Story 26 - The Morals of Dervishes - gulistaan-e-sa.adii

I remember having once walked all night with a caravan and then slept on the edge of the desert. A distracted man who had accompanied us on that journey raised a shout, ran towards the desert and took not a moment's rest. When it was daylight, I asked him what state of his that was. He replied: 'I saw bulbuls commencing to lament on the trees, the partridges on the mountains, the frogs in the water and the beasts in the desert so I bethought myself that it would not be becoming for me to sleep in carelessness while they all were praising God.'

Yesterday at dawn a bird lamented,

Depriving me of sense, patience, strength and consciousness.

One of my intimate friends who

Had perhaps heard my distressed voice

Said: 'I could not believe that thou

Wouldst be so dazed by a bird's cry.'

I replied: 'It is not becoming to humanity

That I should be silent when birds chant praises.'

I remember having once walked all night with a caravan and then slept on the edge of the desert. A distracted man who had accompanied us on that journey raised a shout, ran towards the desert and took not a moment's rest. When it was daylight, I asked him what state of his that was. He replied: 'I saw bulbuls commencing to lament on the trees, the partridges on the mountains, the frogs in the water and the beasts in the desert so I bethought myself that it would not be becoming for me to sleep in carelessness while they all were praising God.'

Yesterday at dawn a bird lamented,

Depriving me of sense, patience, strength and consciousness.

One of my intimate friends who

Had perhaps heard my distressed voice

Said: 'I could not believe that thou

Wouldst be so dazed by a bird's cry.'

I replied: 'It is not becoming to humanity

That I should be silent when birds chant praises.'