Rumi's Masnavi - Small is that thought in the people's eyes, but like a flood it swallowed and swept away the world.

Small is that thought in the people's eyes, but like a flood it swallowed and swept away the world.

هست آن اندیشه پیش خلق خرد ** لیک چون سیلی جهان را خورد و برد

So, when you see that from a thought every craft in the world (arises and) subsists—

پس چو می‏بینی که از اندیشه‏ای ** قایم است اندر جهان هر پیشه‏ای‏

(That) houses and palaces and cities, mountains and plains and rivers, 1035

خانه‏ها و قصرها و شهرها ** کوهها و دشتها و نهرها

Earth and ocean as well as sun and sky, are living (derive their life) from it as fishes from the sea—

هم زمین و بحر و هم مهر و فلک ** زنده از وی همچو کز دریا سمک‏

Then why in your foolishness, O blind one, does the body seem to you a Solomon, and thought (only) as an ant?

پس چرا از ابلهی پیش تو کور ** تن سلیمان است و اندیشه چو مور

To your eye the mountain appears great: (to you) thought is like a mouse, and the mountain (like) a wolf.

می‏نماید پیش چشمت که بزرگ ** هست اندیشه چو موش و کوه گرگ‏

The (material) world in your eyes is awful and sublime: you tremble and are frightened at the clouds and the thunder and the sky,

عالم اندر چشم تو هول و عظیم ** ز ابر و رعد و چرخ داری لرز و بیم‏

While in regard to the world of thought, O less (lower) than the ass, you are secure and indifferent as a witless stone, 1040

وز جهان فکرتی ای کم ز خر ** ایمن و غافل چو سنگ بی‏خبر

Because you are a (mere) shape and have no portion of intelligence; you are not of human nature, you are an ass's colt.

ز انکه نقشی وز خرد بی‏بهره‏ای ** آدمی خو نیستی خر کره‏ای‏

From ignorance you deem the shadow to be the substance: hence to you the substance has become a plaything and of slight account.

سایه را تو شخص می‏بینی ز جهل ** شخص از آن شد نزد تو بازی و سهل‏