Rumi's Masnavi - This is thy good: (thou doest this whilst) thou art going to the mosque; what must thy evil and burden (of sin) be, O misguided one?”

This is thy good: (thou doest this whilst) thou art going to the mosque; what must thy evil and burden (of sin) be, O misguided one?”

خیر تو این است جامع می‌روی ** تا چه باشد شر و وزرت ای غوی

The Pír (Elder) never hears a salaam from a base fellow without being exceedingly tormented by him in the end. 2470

یک سلامی نشنود پیر از خسی ** تا نپیچد عاقبت از وی بسی

(If) a wolf catch a saint, it is better than that the saint should be caught by the wicked carnal soul,

گرگ دریابد ولی را به بود ** زانک دریابد ولی را نفس بد

Because, though the wolf does great violence, yet it has not the same knowledge and craft and cunning;

زانک گرگ ارچه که بس استمگریست ** لیکش آن فرهنگ و کید و مکر نیست

Else how should it fall into the trap? Cunning is complete (attains to perfection) in man.

ورنه کی اندر فتادی او به دام ** مکر اندر آدمی باشد تمام

The ram said to the ox and the camel, “O comrades, since such a (lucky) chance has come to us,

گفت قج با گاو و اشتر ای رفاق ** چون چنین افتاد ما را اتفاق

Let each (of us) declare the date (antiquity) of his life: the oldest has the best right, let the others suffer (disappointment) in silence. 2475

هر یکی تاریخ عمر ابدا کنید ** پیرتر اولیست باقی تن زنید

In those times,” said the ram, “my pasturage was (shared) with the ram that was sacrificed for Ismá‘íl (Ishmael).”

گفت قج مرج من اندر آن عهود ** با قج قربان اسمعیل بود

The ox said, “I am the (most) advanced in years, (I was) coupled with the ox that Adam yoked.

گاو گفتا بوده‌ام من سال‌خورد ** جفت آن گاوی کش آدم جفت کرد

I am the yoke-fellow of the ox with which Adam, the forefather of mankind, used to plough the earth in sowing.”

جفت آن گاوم که آدم جد خلق ** در زراعت بر زمین می‌کرد فلق