Page 138 - 47176

126 THE TARJUMAX AL-ASH\VAQ (X Ll)

11. O thou who likenest the lisaomeiie.^is of tlie tall forms (of
the loved ones) to the softness of the fresh verdant
bough,
12. If thou hadst reversed the comparison, as I lia,ve done,
thou Avouldst have taken a sound view ;
13. For the softness of the branehes is like the li.ssomene,ss
of the tall forms, and the rose of the meado\V is like
the rosy blush of shame.

CoM .M EN TkRY
1. ‘ A bird on a b(hi tree,’ i.e. the Prophet’s .^irit in
his bodj’’.
‘ The true story,’ i.e. the Tradition concerning the descent
of God to the teirestrial heaven.
2. ‘ How the loved ones,’ etc., i.e. how God de.scended into
the night of phenomenal forms and ‘ gat Him away at dawn’,
that is, manifested Himself in the intermediate world, which,
like the dawn, is light mingled with darkness; for this
manifestation is impure in comparison with the purity and
holiness of the Godhead pc7’ se.
4. ‘ Following their track ’ : he refers to the investiture
with Divine qualities.
5. ‘ A perfumed breath,’ alluding to the habit of guides,
who on losing their way in desert places try to recover it
by smelling the earth.
6. This verse refers to Kor. xxxiv, 22: ‘ whert the terror
xliall he removeel from their hearts,’ etc.
shed in the grief of parting, and the Heavenly Host lack this
7. ‘ The riders,’ i.e. the angels mentioned in Koi'. ii, 206.
8. ‘ And were unable to cross it,’ because these tears were

emotion, for they are not veiled from God : hence they are
not allowed to traverse this station.
11-13. The author says that, in accordance with the real
1‘elation .subsisting between God and His creatures, they
should be connected with Him, not He with them. Thus the
supple bough should be compared to the form of the Divine
Beloved and the rose to His cheeks, not vice versd, as