Rumi's Masnavi - Why should we conceal (our poverty) like the impostor and suffer agony for the sake of false reputation?”

Why should we conceal (our poverty) like the impostor and suffer agony for the sake of false reputation?”

ما چرا چون مدعی پنهان کنیم ** بهر ناموس مزور جان کنیم‌‌

How the Bedouin bade his wife be patient and declared to her the excellence of poverty.

صبر فرمودن اعرابی زن خود را و فضیلت صبر و فقر بیان کردن با زن‌‌

Her husband said to her, “How long wilt thou seek income and seed-produce? What indeed is left of (our) life? Most (of it) is past.

شوی گفتش چند جویی دخل و کشت ** خود چه ماند از عمر افزون‌‌تر گذشت‌‌

The sensible man does not look at increase or deficiency, because both (these) will pass by like a torrent.

عاقل اندر بیش و نقصان ننگرد ** ز آن که هر دو همچو سیلی بگذرد

Whether it (life) be pure (clear and untroubled) or whether it be a turbid flood, do not speak of it, since it is not enduring for a moment. 2290

خواه صاف و خواه سیل تیره رو ** چون نمی‌‌پاید دمی از وی مگو

In this world thousands of animals are living happily, without up and down (anxiety).

اندر این عالم هزاران جانور ** می‌‌زید خوش عیش بی‌‌زیر و زبر

The dove on the tree is uttering thanks to God, though her food for the night is not (yet) ready.

شکر می‌‌گوید خدا را فاخته ** بر درخت و برگ شب ناساخته‌‌

The nightingale is singing glory to God (and saying), ‘I rely on Thee for my daily bread, O Thou who answerest (prayer).’

حمد می‌‌گوید خدا را عندلیب ** کاعتماد رزق بر تست ای مجیب‌‌

The falcon has made the king's hand his joy (the place in which he takes delight), and has given up hope of (has become indifferent to) all carrion.

باز دست شاه را کرده نوید ** از همه مردار ببریده امید

Similarly you may take (every animal) from the gnat to the elephant: they all have become God's family (dependent on Him for their nourishment), and what an excellent nourisher is God! 2295

همچنین از پشه‌‌گیری تا به پیل ** شد عیال الله و حق نعم المعیل‌‌

All these griefs that are within our breasts arise from the vapour and dust of our existence and wind (vain desire).

این همه غمها که اندر سینه‌‌هاست ** از بخار و گرد بود و باد ماست‌‌

These uprooting griefs are as a scythe to us: (to think that) this is such and such or that that is such and such is a temptation (of the Devil) to us.

این غمان بیخ کن چون داس ماست ** این چنین شد و آن چنان وسواس ماست‌‌

Know that every pain is a piece of Death: expel (that) part of Death from thee, if there be a means (of doing so).

دان که هر رنجی ز مردن پاره‌‌ای است ** جزو مرگ از خود بران گر چاره‌‌ای است‌‌

When thou canst not flee from the part of Death, know that the whole of it will be poured upon thy head.

چون ز جزو مرگ نتوانی گریخت ** دان که کلش بر سرت خواهند ریخت‌‌

If the part of Death has become sweet to thee, know that God will make the whole sweet. 2300

جزو مرگ ار گشت شیرین مر ترا ** دان که شیرین می‌‌کند کل را خدا

Pains are coming from Death as (his) messengers: do not avert thy face from his messenger, O foolish one!

دردها از مرگ می‌‌آید رسول ** از رسولش رو مگردان ای فضول‌‌

Whoever lives sweetly (pleasantly) dies bitterly (painfully): whoever serves his body does not save his soul.

هر که شیرین می‌‌زید او تلخ مرد ** هر که او تن را پرستد جان نبرد

Sheep are driven from the plains (to the town): they kill those that are fattest.

گوسفندان را ز صحرا می‌‌کشند ** آن که فربه تر مر آن را می‌‌کشند

The night is past and dawn is come. O my soul, how long wilt thou take up (again) this tale of gold from the beginning?

شب گذشت و صبح آمد ای تمر ** چند گیری این فسانه‌‌ی زر ز سر

Thou wert young (once), and (then) thou wert more contented: (now) thou hast become a seeker of gold, (but) at first thou wert gold indeed (precious and perfect). 2305

تو جوان بودی و قانع‌‌تر بدی ** زر طلب گشتی خود اول زر بدی‌‌

Thou wert a fruitful vine: how hast thou become unsaleable (worthless)? How hast thou become rotten when thy fruit is ripening?

رز بدی پر میوه چون کاسد شدی ** وقت میوه پختنت فاسد شدی‌‌

Thy fruit ought to become sweeter and not move farther backwards like rope-makers.

میوه‌‌ات باید که شیرین‌‌تر شود ** چون رسن تابان نه واپس‌‌تر رود

Thou art my wife: the wife must be of the same quality (as the husband) in order that things may go rightly.

جفت مایی جفت باید هم صفت ** تا بر آید کارها با مصلحت‌‌

The married pair must match one another: look at a pair of shoes or boots.

جفت باید بر مثال همدگر ** در دو جفت کفش و موزه در نگر

If one of the shoes is too tight for the foot, the pair of them is of no use to thee. 2310

گر یکی کفش از دو تنگ آید بپا ** هر دو جفتش کار ناید مر ترا

Hast thou ever seen one leaf of a (folding) door small and the other large, or a wolf mated with the lion of the jungle?

جفت در یک خرد و آن دیگر بزرگ ** جفت شیر بیشه دیدی هیچ گرگ‌‌

A pair of sacks on a camel do not balance properly when one is empty and one full to the brim.

راست ناید بر شتر جفت جوال ** آن یکی خالی و این پر مال مال‌‌

I march with stout heart towards contentment: why art thou betaking thyself to revilement?”

