Rumi's Masnavi - Hearken to the signification of ‘The earner (worker) is beloved of God’: through trusting in God do not become neglectful as to the (ways and) means.”

Hearken to the signification of ‘The earner (worker) is beloved of God’: through trusting in God do not become neglectful as to the (ways and) means.”

رمز الکاسب حبیب الله شنو ** از توکل در سبب کاهل مشو

How the beasts preferred trust in God to exertion.

ترجیح نهادن نخجیران توکل را بر اجتهاد

The party (of beasts) answered him, saying, “Regard acquisition (work), arising from the infirmity of (God's) creatures, as a mouthful of deceit proportionate to the size of the gullet. 915

قوم گفتندش که کسب از ضعف خلق ** لقمه‌‌ی تزویر دان بر قدر حلق‌‌

There is no work better than trust in God: what, indeed, is dearer (to God) than resignation?

نیست کسبی از توکل خوبتر ** چیست از تسلیم خود محبوبتر

Often do they flee from affliction (only) to (fall into) affliction; often do they recoil from the snake (only) to (meet with) the dragon.

بس گریزند از بلا سوی بلا ** بس جهند از مار سوی اژدها

Man devised (something), and his device was a snare (wherein he was trapped): that which he thought to be life was (actually) the drainer of his blood (his destroyer).

حیله کرد انسان و حیله‌‌ش دام بود ** آن که جان پنداشت خون آشام بود

He locked the door while the foe was in the house: the plot of Pharaoh was a story of this sort.

در ببست و دشمن اندر خانه بود ** حیله‌‌ی فرعون زین افسانه بود

That vengeful man slew hundreds of thousands of babes, while the one he was searching after was in his (Pharaoh's) house. 920

صد هزاران طفل کشت آن کینه کش ** و آن که او می‌‌جست اندر خانه‌‌اش‌‌

Since in our eyesight (foresight) there is much defect, go, let your own sight pass away (faná) in the sight of the Friend (God).

دیده‌‌ی ما چون بسی علت در اوست ** رو فنا کن دید خود در دید دوست‌‌

His sight for ours—what a goodly recompense! In His sight you will find the whole object of your desire.

دید ما را دید او نعم العوض ** یابی اندر دید او کل غرض‌‌

So long as the child could neither grasp (exert strength) nor run, he had nothing to ride on but his father's neck;

طفل تا گیرا و تا پویا نبود ** مرکبش جز گردن بابا نبود

When he became a busybody and plied hand and foot (exerted himself), he fell into trouble and wretchedness.

چون فضولی گشت و دست و پا نمود ** در عنا افتاد و در کور و کبود

The spirits of created beings, before (the creation of) hand and foot, by reason of their faithfulness were flying in (the realm of) purity; 925

جانهای خلق پیش از دست و پا ** می‌‌پریدند از وفا اندر صفا

When they were constrained by the (Divine) command, Get ye down, they became engaoled in anger and covetousness and contentment.

چون به امر اهبطوا بندی شدند ** حبس خشم و حرص و خرسندی شدند

We are the family of the Lord and craving after milk (like infants): he (the Prophet) said, ‘The people are God's family.’

ما عیال حضرتیم و شیر خواه ** گفت الخلق عیال للإله‌‌

He who gives rain from heaven is also able, from His mercy, to give us bread.”

آن که او از آسمان باران دهد ** هم تواند کاو ز رحمت نان دهد

How the lion pronounced exertion to be superior to trust in God.

باز ترجیح‌‌نهادن شیر جهد را بر توکل‌‌

“Yes,” said the lion; “but the Lord of His servants set a ladder before our feet.

گفت شیر آری ولی رب العباد ** نردبانی پیش پای ما نهاد

Step by step must we climb towards the roof: to be a necessitarian here is (to indulge in) foolish hopes. 930

پایه پایه رفت باید سوی بام ** هست جبری بودن اینجا طمع خام‌‌

You have feet: why do you make yourself out to be lame? you have hands: why do you conceal the fingers (whereby you grasp)?

پای داری چون کنی خود را تو لنگ ** دست داری چون کنی پنهان تو چنگ‌‌

When the master put a spade in the slave's hand, his object was made known to him (the slave) without (a word falling from his) tongue.

خواجه چون بیلی به دست بنده داد ** بی‌‌زبان معلوم شد او را مراد

Hand and spade alike are His (God's) implicit signs; (our powers of) thinking upon the end are His explicit declarations.

دست همچون بیل اشارتهای اوست ** آخر اندیشی عبارتهای اوست‌‌

When you take His signs to heart, you will devote your life to fulfilling that indication (of His will).

چون اشارتهاش را بر جان نهی ** در وفای آن اشارت جان دهی‌‌

Then He will give you hints (for the understanding) of mysteries, He will remove the burden from you and give you (spiritual) authority. 935

پس اشارتهای اسرارت دهد ** بار بر دارد ز تو کارت دهد

Do you bear (His burden)? He will cause you to be borne (aloft). Do you receive (His commands)? He will cause you to be received (into His favour).

حاملی محمول گرداند ترا ** قابلی مقبول گرداند ترا

If you accept His command, you will become the spokesman (thereof); if you seek union (with Him), thereafter you will become united.

قابل امر ویی قایل شوی ** وصل جویی بعد از آن واصل شوی‌‌

Freewill is the endeavour to thank (God) for His beneficence: your necessitarianism is the denial of that beneficence.

