Rumi's Masnavi - The (right) plot is that he (the prisoner) digs a hole in his prison (in order to escape); if he blocks up the hole, that is a foolish plot.

The (right) plot is that he (the prisoner) digs a hole in his prison (in order to escape); if he blocks up the hole, that is a foolish plot.

مکر آن باشد که زندان حفره کرد ** آن که حفره بست آن مکری ست سرد

This world is the prison, and we are the prisoners: dig a hole in the prison and let yourself out!

این جهان زندان و ما زندانیان ** حفره کن زندان و خود را وارهان‌‌

What is this world? To be forgetful of God; it is not merchandise and silver and weighing-scales and women.

چیست دنیا از خدا غافل بدن ** نی قماش و نقره و میزان و زن‌‌

As regards the wealth that you carry for religion's sake, “How good is righteous wealth (for the righteous man)!” as the Prophet recited.

مال را کز بهر دین باشی حمول ** نعم مال صالح خواندش رسول‌‌

Water in the boat is the ruin of the boat, (but) water underneath the boat is a support. 985

آب در کشتی هلاک کشتی است ** آب اندر زیر کشتی پشتی است‌‌

Since he cast out from his heart (the desire for) wealth and possessions, on that account Solomon did not call himself (by any name) but “poor.”

چون که مال و ملک را از دل براند ** ز آن سلیمان خویش جز مسکین نخواند

The stoppered jar, (though) in rough water, floated on the water because of its wind-filled (empty) heart.

کوزه‌‌ی سر بسته اندر آب زفت ** از دل پر باد فوق آب رفت‌‌

When the wind of poverty is within (any one), he rests at peace on the surface of the water of the world;

باد درویشی چو در باطن بود ** بر سر آب جهان ساکن بود

Although the whole of this world is his kingdom, in the eye of his heart the kingdom is nothing.

گر چه جمله‌‌ی این جهان ملک وی است ** ملک در چشم دل او لا شی است‌‌

Therefore stopper and seal the mouth of your heart, and fill it from the Divine ventilator. 990

پس دهان دل ببند و مهر کن ** پر کنش از باد کبر من لدن‌‌

Exertion is a reality, and medicine and disease are realities: the sceptic in his denial of exertion practised (and thereby affirmed) exertion.

جهد حق است و دوا حق است و درد ** منکر اندر نفی جهدش جهد کرد

How the superiority of exertion to trust in God was established.

مقرر شدن ترجیح جهد بر توکل‌‌

The lion gave many proofs in this style, so that those necessitarians became tired of answering (him).

زین نمط بسیار برهان گفت شیر ** کز جواب آن جبریان گشتند سیر

Fox and deer and hare and jackal abandoned (the doctrine of) necessity and (ceased from) disputation.

روبه و آهو و خرگوش و شغال ** جبر را بگذاشتند و قیل و قال‌‌

They made covenants with the furious lion, (ensuring) that he should incur no loss in this bargain,

عهدها کردند با شیر ژیان ** کاندر این بیعت نیفتد در زیان‌‌

(That) the daily ration should come to him without trouble, and that he should not need to make a further demand. 995

قسم هر روزش بیاید بی‌‌جگر ** حاجتش نبود تقاضای دگر

Day by day the one on whom the lot fell would run to the lion as (swiftly as) a cheetah.

قرعه بر هر که فتادی روز روز ** سوی آن شیر او دویدی همچو یوز

When this cup (of death) came round to the hare, the hare cried out, “Why, how long (are we to endure this) injustice?”

چون به خرگوش آمد این ساغر به دور ** بانگ زد خرگوش کاخر چند جور

How the beasts of chase blamed the hare for his delay in going to the lion.

انکار کردن نخجیران بر خرگوش در تاخیر رفتن بر شیر

The company (of beasts) said to him: “All this time we have sacrificed our lives in troth and loyalty.

قوم گفتندش که چندین گاه ما ** جان فدا کردیم در عهد و وفا

Do not thou seek to give us a bad name, O rebellious one! Lest the lion be aggrieved, go, go! Quick! Quick!”

تو مجو بد نامی ما ای عنود ** تا نرنجد شیر رو رو زود زود

How the hare answered the beasts.

