam copying it down and sometimes singing portions of the verse in his beautiful voice4 ,at the completion of the first book ,hasam's wife died1 and two years elapsed before the work was continued4 ,the ,masnavi is full of profound mysteries1 and is a most important book in the study of ,sfism-- mysteries which must1 for the most part1 be left to the discernment of the reader4 ,jall himself has said that great ,love is silent4 ,it is in ,silence that we shall come to understand the supreme ,mystery of ,love that has no comparison4 ,the key-note to the ,masnavi may be found in the ,prologue to the first book4 ,the poet here sings of the soul's longing to be united with the ,beloved4 ,the fact that he1 and all other ,sf poets1 use as an analogy the love between man and woman renders the spiritual meaning extremely vague4 ,we have1 however1 already considered this point in the introduction1 and it needs no further explanation4 ,the ,masnavi has all the pantheistic beauty of the ,psalms1 the music of the hills1 the colour and scent of roses1 the swaying of forests2 but it has considerably more than that4 ,these things of scent and form and colour are the ,mirror of the ,beloved2 these earthy loves the journey down the valley into the ,rose-,garden where the roses never fade1 and where ,love is4 ,footnote #a3 ,book of ,mysteries4 ,footnote #b3 ,iconium4 ,footnote #c3 ,the ,fool of the ,world4 ,footnote #d3 ,the ,festival of ,spring4 ,translated by the ,rev4 ,prof4 ,william ,hastie4 ,footnote #e3 ,see ,the ,masnavi4 ,translated by ,sir ,james ,w4 ,rodhouse4 ,footnote #f3 ,the ,acts of the ,adepts4 ,footnote #g3 ,prof4 ,c4 ,e4 ,wilson informs me that ,jall certainly had a very fair sense of humour1 and that in the original there is often a clever and witty play on words4 ,,selections ,,from ,,the ,d,v,,ni ,,shamsi ,,tabr,z ,i ,,am ,,silent ,i am silent4 ,speak ,thou1 ,o ,soul of ,soul of ,soul1 ,from desire of whose ,face every atom grew articulate4 ,a ,,cry ,,to ,,the ,,beloved ,yestereve ,i delivered to a star tidings for thee3 ,present1 ,i said1 my service to that moon-like form4 ,i bowed1 ,i said3 ,bear that service to the sun ,who maketh hard rocks gold by his burning4 ,i bared my breast1 ,i showed it the wounds3 ,give news of me1 ,i said1 to the ,beloved whose drink is blood4 ,i rocked to and fro that the child1 my heart1 might become still2 ,a child sleeps when one sways the cradle4 ,give my heart-babe milk1 relieve us from its weeping1 ,o ,thou that helpest every moment a hundred helpless like me4 ,the heart's home1 first to last1 is ,thy ,city of ,union3 ,how long wilt ,thou keep in exile this heart forlorn8 ,,remember ,,god ,,and ,,forget ,,self ,o spirit1 make thy head in search and seeking like the water of a stream1 ,and ,o reason1 to gain ,eternal ,life tread ever-lastingly the way of ,death4 ,keep ,god in remembrance till self is forgotten1 ,that thou may be lost in the ,called1 without distraction of caller and call4 ,,the ,,prince ,,of ,,the ,,fair ,a garden--may its rose be in flower to ,resurrection6 ,an idol--may the two worlds be scattered o'er his beauty6 ,the ,prince of the ,fair goes proudly forth to the chase at morning2 ,may our hearts fall a prey to the arrow of ,his glance ,from ,his eye what messages are passing continually to mine6 ,may my eyes be gladdened and filled with intoxication by ,his ,message6 ,,my ,,body ,,is ,,like ,,the ,,moon ,my body is like the moon which is melting for ,love1 ,my heart like ,zuhra's#a lute--may its strings be broken6 ,look not on the moon's waning nor on ,zuhra's broken state3 ,behold the sweetness of his affection--may it wax a thousandfold6 ,,mortality ,,and ,,immortality ,what a ,bride is in the soul6 ,by the reflection of ,her face ,may the world be freshened and coloured like the hands of the newly married6#b ,look not on the fleshy cheek which corrupts and decays1 ,look on the spiritual cheek--may it be sweet and agreeable6 ,the dark body resembles a raven1 and the body's world winter2 ,o in spite of these two unpleasants may there be ,eternal ,spring6 ,,the ,,beloved ,,the ,,divine ,,consoler ,thou who art my soul's comfort in the season of sorrow1 ,thou who art my spirit's treasure in the bitterness of dearth6 ,that which the imagination has not conceived1 that which the understanding has not seen1 ,visited my soul from ,thee2 hence in worship ,i turn toward ,thee4 ,by ,thy grace ,i keep fixed on ,eternity my amorous gaze1 ,except1 ,o ,king1 the pomps that perish lead me astray4 ,the favour of that one1 who brings glad tidings of ,thee1 ,even without ,thy summons1 is sweeter in mine ear than songs4 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,if a never-ceasing bounty should offer kingdoms1 ,if a hidden treasure should set before me all that is1 ,i would bend down my soul1 ,i would lay my face in the dust1 ,i would say1 ,of all these the love of such an ,one for me6 ,,thou ,,art ,,the ,,soul ,,of ,,the ,,world ,eternal ,life1 methinks1 is the time of ,union1 ,because ,time1 for me1 hath no place ,there4 ,life is the vessels1 ,union the clear draught in them2 ,without ,thee what does the pain of the vessels avail me8 ,i had twenty thousand desires ere this2 ,in passion for ,him not even 7care of7 my safety remained4 ,by the help of ,his grace ,i am become safe1 because ,the unseen ,king saith to me1 ,thou art the soul of the world4 ,,the ,,voice ,,of ,,love ,every moment the voice of ,love is coming from left and right4 ,we are bound for heaven3 who has a mind to sight-seeing8 ,we have been in heaven1 we have been friends of the angels2 ,thither1 ,sire1 let us return1 for that is our country4 ,,the ,,sea ,,of ,,love ,mankind1 like waterfowl1 are sprung from the sea--the ,sea of ,soul2 ,risen from that ,sea1 why should the bird make here his home8 ,nay1 we are pearls in that ,sea1 therein we all abide2 ,else1 why does wave follow wave from the ,sea of ,soul8 ',tis the time of ,union's attainment1 'tis the time of ,eternity's beauty1 ',tis the time of favour and largesse1 'tis the ,ocean of perfect purity4 ,the billow of largesse hath appeared1 the thunder of the ,sea hath arrived1 ,the morn of blessedness hath dawned4 ,morn8 ,no1 'tis the ,light of ,god4 ,,the ,,beauty ,,of ,,the ,,beloved ,o ,beloved1 spiritual beauty is very fair and glorious1 ,but ,thine own beauty and loveliness is another thing4 ,o ,thou who art years describing ,spirit1 ,show one quality that is equal to ,his ,essence4 ,light waxes in the eye at the imagination of ,him1 ,but in presence of ,his ,union it is dimmed4 ,i stand open-mouthed in veneration of that beauty3 ,god is most great is on my heart's lips every moment4 ,the heart hath gotten an eye constant in desire of ,thee4 ,o how that desire feeds heart and eye6 ',tis slave-caressing ,thy ,love has practised2 ,else1 where is the heart worthy of that ,love8 ,every heart that has slept one night in ,thy air ,is like radiant day4 ,,the ,,water ,,of ,,eternal ,,life ,every form you see has its archetype in the placeless world2 ,if the form perished1 no matter1 since its ,original is everlasting4 ,every fair shape you have seen1 every deep saying you have heard1 ,be not cast down that it perished2 for that is not so4 ,whereas the ,spring-head is undying1 its branch gives water continually2 ,since neither can cease1 why are you lamenting8 ,conceive the ,soul as a fountain1 and these created things as rivers3 ,while the ,fountain flows1 the rivers run from it4 ,put grief out of your head and keep quaffing this ,river-water2 ,do not think of the ,water failing1 for this ,water is without end4 ,,earthly ,,love ,,and ,,the ,,love ,,divine ',twere better that the spirit which wears not true ,love as a garment ,had not been3 its being is but shame4 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 9999 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,without the dealing of ,love there is no entrance to the ,beloved4 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 ',tis ,love and the ,lover that live to all ,eternity2 ,set not thy heart on aught else2 'tis only borrowed1 ,how long wilt thou embrace a dead beloved8 ,embrace the ,soul which is embraced by nothing4 ,what was born of spring dies in autumn1 ,love's rose-plot hath no aiding from the early spring4 ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,love ,this is the ,lord of ,heaven1 who resembles ,venus and the moon1 ,this is the ,house of ,love1 which has no bound or end4 ,like a mirror1 the soul has received ,thy image in its heart2 ,the tip of ,thy curl has sunk into my heart like a comb4 ,forasmuch as the women cut their hands in ,joseph's presence1 ,come to me1 ,o soul1 for the ,beloved is in the midst4 ,,love',s ,,desire ,show ,thy face1 for ,i desire the orchard and the rose-garden2 ,ope ,thy lips1 for ,i desire sugar in plenty4 ,o sun1 show forth ,thy face from the veil of cloud1 ,for ,i desire that radiant glowing countenance4 ,,the ,,finding ,,of ,,the ,,beloved ,i was on that day when the ,names were not1 ,nor any sign of existence endowed with name1 ,by me ,names and ,named were brought to view ,on the day when there was not ,i and ,we1 ,for a sign1 the tip of the ,beloved's curl became a centre of revelation2 ,as yet the tip of that curl was not4 ,cross and ,christians1 from end to end1 ,i surveyed2 ,he was not on the ,cross4 ,i went to the idol-temple1 to the ancient pagoda2 ,no trace was visible there4 ,i went to the mountains of ,hert and ,candahr2 ,i looked2 ,he was not in that hill-and-dale4 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 9999 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,i gazed into my own heart2 ,there ,i saw ,him2 ,he was nowhere else4 ,,god ,,only ,none but ,god has contemplated the beauty of ,god4 ,this eye and that lamp are two lights1 each individual1 ,when they came together1 no one distinguished them4 ,,the ,,moon-,,soul ,,and ,,the ,,sea ,at morning-tide a moon appeared in the sky1 ,and descended from the sky and gazed on me4 ,like a falcon which snatches a bird at the time of hunting1 ,that moon snatched me up and coursed over the sky4 ,when ,i looked at myself1 ,i saw myself no more1 ,because in that moon my body became by grace even as soul4 ,when ,i travelled in soul1 ,i saw naught save the moon1 ,till the secret of the ,eternal ,theophany was revealed4 ,the nine spheres of heaven were all merged in that moon1 ,the vessel of my being was completely hidden in the sea4 ,the sea broke into waves1 and again ,wisdom rose ,and cast abroad a voice2 so it happened and thus it befell4 ,foamed the sea1 and at every foam-fleck ,something took figure and something was bodied forth4 ,every foam-fleck of body1 which received a sign from that sea1 ,melted straightway and turned to spirit in this ,ocean4 ,,life ,,in ,,death ,when my bier moveth on the day of ,death1 ,think not my heart is in this world4 ,do not weep in the devil's snare3 that is woe4 ,when thou seest my hearse1 cry not ,parted1 parted6 ,union and meeting are mine in that hour4 ,if thou commit me to the grave1 say not ,farewell1 farewell6 ,for the grave is a curtain hiding the communion of ,paradise1 ,after beholding descent1 consider resurrection2 ,why should setting be injurious to the sun and moon8 ,to thee it seems a setting1 but 'tis a rising2 ,tho' the vault seems a prison1 'tis the release of the soul4 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 9999 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,shut thy mouth on this side and open it beyond1 ,for in placeless air will be thy triumphal song4 ,,the ,,whole ,,and ,,the ,,part ,beware6 do not keep1 in a circle of reprobates1 ,thine eye shut like a bud1 thy mouth open like the rose4 ,the world resembles a mirror3 thy ,love is the perfect image3 ,o people1 who has ever seen a part greater than the whole8 ,,the ,,divine ,,friend ,look on me1 for thou art my companion in the grave ,on the night when thou shalt pass from shop and dwelling4 ,thou shalt hear my hail in the hollow of the tomb3 it shall become known to thee ,that thou wast never concealed from mine eye4 ,i am as reason and intellect within thy bosom ,at the time of joy and gladness1 at the time of sorrow and distress4 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 9999 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,in the hour when the intellectual lamp is lighted1 ,what a pears goes up from the dead men in the tombs6 ,,aspiration ,haste1 haste6 for we too1 ,o soul1 are coming ,from this world of severance to that world of ,union4 ,o how long shall we1 like children1 in the earthly sphere ,fill our lap with dust and stones and sherds8 ,let us give up the earth and fly heavenwards1 ,let us flee from childhood to the banquet of men4 ,behold how the earthly frame has entrapped thee6 ,rend the sack and raise thy head clear4 ,i ,,well ,,cherish ,,the ,,soul ,i am a painter1 a maker of pictures2 every moment ,i shape a beauteous form1 ,and then in ,thy presence ,i melt them all away4 ,i call up a hundred phantoms and indue them with a spirit2 ,when ,i behold ,thy phantom1 ,i cast them in the fire4 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 9999 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,lo6 ,i will cherish the soul1 because it has a perfume of ,thee4 ,every drop of blood which proceeds from me is saying to ,thy dust3 ,i am one colour with ,thy love1 ,i am a partner of ,thy affection4 ,in the house of water and clay this heart is desolate without ,thee2 ,o ,beloved1 enter the house1 or ,i will leave it4 ,,this ,,is ,,love ,this is ,love3 to fly heavenward1 ,to rend1 every instant1 a hundred veils4 ,the first moment1 to renounce ,life3 ,the last step1 to feel without feet4 ,to regard this world as invisible1 ,not to see what appears to one's self4 ,o heart1 ,i said1 may it bless thee ,to have entered the circle of lovers1 ,to look beyond the range of the eye1 ,to penetrate the windings of the bosom6 ,whence did this breath come to thee1 ,o my soul1 ,whence this throbbing1 ,o my heart8 ,,the ,,journey ,,to ,,the ,,beloved ,o lovers1 ,o lovers1 it is time to abandon the world3 ,the drum of departure reaches my spiritual ear from heaven4 ,behold1 the driver has risen and made ready his files of camels1 ,and begged us to acquit him of blame3 why1 ,o travellers1 are you asleep8 ,these sounds before and behind are the din of departure and of the camel-bells2 ,with each moment a soul and spirit is setting off into the ,void4 ,from these inverted candles1 from these blue awnings ,there has come forth a wondrous people1 that the mysteries may be revealed4 ,a heavy slumber fell upon thee from the circling spheres3 ,alas1 for this life so light1 beware of this slumber so heavy6 ,o soul1 seek the ,beloved1 ,o friend1 seek the ,friend1 ,o watchman1 be wakeful3 it behoves