[Footnote 2: The first verse belongs to "Flash I.," the second to "Flash II.," but I have thought it wise to couple them together on account of the unity of their meaning.] [Footnote 3: That is to say that a portion of the material world, through the mercy of God, is capable of receiving Very Being, and thus the phenomenon becomes Very Being externalised. But Omnipotence requires the total destruction of all phenomena and all multiplicity of the same substance. The process is repeated _ad infinitum_. "The Names" are mentioned in the _Masnavi_. See also Professor R. A. Nicholson's _Divaní Shamsi Tabríz_, p. 71.] SELECTIONS FROM "YÚSUF AND ZULAIKHA" Lips sweet as sugar on my pen bestow, And from my book let streams of odour flow. YÚSUF AND ZULAIKHA. THE COMING OF THE BELOVED In solitude, where Being signless dwelt, And all the universe still dormant lay Concealed in selflessness, One Being was Exempt from "I" or "Thou"-ness, and apart From all duality; Beauty Supreme, Unmanifest, except unto Itself By Its own lights yet fraught with power to charm The souls of all; concealed in the Unseen, An Essence pure, unstained by aught of ill. No mirror to reflect Its loveliness, Nor comb to touch Its locks; the morning breeze Ne'er stirred Its tresses; no collyrium Lent lustre to Its eyes; no rosy cheeks O'ershadowed by dark curls like hyacinth Nor peach-like down were there; no dusky mole Adorned Its face; no eye had yet beheld Its image. To Itself it sang of Love In wordless measures. By Itself it cast The die of Love. But Beauty cannot brook Concealment and the veil, nor patient rest Unseen and unadmired; 'twill burst all bonds, And from Its prison-casement to the world Reveal Itself. See where the tulip grows In upland meadows, how in balmy spring It decks itself; and how amidst its thorns The wild rose rends its garment, and reveals Its loveliness. Thou too, when some rare thought, Or beauteous image, or deep mystery Flashes across thy soul, canst not endure To let it pass, but holdst it, that perchance In speech or writing thou mayst send it forth To charm the world. Whatever beauty dwells, Such is its nature, and its heritage From Everlasting Beauty, which emerged From realms of purity to shine upon The worlds, and all the souls which dwell therein. One gleam fell from It on the universe And on the angels, and this single ray Dazzled the angels, till their senses whirled Like the revolving sky. In diverse forms Each mirror showed it forth, and everywhere Its praise was chanted in new harmonies. The cherubim, enraptured, sought for songs Of praise. The spirits who explore the depths Of boundless seas, wherein the heavens swim Like some small boat, cried with one mighty voice,