Discourses of Rumi

222 V DISCOURSES OF RUMIGod—the Silent Ones whose names are hiddenfrom the world out of exceeding jealousy.You are seated beside them now, but you donot see them. Neither do you hear their speech,their greetings or laughter. Yet what is so marvelousabout this? When someone is sick, they seeapparitions that others cannot see. Yet these spiritualbeings are a thousand times subtler thanthose apparitions, for while the average persondoes not see or hear such visions until they aresick, they will not see these spiritual beings beforethey die. Such spiritual visitors know the refinedstates and majesty of the saints. They watch fromearliest morn, while a thousand other angels andpure spirits wait upon the saints. For this reasonthe Silent Ones hesitate infinitely—not wanting tointervene in the midst of such a chorus, or disturbthe ones they wish to honor.Slaves are present every morning at the door ofthe king’s palace. Each has a fixed station, a fixedservice, and a fixed devotion. Some serve fromafar, and the king does not see them nor noticethem. All the slaves know which one amongstthem has the honor of the king’s presence. When