THE LETTER TA With wine
(of
divine love)
world bent on that
make
CU
1
(prosperous) the fabric of the heart.
For
49
this
evil
Is
5.
From
it
may make
a brick of our dust
(in
the grave).
enemy (this world), seek not-fidelity. For, a feeble ray it giveth not, thou kindlest the candle of the cloister (of the Muslim) from the lamp of the church (of the Kafir). the
When
is not wise, who passeth by present glories, and falleth into the promise of to-morrow. necessary to move; and, falling and rising (struggling), to reach the Friend (God). "When veil-less, Thy beauty is manifest to-day, " " In astonishment, I am. For what is the promise of to-morrow ?
Then he It is
4.
5-
For God Most High liveth;
all else
j^^-io (enemy) signifies The world and its people.
perisheth.
:
(monastery) signifies
&xj<>yo
The
Flee from the friendship of these ; for this
is
very good for thee.
:
worship-place of Islam.
But, verily
it is
the worship-place of Zahids, of Abids, and of
-
Christians.
Here, since the meaning
o^ii/
opposed to kunisht (church); and poetry hath usually given the usage of the worship-place of Islam.
it is
is
(church) signifies
it
:
the worship-place of Kuffar (infidels) possessed of torment. Seek not fidelity from the world and its people ; turn not towards the world fortune ; scratch not thy heart from love for it.
;
be not proud
of its
For, in the state of divine knowledge, to incline to it ; and, having abandoned the Friend, to be with it, is to kindle the candle of the worship-place of Islam with the lamp of the worshipplace of Infidels; and therefore to gather grief.
To
the luminous mind of the companions of intelligence and to the Lords of the Path it is not concealed that this couplet resembleth many speeches that came from Muhammad, the Chief
of the World, and of the Sons of Adam "Abstain ye from the pleasures of the hot-bath, the dust-heap, and the green of its vegetation (Khazra, u-d-daman)." u-d-daman I give ten explanations of the phrase j^oJ! l^ik Khazra, (a) a beautiful woman who may have come into existence from unworthy origin and bad :
:
stock like the vegetation of the dust-heap. is in appearance good ; and in form pleasing, she and bringeth forth unfit children. "From the bad stock, how is produced the pleasant nature? " The snake's form, behold ; its know."
Though she
inclineth to her
own bad
stock
nature,
(b)
The it
"
Although the world and its decoration presenteth beauty, yet being centreless standeth not through slackness of root-stem.
world.
The
world's produce,
" Since
(c)
-
old to
new
;
a passer-away is not worth a barleycorn." Hypocrisy arising from the wickedness of lust, and the shamelessness of imposture. Though, apparently, like the vegetation of the dust-heap, it displayeth decoration,
"
verily
it is
it
produceth the poison of the slaughterer.
Regard not the enemy sweet and "In the pleasant sweetmeat, verily
soft is
"
:
poison."