Rumi's Masnavi - The heads of all the lions in the world were laid low when They (God) gave a hand to (bestowed favour on) the dog of the Companions (of the Cave).

The heads of all the lions in the world were laid low when They (God) gave a hand to (bestowed favour on) the dog of the Companions (of the Cave).

شد سر شیران عالم جمله پست ** چون سگ اصحاب را دادند دست‌‌

What loss does it suffer from that abhorred shape, inasmuch as its spirit was plunged in the ocean of light?

چه زیان استش از آن نقش نفور ** چون که جانش غرق شد در بحر نور

’Tis not in pens to describe (the outward) form: (what is written) in letters is (qualities like) “learned” and “just”;

وصف صورت نیست اندر خامه‌‌ها ** عالم و عادل بود در نامه‌‌ها

(And qualities like) “learned” and “just” are only the spiritual essence which thou wilt not find in (any) place or in front or behind. 1025

عالم و عادل همه معنی است بس ** کش نیابی در مکان و پیش و پس‌‌

The sun of the spirit strikes (with its beams) on the body from the quarter where (the relation of) place does not exist: it (that sun) is not contained in the sky.

می‌‌زند بر تن ز سوی لامکان ** می‌‌نگنجد در فلک خورشید جان‌‌

An account of the knowledge of the hare and an explanation of the excellence and advantages of knowledge.

ذکر دانش خرگوش و بیان فضیلت و منافع دانستن‌‌

This topic hath no end. Give heed! Attend to the story of the hare.

این سخن پایان ندارد هوش دار ** گوش سوی قصه‌‌ی خرگوش دار

Sell your asinine (corporeal) ear and buy another ear, for the asinine ear will not apprehend this discourse.

گوش خر بفروش و دیگر گوش خر ** کاین سخن را در نیابد گوش خر

Go, behold the foxy tricks played by the hare; behold the cunning of the hare and how he overthrew the lion.

رو تو روبه بازی خرگوش بین ** مکر و شیر اندازی خرگوش بین‌‌

Knowledge is the seal of the kingdom of Solomon: the whole world is form, and knowledge is the spirit. 1030

خاتم ملک سلیمان است علم ** جمله عالم صورت و جان است علم‌‌

Because of this virtue, the creatures of the seas and those of mountain and plain are helpless before man.

آدمی را زین هنر بی‌‌چاره گشت ** خلق دریاها و خلق کوه و دشت‌‌

Of him the pard and lion are afraid, like the mouse; from him the leviathan and the sea are in pallor and agitation.

زو پلنگ و شیر ترسان همچو موش ** زو نهنگ و بحر در صفرا و جوش‌‌

From him peri and demon took to the shores (sought refuge): each took abode in some hiding-place.

زو پری و دیو ساحلها گرفت ** هر یکی در جای پنهان جا گرفت‌‌

Man hath many a secret enemy: the cautious man is a wise one.

آدمی را دشمن پنهان بسی است ** آدمی با حذر عاقل کسی است‌‌

(There are) hidden creatures, evil and good: at every instant their blows are striking on the heart. 1035

خلق پنهان زشتشان و خوبشان ** می‌‌زند در دل بهر دم کوبشان‌‌

If you go into the river to wash yourself, a thorn in the water inflicts a hurt upon you.

بهر غسل ار در روی در جویبار ** بر تو آسیبی زند در آب خار

Although the thorn is hidden low in the water, you know it is there, since it is pricking you.

گر چه پنهان خار در آب است پست ** چون که در تو می‌‌خلد دانی که هست‌‌

The pricks of (angelic) inspirations and (satanic) temptations are from thousands of beings, not (only) from one.

خار خار وحیها و وسوسه ** از هزاران کس بود نی یک کسه‌‌

Wait (patiently) for your (bodily) senses to be transmuted, so that you may see them (the hidden beings), and the difficulty may be solved,

باش تا حسهای تو مبدل شود ** تا ببینیشان و مشکل حل شود

So that (you may see) whose words you have rejected and whom you have made your captain. 1040

تا سخنهای کیان رد کرده‌‌ای ** تا کیان را سرور خود کرده‌‌ای‌‌

How the beasts requested the hare to tell the secret of his thought.

باز طلبیدن نخجیران از خرگوش سر اندیشه‌‌ی او را

Afterwards they said, “O nimble hare, communicate what is in thy apprehension.

بعد از آن گفتند کای خرگوش چست ** در میان آر آن چه در ادراک تست‌‌

O thou who hast grappled with a lion, declare the plan which thou hast thought of.

ای که با شیری تو در پیچیده‌‌ای ** باز گو رایی که اندیشیده‌‌ای‌‌

Counsel gives perception and understanding: the mind is helped by (other) minds.

مشورت ادراک و هشیاری دهد ** عقلها مر عقل را یاری دهد

The Prophet said, ‘O adviser, take counsel (with the trustworthy), for he whose counsel is sought is trusted.’”

گفت پیغمبر بکن ای رایزن ** مشورت کالمستشار موتمن‌‌

How the hare withheld the secret from them.

منع کردن خرگوش راز را از ایشان‌‌

He said, “One ought not to say forth every secret: sometimes the even number turns out to be odd, and sometimes the odd number to be even.” 1045

گفت هر رازی نشاید باز گفت ** جفت طاق آید گهی گه طاق جفت‌‌

If from guilelessness you breathe words to a mirror, the mirror at once becomes dim to us.

