Suhrawardi - Three Treatises on Mysticism.pdf - Platonic Philosophy

CHAPTER IV.
TRANSLATION
OF THE
"LANGUAGE OF TRUTH"
AND THAT IS
44
THE TREATISE OF THE BIRD. ff
Praise be to God, the Beneficent,
help in its completion. 1
the Merciful.
*O Lord
Translation of the language of Truth and that is the
treatise of the Bird by the leader of the world, the most
learned of the time, the king of scholars and philosophers
Shaykh Shih&buddin as-Suhrawerdl peace of God be upon
him.
Is there anyone among my brethren who may
lend me
some hearing that I
may relate to him a part of my troubles,
that perhaps he may bear some of my troubles in partnership
and brotherhood, because one's friendship
is not pure
unless he guards it against the contamination of impurity.
And where can I find such a sincere friend since the
friendships of these times are [common] like merchandise
at the time of need, and the regard for the friend is
discarded when there is needlessness except the brotherhood
of friends which is a tie from Divine proximity,
and whose affection comes from sublime neighbourhood,
and who see the hearts of each other with the eyes of
reality and scour off the rust of doubt and pride from their
minds. This class is not assembled except by
the call of
Truth, When they are assembled they accept this precept^
O Brethren of Reality, conceal yourselves
like the porcupine
that exposes
its inward-side to the desert and conceals
his outward-side. For, I swear by God, that your inside is
revealed and your outside is concealed.
1 1. The words seem to be an addition by the scribe.