-the walled garden of truth- hakim sanai translated by david pendlebury pt. one

[desmond dillon]

.
The seeing soul perceives the folly of praising other than the creator.
.
The self is a servant in His cavalcade;
reason a new boy in His school.
What is reason in this guesthouse
but a crooked scrawling of God's handwriting?
.
Had he not shown himself how should we have known him?
Unless he shows us the way, how can we know him?
.
We tried reasoning our way to him: it didn't work;
but the moment we gave up no obstacle remained.
.
He introduced himself to us out of kindness
how else could we have known him?
Reason took us as far as the door;
but it was his presence that let us in.
.
But how will you ever know him as long as you are unable to know yourself?
.
Place itself has no place:
how could there be place for the creator of place,
heaven for the maker of heaven?
.
He said 'I was a hidden treasure;
creation was created so that you might know me.'
.
Why, tell me, if what you seek does not exist in any place,
do you propose to travel there on foot?
The road yourself must journey on
lies in polishing the mirror of your heart.
.
by Hakim Sanai 12th Century Afganistan
.