Sleep of the Body the Soul’s Awakening by Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi
Every night Thou freest our spirits from the body And its snare, making them pure as rased tablets. Every night spirits are released from this cage, And set free, neither lording it nor lorded over. At night prisoners are unaware of their prison, At night kings are unaware of their majesty. Then there is no thought or care for loss or gain, No regard to such an one or such an one. The state of the “Knower” is such as this, even when awake. God says,4 “Thou wouldst deem him awake though asleep, Sleeping to the affairs of the world, day and night, Like a pen in the directing hand of the writer. He who sees not the hand which effects the writing Fancies the effect proceeds from the motion of the pen. If the “Knower” revealed the particulars of this state, ‘Twould rob the vulgar of their sensual sleep. His soul wanders in the desert that has no similitude; Like his body, his spirit is enjoying perfect rest; Freed from desire of eating and drinking, Like a bird escaped from cage and snare. But when he is again beguiled into the snare, He cries for help to the Almighty.
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