Rumi's Masnavi - That was the Divine favour, and thou wert worthy of it, O Ahmad (Mohammed); else, thou wouldst have become faint-hearted.

That was the Divine favour, and thou wert worthy of it, O Ahmad (Mohammed); else, thou wouldst have become faint-hearted.

آن عنایت بود و اهل آن بدی ** احمدا ور نه تو بد دل می‏شدی‏

God caused the outward and inward warfare to seem little to him and his Companions, 2295

کم نمود او را و اصحاب و را ** آن جهاد ظاهر وباطن خدا

In order that He might make it easy for him to gain ease (success), and that he might turn away his face from difficulty (unsuccess).

تا میسر کرد یسری را بر او ** تا ز عسری او بگردانید رو

For him, (God’s) causing (the warfare) to seem little was victory, since God was his friend and taught him the way.

کم نمودن مر و را پیروز بود ** که حقش یار و طریق آموز بود

(But) he that hath not God for his victorious support, alas if the fierce lion seem to him a cat.

آن که حق پشتش نباشد از ظفر ** وای اگر گربش نماید شیر نر

Alas if from afar he see a hundred as one, so that in vain confidence he enters on the fray.

وای اگر صدرا یکی بیند ز دور ** تا به چالش اندر آید از غرور

He (God) causes a Prophet’s sword to seem a dart and makes the fierce lion appear as a cat, 2300

ز آن نماید ذو الفقاری حربه‏ای ** ز آن نماید شیر نر چون گربه‏ای‏

To the end that the fool may fall boldly to fighting, and that He may catch them by this device;

تا دلیر اندر فتد احمق به جنگ ** و اندر آردشان بدین حیلت به چنگ‏

(And besides He is acting thus), in order that those dolts may have come towards the fire-temple by means of their own feet (by their own free will).

تا به پای خویش باشند آمده ** آن فلیوان جانب آتش‏کده‏

He is showing (what seems to you) a blade of straw, in order that you may quickly give a puff so as to make it vanish out of existence.

کاه برگی می‏نماید تا تو زود ** پف کنی کاو را برانی از وجود