Rumi's Masnavi - When He bids me be a cornfield, I become green; when He bids me be ugly, I become yellow.

When He bids me be a cornfield, I become green; when He bids me be ugly, I become yellow.

سبز گردم چون که گوید کشت باش ** زرد گردم چون که گوید زشت باش‌‌

At one moment He makes me a moon, at another black.” How, indeed, is the action of God other than this? 2465

لحظه‌‌ای ماهم کند یک دم سیاه ** خود چه باشد غیر این کار اله‌‌

Before the (blows of the) bat of His decree, “Be, and it was,” we are running (like balls) in Space and beyond.

پیش چوگانهای حکم کن فکان ** می‌‌دویم اندر مکان و لامکان‌‌

Since colourlessness (pure Unity) became the captive of colour (manifestation in the phenomenal world), a Moses came into conflict with a Moses.

چون که بی‌‌رنگی اسیر رنگ شد ** موسیی با موسیی در جنگ شد

When you attain unto the colourlessness which you (originally) possessed, Moses and Pharaoh are at peace (with each other).

چون به بی‌‌رنگی رسی کان داشتی ** موسی و فرعون دارند آشتی‌‌

If it occurs to you to ask questions about this mystery, (I reply), how should (the world of) colour be devoid of contradiction?

گر ترا آید بر این نکته سؤال ** رنگ کی خالی بود از قیل و قال‌‌

The marvel is that this colour arose from that which is colourless: how did colour arise to war with the colourless? 2470

این عجب کاین رنگ از بی‌‌رنگ خاست ** رنگ با بی‌‌رنگ چون در جنگ خاست‌‌

The original source of oil (the oil producing tree) is made to grow by means of water: how (then) does it (oil) finally become opposed to water?

چون که روغن را ز آب اسرشته‌‌اند ** آب با روغن چرا ضد گشته‌‌اند

Since the rose springs from the thorn, and the thorn from the rose, why are both of them at war and (engaged) in recrimination?

چون گل از خار است و خار از گل چرا ** هر دو در جنگند و اندر ماجرا

Or is this not (really) war? Is it for (the Divine) purpose, (and is it) an artifice, like the bickering of those who sell asses?

یا نه جنگ است این برای حکمت است ** همچو جنگ خر فروشان صنعت است‌‌