Rumi's Masnavi - Before God, fire is always standing (ready to do His behest), writhing continually day and night, like a lover.

Before God, fire is always standing (ready to do His behest), writhing continually day and night, like a lover.

پیش حق آتش همیشه در قیام ** همچو عاشق روز و شب پیچان مدام‌‌

If you strike stone on iron, it (the fire) leaps out: ’tis by God's command that it puts forth its foot. 840

سنگ بر آهن زنی بیرون جهد ** هم به امر حق قدم بیرون نهد

Do not strike together the iron and stone of injustice, for these two generate like man and woman.

آهن و سنگ ستم بر هم مزن ** کاین دو می‌‌زایند همچون مرد و زن‌‌

The stone and the iron are indeed causes, but look higher, O good man!

سنگ و آهن خود سبب آمد و لیک ** تو به بالاتر نگر ای مرد نیک‌‌

For this (external) cause was produced by that (spiritual) cause: when did a cause ever proceed from itself without a cause?

کاین سبب را آن سبب آورد پیش ** بی‌‌سبب کی شد سبب هرگز ز خویش‌‌

And those causes which guide the prophets on their way are higher than these (external) causes.

و آن سببها کانبیا را رهبر است ** آن سببها زین سببها برتر است‌‌

That (spiritual) cause makes this (external) cause operative; sometimes, again, it makes it fruitless and ineffectual. 845

این سبب را آن سبب عامل کند ** باز گاهی بی‌‌بر و عاطل کند

(Ordinary) minds are familiar with this (external) cause, but the prophets are familiar with those (spiritual) causes.

این سبب را محرم آمد عقلها ** و آن سببها راست محرم انبیا

What is (the meaning of) this (word) “cause” (sabab) in Arabic? Say: “cord” (rasan). This cord came into this well (the world) by (Divine) artifice.

این سبب چه بود به تازی گو رسن ** اندر این چه این رسن آمد به فن‌‌

The revolution of the water-wheel causes the cord (to move), (but) not to see the mover of the water-wheel is an error.

گردش چرخه رسن را علت است ** چرخه گردان را ندیدن زلت است‌‌