Rumi's Masnavi - This (discourse) is very long. Tell the story of the merchant, that we may see what happened to that good man.

This (discourse) is very long. Tell the story of the merchant, that we may see what happened to that good man.

بس دراز است این حدیث خواجه گو ** تا چه شد احوال آن مرد نکو

The merchant in fire (burning grief) and anguish and yearning was uttering a hundred distracted phrases like this, 1815

خواجه اندر آتش و درد و حنین ** صد پراکنده همی‌‌گفت این چنین‌‌

Now self-contradiction, now disdain, now supplication, now passion for reality, now metaphor (unreality).

گه تناقض گاه ناز و گه نیاز ** گاه سودای حقیقت گه مجاز

The drowning man suffers an agony of soul and clutches at every straw.

مرد غرقه گشته جانی می‌‌کند ** دست را در هر گیاهی می‌‌زند

For fear of (losing) his head (life), he flings about (both) hand and foot to see whether any one will take his hand (help him) in peril.

تا کدامش دست گیرد در خطر ** دست و پایی می‌‌زند از بیم سر

The Friend loves this agitation: it is better to struggle vainly than to lie still.

دوست دارد یار این آشفتگی ** کوشش بی‌‌هوده به از خفتگی‌‌

He who is the King (of all) is not idle, (though) complaint from Him would be a marvel, for He is not ill. 1820

آن که او شاه است او بی‌‌کار نیست ** ناله از وی طرفه کاو بیمار نیست‌‌

For this reason said the Merciful (God), O son, “Every day He is (busy) in an affair,” O son.

بهر این فرمود رحمان ای پسر ** کل يوم هو فی شأن ای پسر

In this Way be thou ever scraping and scratching (exerting thyself to the utmost): until thy last breath do not be unoccupied for a moment,

اندر این ره می‌‌تراش و می‌‌خراش ** تا دم آخر دمی فارغ مباش‌‌

So that thy last breath may be a last breath in which the (Divine) favour is thy bosom-friend.

تا دم آخر دمی آخر بود ** که عنایت با تو صاحب سر بود