جواب گفتن خرگوش نخجیران را

“O friends,” said he, “grant me a respite, that by my cunning ye may escape from calamity, 1000

گفت ای یاران مرا مهلت دهید ** تا به مکرم از بلا بیرون جهید

That by my cunning your lives may be saved and this (safety) remain as a heritage to your children.”

تا امان یابد به مکرم جانتان ** ماند این میراث فرزندانتان‌‌

After this manner every prophet in the world used to call the peoples to a place of deliverance,

هر پیمبر امتان را در جهان ** همچنین تا مخلصی می‌‌خواندشان‌‌

For he had seen from Heaven the way of escape, (though) in (their) sight he was contracted (despicable) like the pupil of the eye.

کز فلک راه برون شو دیده بود ** در نظر چون مردمک پیچیده بود

Men regarded him as small like the pupil: none attained to (understanding of) the (real) greatness (worth) of the pupil.

مردمش چون مردمک دیدند خرد ** در بزرگی مردمک کس ره نبرد

How the beasts objected to the proposal of the hare.

اعتراض نخجیران بر سخن خرگوش‌‌

The company (of beasts) said to him: “O donkey, listen (to us)! Keep thyself within the measure of a hare! 1005

قوم گفتندش که ای خر گوش دار ** خویش را اندازه‌‌ی خرگوش دار

Eh, what brag is this—(an idea) which thy betters never brought into their minds?

هین چه لاف است این که از تو بهتران ** در نیاوردند اندر خاطر آن‌‌

Thou art self-conceited, or Destiny is pursuing us; else, how is this speech suitable to one like thee?

معجبی یا خود قضامان در پی است ** ور نه این دم لایق چون تو کی است‌‌

How the hare again answered the beasts.

جواب خرگوش نخجیران را

He said: “O friends, God gave me inspiration: to a weakling there came a strong judgement (wise counsel).”

گفت ای یاران حقم الهام داد ** مر ضعیفی را قوی رایی فتاد

That which God taught to the bees is not (belonging) to the lion and the wild ass.

آن چه حق آموخت مر زنبور را ** آن نباشد شیر را و گور را

It (the bee) makes houses of juicy halwá (sweetmeat): God opened to it the door of that knowledge; 1010

خانه‌‌ها سازد پر از حلوای تر ** حق بر او آن علم را بگشاد در

That which God taught to the silkworm—does any elephant know such a device?

آن چه حق آموخت کرم پیله را ** هیچ پیلی داند آن گون حیله را

Adam, created of earth, learned knowledge from God: (his) knowledge shot beams up to the Seventh Heaven.

آدم خاکی ز حق آموخت علم ** تا به هفتم آسمان افروخت علم‌‌

He (Adam) broke the name and fame (pride) of the angels, to the confusion of that one who is in doubt concerning God.

نام و ناموس ملک را در شکست ** کوری آن کس که در حق درشک است‌‌

He (God) made the ascetic of six hundred thousand years (Iblís) a muzzle for that young calf (Adam),

زاهد چندین هزاران ساله را ** پوز بندی ساخت آن گوساله را

That he (Adam) might not be able to drink the milk of knowledge of religion, and that he might not roam around that lofty castle. 1015

تا نتاند شیر علم دین کشید ** تا نگردد گرد آن قصر مشید

The sciences of the followers of (external) sense became a muzzle, so that he (the believer in sense-perception) might not receive milk from that sublime knowledge.

علمهای اهل حس شد پوز بند ** تا نگیرد شیر ز آن علم بلند

(But) into the blood-drop (core) of the heart there fell a jewel which He (God) gave not to the seas and skies.

قطره‌‌ی دل را یکی گوهر فتاد ** کان به دریاها و گردونها نداد

How long (this regard for) form? After all, O form-worshipper, has thy reality-lacking soul not (yet) escaped from form?

چند صورت آخر ای صورت پرست ** جان بی‌‌معنیت از صورت نرست‌‌

If a human being were a man in virtue of form, Ahmad (Mohammed) and Bú Jahl would be just the same.

گر به صورت آدمی انسان بدی ** احمد و بو جهل خود یکسان بدی‌‌

The painting on the wall is like Adam: see from the (pictured) form what thing in it is wanting. 1020

نقش بر دیوار مثل آدم است ** بنگر از صورت چه چیز او کم است‌‌

The spirit is wanting in that resplendent form: go, seek that jewel rarely found!

جان کم است آن صورت با تاب را ** رو بجو آن گوهر کمیاب را

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