Poem XXIX

1Why does not the soul take wing, when from the glorious PresenceA speech of sweet favour comes to it, saying, ‘Aloft’?

2How should a fish not leap nimbly from the dry land into the water,When the sound of waves reaches its ear from the cold ocean?

3Why should a falcon not fly from the quarry towards the King,When it hears by drum and drum-stick the notice of “Return”?

4Why should not every Ṣūfī begin to dance, like a mote,In the sun of eternity, that it may deliver him from decay?

5Such grace and beauty and loveliness and bestowal of life!O misery and error, if any one dispense with Him!

6Fly, fly, O bird, to thy native home,For thou hast escaped from the cage, and thy pinions are outspread.

7Travel away from the bitter stream towards the water of life,Return from the vestibule to the high seat of the soul.

8Haste, haste! for we too, O soul, are comingFrom this world of severance to that world of union.

9O how long shall we, like children, in the earthly sphereFill our lap with dust and stones and sherds?

10Let us give up the earth and fly heavenwards,Let us flee from childhood to the banquet of men.

11Behold how the earthly frame has entrapped thee!Rend the sack and raise thy head clear.

12Take from Love this scroll with thy right hand;Thou art no child, not to know thy right from thy left.

13God said to Reason’s messenger, ‘Begone,’To the hand of Death he said, ‘Chastise worldly desire.’