Rumi's Masnavi - If you are a grain, the little birds will peck you up; if you are a bud, the children will pluck you off.

If you are a grain, the little birds will peck you up; if you are a bud, the children will pluck you off.

دانه باشی مرغکانت بر چنند ** غنچه باشی کودکانت بر کنند

Hide the grain (bait), become wholly a snare; hide the bud, become the grass on the roof.

دانه پنهان کن بکلی دام شو ** غنچه پنهان کن گیاه بام شو

Any one who offers his beauty to auction, a hundred evil fates set out towards him (and overtake him). 1835

هر که داد او حسن خود را در مزاد ** صد قضای بد سوی او رو نهاد

(Evil) eyes and angers and envies pour upon his head, like water from waterskins.

چشمها و خشمها و رشکها ** بر سرش ریزد چو آب از مشکها

Foes tear him to pieces from jealousy; even friends take his lifetime away.

دشمنان او را ز غیرت می‌‌درند ** دوستان هم روزگارش می‌‌برند

He that was heedless of the sowing and the springtide, how should he know the value of this lifetime?

آن که غافل بود از کشت بهار ** او چه داند قیمت این روزگار

You must flee to the shelter of God's grace, who shed thousand fold grace upon (our) spirits,

در پناه لطف حق باید گریخت ** کاو هزاران لطف بر ارواح ریخت‌‌

That you may find a shelter. Then how (will you lack) shelter? Water and fire will become your army. 1840

تا پناهی یابی آن گه چون پناه ** آب و آتش مر ترا گردد سپاه‌‌

Did not the sea become a friend to Noah and Moses? Did it not become overbearing in vengeance against their enemies?

نوح و موسی را نه دریا یار شد ** نه بر اعداشان به کین قهار شد

Was not the fire a fortress for Abraham, so that it raised smoke (sighs of despair) from the heart of Nimrod?

آتش ابراهیم را نی قلعه بود ** تا بر آورد از دل نمرود دود

Did not the mountain call Yahyá (John the Baptist) to itself and drive off his pursuers with blows of stone?

کوه یحیی را نه سوی خویش خواند ** قاصدانش را به زخم سنگ راند

“O Yahyá,” it said, “come, take refuge in me, that I may be thy shelter from the sharp sword.”

گفت ای یحیی بیا در من گریز ** تا پناهت باشم از شمشیر تیز

How the parrot bade farewell to the merchant and flew away.

وداع کردن طوطی خواجه را و پریدن‌‌

The parrot gave him one or two counsels devoid of hypocrisy and after that bade him the farewell of parting. 1845

یک دو پندش داد طوطی بی‌‌نفاق ** بعد از آن گفتش سلام الفراق‌‌

The merchant said to her, “Go, God protect thee! Just now thou hast shown to me a new Way.”

خواجه گفتش فی أمان الله برو ** مر مرا اکنون نمودی راه نو

Said the merchant to himself, “This is the counsel for me; I will take her Way, for this Way is shining with light.

خواجه با خود گفت کاین پند من است ** راه او گیرم که این ره روشن است‌‌

How should my soul be meaner than the parrot? The soul ought to follow a good track like this.”

جان من کمتر ز طوطی کی بود ** جان چنین باید که نیکو پی بود

The harmfulness of being honoured by the people and of becoming conspicuous.

مضرت تعظیم خلق و انگشت نمای شدن‌‌

The body is cage-like: the body, amidst the cajoleries of those who come in and go out, became a thorn to the soul.

تن قفس شکل است تن شد خار جان ** در فریب داخلان و خارجان‌‌

This one says to him, “I will be thy confidant,” and that one says, “Nay, I am thy partner.” 1850

اینش گوید من شوم هم راز تو ** و آنش گوید نی منم انباز تو

This one says to him, “There is none in existence like thee for beauty and eminence and for kindness and liberality.”

اینش گوید نیست چون تو در وجود ** در جمال و فضل و در احسان و جود

That one says to him, “Both the worlds are thine, all our souls are thy soul's parasites.”

آنش گوید هر دو عالم آن تست ** جمله جانهامان طفیل جان تست‌‌

When he sees the people intoxicated with (desire for) him, because of arrogance he loses self-control.

او چو بیند خلق را سر مست خویش ** از تکبر می‌‌رود از دست خویش‌‌

He does not know that the Devil has cast thousands like him into the water of the river (of destruction).

او نداند که هزاران را چو او ** دیو افکنده ست اندر آب جو

The world's flattery and hypocrisy is a sweet morsel: eat less of it (eat it not), for it is a morsel full of fire. 1855

لطف و سالوس جهان خوش لقمه‌‌ای است ** کمترش خور کان پر آتش لقمه‌‌ای است‌‌

Its fire is hidden and its taste is manifest: its smoke becomes visible in the end.

آتشش پنهان و ذوقش آشکار ** دود او ظاهر شود پایان کار

Do not say, “How should I swallow that praise? He is speaking from desire (for reward): I am on his track (and see quite well what he is after).”

