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80 THE TARJUMAN AL-ASHWAQ (XVI, XVIl)

10. ‘ Deatli/ i.e. the station in which the subtle principle
of Man is severed from its governance of this dark body for
the sake of the Divine subtleties which are conveyed to it by
the above-mentioned holy influences.
11. ‘ Hajir’ denotes here the most inacces.sible veil of
the Divine glory. No phenomenal being can attain to the
immediate experience thereof, but scents of it blow over- the
hearts of gnostics in virtue of a kind of amorous affection

‘ Rain-clouds,’ i.e. sciences and diverse sorts of knowledge
belonging to the most holy Essence.
13. ‘O watcher of the star,’ in reference to keeping in mind
that which the sciences offer .in their various connexions.
‘ O wakeful spy on the lightning ’ : the lightning is a locus
of manifestation of the Essence. The author says, addressing
one who seeks it, ‘ Our quest is the same, be my comrade in
the night.’
14. This ver.se may be applied either to the heedless
(iliill Jjbl) or to the unconscious Jjsl).
15. ‘ The fond maiden,’ i.e. the Essential subtlety which is
the gnostic’s object of de.sire.
‘ Through her ’ : although She is unattainable, yet through
her manifestation to thee all that thou hast is baptized
for thee and thy whole kingdom is di.splayed
to thee by that Essential form.
16. ‘ Conversing secretly with the suns,’ etc., in reference
next world like the sun in a cloudless .sky or like the moon
to the Traditions which declare that God will be seen in the

when she is full.
XVII
1. O driver of the reddi.sh-white camels, do not hasten with
them, but stop ! for I am a cripple going after them.
2. Stop the camels and tighten their reins! I beseech thee
by God, by my passion, by my anguish, 0 driver!
3. My soul is willing, but my foot does not second her. Who
will pity and help me ?