235 - Imprudence is assuredly (attended by) repentance. Hear the following story in explanation of this.

How the countryman deceived the townsman and invited him with humble entreaties and great importunity.

236 - In the past, O brother, there was a townsman (who was) intimate with a countryman.

237 - Whenever the countryman came to town, he would pitch his tent in the street of the townsman.

238 - He would be his guest for two or three months, he would be in his shop and at his table,

239 - And the townsman would provide, free of cost, everything that he wanted during that time.

240 - (Once) he turned to the townsman and said, “Sire, are you never coming to the country for a holiday?

241 - Bring all your children, (I beg you) in God's name, for this is the time of the rose-garden and the springtide;

242 - Or come in summer, in the fruit-season, that I may brace my belt to do you service.

243 - Bring your retinue and your children and kinsfolk, and stay in our village three or four months,

244 - For in spring the countryside is pleasant; there are sown fields and lovely anemones.”

245. The townsman was (always) putting him off with promises, until eight years had elapsed since the (first) promise (was given).

How the smitten would assemble every morning at the door of the (monastic) cell of Jesus, on whom be peace, craving to be healed through his prayer.

298 - The table of the spiritual is (like) the cell of Jesus: O afflicted one, beware, beware! Do not forsake this door!

299 - From all sides the people would gather—blind and lame and palsied and clothed in rags.

300 - At the door of the cell of Jesus in the morning, that he by his breath might deliver them from tribulation.

301 - As soon as he finished his litanies, that man of goodly religion (Jesus) would go forth at morning tide,

302 - And would see troops of afflicted feeble folk seated at the door in hope and expectancy.

303 - (Then) he would say, “O ye that are smitten, the wants of all you here present have been granted by God.

306 - At his prayer would begin to run on their feet, hastening gladly and joyously to their homes.

346 - He is with you in space and in the spaceless (world) when you leave house and shop behind.

347 - He brings forth purity from defilements, He takes your acts of wrong as faithful performance (of duty).

348 - When you commit wrong, He sends chastisement, to the end that you may go back from imperfection towards perfection.

350 - That is the corrective act (of God), meaning, “Do not make any change in the ancient covenant

Story of the people of Sabá and how prosperity made them forward.

282 - You have not read the story of the people of Sabá, or you have read it and seen (heard) naught but the echo.

285 - God bestowed on the people of Sabá much ease—myriads of castles and palaces and orchards.

364 - Saba were folk given over to dalliance and foolish; ‘twas their practice to show ingratitude to the generous.

365 - By was of illustration, it would be ingratitude to dispute with your benefactor,

366 - Saying, “O do not want this kindness, I am annoyed by it: why art thou troubling (about it)?

367 - Do (me) a favour, take away this kindness; I do not desire an eye: blind me at once!”

397 - They tore the coats of the Josephs (the prophets and saints), and that which they gave they got, piece by piece.

398 - Who is that Joseph? Thy God-seeking heart, bound as a captive in thy abode.

399 - Thou hast bound a Gabriel on a pillar, thou hast wounded his wings and plumes in a hundred places.

400 - Thou settest before him a roasted calf, thou fetchest (ground) straw and bringest him to the straw-barn,

401 - Saying, “Eat; this is a dainty meal for us,” (although) for him there is no food but meeting God face to face.

402 - On account of this torment and tribulation that afflicted (heart) is complaining of thee to God, Crying,

403 - “O God, deliver (me) from this old wolf!”

410 - God saith, “Yea, O pure (heart); but hearken (unto Me) and have patience, for patience is better.

411 - The dawn is near. Hush, do not wail! I am striving for thee, do not thou strive.”

The rest of the Story of the Khwaja’s going to the village on the invitation of the countryman.

412 - It (this digression) has passed beyond bounds: return, O valiant friend. The countryman, mark you, took the Khwaja to his house.

413 - Put aside the story of the people of Saba: tell how the Khwaja came to the village.

416 - On the same side his children in approval (of the country-man’s invitation) were joyously striking up “Let us frolic and play,”

418 - “Let us frolic and play” carried off from his father’s shadow (protection). That is not (joyful) play; nay, ‘tis play with one’s life, ‘tis cunning and deceit and contrivance of fraud.