تو مگو آن مدح را من کی خورم ** از طمع می‌‌گوید او پی می‌‌برم‌‌

If your belauder should satirise you in public, your heart would burn for (many) days on account of those scorches (of vituperation).

مادحت گر هجو گوید بر ملا ** روزها سوزد دلت ز آن سوزها

Although you know that he (only) said it in disappointment because the hopes he had of you brought him no gain,

گر چه دانی کاو ز حرمان گفت آن ** کان طمع که داشت از تو شد زیان‌‌

(Yet) the effect thereof is remaining within you. The same experience happens to you in the case of praise. 1860

آن اثر می‌‌ماندت در اندرون ** در مدیح این حالتت هست آزمون‌‌

The effect of that too lasts for many days and becomes a source of arrogance and deception of the soul,

آن اثر هم روزها باقی بود ** مایه‌‌ی کبر و خداع جان شود

But it does not show itself, because praise is sweet; (in the case of blame) the evil shows itself, because blame is bitter.

لیک ننماید چو شیرین است مدح ** بد نماید ز آن که تلخ افتاد قدح‌‌

It (blame) is like (bitter) decoctions and pills which you swallow and for a long time you are in disturbance and pain,

همچو مطبوخ است و حب کان را خوری ** تا به دیری شورش و رنج اندری‌‌

Whereas, if you eat halwá (sweetmeat), its taste is momentary: this effect, like the other, is not enduring for ever.

ور خوری حلوا بود ذوقش دمی ** این اثر چون آن نمی‌‌پاید همی‌‌

Since it does not endure (perceptibly), it endures imperceptibly: recognise every opposite by means of its opposite. 1865

چون نمی‌‌پاید همی‌‌پاید نهان ** هر ضدی را تو به ضد او بدان‌‌

When the effect of sugar endures (remains latent), after a while it produces boils that call for the lancet.

چون شکر پاید نهان تاثیر او ** بعد حینی دمل آرد نیش جو

The fleshly soul was made a Pharaoh by (receiving) many praises: be lowly of spirit through meekness, do not domineer.

نفس از بس مدحها فرعون شد ** کن ذلیل النفس هونا لا تسد

So far as you can, become a slave, do not be a monarch. Suffer blows: become like the ball, do not be the bat.

تا توانی بنده شو سلطان مباش ** زخم کش چون گوی شو چوگان مباش‌‌

Otherwise, when this elegance and beauty remains with you no more, you will be loathed by those companions.

ور نه چون لطفت نماند وین جمال ** از تو آید آن حریفان را ملال‌‌

The set of people who used to flatter you deceitfully, when they behold you will call you a devil. 1870

آن جماعت کت همی‌‌دادند ریو ** چون ببینندت بگویندت که دیو

When they see you at their doors, they all will cry, “Truly a dead man has risen from the grave.”

جمله گویندت چو بینندت به در ** مرده‌‌ای از گور خود بر کرد سر

(You will be) like the beardless youth whom they address as “Lord” that by this hypocrisy they may make entrap him.

همچو امرد که خدا نامش کنند ** تا بدین سالوس در دامش کنند

As soon as he has grown a beard in infamy, the Devil is ashamed to search after him.

چون که در بد نامی آمد ریش او ** دیو را ننگ آید از تفتیش او

The Devil approaches Man for the sake of wickedness: he does not approach you because you are worse than the Devil.

دیو سوی آدمی شد بهر شر ** سوی تو ناید که از دیوی بتر

So long as you were a man the Devil was running at your heels and bidding you taste (his) wine. 1875

تا تو بودی آدمی دیو از پی‌‌ات ** می‌‌دوید و می‌‌چشانید او می‌‌ات‌‌

Since you have become confirmed in devilry, the good-for-nothing Devil is fleeing from you!

چون شدی در خوی دیوی استوار ** می‌‌گریزد از تو دیو نابکار

He who (formerly) clung to your skirt fled from you when you became like this.

آن که اندر دامنت آویخت او ** چون چنین گشتی ز تو بگریخت او

Explanation of (the Tradition) “Whatsoever God wills cometh to pass.”

تفسیر ما شاء الله کان‌‌

We have spoken all these words, but in preparing ourselves (for the journey before us) we are naught, naught without the favours of God.

این همه گفتیم لیک اندر بسیچ ** بی‌‌عنایات خدا هیچیم هیچ‌‌

Without the favours of God and God's elect ones, angel though he be, his page is black.

بی‌‌عنایات حق و خاصان حق ** گر ملک باشد سیاه استش ورق‌‌

O God, O Thou whose bounty fulfils (every) need, it is not allowable to mention any one beside Thee. 1880

ای خدا ای فضل تو حاجت روا ** با تو یاد هیچ کس نبود روا

This amount of guidance Thou hast bestowed (upon us); till this (present time) Thou hast covered up many a fault of ours.

این قدر ارشاد تو بخشیده‌‌ای ** تا بدین بس عیب ما پوشیده‌‌ای‌‌

Cause the drop of knowledge which Thou gavest (us) heretofore to become united with Thy seas.

قطره‌‌ای دانش که بخشیدی ز پیش ** متصل گردان به دریاهای خویش‌‌