Rumi's Masnavi - A certain person was eating bread made of bran: some one asked him, “How are you so fond of this?”

آن یکی می‌خورد نان فخفره ** گفت سایل چون بدین استت شره
A certain person was eating bread made of bran: some one asked him, “How are you so fond of this?”

گفت جوع از صبر چون دوتا شود ** نان جو در پیش من حلوا شود 2835
He replied, “When hunger is doubled by self-denial, barley bread is (as sweet as) halwá in my opinion;

پس توانم که همه حلوا خورم ** چون کنم صبری صبورم لاجرم
Therefore when I deny myself once, I can eat halwá entirely, (so) of course I am very self-denying (abstinent).”

خود نباشد جوع هر کس را زبون ** کین علف‌زاریست ز اندازه برون
Hunger, in truth, is not conquered by every one, for this (world) is a place where fodder is abundant beyond measure.

جوع مر خاصان حق را داده‌اند ** تا شوند از جوع شیر زورمند
Hunger is bestowed as a gift on God's elect (alone), that through hunger they may become puissant lions.

جوع هر جلف گدا را کی دهند ** چون علف کم نیست پیش او نهند
How should hunger be bestowed on every beggarly churl? Since the fodder is not scarce they set it before him,

که بخور که هم بدین ارزانیی ** تو نه‌ای مرغاب مرغ نانیی 2840
Saying, “Eat! This is all thou art worth: thou art not a waterfowl, thou art a bread-fowl.”

حکایت مریدی کی شیخ از حرص و ضمیر او واقف شد او را نصیحت کرد به زبان و در ضمن نصیحت قوت توکل بخشیدش به امر حق
Story of the disciple of whose greediness and secret thoughts his Shaykh became aware. He admonished him with his tongue and in the course of his admonition bestowed on him, by Divine command, the food of trust in God.

شیخ می‌شد با مریدی بی‌درنگ ** سوی شهری نان بدانجا بود تنگ
The Shaykh, accompanied by a disciple, was going without delay towards a certain town where bread was scarce,

ترس جوع و قحط در فکر مرید ** هر دمی می‌گشت از غفلت پدید
And the dread of hunger and famine was continually presenting itself to the disciple's mind on account of his heedlessness.

شیخ آگه بود و واقف از ضمیر ** گفت او را چند باشی در زحیر
The Shaykh was aware (of this) and acquainted with his secret thoughts: he said to him, “How long wilt thou remain in torment?

از برای غصه‌ی نان سوختی ** دیده‌ی صبر و توکل دوختی
Thou art consumed (with grief) because of thy craving for bread: thou hast closed the eye of self-denial and trust in God.

تو نه‌ای زان نازنینان عزیز ** که ترا دارند بی‌جوز و مویز 2845
Thou art not (one) of the honoured favourites (of God) that thou shouldst be kept without (deprived of) walnuts and raisins.

جوع رزق جان خاصان خداست ** کی زبون هم‌چو تو گیج گداست
Hunger is the daily bread of the souls of God's elect: how is it amenable to (in the power of) a beggarly fool like thee?

باش فارغ تو از آنها نیستی ** که درین مطبخ تو بی‌نان بیستی
Be at ease: thou art not (one) of those, so that thou shouldst tarry without bread in this kitchen.”

کاسه بر کاسه‌ست و نان بر نان مدام ** از برای این شکم‌خواران عام
There are always bowls on bowls and loaves on loaves for these vulgar belly-gods.

چون بمیرد می‌رود نان پیش پیش ** کای ز بیم بی‌نوایی کشته خویش
When he (such a person) dies, the bread comes forward, saying, “O thou who didst (almost) kill thyself from fear of having no food,

تو برفتی ماند نان برخیز گیر ** ای بکشته خویش را اندر زحیر 2850
Thou art gone (from the world), (but) the bread is still there: arise and take it (if thou canst), O thou who didst (almost) kill thyself in agony!”

هین توکل کن ملرزان پا و دست ** رزق تو بر تو ز تو عاشق‌ترست
Hark, put trust in God, do not let thy feet and hands tremble (with fear): thy daily bread is more in love with thee than thou (with it).

عاشقست و می‌زند او مول‌مول ** که ز بی‌صبریت داند ای فضول
It is in love (with thee) and is lingering (only) because it knows of thy lack of self-denial, O trifler.

گر ترا صبری بدی رزق آمدی ** خویشتن چون عاشقان بر تو زدی
If thou hadst any self-denial, the daily bread would come and throw itself upon thee as lovers do.

این تب لرزه ز خوف جوع چیست ** در توکل سیر می‌تانند زیست
What is this feverish trembling for fear of hunger? In (possession of) trust in God one can live full-fed.

حکایت آن گاو کی تنها در جزیره ایست بزرگ حق تعالی آن جزیره‌ی بزرگ را پر کند از نبات و ریاحین کی علف گاو باشد تا به شب آن گاو همه را بخورد و فربه شود چون کوه پاره‌ای چون شب شود خوابش نبرد از غصه و خوف کی همه صحرا را چریدم فردا چه خورم تا ازین غصه لاغر شود هم‌چون خلال روز برخیزد همه صحرا را سبزتر و انبوه‌تر بیند از دی باز بخورد و فربه شود باز شبش همان غم بگیرد سالهاست کی او هم‌چنین می‌بیند و اعتماد نمی‌کند
Story of the cow that is alone in a great island. God most High fills the great island with plants and sweet herbs which are cows' fodder, and the cow feeds on all that (vegetation) till nightfall and grows fat (and big) as a mountain-crag. When night comes, she cannot sleep for anxiety and fear, (for she thinks), “I have fed on the whole field: what shall I eat to-morrow?” So in consequence of this anxiety she becomes thin like a toothpick. At daybreak she sees the whole field is greener and richer than it was yesterday, and again she eats and grows fat. Then again at nightfall the same anxiety seizes her. For years she has been experiencing the like of this, and (yet) she puts no confidence (in the Provider).

جمله صحرا را چرد او تا به شب ** تا شود زفت و عظیم و منتجب
She feeds on the whole field till nightfall, so that she grows stout and big and choice.

شب ز اندیشه که فردا چه خورم ** گردد او چون تار مو لاغر ز غم
During the night she becomes thin as a hair from anxiety, because she thinks, “What shall I eat to-morrow?”

چون برآید صبح گردد سبز دشت ** تا میان رسته قصیل سبز و کشت
At rise of dawn the field becomes green: the green blades and grain have grown up to (a man's) middle.