Rumi's Masnavi - If you say, “What was the profit of (our created) being?” (I reply), “There is profit in your question, O contumacious one.

If you say, “What was the profit of (our created) being?” (I reply), “There is profit in your question, O contumacious one.

گر تو گویی فایده‏ی هستی چه بود ** در سؤالت فایده هست ای عنود

If this question of yours has no profit, why should we listen to it in vain and fruitlessly?

گر ندارد این سؤالت فایده ** چه شنویم این را عبث بی‏عایده‏

And if there are many profits in your question, then why, pray, is the world unprofitable? 1070

ور سؤالت را بسی فاییده‏هاست ** پس جهان بی‏فایده آخر چراست‏

And (again), if from one standpoint the world is unprofitable, from other standpoints it is advantageous.

ور جهان از یک جهت بی‏فایده ست ** از جهتهای دگر پر عایده ست‏

If your profit is no profit to me, (yet) since it is a profit to you, do not withdraw from it.”

فایده‏ی تو گر مرا فاییده نیست ** مر ترا چون فایده ست از وی مه ایست‏

The beauty of Joseph profited a (whole) world (of people), though to his brethren it was a vain superfluity.

حسن یوسف عالمی را فایده ** گر چه بر اخوان عبث بد زایده‏

The melodies of David were so dear (to the faithful), but to the interdicted (unbeliever) they were (no more than) the noise of wood.

لحن داودی چنان محبوب بود ** لیک بر محروم بانگ چوب بود

The water of the Nile was superior to the Water of Life, but to the interdicted and unbelieving it was blood. 1075

آب نیل از آب حیوان بد فزون ** لیک بر محروم و منکر بود خون‏

To the true believer martyrdom is life; to the hypocrite it is death and corruption.

هست بر مومن شهیدی زندگی ** بر منافق مردن است و ژندگی‏

Tell (me), what single blessing is there in the world, from which some group of people is not excluded?

چیست در عالم بگو یک نعمتی ** که نه محرومند از وی امتی‏