VIII. The Harper.
Project Gutenberg EPUB edition
Jalal al-Din Rumi, Maulana and Redhouse, James W. (James William), Sir
The Soul, our God, ’s perfection. Perfect is His “call.”261
His Ahmed used to say: “Ensoul us, O Bilāl!262
Lift up thy voice, O Bilāl,—thy harmonious voice.
Put forth the breath that I infused at thy heart’s choice.
The breath that ’twas made Adam lose all consciousness;
While all the hosts of heaven, too, felt their helplessness.”
That Ahmed, Mustafà, at one blest sight stood lost.263
His wedding-night it was. Dawn-worship it him cost.264
He woke not from the sleep his blessed vision shed.
Dawn-worship he o’erslept; the sun shone overhead.85
On that, his wedding-night, in presence of his bride,
His sainted soul kissed hands, high honour’s fullest tide.
Both love and soul are occult, hidden and concealed.
If God I have “bride” named, let it stand fault repealed.
I silence would have kept, from fear of love’s caprice,
If for a moment only, I’d been granted grace.
But He still said: “Say on. The word is not a fault.
It’s naught but the decree there should appear default.
It’s shame to him who only sees another’s faults.
What fault is noticed by the Soul safe from assaults?”90
A fault it is to eyes of creatures ignorant.
But not with God the Lord, our Maker benignant.
E’en blasphemy is wisdom with th’ Omnipotent;265
Attributed to mortals, mortal sin patent.
If one sole fault be found amidst a hundred truths,
’Tis like a stick that’s used to prop sweet flowers’ growths.
Both will be surely weighed in justice’ equal scales;
For, like the soul and body, both are pleasant tales.
The saints have therefore said, for sweet instruction’s sake:
“The bodies of the pure with souls just balance make.”95
Their words, their selves, their figures, whate’er these may be,
Are all Soul Absolute, without a trace to see.
Sworn enemy is Body to their spiritual life,
Just as one game of backgammon, with names full rife.266
The body goes to earth; is soon reduced to clay;
The soul endures like salt, and suffers no decay.
The salt, than which Muhammed far more sapid is;
From “Attic salt” that’s found in each dictum of his.
That Attic salt’s an heirloom, heritage from him;
His heirs are here with thee. Seek unto them passim.100