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THE  TARJUMAN  AL-ASHWAQ  (X X l,  X X ll)     91

           5.  And  as  imicli  as  thou  wishest  of  dense  shade  and  fruit,
                  delicious  to  the  gatherer,  s^Yaying  the  bough  (on
                  whieli  it  hangs),
           0.  And  q£ tlioso wlio  seek  Zariid and  its  sands,  and of those
                  who chant as they  drive  the  camels  from  behind, and
                  of those  who  march  in  front and lead  them well.
                                  C o m m e n t a r y
             1.  ‘ O  garden  of  the  valley,’  in  reference  to  the  bush  in
           which  the Divine  light app^jired  to Moses.
             ‘ The  lady  of  the  preserve,’  i.e.  the  reality  of  Moses,
           signifying  a  spiritual  degree  which  the  gnostic  inherited
           from  Closes.   ‘ Preserve ’  denotes  the  station  of  Gloiy
           unattainable  by  his  essence.
             ‘ Shininj;  front-teeth,’  because  he  is  in  the  station  of
           converse  and  speech
             2.  ‘ Until  she  be  settled,’  i.e.  until  the  place  be  ready for
           her reception, .so  that  she  may speak  from  his  e.ssence to hi.s
           es.sence  without regard  to anything extraneous.
             ‘ .k  ‘ Dew  to  feed  the  tender  shoots,’  i.e.  gracious  sorts  of
           knowledge  which  nonrisli the  human oi’ganism.
             0.   ‘ Zariid  and  its  sands,’  i.e.  elusive  sorts  of .knowledge
           which are  not  to bo apprehended  save  in  moments of  ecstasy.
             ‘ And  of  those  who  chant,’  etc.  The h(uH  who drives the
           cam»*ls fi’fjin  behind  typifies  that  which  c o m e s   witli  fear and
           chiding and menaces,  while the hiiiU  who goes in  front of the
           camels  typifies  that  which  comes  with  hope  and  joy  and
           kindne.ss.  The  former  is  the  servant  of  the  Wrathful
                                latter  is  the  servant  of  the  Merciful



                                      XXTI
           t.  'i'urn  the camels aside towards the  stony tract of Thahmad,
                  where arc. the  tender branches and the humid meadow,
           2.  Where  the  lightnings  show  to  thee  their  flashes,  where
                  the clouds pass at eve and  morn,
           9.  And  lift  thy  voice  at  dawn  to  invoke  the  bright-faced
                  damsels and  the fair lissome  virgin.s.
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