STORY XVIb

That conqueror of hearts cut off a thousand heads, That the heads of his people might rest in peace." God's rebuke to Adam for scorning Iblis. To whomsoever God's order comes, He must smite with his sword even his own child. Fear then, and revile not the wicked, For the wicked are impotent under God's commands. In presence of God's commands bow down the neck of pride. Scoff not nor chide even them that go astray! One day Adam cast a look of contempt and scorn Upon Iblis, thinking what a wretch he was. He felt self-important and proud of himself, And he smiled at the actions of cursed Iblis. God Almighty cried out to him, "O pure one, Thou art wholly ignorant of hidden mysteries. If I were to blab the faults of the unfortunate, I should root up the mountains from their bases, And lay bare the secrets of a hundred Adams, And convert a hundred fresh Iblises into Mosalmans." Adam answered, "I repent me of my scornful looks; Such arrogant thoughts shall not be mine again. O Lord, pardon this rashness in Thy slave; I repent; chastise me not for these words!" O Aider of aid-seekers, guide us, For there is no security in knowledge or wealth; "Lead not our hearts astray after Thou hast guided us," 4 And avert the evil that the "Pen" has written. Turn aside from our souls the evil written in our fates, Repel us not from the tables of purity! O God, Thy grace is the proper object of our desire; To couple others with Thee is not proper. Nothing is bitterer than severance from Thee, Without Thy shelter there is naught but perplexity. Our worldly goods rob us of our heavenly goods, Our body rends the garment of our soul. Our hands, as it were, prey on our feet; Without reliance on Thee how can we live? And if the soul escapes these great perils, It is made captive as a victim of misfortunes and fears, Inasmuch as when the soul lacks union with the Beloved, It abides forever blind and darkened by itself. If Thou showest not the way, our life is lost; A life living without Thee esteem as dead! If Thou findest fault with Thy slaves, Verily it is right in Thee, O Blessed One! If Thou shouldst call sun and moon obscure, If Thou shouldst call the straight cypress crooked, If Thou shouldst declare the highest heaven base, Or rich mines and oceans paupers, All this is the truth in relation to Thy perfection! Thine is the dominion and the glory and the wealth! For Thou art exempt from defect and not-being, Thou givest existence to things non-existent, and again Thou makest them non-existent. *NOTES: 1. i,e., why is the rule "an eye for an eye" enjoined in the Koran, ii. 173? 2. Koran ii, 100. 3. Alluding to the "water of life" in the land of darkness discovered by Khizr. 4. Koran iii. 6. Epilogue to Book I. Alas! the forbidden fruits were eaten, And thereby the warm life of reason was congealed. A grain of wheat eclipsed the sun Of Adam, l Like as the Dragon's tail 2 dulls the brightness of the moon. Behold how delicate is the heart, that a morsel of dust Clouded its moon with foul obscurity! When bread is "substance," to eat it nourishes us; When 'tis empty "form," it profits nothing.