| Kitáb-i-Íqán | 131 |
the grass of the field, wherewith I satisfy my hunger.
My bed is the dust, my lamp in the night the
light of the moon, and my steed my own feet. Behold,
who on earth is richer than I?" By the righteousness
of God! Thousands of treasures circle
round this poverty, and a myriad kingdoms of
glory yearn for such abasement! Shouldst thou attain
to a drop of the ocean of the inner meaning of
these words, thou wouldst surely forsake the world
and all that is therein, and, as the Phoenix wouldst
consume thyself in the flames of the undying Fire.
In like manner, it is related that on a certain day,
one of the companions of Sadiq complained of his
poverty before him. Whereupon, Sadiq, that immortal
beauty, made reply: "Verily thou art rich,
and hast drunk the draught of wealth." That
poverty-stricken soul was perplexed at the words
uttered by that luminous countenance, and said:
"Where are my riches, I who stand in need of a
single coin?" Sadiq thereupon observed: "Dost
thou not possess our love?" He replied: "Yea, I
possess it, O thou scion of the Prophet of God!"
And Sadiq asked him saying: "Exchangest thou
this love for one thousand dinars?" He answered:
"Nay, never will I exchange it, though the world
