XLVII

The Tarjuman al-Ashwaq, by Ibn al-Arabi, tr. Reynold A. Nicholson, [1911], at sacred-texts.com

p. 134

XLVII

1. O dove on the bán tree at Dhát al-Ghaḍá, I am oppressed by the burden thou hast laid upon me.

2. Who can support the anguish of love? Who can drain the bitter draught of destiny?

3. I say in my grief and burning passion, 'O would that he who caused my sickness had tended me when I am sick!'

4. He passed by the house-door mocking, hiding himself, veiling his head and turning away.

5. His veiling did me no hurt; I was only hurt by his having turned away from me.

COMMENTARY

1. 'O dove,' i.e. the Absolute Wisdom.

'Dhát al-Ghaḍá,' referring to states of self-mortification.

'The burden': cf. Kor. xxxiii, 72.

4. 'He passed,' etc., referring to Divine thoughts which flash upon the mind and are gone in a moment.

5. i.e. I am necessarily veiled from God, but God's turning away from me is caused by some quality in me of which I am ignorant and which I cannot remove until God enables me to know what it is.