از صفا گر دم زنی با آینه ** تیره گردد زود با ما آینه‌‌

Do not move your lip in explanation of these three things, (namely) concerning your departure and your gold and your religion;

در بیان این سه کم جنبان لبت ** از ذهاب و از ذهب وز مذهبت‌‌

For to these three there is many an adversary and foe standing in wait for you when he knows (about any of them).

کین سه را خصم است بسیار و عدو ** در کمینت ایستد چون داند او

And if you tell (only) one or two (a few people), farewell (to your secret): every secret that goes beyond the twain (who share it) is published abroad.

ور بگویی با یکی دو الوداع ** کل سر جاوز الاثنین شاع‌‌

If you tie two or three birds together, they will remain on the ground, imprisoned by grief; 1050

گر دو سه پرنده را بندی به هم ** بر زمین مانند محبوس از الم‌‌

(But in truth) they hold a consultation well-disguised and mingled, in its (apparent) significance, with that which casts error (into the mind of any one who observes them).

مشورت دارند سرپوشیده خوب ** در کنایت با غلط افکن مشوب‌‌

(Similarly) the Prophet used to take counsel, (speaking) cryptically, and they (his companions) would answer him and (would be) without knowledge (of his real meaning).

مشورت کردی پیمبر بسته سر ** گفته ایشانش جواب و بی‌‌خبر

He would speak his opinion in a covert parable, in order that the adversary might not know foot from head.

در مثالی بسته گفتی رای را ** تا نداند خصم از سر پای را

He (the Prophet) would receive his answer from him (the adversary), while the other would not catch the smell (drift) of his question.

او جواب خویش بگرفتی از او ** وز سؤالش می‌‌نبردی غیر بو

The story of the hare's stratagem.

قصه‌‌ی مکر خرگوش‌‌

He delayed awhile in going, then he went before the lion who rends (his prey) with claws. 1055

ساعتی تاخیر کرد اندر شدن ** بعد از آن شد پیش شیر پنجه زن‌‌

Because he tarried late in going, the lion was tearing up the earth and roaring.

ز آن سبب کاندر شدن او ماند دیر ** خاک را می‌‌کند و می‌‌غرید شیر

“I said,” cried the lion, “that the promise of those vile ones would be vain—vain and frail and unfulfilled.

گفت من گفتم که عهد آن خسان ** خام باشد خام و سست و نارسان‌‌

Their palaver has duped me: how long will this Time deceive me, how long?”

دمدمه‌‌ی ایشان مرا از خر فگند ** چند بفریبد مرا این دهر چند

The prince that hath no strength in his beard is left sorely in the lurch when by reason of his folly he looks neither backwards nor forwards.

سخت درماند امیر سست ریش ** چون نه پس بیند نه پیش از احمقیش‌‌

The road is smooth, and under it are pitfalls: amidst the names there is a dearth of meaning. 1060

راه هموار است و زیرش دامها ** قحط معنی در میان نامها

Words and names are like pitfalls: the sweet (flattering) word is the sand for (the sand that sucks up) the water of our life.

لفظها و نامها چون دامهاست ** لفظ شیرین ریگ آب عمر ماست‌‌

The one sand whence water gushes is seldom to be found: go, seek it.

آن یکی ریگی که جوشد آب ازو ** سخت کمیاب است رو آن را بجو

He that searches after wisdom becomes a fountain of wisdom; he becomes independent of acquisition and (ways and) means.

منبع حکمت شود حکمت طلب ** فارغ آید او ز تحصیل و سبب‌‌

The guarding tablet becomes a Guarded Tablet; his understanding becomes enriched by the Spirit.

لوح حافظ لوح محفوظی شود ** عقل او از روح محظوظی شود

When his understanding has been his teacher at the beginning, after this the understanding becomes his pupil. 1065

چون معلم بود عقلش ز ابتدا ** بعد از این شد عقل شاگردی و را

The understanding says, like Gabriel, “O Ahmad (Mohammed), if I take one (more) step, it will burn me;

عقل چون جبریل گوید احمدا ** گر یکی گامی نهم سوزد مرا

Do thou leave me, henceforth advance (alone): this is my limit, O sultan of the soul!”

تو مرا بگذار زین پس پیش ران ** حد من این بود ای سلطان جان‌‌

Whoever, through heedlessness, remains without thanksgiving and patience (selfcontrol), knows (no resource) but this, that he should follow in the heels of necessity (jabr).

هر که ماند از کاهلی بی‌‌شکر و صبر ** او همین داند که گیرد پای جبر

Any one who pleads necessity (as an excuse) feigns himself to be ill, with the result that the (feigned) illness brings him to the grave.

هر که جبر آورد خود رنجور کرد ** تا همان رنجوری‌‌اش در گور کرد

The Prophet said, “Illness (assumed) in jest brings (real) disease, so that he (the jester) dies like a lamp.” 1070

گفت پیغمبر که رنجوری به لاغ ** رنج آرد تا بمیرد چون چراغ‌‌

What is (the meaning of) jabr? To bind up a broken (limb) or tie a severed vein.

جبر چه بود بستن اشکسته را ** یا بپیوستن رگی بگسسته را