A PURE RING

'One day, strange to say he told (his court sages)
'A state of distress keeps coming over me.
A desire most strange has arisen in my heart,
though I know not from what cause it arose.
Make me a pure ring of such a kind
that whatever I feel very sorrowful,
by looking at it I become glad- hearted.
and free from the clutches of sorrow that turk?'
The sages asked him to give them some time.
Those great wise men that sat down together.
They pondered and meditated at length,
spending blood, sweat and tears on the task at hand.
Finally they agreed on a firm decision-
resolved a single design for the ring.
'Make haste to inscribe this moto upon it:
"This too shall soon enough pass away."

ATTAR


REFERENCE: ATTAR THE PERSIAN SUFI TRADITION