  An invocation. O Thou that art as the soul in the body of the universe, Thou art our soul and thou art ever fleeing from us. Thou breathest music into Life’s lute; Life envies Death when death is for thy sake. 1620 Once more bring comfort to our sad hearts, Once more dwell in our breasts! Once more let us hear thy call to honour, Strengthen our weak love. We are oft complaining of destiny, 1625 Thou art of great price and we have naught. Hide not thy fair face from the empty-handed! Sell cheap the love of SalmÁn and BilÁl! Give us the sleepless eye and the passionate heart, Give us again the nature of quicksilver! 1630 Show unto us one of thy manifest signs, That the necks of our enemies may be bowed! Make this chaff a mountain crested with fire, Burn with our fire all that is not God! When the people let the clue of Unity go from their hands, 1635 They fell into a hundred mazes. We are dispersed like stars in the world; Though of the same family, we are strange to one another. Bind again these scattered leaves, Revive the law of love! 1640 Take us back to serve thee as of old, Commit thy cause to them that love thee! We are travellers: give us devotion as our goal! Give us the strong faith of Abraham! Make us know the meaning of “There is no god,” 1645 Make us acquainted with the mystery of “except Allah”! I who burn like a candle for the sake of others Teach myself to weep like the candle. O God! a tear that is heart-enkindling, Passionful, wrung forth by pain, peace-consuming, 1650 May I sow in the garden, and may it grow into a fire That washes away the fire-brand from the tulip’s robe! My heart is with yestereve, my eye is on to-morrow: Amidst the company I am alone. “Every one fancies he is my friend, 1655 But my secret thoughts have not escaped from my heart.” Oh, where in the wide world is my comrade? I am the Bush of Sinai: where is my Moses? I am tyrannous, I have done many a wrong to myself, I have nourished a flame in my bosom, 1660 A flame that seized the furniture of judgement, And cast fire on the skirt of discretion, And lessoned with madness the reason, And burned up the existence of knowledge: Its blaze enthrones the sun in the sky, 1665 And lightnings encircle it with adoration for ever. Mine eye fell to weeping, like dew, Since I was entrusted with that hidden fire. I taught the candle to burn openly, While I myself burned unseen by the world’s eye. 1670 At last flames breathed from every hair of me, Fire dropped from the veins of my thought: My nightingale picked up the spark-grains And created a fire-tempered song. Is the breast of this age without a heart? 1675 MajnÚn trembles lest LailÁ’s howdah be empty. It is not easy for the candle to throb alone: Ah, is there no moth worthy of me? How long shall I wait for one to share my grief? How long must I search for a confidant? 1680 O Thou whose face lends light to the moon and the stars, Withdraw thy fire from my soul! Take back what Thou hast put in my breast, Remove the stabbing radiance from my mirror, Or give me one old comrade 1685 To be the mirror of mine all-burning love! In the sea wave tosses side by side with wave: Each hath a partner in its emotion. In heaven star consorts with star, And the bright moon lays her head on the knees of Night. 1690 Morning touches Night’s dark side, And To-day throws itself against To-morrow. One river loses its being in another, A waft of air dies in perfume. There is dancing in every nook of the wine-house, 1695 Madman dances with madman. Howbeit in thine essence Thou art single, Thou hast decked out for Thyself a whole world. I am as the tulip of the field, In the midst of a company I am alone. 1700 I beg of Thy grace a sympathising friend, An adept in the mysteries of my nature, A friend endowed with madness and wisdom, One that knoweth not the phantom of vain things, That I may confide my lament to his soul 1705 And see again my face in his heart. His image I will mould of mine own clay, I will be to him both idol and worshipper. FOOTNOTES:THE END Printed by R. & R. Clark, Limited, Edinburgh. |
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