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108 THE TARJUMAX AL-A.SHWAQ (X X IX )

17. That I may ask where their camels liave turned, for
I have plunged into places of destruction and death,
18. And scenes known to me and unknown, with a swift
camel which complains of her worn hoofs and of
deserts and wildernesses,
19. A camel whose flanks are lean and whose I'apid journe3diig
caused her to lose her strength and the fat of her
hump,
20. Until I brought her to a halt in the sandy tract of
Hdjir and saw she-carnels followed by young ones
at al-Uthajd.
21. They were, led by a moon of awful mien, and I clasped
him to my ribs for fear that he should depart,
22. A moon that appeared in the circumainbulation, and
while he circumambulated me I was not circum­
ambulating anj’one except him.
23. He was effacing his footprints with the train of his robe,
so that thou wouldst be bewildered even if thou wert
the guide tracing out his ti-ack.

C o m m e n t a r y
1. ‘ My father,’ i.e. Universal Reason.
‘ The boughs,’ i.e. the Attributes which bear Divine know­
ledge to gnostics and inercifullj' incline towards them.
2. ‘ Locks of hair,’ i.e. hidden sciences and mysteries. Tlie}'
are called ‘ plaited’ in allusion to'the various degrees of
knowledge.
of real and phenomenal qualities.
‘ Soft,’ in re.spect of their graciouslj^ inclining to us.
‘ In their joints and bends,’ in reference to tlie conjunction

3. ‘ Trailing skirts,’ etc., because of the loftiness of their rank.
‘ Clad in einbroideivd garments,' etc., i.e. appearing in
diverse beautiful shapes.
4. ‘ Which from modesty,’ etc., referring to the Tradition,
‘ Do not bestow wisdom exqept on those who are wortlij^ of
it, lest ye do it a wrong,’ since contemplation is not vouch­
safed to eveiyone.