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Shibli and Hali |
One day Iqbal said to the Muslim
“Your existence is unique in the universe |
The tunes of your old songs are the basis of new knowledge
Civilization is the dust of your old caravans |
Even the zephyr’s current is like stone to it
Very delicate is the mirror of Man’s honor |
The men of action by discovering the causes of phenomena
Find the cure for the azure-colored sky’s cruelties |
Ask them who are the old secret keepers of the garden
How the autumn became engaged in fight with your garden” |
The Muslim became restless with my conversation
The sad sigh became betrayer of the inner sorrow |
He said “Just look at the autumn’s condition
The leaves of the tree of life have become pale |
Those garden’s secret keepers became silent
Whose tune of pathos was the means of mellowness |
The garden’s inhabitants were still mourning Shibli
When Hali also became a traveler towards Paradise |
“Still he is a fool who is asking the gardener
What did nightingale say, what did rose hear, what did zephyr do?” |
Translated by: M.A.K. Khalil |
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