Читать книгу The Mesnevi онлайн
85 страница из 127
35.
A certain sheykh, son of a sheykh, and a man of great reputation for learning, came to Qonya, and was respectfully visited by all the people of eminence residing there.
It so happened that Jelāl and his friends were gone that day to a mosque in the country; and the new-comer, offended at Jelāl’s not hasting to visit him, made the remark in public: “Has Jelāl never heard the adage: ‘The newly-arrived one is visited’?”
One of Jelāl’s disciples chanced to be present, and heard this remark. On the other hand, Jelāl was expounding sublime truths in the mosque to his disciples, when suddenly he exclaimed, “My dear brother! I am the newly-arrived one, not thou. Thou and those like thee are bound to visit me, and so gain honour to yourselves.”
All his audience were surprised at this apostrophe; wondering to whom it was addressed. Jelāl then spake a parable: “One man came from Bagdād, and another went forth out of his house and ward; which of the two ought to pay the first visit to the other?”