421 - Hear how many a rebuke, hot and cold (kindly and severe), God addressed to the Companions of the Prophet,

422 - Because, in a year of distress (famine), at the sound of the drum they (quitted) without tarrying (and) made void the Friday congregation,

423 - “Lest” (so they said) “others should buy cheap and get the advantage over us in respect of those imported goods.”

424 - The Prophet was left alone in prayer with two or three poor men firm (in their faith) and full of supplication.

425 - He (God) said, “How did the drum and the pastime and a trading affair sunder you from a man of God?

426 - Ye have dispersed (and run) madly towards the wheat, and left a Prophet standing (in prayer).

427 - On account of the wheat ye sowed the seed of vanity and forsook that Messenger of God.

431 - For the sake of wheat thou hast become parted from Him who hath sent the wheat from Heaven. How the falcon invited the ducks to come from the water to the plain.

432 - Says the falcon to the duck, “Arise from the water, that thou mayst see the plains diffusing sweetness,”

433 - (But) the wise duck says to him, “Away, O falcon! The water is our stronghold and safety and joy.”

434 - The Devil is like the falcon. O ducks, make haste (to guard yourselves)! Beware, do not come out of your stronghold, the water.

435 - Say to the falcon, “Begone, begone! Turn back and keep the hand off our heads, O kind friend!

436 - We are quit of thy invitation: (keep) the invitation for thyself: we will not listen to these words of thine, O infidel!

437 - The stronghold (the water) is (enough) for us: let the sugar and sugar-fields be thine! I do not desire thy gift: take it for thyself!

The Khwaja’s departure to the country.

497 - The Khwaja got to work and made preparations (for the journey): the bird, his resolve (to set out), sped rapidly towards the country.

498 - His kinsfolk and children made ready for the journey and threw the baggage upon the ox of departure,

499 - Rejoicing and hastening towards the country, saying, “We have eaten some fruit (in anticipation) : give (us) the glad news of ( arrival in) the country!

511 - When children hear the name of “play,” they all run (after it) with the speed of a wild ass.

517 - Do not go to the country: the country makes a fool of a man, it makes the intellect void of light and splendour.

518 - O chosen one, hear the Prophet’s saying: “To dwell in the country is the grave of the intellect.”

519 - If any one stay in the country a single day and evening, his intellect will not be fully restored for a month.

520 - For a (whole) month foolishness will abide with him: what but these things should he reap from the parched herbage of the country?

521 - And he that stays a month in the country, ignorance and blindness will be his (lot) for a long time.

522 - What is “the country”? The Shaykh that has not been united (with god), but has become addicted to conventionality and argument.

526 - Take its outward (form)! Though the outward (form) fly crookedly (not straight), the outward (form) at last will lead (you) to the inward (meaning).

527 - In sooth, the first (stage) of every human being is the form; after that (comes) the spirit, which is beauty of disposition.

578 - If ye pass beyond form, O friends, ’tis Paradise and rose-gardens within rose gardens.

579 - When thou hast broken and destroyed thine own form, thou hast learned to break the form of everything.

580 - After that, thou wilt break every form: like Haydar (‘Alí), thou wilt uproot the gate of Khaybar.

581 - That simple Khwája was duped by form, for he was going to the country on (the strength of) infirm words (vain promises).

How the Khwája and his kinsfolk arrived at the village, and how the countryman pretended not to see or recognise them:

598 - When, after a month, they arrived in that quarter, themselves without provisions and their beasts without fodder,

599 - See how the countryman, from evil intent, still inflicts (on them) calamities small and great,

605 - When they (the townsman's party) had made enquiry and found his (the countryman's) house, they hurried like kinsfolk to the door.

606 - (Thereupon) the people in his house bolted the door. At this perverseness, the Khwája became mad-like,

607 - But indeed it was no time for asperity: when you have fallen into the pit, what is the use of being enraged?

608 - Five days they remained at his door: (they passed) the night in the cold, the day itself in the blaze of the sun.

609 - Their remaining (there) was not from heedlessness or asininity; nay, it was from necessity and want of an ass.

612 - He (the townsman) would see him (the countryman) and salute him, saying, “I am so-and-so, this is my name.”

