Rumi's Masnavi - That which was sown as wheat (good) or as barley (relatively evil)—day and night his eye is fastened on that place (where it was sown).

That which was sown as wheat (good) or as barley (relatively evil)—day and night his eye is fastened on that place (where it was sown).

آن چه گندم کاشتندش و آن چه جو ** چشم او آن جاست روز و شب گرو

Night gave birth to nothing but what she was pregnant withal: designs and plots are wind, (empty) wind.

آنچ آبست است شب جز آن نزاد ** حیله‏ها و مکرها باد است باد

How should he please his heart with fair designs who sees the design of God (prevailing) over them? 1055

کی کند دل خوش به حیلتهای گش ** آن که بیند حیله‏ی حق بر سرش‏

He is within the snare (of God) and is laying a snare: by your life, neither that (snare) will escape (destruction) nor will this (man).

او درون دام دامی می‏نهد ** جان تو نه این جهد نه آن جهد

Though (in the meanwhile) a hundred herbs grow and fade, there will grow up at last that which God has sown.

گر بروید ور بریزد صد گیاه ** عاقبت بر روید آن کشته‏ی اله‏

He (the cunning man) sowed new seed over the first seed; (but) this second (seed) is passing away, and (only) the first is sound (and enduring).

کشت نو کارید بر کشت نخست ** این دوم فانی است و آن اول درست‏

The first seed is perfect and choice; the second seed is corrupt and rotten.

تخم اول کامل و بگزیده است ** تخم ثانی فاسد و پوسیده است‏

Cast away this contrivance of yours before the Beloved— though your contrivance indeed is of His contriving. 1060

افکن این تدبیر خود را پیش دوست ** گر چه تدبیرت هم از تدبیر اوست‏

That which God has raised (and that alone) has use: what He has at first sown at last grows.

کار آن دارد که حق افراشته ست ** آخر آن روید که اول کاشته ست‏

Whatever you sow, sow for His sake, inasmuch as you are the Beloved's captive, O lover.

هر چه کاری از برای او بکار ** چون اسیر دوستی ای دوستدار

Do not hang about the thievish fleshly soul and its work: whatsoever is not God's work is naught, naught.

گرد نفس دزد و کار او مپیچ ** هر چه آن نه کار حق هیچ است هیچ‏

(Sow the good seed) ere the Day of Resurrection shall appear and the night-thief be shamed before Him whose is the Kingdom,

پیش از آن که روز دین پیدا شود ** نزد مالک دزد شب رسوا شود

With the goods stolen by his contrivance and craft (still) remaining on his neck at the Day of Judgement. 1065

رخت دزدیده به تدبیر و فنش ** مانده روز داوری بر گردنش‏

Hundreds of thousands of minds may jump together (conspire) to lay a snare other than His snare;

صد هزاران عقل با هم بر جهند ** تا به غیر دام او دامی نهند

(But) they only find their snare more grievous (to themselves), (for) how can straws show any power (of resistance) against the wind?

دام خود را سخت‏تر یابند و بس ** کی نماید قوتی با باد خس‏

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