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72 THE TARJUMAN AL-ASHWAQ (X ll, XIIl)

The face of the sun,’ as in tlie Tradition ‘ Ye shall see
your Lord as ye see the sun
‘ The breast and wrist of the white statue,’ as in the
Tradition which mentions the breast and foi’e-ariu of the
Almighty.
7. ‘ The branches,’ i.e. the souls distraught by the majesty
of God and turned away by love from the consciousness of
their personality and from the contemplation, of their
phenomenal nature.
‘ The meadow,’ i.e. the station of union
which God has placed them.
‘ Moral qualities,’ i.e. the scented breaths of Divine Mercy,
‘
viz. the goodly praise (J.^.s?l •Uill) of tlie kind mentioned in
the Tradition ‘ Even as Thou dost praise Thyself ’.
‘ The lightning,’ i.e. a manifestation of the Divine Essence.
‘ Laughing lips,’ as God is said in the Tradition to rejoice
at the repentance of His servant, or to laugh <d)l).

XIII
1. A ringdove wailed and a sad lover complained, and he was
grieved by her trilling note and complaint.
2. Tears flowed from their eyes in distress for her comjilaint,
and ’twas as tho’ they (the tears) were fountains.
3. I responded to her in the bereavement caused by the loss
of her only child: one who loses an only child is
bereaved indeed.
4. I responded to her, while Grief walked between us; she
5. In me is a burning desire, from love of the .sandy tract of
was invisible, but I was clearlj'^ seen.

‘Alij, where her tents are and the lai’ge-eyed maidens,
6. With murderous glances, languishing : their eyelids are
sheaths for glances like swords.
7. I did not cease to swallow the tears proceeding from my
malady and to conceal and guard my pa.ssion from
those who blame me,
8. Until, when the raven’s croak announced their departure,
separation exposed the desire of a .sorrow-stricken lover.