O dove on the bán tree at Dhát al-Ghaḍá, I am oppressed by the burden Thou hast laid upon me.
Who can support the anguish of love? Who can drain the bitter draught of destiny?
I say in my grief and burning passion, 'O would that he who caused my sickness had tended me when I am sick!'
He passed by the house-door mocking, hiding himself, veiling his head and turning away.
His veiling did me no hurt; I was only hurt by His having turned away from me.
Who can support the anguish of love? Who can drain the bitter draught of destiny?
I say in my grief and burning passion, 'O would that he who caused my sickness had tended me when I am sick!'
He passed by the house-door mocking, hiding himself, veiling his head and turning away.
His veiling did me no hurt; I was only hurt by His having turned away from me.
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.
'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.