Rumi's Masnavi - The attraction exerted by homogeneity (spiritual affinity) drew the stars down to the earth and caused them to speak plainly before him.

جذب جنسیت کشیده تا زمین ** اختران را پیش او کرده مبین 2990
The attraction exerted by homogeneity (spiritual affinity) drew the stars down to the earth and caused them to speak plainly before him.

هر یکی نام خود و احوال خود ** باز گفته پیش او شرح رصد
Each one declared its name and its circumstances and expounded to him (the science of) astronomical observation.

چیست جنسیت یکی نوع نظر ** که بدان یابند ره در هم‌دگر
What is (real) homogeneity? A species of insight whereby people gain admission into (the minds and feelings of) one another.

آن نظر که کرد حق در وی نهان ** چون نهد در تو تو گردی جنس آن
When God endows you with the same insight which He has hidden in him (another person), you become his congener.

هر طرف چه می‌کشد تن را نظر ** بی‌خبر را کی کشاند با خبر
What draws a body (person) in any direction? Insight. How should the conscious attract the unconscious?

چونک اندر مرد خوی زن نهد ** او مخنث گردد و گان می‌دهد 2995
When He (God) implants in a man the nature of a woman, fit catamitus et coitum dat. [When He (God) implants in a man the nature of a woman, he becomes a catamite and offers (anal) intercourse.]

چون نهد در زن خدا خوی نری ** طالب زن گردد آن زن سعتری
When God implants in a woman the masculine nature, illa femina feminam cupit et cum ea rem habet. [When God implants in a woman the masculine nature, that dildo-using woman becomes a seeker of women.]

چون نهد در تو صفات جبرئیل ** هم‌چو فرخی بر هواجویی سبیل
When He implants in you the qualities of Gabriel, you will seek the way up to the air, like a young bird,

منتظر بنهاده دیده در هوا ** از زمین بیگانه عاشق بر سما
Gazing exspectantly, your eye fixed upon the air, estranged from the earth and enamoured of heaven.

چون نهد در تو صفت‌های خری ** صد پرت گر هست بر آخر پری
When He implants in you the asinine qualities, (even) if you have a hundred wings (expedients) you will fly to the stable.

از پی صورت نیامد موش خوار ** از خبیثی شد زبون موش‌خوار 3000
The mouse is not despised for its (outward) form: it becomes a helpless victim of the kite because of its villainous character.

طعمه‌جوی و خاین و ظلمت‌پرست ** از پنیر و فستق و دوشاب مست
It is a (greedy) food-seeker and a traitor and a lover of darkness, besotted with cheese and pistachio nuts and syrup.

باز اشهب را چو باشد خوی موش ** ننگ موشان باشد و عار وحوش
When the white falcon has the nature of a mouse, it is an object of contempt to the mice and a disgrace to the wild animals.

خوی آن هاروت و ماروت ای پسر ** چون بگشت و دادشان خوی بشر
O son, when the nature of Hárút and Márút was changed and He (God) bestowed on them the nature of man,

در فتادند از لنحن الصافون ** در چه بابل ببسته سرنگون
They fell from (the eminence of) verily, we are they that stand in rowsinto the pit at Babylon (where they remain) shackled head-foremost.

لوح محفوظ از نظرشان دور شد ** لوح ایشان ساحر و مسحور شد 3005
The Guarded Tablet was removed from their sight: sorcerer and ensorcelled became their tablet.

پر همان و سر همان هیکل همان ** موسیی بر عرش و فرعونی مهان
The same arms, the same head, the same figure—(yet) a Moses is celestial (in his nature), while a Pharaoh is contemptible.

در پی خو باش و با خوش‌خو نشین ** خوپذیری روغن گل را ببین
Be always in quest of the (inward) nature and consort with him whose nature is good: observe how rose-oil (otto) has received (imbibed) the nature (of the rose).

خاک گور از مرد هم یابد شرف ** تا نهد بر گور او دل روی و کف
The earth of the grave is ennobled by the (holy) man (buried there), so that the (owner of an illumined) heart lays his face and hands on his grave.

خاک از همسایگی جسم پاک ** چون مشرف آمد و اقبال‌ناک
Since the earth (of the grave) is ennobled and made fortunate by the neighbourhood of the pure body,

پس تو هم الجار ثم الدار گو ** گر دلی داری برو دلدار جو 3010
Do thou too, then, say, “(First) the neighbour, then the house”: if thou hast a heart, go, seek a sweetheart.

خاک او هم‌سیرت جان می‌شود ** سرمه‌ی چشم عزیزان می‌شود
His dust (body) is endued with the character of his soul: it becomes a collyrium for the eyes of those who are dear (to God).

ای بسا در گور خفته خاک‌وار ** به ز صد احیا به نفع و انتشار
Oh, many a one sleeping like dust in the grave is superior in usefulness and open-handedness to a hundred living.

سایه برده او و خاکش سایه‌مند ** صد هزاران زنده در سایه‌ی ویند
He has taken away (from us) his shadow (body), but his dust is overshadowing (blessing and protecting us): hundreds of thousands of the living are in his shadow (under his protection).

داستان آن مرد کی وظیفه داشت از محتسب تبریز و وامها کرده بود بر امید آن وظیفه و او را خبر نه از وفات او حاصل از هیچ زنده‌ای وام او گزارده نشد الا از محتسب متوفی گزارده شد چنانک گفته‌اند لیس من مات فاستراح بمیت انما المیت میت الاحیاء
Story of the man who had an allowance from the Police Inspector of Tabríz and had incurred (large) debts in expectation of that allowance, since he was unaware of his (the Inspector's) death. The gist (of the story is that) his debts were paid, not by any living person, but by the deceased Inspector, (for) as has been said, “He that died and found peace is not dead: the (real) dead one is the man (spiritually) dead among the (materially) living.”