Original content

English translation

The woman said: A sun has shone; a whole world has found illumination from him. The deputy of the All-Merciful, the caliph of the Creator: the city of Baghdad is, through him, like spring. If you attach yourself to that king, you will become a king; how long will you go toward every ill-fated person? Companionship with kings is like alchemy; indeed, when their gaze is itself alchemy, where is alchemy beside it? Ahmad cast his eye upon Abu Bakr; from one act of affirmation he became the Siddiq. He said: How shall I be received by the king? Without a pretext, how can I go to him? I need some connection or device; has any craft ever gone right without an instrument? Like Majnun, who heard from someone that a slight illness had come upon Layla. He said: Ah, without a pretext how shall I go? And if I stay away from visiting her, what will become of me? Would that I were a skilled physician; I would have gone toward Layla before now. God said to us, “Say: Come”; know this, so that it may be a sign for us of shame-breaking. If night-fliers had sight and instruments, by day they would roam and be in a happy state. She said: When the king of generosity enters the field, the very essence of every lack of instrument becomes an instrument. For an instrument is claim and selfhood; the work lies in lack of instruments and lowliness. He said: How can I trade in lack of instruments unless I make my lack of instruments manifest? So I need testimony to destitution, so that the rich king may have mercy on me. Show a witness other than speech and color/appearance, so that the merry king may have mercy. For testimony that is from speech and color/appearance becomes impeached before that Judge of judges. Truth requires a witness to his state, so that his light may shine without his speech.