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10

MATHNAWÍ, BOOK I

The physician observed the colour of her face, (felt) her pulse,

and (inspected) her urine; he heard both the symptoms and the (secondary) causes of her malady.

He said, "None of the remedies which they have applied builds up (health): they (the false physicians) have wrought destruction.

They were ignorant of the inward state. I seek refuge with God from that which they invent."

He saw the pain, and the secret became open to him, but he concealed it and did not tell the king.

Her pain was not from black or yellow bile: the smell of every firewood appears from the smoke.

From her sore grief he perceived that she was heart-sore; well in body, but stricken in heart.

Being in love is made manifest by soreness of heart: there is no sickness like heart-sickness.

The lover's ailment is separate from all other ailments: love is the astrolabe of the mysteries of God.

Whether love be from this (earthly) side or from that (heavenly) side, in the end it leads us yonder.

Whatsoever I say in exposition and explanation of Love, when I come to Love (itself) I am ashamed of that (explanation).

Although the commentary of the tongue makes (all) clear, yet tongueless love is clearer.

Whilst the pen was making haste in writing, it split upon itself as soon as it came to Love.

In expounding it (Love), the intellect lay down (helplessly) like an ass in the mire: it was Love (alone) that uttered the explanation of love and loverhood.

The proof of the sun is the sun (himself): if thou require the proof, do not avert thy face from him!

If the shadow gives an indication of him, the sun (himself) gives spiritual light every moment.

The shadow, like chat in the night-hours, brings sleep to thee; when the sun rises the moon is cloven asunder.

There is nothing in the world so wondrous strange as the sun, (but) the Sun of the spirit is everlasting: it hath no yester-day.

Although the external sun is unique, still it is possible to imagine one resembling it;

The spiritual Sun, which is beyond the aether, hath no peer in the mind or externally.

Where is room in the imagination for His essence, that the like of Him should come into the imagination?

When news arrived of the face of Shamsu'ddin (the Sun of the Religion), the sun of the fourth heaven drew in its head (hid itself for shame).

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