سعی شکر نعمتش قدرت بود ** جبر تو انکار آن نعمت بود

Thanksgiving for the power (of acting freely) increases your power; necessitarianism takes the (Divine) gift (of freewill) out of your hand.

شکر قدرت قدرتت افزون کند ** جبر نعمت از کفت بیرون کند

Your necessitarianism is (like) sleeping on the road: do not sleep! Sleep not, until you see the gate and the threshold! 940

جبر تو خفتن بود در ره مخسب ** تا نبینی آن در و درگه مخسب‌‌

Beware! do not sleep, O inconsiderate sluggard, save underneath that fruit-laden tree,

هان مخسب ای جبری بی‌‌اعتبار ** جز به زیر آن درخت میوه‌‌دار

So that every moment the wind may shake the boughs and shower upon the sleeper (spiritual) dessert and provision for the journey.

تا که شاخ افشان کند هر لحظه باد ** بر سر خفته بریزد نقل و زاد

(How absurd) to be a necessitarian and sleep amidst highwaymen! How should the untimely bird receive quarter?

جبر و خفتن در میان ره زنان ** مرغ بی‌‌هنگام کی یابد امان‌‌

And if you turn up your nose at His signs, you deem (yourself) a man, but when you consider (more deeply), you are (only) a woman.

ور اشارتهاش را بینی زنی ** مرد پنداری و چون بینی زنی‌‌

This measure of understanding which you possess is lost: a head from which the understanding flies away, 945

این قدر عقلی که داری گم شود ** سر که عقل از وی بپرد دم شود

Because ingratitude is wickedness and disgrace and brings the ingrate to the bottom of Hell-fire.

ز آن که بی‌‌شکری بود شوم و شنار ** می‌‌برد بی‌‌شکر را در قعر نار

If you are putting trust in God, put trust (in Him) as regards (your) work: sow (the seed), then rely upon the Almighty.”

گر توکل می‌‌کنی در کار کن ** کشت کن پس تکیه بر جبار کن‌‌

How the beasts once more asserted the superiority of trust in God to exertion.

باز ترجیح نهادن نخجیران توکل را بر جهد

They all lifted up their voices (to dispute) with him, saying, “Those covetous ones who sowed (the seed of) means,

جمله با وی بانگها برداشتند ** کان حریصان که سببها کاشتند

Myriads on myriads of men and women—why, then, did they remain deprived of fortune?

صد هزار اندر هزار از مرد و زن ** پس چرا محروم ماندند از زمن‌‌

From the beginning of the world myriads of generations have opened a hundred mouths, like dragons: 950

صد هزاران قرن ز آغاز جهان ** همچو اژدرها گشاده صد دهان‌‌

Those clever people devised plots (of such power) that the mountain thereby was torn up from its foundation.

مکرها کردند آن دانا گروه ** که ز بن بر کنده شد ز آن مکر کوه‌‌

The Glorious (God) described their plots (when He said): (though their guile be such) that the tops of the mountains might be moved thereby.

کرد وصف مکرهاشان ذو الجلال ** لتزول منه اقلال الجبال‌‌

(But) except the portion which came to pass (was predestined) in eternity, nothing showed its face (accrued to them) from their hunting and doing.

جز که آن قسمت که رفت اندر ازل ** روی ننمود از شکار و از عمل‌‌

They all fell from (failed in) plan and act: the acts and decrees of the Maker remained.

جمله افتادند از تدبیر و کار ** ماند کار و حکم‌‌های کردگار

O illustrious one, do not regard work as aught but a name! O cunning one, think not that exertion is aught but a vain fancy!” 955

کسب جز نامی مدان ای نامدار ** جهد جز وهمی مپندار ای عیار

How ‘Azrá‘íl (Azrael) looked at a certain man, and how that man fled to the palace of Solomon; and setting forth the superiority of trust in God to exertion and the uselessness of the latter.

نگریستن عزراییل بر مردی و گریختن آن مرد در سرای سلیمان و تقریر ترجیح توکل بر جهد و قلت فایده‌‌ی جهد

One forenoon a freeborn (noble) man arrived and ran into Solomon's hall of justice,

زاد مردی چاشتگاهی در رسید ** در سرا عدل سلیمان در دوید

His countenance pale with anguish and both lips blue. Then Solomon said, “Good sir, what is the matter?”

رویش از غم زرد و هر دو لب کبود ** پس سلیمان گفت ای خواجه چه بود

He replied, “Azrael cast on me such a look, so full of wrath and hate.”

گفت عزراییل در من این چنین ** یک نظر انداخت پر از خشم و کین‌‌

“Come,” said the king, “what (boon) do you desire now? Ask (it)!” “O protector of my life,” said he, “command the wind,

گفت هین اکنون چه می‌‌خواهی بخواه ** گفت فرما باد را ای جان پناه‌‌

To bear me from here to India. Maybe, when thy slave is come thither he will save his life.” 960

تا مرا ز ینجا به هندستان برد ** بو که بنده کان طرف شد جان برد

Lo, the people are fleeing from poverty: hence are they a mouthful for (a prey to) covetousness and expectation.

نک ز درویشی گریزانند خلق ** لقمه‌‌ی حرص و امل ز آنند خلق‌‌

The fear of poverty is like that (man's) terror: know thou that covetousness and striving are (like) India (in this tale).

ترس درویشی مثال آن هراس ** حرص و کوشش را تو هندستان شناس‌‌

He (Solomon) commanded the wind to bear him quickly over the water to the uttermost part of India.

باد را فرمود تا او را شتاب ** برد سوی قعر هندستان بر آب‌‌