614 - He would explain to him (the countryman), saying, “I am he from whose table thou didst eat viands manifold.

617 - He (the countryman) would say to him, “Why dost thou talk nonsense? I know neither thee nor thy name nor thy dwelling-place.”

618 - On the fifth night there began such a (storm of) cloud and rain that the sky might (well) be astonished at its raining.

619 - When the knife reached the bone, the Khwája knocked at the door, crying, “Call the master!”

620 - When (at last), in response to a hundred urgent entreaties, he came to the door, he said, “Why, what is it, my dear sir?”

621 - He replied, “I abandon those claims (to thy gratitude), I renounce that (recompense) which I was fancying.

627 - On this night of rain give us a nook (to shelter in), so that at the Resurrection thou mayst obtain a viaticum (reward for the good work).”

628 - “There is a nook,” he replied, “belonging to the keeper of the vineyard: he keeps watch there against the wolf,

629 - (With) bow and arrow in his hand on account of the wolf, so that he may shoot if the fierce wolf should come.

630 - If thou wilt do that service, the place is thine; and if not, have the kindness to seek another place.”

631 - He said, “I will do a hundred services, (only) give thou the place, and put that bow and arrow in my hand.

632 - I will not sleep, I will guard the vines; if the wolf raise his head, I will shoot the arrow at him.

633 - For God's sake do not leave me to-night, O double-hearted (hypocrite), (with) the rain-water overhead and the mud underneath!”

634 - A nook was cleared, and he with his family went thither: (’twas) a narrow place and without room to turn.

636 - During the night, the whole night, they all (were) crying, “O God, this serves us right, serves us right, serves us right.”

645 - (With) the bow and arrow in his hand, he (was) seeking the wolf all night to and fro.

646 - The wolf, in sooth, was given power over him, like sparks of fire: (he was) seeking the wolf (outside), and (was) unaware of the wolf (within himself).

648 - There was no opportunity even of driving away those gnats, because of (their) dread of an attack by the contumacious wolf,

649 - Lest the wolf should inflict some damage, (and then) the countryman would tear out the Khwája's beard.

650. In this wise (they were) gnashing their teeth till midnight: their souls were coming (up) from the navel to the lip.

651 - Suddenly the figure of a deserted (solitary) wolf raised its head (appeared) from the top of a hillock.

652 - The Khwája loosed the arrow from the thumbstall and shot at the animal, so that it fell to the ground.

653 - In falling, wind escaped from the animal: the countryman uttered a wail and beat his hands, (Crying),

654 - “O ungenerous (wretch), it is my ass-colt!” “Nay,” said he, “this is the devilish wolf.

655 - The features of wolfishness are apparent in it; its form makes (one) acquainted with its wolfishness.”

656 - “Nay,” he said, “I know the wind that escaped from its arse as well as (I know) water from wine.

657 - Thou hast killed my ass-colt in the meadows—mayst thou never be released from anguish!”

658 - “Make a better investigation,” he replied; “it is night, and at night material objects are screened from the beholder.

659 - Night causes many a thing to appear wrong and changed (from its proper aspect): not every one has the (power of) seeing correctly by night.

660 - (Now there is) both night and clouds and heavy rain withal: these three darknesses produce great error.”

661 - He said, “To me ’tis as (manifest as) bright day: I know (it), it is the wind of my ass-colt.

662 - Amongst twenty winds I know that wind as the traveller (knows) his provisions for the journey.”

663 - The Khwája sprang up, and losing patience he seized the countryman by his collar,

664 - Crying, “O fool and cutpurse, thou hast shown hypocrisy: thou hast eaten both beng and opium together.

665 - Amidst three darknesses thou knowest the wind of the ass: how dost not thou know me, O giddy-head?

666 - He that knows a colt at midnight, how should he not know his own ten years' comrade?”

712 - O thou who, like a cat, hast caught (nothing better than) an old mouse, if thou art pot-valiant with that wine (of Love), catch the Lion!

715 - If thou (ever) find the way to that side, thenceforth toss thy head now to this side, now to that!

515 - The heart is the abode of security, O friends; (it has) fountains and rose-gardens within rose-gardens.

516 - Turn towards the heart and journey on, O night-travellers: therein are trees and (many) a flowing spring.

Ya Ali Madad