not a watchman to sleep4 ,,the ,,day ,,of ,,resurrection ,on every side is clamour and tumult1 in every street are candles and torches1 ,for to-night the teeming world gives birth to the ,world ,everlasting4 ,thou wert dust and art spirit1 thou wert ignorant and art wise4 ,he who has led thee thus far will lead thee further also4 ,how pleasant are the pains ,he makes thee suffer while ,he gently draws thee to ,himself6 ,,the ,,return ,,of ,,the ,,beloved ,always at night returns the ,beloved3 do not eat opium to-night2 ,close your mouth against food1 that you may taste the sweetness of the mouth4 ,lo1 the cup-bearer is no tyrant1 and in his assembly there is a circle3 ,come into the circle1 be seated2 how long will you regard the revolution 7of ,time78 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 9999 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,why1 when ,god's earth is so wide1 have you fallen asleep in a prison8 ,avoid entangled thoughts1 that you may see the explanation of ,paradise4 ,refrain from speaking1 that you may win speech hereafter4 ,abandon life and the world1 that you may behold the ,life of the world4 ,,the ,,call ,,of ,,the ,,beloved ,every morning a voice comes to thee from heaven3 ,when thou lay'st the dust of the way1 thou win'st thy way to the goal4 ,on the road to the ,ka'ba of ,union1 lo1 in every thorn-bush ,are thousands slain of desire who manfully yielded up their lives4 ,thousands sank wounded on this path1 to whom there came not ,a breath of the fragrance of ,union1 a token from the neighbourhood of the ,friend4 ,,the ,,banquet ,,of ,,union ,in memory of the banquet of ,union1 in yearning for ,his beauty ,they are fallen bewildered by the wine ,thou knowest4 ,how sweet1 in the hope of ,him1 on the threshold of ,his ,abode1 ,for the sake of seeing ,his face1 to bring night round to day6 ,illumine thy bodily senses by the ,light of the soul3 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 9999 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,look not in the world for bliss and fortune1 since thou wilt not find them2 ,seek bliss in both worlds by serving ,him1 ,put away the tale of ,love that travellers tell2 ,do thou serve ,god with all thy might4 ,,be ,,silent ,be silent that the ,lord who gave thee language may speak1 ,for as ,he fashioned a door and lock1 ,he has also made a key4 ,,thou ,,didst ,,go ,,to ,,the ,,rose-,,garden ,at last thou hast departed and gone to the ,unseen2 ',tis marvellous by what way thou wentest from the world4 ,thou didst strongly shake thy wings and feathers1 and having broken thy cage ,didst take to the air and journey towards the world of ,soul4 ,thou wert a favourite falcon1 kept in captivity by an old woman3 ,when thou heard'st the falcon-drum thou didst fly away into the ,void4 ,thou wert a love-lorn nightingale among owls3 ,the scent of the ,rose-,garden1 reached thee1 and thou didst go to the ,rose-,garden4 ,,the ,,world ,,gave ,,thee ,,false ,,clues ,the world gave thee false clues1 like a ghoul3 ,thou took'st no heed of the clue1 but wentest to that which is without a clue4 ,since thou art now the sun1 why dost thou wear a tiara8 ,why seek a girdle1 since thou art gone from the middle8 ,i have heard that thou art gazing with distorted eyes upon thy soul3 ,why dost thou gaze on thy soul1 since thou art gone to the ,soul of soul8 ,o heart1 what a wondrous bird art thou1 that in chase of divine rewards ,thou didst fly with two wings to the spear-point1 like a shield6 ,the rose flees from autumn--,o what a fearless rose art thou1 ,who didst go loitering along in the presence of the autumn wind6 ,falling like rain from heaven upon the roof of the terrestrial world ,thou didst run in every direction till thou didst escape by conduit4 ,be silent and free from the pain of speech3 do not slumber1 ,since thou hast taken refuge with so loving a ,friend4 ,,he ,,comes ,he comes1 a moon whose like the sky ne'er saw1 awake or dreaming1 ,crowned with ,eternal ,flame no flood can lay4 ,lo1 from the flagon of ,thy ,love1 ,o ,lord1 my soul is swimming1 ,and ruined all my body's house of clay6 ,when first the ,giver of the grape my lonely heart befriended1 ,wine fired my bosom and my veins filled up1 ,but when ,his image all mine eye possessed1 a voice descended3 ,well done1 ,o sovereign ,wine and peerless ,cup6 ,love's mighty arm from roof to base each dark abode is hewing ,where chinks reluctant catch a golden ray4 ,my heart1 when ,love's sea of a sudden burst into its viewing1 ,leaped headlong in1 with ,find me now who may6 ,,the ,,road ,,be ,,thine ,,towards ,,the ,,shrine ,o honoured guest in ,love's high feast1 ,o bird of the angel-sphere1 ',tis cause to weep1 if thou wilt keep thy habitation here4 ,a voice at morn to thee is borne--,god whispers to the soul-- ,if on the way the dust thou lay1 thou soon wilt gain the goal4 ,the road be thine toward the ,shrine6 and lo1 in bush and briar1 ,the many slain of ,love and pain in flower of young desire1 ,who on the track fell wounded back and saw not1 ere the end1 ,a ray of bliss1 a touch1 a kiss1 a token of the ,friend6 ,,thy ,,rose ,our ,sweetnesses all bleat in ,thee1 ,give infant lips their smiles benign4 ,thou crushest me to drops of ,rose ,nor 'neath the press do ,i repine4 ,in ,thy sweet ,pain is pain forgot2 ,for ,i1 ,thy ,rose1 had this design4 ,thou bad'st me blossom on ,thy ,robe1 ,and mad'st me for all eyes ,thy sign4 ,and when ,thou pour'st me on the world1 ,it blows in beauty1 all ,divine4 ,i ,,saw ,,the ,,winter ,,weaving ,i saw the winter weaving from flakes a robe of ,death2 ,and the spring found earth in mourning1 all naked1 lone1 and bare4 ,i heard ,time's loom a-whirring that wove the ,sun's dim ,veil2 ,i saw a worm a-weaving in ,life-threads its own lair4 ,i saw the ,great was ,smallest1 and saw the ,smallest ,great2 ,for ,god had set ,his likeness on all the things that were4 ,,love ,,sounds ,,the ,,music ,,of ,,the ,,spheres ,o1 soul1 if thou1 too1 wouldst be free1 ,then love the ,love that shuts thee in4 ',tis ,love that twisteth every snare2 ',tis ,love that snaps the bond of sin2 ,love sounds the ,music of the ,spheres2 ,love echoes through ,earth's harshest din4 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 9999 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,the world is ,god's pure mirror clear1 ,to eyes when free from clouds within4 ,with ,love's own eyes the ,mirror view1 ,and there see ,god to self akin4 ,,the ,,souls ,,love-,,moved ,the souls love-moved are circling on1 ,like streams to their great ,ocean ,king4 ,thou art the ,sun of all men's thoughts2 ,thy kisses are the flowers of spring4 ,the dawn is pale from yearning ,love2 ,the moon in tears is sorrowing4 ,thou art the ,rose1 and deep for ,thee1 ,in sighs1 the nightingales still sing4 ,,the ,,beloved ,,all ,,in ,,all ,my ,soul sends up to ,heaven each night the cry of ,love6 ,god's starry ,beauty draws with might the cry of ,love6 ,bright sun and moon each morn dance in my ,heart at ,dawn3 ,and waking me at daylight1 excite the cry of ,love6 ,on every meadow glancing1 ,i see ,god's sun-beams play2 ,and all ,creation's wonders excite the cry of ,love6 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 9999 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,i1 ,all in ,all becoming1 now clear see ,god in ,all2 ,and up from ,union yearning1 takes flight the cry of ,love6 ,,thou ,,and ,i ,happy the moment when we are seated in the ,palace1 thou and ,i1 ,with two forms and with two figures but with one soul1 thou and ,i4 ,the colours of the grove and the voice of the birds will bestow immortality ,at the time when we come into the garden1 thou and ,i4 ,the stars of heaven will come to gaze upon us2 ,we shall show them the moon itself1 thou and ,i4 ,thou and ,i1 individuals no more1 shall be mingled in ecstasy1 ,joyful1 and secure from foolish babble1 thou and ,i4 ,all the bright-plumed birds of heaven will devour their hearts with envy ,in the place where we shall laugh in such a fashion1 thou and ,i4 ,this is the greatest wonder1 that thou and ,i1 sitting here in the same nook1 ,are at this moment both in ,irq and ,khorasan1 thou and ,i4 ,footnote #a3 ,the celestial ,venus1 and leader of the starry choirs to music4 ,see ,r4 ,a4 ,nicholson's note in ,selected ,poems from the ,dvni ,shamsi ,tabrz4 ,footnote #b3 ,a design traced in henna4 ,,selections ,,from ,,the ,,masnavi ,,sorrow ,,quenched ,,in ,,the ,,beloved ,through grief my days are as labour and sorrow1 ,my days move on1 hand in hand with anguish4 ,yet1 though my days vanish thus1 'tis no matter1 ,do ,thou abide1 ,o ,incomparable ,pure ,one4 ,,the ,,music ,,of ,,love ,hail to thee1 then1 ,o ,,love1 sweet madness6 ,thou who healest all our infirmities6 ,who art the ,physician of our pride and self conceit6 ,who art our ,plato and our ,galen6 ,love exalts our earthly bodies to heaven1 ,and makes the very hills to dance with joy6 ,o lover1 'twas ,love that gave life to ,mount ,sinai1 ,when it quaked1 and ,moses fell down in a swoon4 ,did my ,beloved only touch me with ,his lips1 ,i too1 like a flute1 would burst out into melody4 ,,when ,,the ,,rose ,,has ,,faded ,when the rose has faded and the garden is withered1 ,the song of the nightingale is no longer to be heard4 ,the ,,beloved is all in all1 the lover only veils ,him2 ,the ,,beloved is all that lives1 the lover a dead thing4 ,when the lover feels no longer ,,love',s quickening1 ,he becomes like a bird who has lost its wings4 ,alas6 ,how can ,i retain my senses about me1 ,when the ,,beloved shows not the ,light of ,his countenance8 ,,the ,,silence ,,of ,,love ,love is the astrolabe of ,god's mysteries4 ,a lover may hanker after this love or that love1 ,but at the last he is drawn to the ,,king of ,love4 ,however much we describe and explain ,love1 ,when we fall in love we are ashamed of our words4 ,explanation by the tongue makes most things clear1 ,but ,love unexplained is better4 ,,earthly ,,love ,,essential ,,to ,,the ,,love ,,divine ,in one 'twas said1 ,leave power and weakness alone2 ,whatever withdraws thine eyes from ,god is an idol4 ,in one 'twas said1 ,quench not thy earthy torch1 ,that it may be a light to lighten mankind4 ,if thou neglectest regard and care for it1 ,thou wilt quench at midnight the lamp of ,union4 ,,the ,,eternal ,,splendour ,,of ,,the ,,beloved ,why dost ,thou flee from the cries of us on earth8 ,why pourest ,thou sorrow on the heart of the sorrowful8 ,o ,thou who1 as each new morn dawns from the east1 ,art seen uprising anew1 like a bright fountain6 ,what excuse makest ,thou for ,thy witcheries8 ,o ,thou whose lips are sweeter than sugar1 ,thou that ever renewest the life of this old world1 ,hear the cry of this lifeless body and heart6 ,,woman ,woman is a ray of ,god1 not a mere mistress1 ,the ,creator's ,self1 as it were1 not a mere creature6 ,,the ,,divine ,,union ,mustafa became beside himself at that sweet call1 ,his prayer failed on the night of the early morning halt4 ,he lifted not head from that blissful sleep1#a ,so that his morning prayer was put off till noon4 ,on that1 his wedding night1 in the presence of his bride1 ,his pure soul attained to kiss her hands4 ,love and mistress are both veiled and hidden4 ,impute it not a fault if ,i call ,him ,bride4 ,,he ,,knows ,,about ,,it ,,all#b ,he who is from head to foot a perfect rose or lily1 ,to him spring brings rejoicing4 ,the useless thorn desires the autumn1 ,that autumn may associate itself with the garden2 ,and hide the rose's beauty and the thorn's shame1 ,that men may not see the bloom of the one and the other's shame2 ,that common stone and pure ruby may appear all as one4 ,true1 the ,gardener knows the difference in the autumn1 ,but the sight of ,one is better than the world's sight4 ,,resignation ,,the ,,way ,,to ,,perfection ,whoso recognises and confesses his own defects ,is hastening in the way that leads to ,perfection6 ,but he advances not towards the ,almighty ,who fancies himself to be perfect4 ,,love ,,the ,,source ,,of ,,light ,,rather ,,than ,,vanishing ,,form ,whatsoever is perceived by sense ,he annuls1 ,but ,he stablishes that which is hidden from the senses4 ,the lover's love is visible1 his ,beloved hidden4 ,the ,friend is absent1 the distraction ,he causes present4 ,renounce these affections for outward forms1 ,love depends not on outward form or face4 ,whatever is beloved is not a mere empty form1 ,whether your beloved be of the earth or heaven4 ,whatever is the form you have fallen in love with-- ,why do you forsake it the moment life leaves it8 ,the form#c is still there2 whence then this disgust at it8 ,ah6 lover1 consider well what is really your beloved4 ,if a thing perceived by outward senses is the beloved1 ,then all who retain their senses must still love it2 ,and since ,love increases constancy1 ,how can constancy fail while form abides8 ,but the truth is1 the sun's beams strike the wall1 ,and the wall only reflects that borrowed light4 ,why give your heart to mere stones1 ,o simpleton8 ,go6 ,seek the ,source of ,light which shineth alway6 ,,the ,,religion ,,of ,,love ,the sect of lovers is distinct from all others1 ,lovers have a religion and a faith of their own4 ,though the ruby has no stamp1 what matters it8 ,love is fearless in the midst of the sea of fear4 ,,pain ,,is ,a ,,treasure6 ,pain is a treasure1 for it contains mercies2 ,the kernel is soft when the rind is scraped off4 ,o brother1 the place of darkness and cold ,is the fountain of ,life and the cup of ecstasy4 ,so also is endurance of pain and sickness and disease4 ,for from abasement proceeds exaltation4 ,the spring seasons are hidden in the autumns1 ,and the autumns are charged with springs4 ,,spirit ,,greater ,,than ,,form ,if spiritual manifestations had been sufficient1 ,the creation of the world had been needless and vain4 ,if spiritual thought were equivalent to love of ,god1 ,outward forms of temples and prayers would not exist4 ,,the ,,beloved ,,compared ,,to ,a ,,sweet ,,garden ,we bow down our heads before ,his edict and ordinance1 ,we stake precious life to gain ,his favour4 ,while the thought of the ,beloved fills our hearts1 ,all our work is to do ,him service and spend life for ,him4 ,wherever ,he kindles ,his destructive torch1 ,myriads of lovers' souls are burnt therewith4 ,the lovers who dwell within the sanctuary ,are moths burnt with the torch of the ,beloved's face4 ,o heart1 haste thither1 for ,god will shine upon you1 ,and seem to you a sweet garden instead of a terror4 ,he will infuse into your soul a new ,soul1 ,so as to fill you1 like a goblet1 with wine4 ,take up your abode in ,his ,soul6 ,take up your abode in heaven1 ,o bright full moon6 ,like the heavenly ,scribe1 ,he will open your heart's book ,that ,he may reveal mysteries unto you4 ,,behold ,,the ,,water ,,of ,,waters6 ,the sea itself is one thing1 the foam another2 ,neglect the foam1 and regard the sea with your eyes4 ,waves of foam rise from the sea night and day4 ,you look at the foam ripples and not at the mighty sea4 ,we1 like boats1 are tossed hither and thither1 ,we are blind though we are on the bright ocean4 ,ah6 you who are asleep in the boat of the body1 ,you see the water2 behold the ,water of waters6 ,under the water you see there is another ,water moving it4 ,within the spirit is a ,spirit that calls it4 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 9999 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,when you have accepted the ,light1 ,o beloved1 ,when you behold what is veiled without a veil1 ,like a star you will walk upon the heavens4 ,,where ,,love ,,is ,a damsel said to her lover1 ,o fond youth1 ,you have visited many cities in your travels2 ,which of those cities seems most delightful to you8 ,he made answer1 ,the city wherein my love dwells1 ,in whatever nook my queen alights2 ,though it be as the eye of a needle1 'tis a wide plain2 ,wherever her ,yusuf-like#d face shines as a moon1 ,though it be the bottom of a well1 'tis ,paradise4 ,with thee1 my love1 hell itself were heaven4 ,with thee a prison would be a rose-garden4 ,with thee hell would be a mansion of delight1 ,without thee lilies and roses would be as flames of fire6 ,,the ,,love ,,of ,,the ,,beloved ,no lover ever seeks union with his beloved1 ,but his beloved is also seeking union with him4 ,but the lover's love#e makes his body lean1 ,while the ,beloved's love makes her fair and lusty4 ,when in this heart the lightning spark of love arises1 ,be sure this ,love is reciprocated in that heart4 ,when the ,love of ,god arises in thy heart1 ,without doubt ,god also feels love for thee4 ,,the ,,love ,,of ,,the ,,soul ,,and ,,the ,,love ,,of ,,the ,,body ,the ,love of the soul is for ,life and the ,living ,one1 ,because its origin is the ,soul not bound to place4 ,the ,love of the soul is for wisdom and knowledge1 ,that of the body for houses1 gardens1 and vine-yards2 ,the love of the soul is for things exalted on high1 ,that of the body for acquisition of goods and food4 ,the ,love1 too1 of ,him on high is directed to the soul3 ,know this1 for ,he loves them that love ,him4#f ,the sum is this3 that whoso seeks another1 ,the soul of that other who is sought inclines to him4 ,o ,,love1 ,,love1 ,,and ,,heart',s ,,desire ,,of ,,love6 ,israfil of the resurrection-day of ,love6 ,love1 ,love1 and heart's desire of ,love6 ,let thy first boon to me be this3 ,to lend thine ear to my orisons1 ,though thou knowest my condition clearly1 ,o protector of slaves1 listen to my speech4 ,a thousand times1 ,o prince incomparable1 ,has my reason taken flight in desire to see thee1 ,and to hear thee and to listen to thy words1 ,and to behold thy life-giving smiles4 ,thy inclining thine ear to my supplications ,is as a caress to my misguided soul4 ,,destroy ,,not ,,earthly ,,beauty3 ,,it ,,beautifies ,,the ,,soul ,tear not thy plumage off1 it cannot be replaced2 ,disfigure not thy face in wantonness1 ,o fair one6 ,that face which is bright as the forenoon sun-- ,to disfigure it were a grievous sin4 ',twere paganism to mar such a face as thine ,the moon itself would weep to lose sight of it6 ,knowest thou not the beauty of thine own face8 ,quit this temper that leads thee to war with thyself6 ,it is the claws of thine own foolish thoughts ,that in spite wound the face of thy quiet soul4 ,know such thoughts to be claws fraught with poison4 ,which score deep wounds on the face of thy soul4 ,,the ,,devil ,,makes ,,use ,,of ,,the ,,beauty ,,of ,,women ,thus spake cursed ,iblis to the ,almighty1 ,i want a mighty trap to catch human game withal6 ,god gave him gold and silver and troops and horses1 ,saying1 ,you can catch my creatures with these4 ,iblis said1 ,bravo6 but at the same time hung his lip1 ,and frowned sourly like a bitter orange4 ,then ,god offered gold and jewels from precious mines ,to that laggard in the faith1 ,saying1 ,take these other traps1 ,o cursed one4 ,but ,iblis said1 ,give me more1 ,o blessed ,defender4 ,god gave him succulent and sweet and costly wines1 ,and also store of silken garments4 ,but ,iblis said1 ,o ,lord1 ,i want more aids than these1 ,in order to bind men in my twisted rope ,so firmly that ,thy adorers1 who are valiant men1 ,may not1 man-like1 break my bonds asunder4 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 9999 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,when at last ,god showed him the beauty of women1 ,which bereaves men of reason and self-control1 ,then ,iblis clapped his hands and began to dance1 ,saying1 ,give me these2 ,i shall quickly prevail with these6#g ,,lovers ,,and ,,beloved ,,have ,,both ,,perished ,lovers and beloved have both perished2 ,and not themselves only1 but their love as well4 ',tis ,god alone who agitates these nonentities1 ,making one nonentity fall in love with another4 ,in the heart that is no heart envy comes to a head1 ,thus ,being troubles nonentity4#h ,o ,,angels1 ,,bring ,,him ,,back ,,to ,,me ,o angels1 bring him back to me4 ,since the eyes of his heart were set on ,hope1 ,without care for consequence ,i set him free1 ,and draw the pen through the record of his sins6 ,,self-,,aggrandisement ,,and ,,vainglory ,,no ,,part ,,of ,,love ,a lover was once admitted to the presence of his mistress1 but1 instead of embracing her1 he pulled out a paper of sonnets and read them to her1 describing her perfections and charms and his own love towards her at length4 ,his mistress said to him1 ,you are now in my presence1 and these lovers' sighs and invocations are a waste of time4 ,it is not the part of a true lover to waste his time in this way4 ,it shows that ,i am not the real object of your affection1 but that what you really love is your own effusions and ecstatic raptures4 ,i see1 as it were1 the water which ,i have longed for before me1 and yet you withhold it4 ,i am1 as it were1 in ,bulgaria1 and the object of your love is in ,cathay4 ,one who is really loved is the single object of her lover1 the ,alpha and ,omega of his desires4 ,as for you1 you are wrapped up in your own amorous raptures1 depending on the varying states of your own feelings1 instead of being wrapped up in me4 ,i ,,am ,,thine1 ,,and ,,thou ,,art ,,mine6 ,eternal ,life is gained by utter abandonment of one's own life4 ,when ,god appears to ,his ardent lover the lover is absorbed in ,him1 and not so much as a hair of the lover remains4 ,true lovers are as shadows1 and when the sun shines in glory the shadows vanish away4 ,he is a true lover to ,god to whom ,god says1 ,i am thine1 and thou art ,mine6 ,,love ,,needs ,,no ,,mediator ,when one has attained ,union with ,god he has no need of intermediaries4 ,prophets and apostles are needed as links to connect ordinary man with ,god1 but he who hears the inner voice within him has no need to listen to outward words1 even of apostles4 ,although that intercession is himself dwelling in ,god1 yet my state is higher and more lovely than his4 ,though he is ,god's agent1 yet ,i desire not his intercession to save me from evil sent me by ,god1 for evil at ,god's hand seems to me good4 ,what seems mercy and kindness to the vulgar seems wrath and vengeance to ,god-intoxicated saints4 ,,humanity ,,the ,,reflection ,,of ,,the ,,beloved ,parrots are taught to speak without understanding the words4 ,the method is to place a mirror between the parrot and the trainer4 ,the trainer1 hidden by the mirror1 utters the words1 and the parrot1 seeing his own reflection in the mirror1 fancies another parrot is speaking1 and imitates all that is said by the trainer behind the mirror4 ,so ,god uses prophets and saints as mirrors whereby to instruct men1 viz41 the bodies of these saints and prophets2 and men1 when they hear the words proceeding from these mirrors1 are utterly ignorant that they are really being spoken by ,universal ,reason or the ,word of ,god behind the mirror of the saints4 ,,earthly ,,forms ,earthly forms are only shadows of the ,sun of ,truth--a cradle for babes1 but too small to hold those who have grown to spiritual manhood4 ,,the ,,beatific ,,vision ,,of ,,eternal ,,truth ,the end and object of all negation is to attain to subsequent affirmation1 as the negation in the creed1 ,there is no ,god1 finds its complement and purpose in the affirmation but ,god4 ,just so the purpose of negation of self is to clear the way for the apprehension of the fact that there is no existence but the ,one4 ,the intoxication of ,life and its pleasures and occupations veils the ,truth from men's eyes1 and they ought to pass on to the spiritual intoxication which makes men beside themselves and lifts them to the beatific vision of eternal ,truth4 ,,the ,,wine ,,everlasting ,o babbler1 while thy soul is drunk with mere date wine1 ,thy spirit hath not tasted the genuine grapes4 ,for the token of thy having seen that divine ,light ,is this1 to withdraw thyself from the house of pride4 ,,be ,,lost ,,in ,,the ,,beauty ,,of ,,the ,,beloved ,when those ,egyptian women sacrificed their reason1 ,they penetrated the mansion of ,joseph's love2 ,the ,cup-bearer of ,life bore away their reason1 ,they were filled with wisdom of the world without end4 ,joseph's beauty was only an offshoot of ,god's beauty3 ,be lost1 then1 in ,god's beauty more than those women4 ,,what ,,ear ,,has ,,told ,,you ,,falsely ,what ear has told you falsely eye will tell truly4 ,then ear1 too1 will acquire the properties of an eye2 ,your ears1 now worthless as wool1 will become gems2 ,yea1 your whole body will become a mirror1 ,it will be as an eye of a bright gem in your bosom4 ,first the hearing of the ear enables you to form ideas1 ,then these ideas guide you to the ,beloved4 ,strive1 then1 to increase the number of these ideas1 ,that they may guide you1 like ,majnun1 to the ,beloved4 ,,there ,,is ,a ,,place ,,of ,,refuge ,yea1 ,o sleeping heart1 know the kingdom that endures not ,for ever and ever is only a mere dream4 ,i marvel how long you will indulge in vain illusion1 ,which has seized you by the throat like a heads man4 ,know that even in this world there is a place of refuge2 ,hearken not to the unbeliever who denies it4 ,his argument is this3 he says again and again1 ,if there were aught beyond this life we should see it4 ,but if the child see not the state of reason1 ,does the man of reason therefore forsake reason8 ,and if the man of reason sees not the state of ,love1 ,is the blessed moon of ,love thereby eclipsed8 ,,the ,,lover',s ,,cry ,,to ,,the ,,beloved ,my back is broken by the conflict of my thoughts2 ,o ,beloved ,one1 come and stroke my head in mercy6 ,the palm of ,thy hand on my head gives me rest1 ,thy hand is a sign of ,thy bounteous providence4 ,remove not ,thy shadow from my head1 ,i am afflicted1 afflicted1 afflicted6 ,sleep has deserted my eyes ,through my longing for ,thee1 ,o ,envy of cypresses6 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 9999 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,o take my life1 ,thou art the ,source of ,life6 ,for apart from ,thee ,i am wearied of my life4 ,i am a lover well versed in lovers' madness1 ,i am weary of learning and sense4 ,,sorrow ,,turned ,,to ,,joy ,he who extracts the rose from the thorn ,can also turn this winter into spring4 ,he who exalts the heads of the cypresses ,is able also out of sadness to bring joy4 ,,the ,,gifts ,,of ,,the ,,beloved ,where will you find one more liberal than ,god8 ,he buys the worthless rubbish which is your wealth1 ,he pays you the ,light that illumines your heart4 ,he accepts these frozen and lifeless bodies of yours1 ,and gives you a ,kingdom beyond what you dream of1 ,he takes a few drops of your tears1 ,and gives you the ,divine ,fount sweeter than sugar4 ,he takes your sighs fraught with grief and sadness1 ,and for each sigh gives rank in heaven as interest4 ,in return for the sigh-wind that raised tear-clouds1 ,god gave ,abraham the title of ,father of the ,faithful4 ,,thou ,,art ,,hidden ,,from ,,us ,thou art hidden from us1 though the heavens are filled ,with ,thy ,light1 which is brighter than sun and moon6 ,thou art hidden1 yet revealest our hidden secrets ,thou art the ,source that causes our rivers to flow4 ,thou art hidden in ,thy essence1 but seen by ,thy bounties4 ,thou art like the water1 and we like the mill-stone4 ,thou art like the wind1 and we like the dust2 ,the wind is unseen1 but the dust is seen by all4 ,thou art the ,spring1 and we the sweet green garden2 ,spring is not seen1 though its gifts are seen4 ,thou art as the ,soul1 we as hand and foot2 ,soul instructs hand and foot to hold and take4 ,thou art as ,reason1 we like the tongue2 ',tis reason that teaches the tongue to speak4 ,thou art as ,joy1 and we are laughing2 ,the laughter is the consequence of the joy4 ,our every motion every moment testifies1 ,for it proves the presence of the ,everlasting ,god4 ,,exert ,,yourselves ',trust in ,god1 yet tie the camel's leg4' ,hear the adage1 ',the worker is the friend of ,god2' ,through trust in ,providence neglect not to use means4 ,go1 ,o ,fatalists1 practise trust with self-exertion1 ,exert yourself to attain your objects1 bit by bit4 ,in order to succeed1 strive and exert yourselves2 ,if you strive not for your objects1 ye are fools4 ,,the ,,wisdom ,,of ,,the ,,weak ,o friends1 ,god has given me inspiration4 ,oftentimes strong counsel is suggested to the weak4 ,the wit taught by ,god to the bee ,is withheld from the lion and the wild ass4 ,it fills its cells with liquid sweets1 ,for ,god opens the door of this knowledge to it4 ,the skill taught by ,god to the silkworm ,is a learning beyond the reach of the elephant4 ,the earthly ,adam was taught of ,god names1 ,so that his glory reached the seventh heaven4 ,he laid low the name and fame of the angels1 ,yet blind indeed are they whom ,god dooms to doubt6 ,,white ,,nights ,every night ,thou freest our spirits from the body ,and its snare1 making them pure as rased tablets4 ,every night spirits are released from this cage1 ,and set free1 neither lording it nor lorded over4 ,at night prisoners are unaware of their prison1 ,at night kings are unaware of their majesty4 ,,the ,,kingly ,,soul ,the kingly soul lays waste the body1 ,and after its destruction he builds it anew4 ,happy the soul who for love of ,god ,has lavished family1 wealth1 and goods6-- ,has destroyed its house to find the ,hidden ,treasure1 ,and with that ,treasure has rebuilt it in fairer sort2 ,has dammed up the stream and cleansed the channel1 ,and then turned a fresh stream into the channel4 ,,saint ,,and ,,hypocrite ,watch the face of each one1 regard it well1 ,it may be by serving thou wilt recognise ,truth's face4 ,as there are many demons with men's faces1 ,it is wrong to join hand with every one4 ,when the fowler sounds his decoy whistle1 ,that the birds may be beguiled by that snare1 ,the birds hear that call simulating a bird's call1 ,and1 descending from the air1 find net and knife4 ,so vile hypocrites steal the language of ,dervishes1 ,in order to beguile the simple with their trickery4 ,the works of the righteous are light and heat1 ,the works of the evil treachery and shamelessness4 ,they make stuffed lions to scare the simple1 ,they give the title of ,muhammad to false ,musailima4 ,but ,musailima retained the name of ,liar1 ,and ,muhammad that of ,sublimest of beings4 ,that wine of ,god 7the righteous7 yields a perfume of musk2 ,other wine 7the evil7 is reserved for penalties and pains4 ,,harshness ,,and ,,adoration ,let me then1 ,i say1 make complaint ,of the severity of that ,fickle ,fair ,one4 ,i cry1 and my cries sound sweet in ,his ear2 ,he requires from the two worlds cries and groans4 ,how shall ,i not wail under ,his chastening hand8 ,how shall ,i not be in the number of those bewitched by ,him8 ,how shall ,i be other than night without ,his day8 ,without the vision of ,his face that illumes the day8 ,his bitters are very sweets to my soul1 ,i am enamoured of my own grief and pain1 ,for it makes me well-pleasing to my peerless ,king ,i use the dust of my grief as salve for my eyes1 ,that my eyes1 like seas1 may team with pearls4 ,,the ,,divine ,,absorption ,do me justice1 ,o ,thou who art the glory of the just1 ,who art the throne1 and ,i the lintel of ,thy door6 ,but1 in sober truth1 where are throne and door-way8 ,where are ,we and ,i8 ,there where our ,beloved is6 ,o ,thou1 who art exempt from ,us and ,me1 ,who pervadest the spirits of all men and women2 ,when man and woman become one1 ,thou art that ,one6 ,when their union is dissolved1 lo6 ,thou abidest6 ,thou hast made these ,us and ,me for this purpose1 ,to wit1 to play chess with them by ,thyself4 ,when ,thou shalt become one entity with ,us and ,you1 ,then wilt ,thou show true affection for these lovers4 ,when these ,we and ,ye shall all become ,one ,soul1 ,then they will be lost and absorbed in the ,beloved4 ,,love ,,more ,,than ,,sorrow ,,and ,,joy ,come then1 ,o ,lord6 ,who art exalted above description and explanation6 ,is it possible for the bodily eye to behold ,thee8 ,can mind of man conceive ,thy frowns and ,thy smiles8 ,are hearts1 when bewitched by ,thy smiles and frowns1 ,in a fit state to see the vision of ,thyself8 ,when our hearts are bewitched by ,thy smiles and frowns1 ,can we gain ,life from these two alternating states8 ,the fertile garden of ,love1 as it is boundless1 ,contains other fruits besides joy and sorrow4 ,the true lover is exalted above these two states1 ,he is fresh and green independently of autumn or spring6 ,pay tithe on ,thy beauty1 ,o ,beauteous ,one6 ,tell forth the tale of the ,beloved1 every whit6 ,,the ,,heart ,,of ,,the ,,harper ,the heart of the harper was emancipated4 ,like a soul he was freed from weeping and rejoicing1 ,his old life died1 and he was regenerated4 ,amazement fell upon him at that moment1 ,for he was exalted above earth and heaven1 ,an uplifting of the heart surpassing all uplifting4 ,i cannot describe it2 if you can1 say on6 ,ecstasy and words beyond all ecstatic words2-- ,immersion in the glory of the ,lord of glory6 ,immersion wherefrom was no extrication1-- ,as it were identification with the ,very ,ocean6 ,,when ,,night ,,returns ,when night returns and 'tis the time of the sky's leve1 ,the stars that were hidden come forth to their work4 ,the people of the world lie unconscious1 ,with veils drawn over their faces1 and asleep2 ,but when the morn shall burst forth and the sun arise ,every creature will raise its head from its couch2 ,to the unconscious ,god will restore consciousness2 ,they will stand in rings as slaves with rings in ears2 ,dancing and clapping hands with songs of praise1 ,singing with joy1 ,our ,lord hath restored us to life6 ,,separation ,nothing is bitterer than severance from ,thee1 ,without ,thy shelter there is naught but perplexity4 ,our worldly goods rob us of our heavenly goods1 ,our body rends the garment of our soul4 ,our hands1 as it were1 prey on our feet2 ,without reliance on ,thee how can we live8 ,,god',s ,,light ',tis ,god's ,light that illumines the senses' light1 ,that is the meaning of ,light upon light4 ,the senses' light draws us earthwards4 ,god's ,light calls us heavenwards4 ,,love ,,casts ,,its ,,own ,,light ,when love of ,god kindles a flame in the inward man1 ,he burns1 and is freed from effects4 ,he has no need of signs to assure him of ,love1 ,for ,love casts its own ,light up to heaven4 ,,the ,,believer',s ,,heart ,the ,prophet said that ,god has declared1 ,i am not contained in aught above or below1 ,i am not contained in earth or sky1 or even ,in highest heaven4 ,know this for a surety1 ,o beloved6 ,yet am ,i contained in the believer's heart6 ,if ye seek ,me1 search in such hearts6 ,,self-,,satisfaction ,no sickness worse than fancying thyself perfect ,can infect thy soul1 ,o arrogant misguided one6 ,shed many tears of blood from eyes and heart1 ,that this self-satisfaction may be driven out4 ,the fate of ,iblis lay in saying1 ,i am better than ,he1 ,and this same weakness lurks in the souls of all creatures4 ,,true ,,knowledge ,the knowledge which is not of ,him is a burden2 ,knowledge which comes not immediately from ,him ,endures no longer than the rouge of the tire-woman4 ,nevertheless1 if you bear this burden in a right spirit ',twill be removed1 and you will obtain joy4 ,see you bear not that burden out of vainglory1 ,then you will behold a store of ,true ,knowledge within4 ,when you mount the steed of this ,true ,knowledge1 ,straightway the burden will fall from your back4 ,,the ,,flame ,,of ,,love ,how long wilt thou dwell on words and superficialities8 ,a burning heart is what ,i want2 consort with burning6 ,kindle in thy heart the flame of ,love1 ,and burn up utterly thoughts and fine expressions4 ,o ,moses6 the lovers of fair rites are one class1 ,they whose hearts and souls burn with ,love another4 ,a ,,mother ,,whose ,,children ,,were ,,in ,,the ,,beloved',s ,,keeping ,a woman bore many children in succession1 but none of them lived beyond the age of three or four months4 ,in great distress she cried to ,god1 and then beheld in a vision the beautiful gardens of ,paradise1 and many fair mansions therein1 and upon one of these mansions she read her own name inscribed4 ,and a voice from heaven informed her that ,god would accept the sorrows she had endured in lieu of her blood shed in holy war1 as1 owing to her sex1 she was unable to go out to battle like the men4 ,on looking again1 the woman beheld in ,paradise all the children she had lost1 and she cried1 ,o ,lord6 they were lost to me1 but safe with ,thee6 ,,the ,,optimistic ,,rose ,in this tale there is a warning for thee1 ,o ,soul1 ,that thou mayest acquiesce in ,god's ordinances1 ,and be wary and not doubt ,god's benevolence1 ,when sudden misfortune befalls thee4 ,let others grow pale from fear of ill fortune1 ,do thou smile like the rose at loss and gain2 ,for the rose1 though its petals be torn asunder1 ,still smiles on1 and it is never cast down4 ,,the ,,true ,,mosque ,fools laud and magnify the mosque1 ,while they strive to oppress holy men of heart4 ,but the former is mere form1 the latter spirit and truth4 ,the only true mosque is that in the hearts of saints4 ,the mosque that is built in the hearts of the saints ,is the place of worship of all1 for ,god dwells there4 ,so long as the hearts of the saints are not afflicted4 ,god never destroys the nation4 ,,ignorance ,blood is impure1 yet its stain is removed by water2 ,but that impurity of ignorance is more lasting1 ,seeing that without the blessed water of ,god ,it is not banished from the man who is subject to it4 ,o that thou wouldst turn thy face to thy own prayers1 ,and say1 ,ah6 my prayers are as defective as my being2 ,o requite me good for evil6 ,a ,,prayer ,pray in this wise and allay your difficulties3 ',give us good in the house of our present world1 ,and give us good in the house of our next world4 ,make our path pleasant as a garden1 ,and be ,thou1 ,o ,holy ,one1 our goal6' ,,all ,,religions ,,are ,,one ,in the adorations and benedictions of righteous men ,the praises of all the prophets are kneaded together4 ,all their praises are mingled into one stream1 ,all the vessels are emptied into one ewer4 ,because ,he that is praised is1 in fact1 only ,one4 ,in this respect all religions are only one religion4 ,because all praises are directed towards ,god's ,light1 ,these various forms and figures are borrowed from it4 ,footnote #a3 ,the night of his marriage with ,safiyya4 ,footnote #b3 ,see ,rubiyt of ,omar ,khayym1 translated by ,edward ,fitz,gerald1 second edition1 quatrain lxx4 ,footnote #c3 ,form here is used rather as soul1 the love behind the decaying body4 ,footnote #d3 ,joseph1 a name frequently used by ,persian poets1 irrespective of gender1 to symbolise the ideal type of human beauty4 ,footnote #e3 ,earthly love4 ,footnote #f3 ,koran4 ,footnote #g3 ,the meaning of this poem is strictly allegorical4 ,we must not infer that the ,all-,good would be a party to the evil designs of the ,devil4 ,no material gifts1 however seductive1 could succeed in stamping out the ,divine ,presence in ,his ,creatures4 ,footnote #h3 ,at first sight there seems to be ,omarian pessimism in this poem4 ,in reality it signifies that all ,love is ,one1 which shines through the ever-vanishing lanterns of the world4 ,,appendix3 ,a ,,note ,,on ,,persian ,,poetry ,n,,zam',s ,,discourse ,,on ,,poetry ,in ,nzam's ,the ,chahr ,magla 7,four ,discourses71 translated by ,professor ,edward ,g4 ,browne1 we find the ,second ,discourse devoted to ,the ,nature of ,poetry1 and the ,utility of the ,skilful ,poet4 ,in this interesting ,discourse ,nzam very amiably discusses the training required to become a poet of enduring fame1 and intersperses these remarks with a number of anecdotes1 which in the main are examples of the advantages derived from poetic improvisations given at opportune moments before kings when wine has gone round two or three times4 ,nzam sums up the nature of poetry in the following words3 ,poetry is that art whereby the poet arranges imaginary propositions and adapts the deductions1 with the result that he can make a little thing appear great and a great thing small1 or cause good to appear in the garb of evil and evil in the garb of good4 ,nzam denounces the habit of giving money to old poets4 ,he remarks3 ,for one so ignoble as not to have discovered in fifty years that what he writes is bad1 when will he discover it8 ,on the other hand ,nzam favours the young poet with hopeful talent1 and generously remarks that it is proper to patronise him1 a duty to take care of him1 and an obligation to maintain him4 ,the minor poets of to-day have not these glowing advantages6 ,the most ingenious example of a poetic improvisation in this ,discourse is1 perhaps1 one given by ,rdag in connection with the protracted stay of ,amr ,nasr b4 ,ahmad in ,hert4 ,four years the ,amr camped with his army in this town1 with its twenty different varieties of grape and beautiful narcissus4 ,he preferred ,hert to the ,garden of ,eden4 ,but at length the ,amr's captains and courtiers grew weary of being absent so long from ,bukhr1 where they longed to see their wives and children again4 ,they offered ,rdag1 the poet1 five thousand dinars if he could persuade the ,amr to quit ,hert and return to ,bukhr4 ,rdag1 at an opportune moment1 took up his harp and sang the following song to the ,amr3 ,the sands of ,oxus1 toilsome though they be1 ,beneath my feet were soft as silk to me4 ,glad at the friend's return1 the ,oxus deep ,up to our girths in laughing waves shall leap4 ,long live ,bukhr6 ,be thou of good cheer6 ,joyous towards thee hasteth our ,amr6 ,the ,moon's the ,prince1 ,bukhr1 is the sky2 ,o sky1 the ,moon shall light thee by and bye6 ,bukhr1 is the mead1 the ,cypress he2 ,receive at last1 ,o ,mead1 thy ,cypress-tree6 ,this particular ,amr seems to have been fond of flattery1 and he found the daintily turned song of ,rdag more acceptable to his vanity than even the beauty of ,hert4 ,he accordingly took his departure immediately the song had concluded1 and1 in his absent-mindedness1 forgot to put on his boots1 which were carried by an attendant who rode in hot pursuit4 ,poetry in those days was evidently a remunerative pursuit4 ,nzam tells us that ,khidr ,khn always had in readiness four trays of gold4 ,these he used to dispense by the handful to the successful poets4 ,though the royal favour towards the poets was extremely bountiful1 ,persian poets were not always particularly courteous the one to the other4 ,nzam tells an amusing story of a minor poet named ,rashd4 ,at the king's command the ,poet-,laureate was asked to express his opinion of ,rashd's poetry4 ,the ,poet-,laureate accordingly remarked3 ,his verse is extremely good and chaste and correct1 but it wants spice4 ,the king afterwards repeated these words to ,rashd and bade him compose a fitting rejoinder4 ,rashd composed the following verse3 ,you stigmatise my verse as wanting spice1 ,and possibly1 my friend1 you may be right4 ,my verse is honey-flavoured1 sugar-sweet1 ,and spice with such could scarcely cause delight4 ,spice is for you1 you blackguard1 not for me1 ,for beans and turnips is the stuff you write6 ,this was not kind2 but ,rashd received all four baskets of gold that day6 ,the technical study of prosody was instituted by ,khalil ibn i ,ahmad i ,bicr4 ,he is said to have discovered this science by listening to the rythmic beats of the fuller's mallets upon his clothes4 ,this story is mentioned in ,saifi's ,treatise on ,prosody4#a ,much of ,persian poetry is conventional1 and the demarcation in style1 due to the various phases of ,persian history1 is not as pronounced as might be expected4 ,the ,persian poets not only conservatively followed old metres1 but old similes1 old subjects as well4 ,it was with words they were most concerned1 and not with ideas4 ,the ,lover's ,companion of ,sharafu'd-,dn ,rm is sufficient to prove this4 ,the book contains a very large number of similes on the various parts of the body4 ,this was intended to be a vade mecum to the writer of erotic poetry4 ,professor ,brown defends this conservatism and remarks that it has guarded the ,persian language from the vulgarisation which the triumph of an untrained1 untrammelled1 and unconventional genius of the barbaric-degenerate type tends to produce in our own and other ,european tongues4 ,footnote #a3 ,see ,the ,prosody of the ,persians4 ,by ,h4 ,blockmann1 ,calcutta1 #ahgb4