Rumi's Masnavi - If you have not gone forth from (taken leave of) play, you are a child: without purity of spirit how should he (any one) be fully intelligent?

If you have not gone forth from (taken leave of) play, you are a child: without purity of spirit how should he (any one) be fully intelligent?

از لعب بیرون نرفتی کودکی ** بی‌‌ذکات روح کی باشد ذکی‌‌

Know, O youth, that the lust in which men are indulging here (in this world) is like the sexual intercourse of children.

چون جماع طفل دان این شهوتی ** که همی‌‌رانند اینجا ای فتی‌‌

What is the child's sexual intercourse? An idle play, compared with the sexual intercourse of a Rustam and a brave champion of Islam.

آن جماع طفل چه بود بازیی ** با جماع رستمی و غازیی‌‌

The wars of mankind are like children's fights—all meaningless, pithless, and contemptible. 3435

جنگ خلقان همچو جنگ کودکان ** جمله بی‌‌معنی و بی‌‌مغز و مهان‌‌

All their fights are (fought) with wooden swords, all their purposes are (centred) in futility;

جمله با شمشیر چوبین جنگشان ** جمله در لاینفعی آهنگشان‌‌

They all are riding on a reed-cane (hobby-horse), saying, “This is our Buráq or mule that goes like Duldul.”

جمله‌‌شان گشته سواره بر نیی ** کاین براق ماست یا دلدل پیی‌‌

They are (really) carrying (their hobby-horses), but in their folly they have raised themselves on high: they have fancied themselves to be riders and carried along the road.

حامل‌‌اند و خود ز جهل افراشته ** راکب و محمول ره پنداشته‌‌

Wait till the day when those who are borne aloft by God shall pass, galloping, beyond the nine tiers (of Heaven)!

باش تا روزی که محمولان حق ** اسب تازان بگذرند از نه طبق‌‌

“The spirit and the angels shall ascend to Him”: at the ascension of the spirit Heaven shall tremble. 3440

تعرج الروح إلیه و الملک ** من عروج الروح یهتز الفلک‌‌

Like children, ye all are riding on your skirts: ye have taken hold of the corner of your skirt (to serve) as a horse.

همچو طفلان جمله‌‌تان دامن سوار ** گوشه‌‌ی دامن‌‌گرفته اسب‌‌وار