If now enemies should bear me away captive,

None of my friends is a helper.

For me [there] is acquaintance with the sorrows of orphans,
For in childhood my father departed in death, from my head.

Translation of H. Wilberforce Clarke.

A

HUMILITY

From the Garden of Perfume ›

YOUTH, intelligent and of good disposition, arrived by sea at a Grecian port.

They perceived that he was endowed with excellence, and judgment, and an inclination to asceticism, and placed him accordingly in a sacred building.

The Head of the devotees said to him one day:

"Go and cast out the dirt and the rubbish from the mosque.' >> As soon as the young traveler heard the words he went forth, but no one discovered any sign of his return.

The Superior and the brethren laid a charge against him, saying:

"This young devotee hath no aptness for his vocation."

The following day one of the society met him in the road, and said to him:

"Thou hast showed an unseemly and perverse disposition. Didst thou not know, O self-opinionated boy, that it is through obedience men attain to honor?"

He began to weep, and replied: "O friend of my soul and enlightener of my heart, it is in earnestness and in sincerity that I have acted thus.

"I found in that sacred building neither dust nor defilement; only myself was polluted in that holy place.

"Therefore, immediately I drew back my foot, feeling that to withdraw myself was to cleanse the mosque from dirt and rubbish."

For the devotee there is only one path, - to submit his body to humiliation.

Thine exaltation must come from choosing self-abasement; to reach the lofty roof there is no ladder save this.

Graf's Text. Translation of S. Robinson.

XXII-791

Mỹ

MORAL EDUCATION AND SELF-CONTROL

From the Garden of Perfume ›

Y THEME is rectitude, and self-government, and good habits; not the practicing-ground, and horsemen, and mace, and ball.

Thine enemy is the spirit which dwelleth with thyself; why seek in a stranger one to contend with?

He who can bridle his spirit from that which is forbidden hath surpassed Rustam and Sām in valor.

Chastise thou thyself like a child with thine own rod, and brain not others with thy ponderous mace.

An enemy will suffer no harm from one like thee, unless thou art able to overcome thyself.

The body is a city full of good and evil; thou art the Sultan, and reason is thy wise Vizier.

In this city, side by side, live base men, self-exalted,- Pride and Sensuality, fierce Passions;

Contentment, Conscientiousness, men of good name; Lust and Ambition, Robbery and Treachery.

When the Sultan maketh the bad his familiars, where can the prudent find a place of rest?

Appetite, and Greediness, and Pride, and Envy, cleave to thyself as the blood in thy veins, and the soul in thy vitals.

If these enemies have once obtained the mastery of thee, they rush out, and will overpower all thy discretion.

There need be no contest with appetite and passion, if so be that Reason hold out a sharp claw.

The chief who knoweth not how to manage his enemy will hardly save his chieftainship from his enemy's hand.

What need can there be in this book to say much? A little is enough for him who goeth right to his mark.

Graf's Text. Translation of S. Robinson.

KEEP YOUR OWN SECRET

From the Garden of Perfume'

ULTAN TAKISH once committed a secret to his slaves, which they were enjoined to tell again to no one.

SR

For a year it had not passed from his breast to his lips; it was published to all the world in a single day.

He commanded the executioner to sever with the sword their heads from their bodies without mercy.

One from their midst exclaimed: "Beware! slay not the slaves, for the fault is thine own.

"Why didst thou not dam up at once what at first was but a fountain? What availeth it to do so when it is become a torrent?"

Take heed that thou reveal not to any one the secret of thy heart, for he will divulge it to all the world.

Thy jewels thou mayst consign to the keeping of thy treasurer; but thy secret reserve for thine own keeping.

Whilst thou utterest not a word, thou hast thy hand upon it; when thou hast uttered it, it hath laid its hand upon thee.

Thou knowest that when the demon hath escaped from his cage, by no adjuration will he enter it again.

The word is an enchained demon in the pit of the heart; let it not escape to the tongue and the palate.

It is possible to open a way to the strong demon; to retake him by stratagem is not possible.

A child may untether "Lightning," but a hundred Rustams. will not bring him to the halter again.

Take heed that thou say not that which, if it come to the crowd, may bring trouble to a single individual.

It was well said by his wife to an ignorant peasant:

"Either talk sensibly or hold thy tongue."

Graf's Text. Translation of S. Robinson.

BRINGING UP A SON

From The Garden of Perfume

HEN a boy has passed ten years of age,

WHE

Say: "Sit apart from those not unlawful" [to him in marriage].

It is not right to kindle a fire on cotton;

For while thou wink'st the eye, the house is burned.

When thou wishest that thy name may remain in place [of

honor]

Teach the son wisdom and judgment.

When his skill and judgment are insufficient

Thou wilt die, and none of thy family will remain.

He endures severity for much time,

The son whom the father tenderly cherishes.

Keep him wise and abstinent;

If thou lovest him, keep him not by endearing expressions.

Rebuke and instruct him in childhood;

Exercise promise and fear as to his good deeds.

For the young student, commendation and reward

[Are] better than the master's reprimand and threatening.

Teach the one matured, hand-toil,

Even if, Karūn-like, thou hast command as to wealth.

How knowest thou? The revolution of time

May cause him to wander in exile in the country.

Rely not on that resource which is;

For it may be that wealth may not remain in thy hand.

When for him there are the resources of trade,

How may he bear the hand of beggary before any one?

The purse of silver and gold reaches its limit;
The purse of the trader becomes not empty.

Know'st thou not how Sa'dī obtained his object?
He neither traversed the desert nor plowed the sea.

In childhood he suffered slaps from the great;
In matureness God gave him purity.

Whosoever places his neck [in submission] to order,
Not much time passes but he gives orders.

Every child who the violence of the teacher
Experiences not, will suffer the violence of time.

Keep the son good and cause ease to reach him That his eyes [of expectation] may not remain on the hands of others.

Whosoever endured not grief for his son,

Another suffered grief and abused him.

Preserve him from the bad teacher,

For the unfortunate and road-lost one makes him like himself.

Suffer not regret as to the destruction and ruin [of a wicked son],

For the degenerate son dead before his father [is] best.

Translation of H. Wilberforce Clarke.

A

HUMANITY

From the Garden of Perfume ›

MAN found in the desert a thirsty dog, which from want of drink was at its last gasp.

The worthy man made a bucket of his cap, and twisted his muslin sash into a rope;

Then he girded his waist and extended his arms for service, and gave to the feeble dog a sup of water.

The Prophet revealed of his future condition, that the Supreme Judge had for this act pardoned his sins.

Oh, if thou hast been a hard man, bethink thee; learn to be kind, and make beneficence thy business!

If a kindness done to a dog is not lost, how should that be which is done to a worthy man?

Do good as you find it offered to your hand; the Master of the Universe hath closed against no one the door for doing some good.

To give from your treasury a talent of gold is of less worth than a carat bestowed by the hand of labor.

Each one shall bear the burthen proportioned to his strength: the foot of a locust would be heavy for an ant.

Graf's Text. Translation of S. Robinson.