Gain knowledge of Life’s mysteries! Be a tyrant! Ignore all except God! 1080 O man of understanding, open thine eyes, ears, and lips![83] If then thou seest not the Way of Truth, laugh at me! FOOTNOTES: [76] Murtazá, “he whom with God is pleased,”(--_See Transcriber’s Note_) is a name of Ali. Bú Turáb means literally “father of earth.” [77] A miracle of the Prophet. [78] The fortress of Khaibar, a village in the Hijáz, was captured by the Moslems in A.D. 628. Ali performed great feats of valour on this occasion. [79] A river of Paradise. [80] See note 33 on l. 213. [81] The burning pyre on which Abraham was thrown lost its heat and was transformed into a rose-garden. [82] The “trust” which God offered to Man and which Man accepted, after it had been refused by Heaven and Earth (Koran, ch. 33, v. 72), is the divine vicegerency, _i.e._ the duty of displaying the divine attributes. [83] A parody of the verse in the _Masnaví_ quoted above. See l. 603. XI _Story of a young man of Merv who came to the saint Ali Hujwírí--God have mercy on him!--and complained that he was oppressed by his enemies._ The saint of Hujwír was venerated by the peoples, And Pír-i Sanjar visited his tomb as a pilgrim.[84] With ease he broke down the mountain-barriers 1085 And sowed the seed of Islam in India. The age of Omar was restored by his godliness, The fame of the Truth was exalted by his words. He was a guardian of the honour of the Koran, The house of Falsehood fell in ruins at his gaze. 1090 The dust of the Panjáb was brought to life by his breath, Our dawn was made splendid by his sun. He was a lover, and withal a courier of Love: The secrets of Love shone forth from his brow. I will tell a story of his perfection 1095 And enclose a whole rose-bed in a single bud. A young man, cypress-tall, Came from the town of Merv to Lahore. He went to see the venerable saint, That the sun might dispel his darkness. 1100 “I am hemmed in,” he said, “by foes; I am as a glass in the midst of stones. Do thou teach me, O sire of heavenly rank, How to lead my life amongst enemies!” The wise Director, in whose nature 1105 Love had allied mercy with wrath, Answered: “Thou art unread in Life’s lore, Careless of its end and its beginning. Be without fear of others! Thou art a sleeping force: awake! 1110 When the stone was anxious on account of the glass, It became glass and got into the way of breaking. If the traveller thinks himself weak, He delivers his soul unto the brigand. How long wilt thou regard thyself as water and clay? 1115 Create from thy clay a flaming Sinai! Why be angry with mighty men? Why complain of enemies? I will declare the truth: thine enemy is thy friend;