من روم سوی قناعت دل قوی ** تو چرا سوی شناعت می‌‌روی‌‌

In this fashion the contented man, moved by sincerity and ardour, was talking to his wife till daybreak.

مرد قانع از سر اخلاص و سوز ** زین نسق می‌‌گفت با زن تا به روز

How the wife counselled her husband, saying, "Don't talk in excess of (beyond) thy merit and (spiritual) rank—'why say ye that which ye do not?'—for although these words are true, yet thou hast not attained to the degree of trust in God, and to speak thus above thy station and devotional practice is harmful and 'exceedingly hateful in the sight of God.'"

نصیحت کردن زن مر شوی را که سخن افزون از قدم و از مقام خود مگو لم تقولون ما لا تفعلونکه این سخنها اگر چه راست است این مقام توکل ترا نیست و این سخن گفتن فوق مقام و معامله‌‌ی خود زیان دارد و کبر مقتا عند الله باشد

The wife cried out at him, saying, “O thou who makest reputation thy religion, I will not swallow thy spells (deceiving speeches) any more. 2315

زن بر او زد بانگ کای ناموس کیش ** من فسون تو نخواهم خورد بیش‌‌

Don't talk nonsense in thy presumption and pretension: begone, don't speak from pride and arrogance.

ترهات از دعوی و دعوت مگو ** رو سخن از کبر وز نخوت مگو

How long (wilt thou utter) pompous and artificial phrases? Look at thine own acts and feelings and be ashamed!

چند حرف طمطراق و کار و بار ** کار و حال خود ببین و شرم دار

Pride is ugly, and in beggars (all the) more ugly: (it is like) wet clothes after a cold snowy day.

کبر زشت و از گدایان زشت‌‌تر ** روز سرد و برف و آن گه جامه تر

How long (this) pretension and palaver and bluster, O thou whose house is (frail) as the house of the spider?

چند دعوی و دم و باد و بروت ** ای ترا خانه چو بیت العنکبوت‌‌

When hast thou illumined thy soul by contentment? Of contentment thou hast learned (only) the name. 2320

از قناعت کی تو جان افروختی ** از قناعتها تو نام آموختی‌‌

The Prophet said, ‘What is contentment? A treasure.’ Thou canst not distinguish the gain from the pain.

گفت پیغمبر قناعت چیست گنج ** گنج را تو وا نمی‌‌دانی ز رنج‌‌

This contentment is the soul's treasure: do not thou boast (of possessing it), O (thou who art) grief and pain to my soul.

این قناعت نیست جز گنج روان ** تو مزن لاف ای غم و رنج روان‌‌

Don't call me thy mate, don't flap so much. I am the mate of justice, I am not the mate of fraud.

تو مخوانم جفت، کمتر زن بغل ** جفت انصافم نیم جفت دغل‌‌

How art thou walking (consorting) with amír and bey, when thou art slitting the veins of (killing for food) the locust in the air?

چون قدم با میر و با بگ می‌‌زنی ** چون ملخ را در هوا رگ می‌‌زنی‌‌

Thou art contending with dogs for the sake of this bone, thou art wailing like an empty-bellied reed-pipe. 2325

با سگان زین استخوان در چالشی ** چون نی اشکم تهی در نالشی‌‌

Don't look at me dully (coldly) with contempt, lest I tell (others) what is in thy veins (disclose thy hidden faults).

سوی من منگر به خواری سست سست ** تا نگویم آن چه در رگهای تست‌‌

Thou hast deemed thy understanding superior to mine, (but) how hast thou (truly) seen me, who am deficient in understanding?

عقل خود را از من افزون دیده‌‌ای ** مر من کم عقل را چون دیده‌‌ای‌‌

Don't spring upon me like a reckless wolf! Oh, better be without understanding (mad) than (suffer) the disgrace of (having) thy understanding.

همچو گرگ غافل اندر ما مجه ** ای ز ننگ عقل تو بی‌‌عقل به‌‌

Since thy understanding is a shackle for mankind, it is not understanding: it is a snake and scorpion.

چون که عقل تو عقیله‌‌ی مردم است ** آن نه عقل است آن که مار و کژدم است‌‌

May God be the enemy of thy iniquity and deceit! May thy (superior) talent and understanding fall short of (fail to injure) us! 2330

خصم ظلم و مکر تو الله باد ** فضل و عقل تو ز ما کوتاه باد

Thou art both the snake and the charmer—oh, this is wonderful! Thou art (both) the snake-catcher and the snake, O thou disgrace to the Arabs!

هم تو ماری هم فسون‌‌گر ای عجب ** مارگیر و ماری ای ننگ عرب‌‌

If the crow knew its ugliness, from grief and sorrow it would melt like snow.

زاغ اگر زشتی خود بشناختی ** همچو برف از درد و غم بگداختی‌‌

The charmer chants (a spell) as an enemy (does); he is (casting) a spell upon the snake and the snake is (casting) a spell upon him.

مرد افسونگر بخواند چون عدو ** او فسون بر مار و مار افسون بر او

If his trap were not (devised by him as) a spell for the snake (a means of catching it), how would he become a prey to the snake's spell?

گر نبودی دام او افسون مار ** کی فسون مار را گشتی شکار

The charmer, from greed of getting and making (money), is not conscious of the snake's spell at the time. 2335

مرد افسونگر ز حرص کسب و کار ** در نیابد آن زمان افسون مار

The snake says, ‘O charmer, beware, beware! Thou hast beheld thine own spell (and its effect upon me): now behold mine!

مار گوید ای فسون‌‌گر هین و هین ** آن خود دیدی فسون من ببین‌‌