Rumi's Masnavi - Neither room for patience nor means of flight, neither hope of repenting nor opportunity for rebelling

Neither room for patience nor means of flight, neither hope of repenting nor opportunity for rebelling

نی مقام صبر و نه راه گریز ** نی امید توبه نه جای ستیز

I, like Hárút and Márút was crying in sorrow, ‘Alas!’ and saying, ‘O my Creator!’”

من چو هاروت و چو ماروت از حزن ** آه می‏کردم که ای خلاق من‏

Because of the dangers (of the Last Judgement) Hárút and Márút openly chose the pit of Babylon,

از خطر هاروت و ماروت آشکار ** چاه بابل را بکردند اختیار

So that they might suffer here (in this world) the punishment of the world to come; and they are cunning and intelligent and magician-like. 2470

تا عذاب آخرت اینجا کشند ** گربزند و عاقل و ساحروش‏اند

They acted well, and ‘twas fitly done: the pain of smoke is lighter than (that of) fire.

نیک کردند و بجای خویش بود ** سهلتر باشد ز آتش رنج دود

The pain of that (future) world is beyond description; light is the pain of this world beside it.

حد ندارد وصف رنج آن جهان ** سهل باشد رنج دنیا پیش آن‏

Oh, happy he that wages a holy war (of self-mortification), and puts a restraint upon the body and deals justice (against it),

ای خنک آن کاو جهادی می‏کند ** بر بدن زجری و دادی می‏کند

And, in order that he may be delivered from the pain of that world, lays upon himself this pain of serving God.

تا ز رنج آن جهانی وارهد ** بر خود این رنج عبادت می‏نهد

“I was saying, ‘O Lord, quickly inflict on me in this world that punishment, 2475

من همی‏گفتم که یا رب آن عذاب ** هم در این عالم بران بر من شتاب‏

So that I may have exemption (from it) in yonder world.’ About such-like a request was I knocking at the door .

تا در آن عالم فراغت باشدم ** در چنین درخواست حلقه می‏زدم‏