Rumi's Masnavi - ‘Tis no harm if you have remained long without Him: you have read that He is long in gripping (sinners), (though) gripping (them) tight.

‘Tis no harm if you have remained long without Him: you have read that He is long in gripping (sinners), (though) gripping (them) tight.

نیست غم گر دیر بی‏او مانده‏ای ** دیرگیر و سخت‏گیرش خوانده‏ای‏

His Mercy is long in gripping, (but) grips tight: His Presence does not keep you absent (from Him) for one moment.

دیر گیرد سخت گیرد رحمتش ** یک دمت غایب ندارد حضرتش‏

If you desire the explanation of this union and friendship, read thoughtfully (the Súra) Wa’l-Duhá (By the Morn).

گر تو خواهی شرح این وصل و ولا ** از سر اندیشه می‏خوان و الضحی‏

And if you say that evils too are from Him, (that is true), but how is it a defect in His grace? 2535

ور تو گویی هم بدیها از وی است ** لیک آن نقصان فضل او کی است‏

(His) bestowing that evil is even His perfection: I will tell you a parable (in illustration), O respected one.

آن بدی دادن کمال اوست هم ** من مثالی گویمت ای محتشم‏

A painter made two kinds of pictures––beautiful pictures and pictures devoid of beauty.

کرد نقاشی دو گونه نقشها ** نقشهای صاف و نقشی بی‏صفا

He painted Joseph and fair-formed houris, he painted ugly afreets and devils.

نقش یوسف کرد و حور خوش سرشت ** نقش عفریتان و ابلیسان زشت‏

Both kinds of pictures are (evidence of) his mastery: those (ugly ones) are not (evidence of) his ugliness; they are (evidence of) his bounty.

هر دو گونه نقش استادی اوست ** زشتی او نیست آن رادی اوست‏

He makes the ugly of extreme ugliness––it is invested with all (possible) uglinesses–– 2540

زشت را در غایت زشتی کند ** جمله زشتیها به گردش بر تند

In order that the perfection of his skill may be displayed, (and that) the denier of his mastery may be put to shame.

تا کمال دانشش پیدا شود ** منکر استادیش رسوا شود