Rumi's Masnavi - Know, then, that a fair and goodly form with bad qualities (within) is not worth a farthing;

Know, then, that a fair and goodly form with bad qualities (within) is not worth a farthing;

پس بدان که صورت خوب و نکو ** با خصال بد نیرزد یک تسو

And though the form be despicable and unpleasing, (yet) when his (that person's) disposition is good, die at his feet!

ور بود صورت حقیر و ناپذیر ** چون بود خلقش نکو در پاش میر

Know that the outward form passes away, (but) the world of reality remains for ever. 1020

صورت ظاهر فنا گردد بدان ** عالم معنی بماند جاودان‏

How long will you play at loving the shape of the jug? Leave the shape of the jug; go, seek the water.

چند بازی عشق با نقش سبو ** بگذر از نقش سبو رو آب جو

You have seen its (outward) form, you are unaware of the reality; pick out from the shell a pearl, if you are wise.

صورتش دیدی ز معنی غافلی ** از صدف دری گزین گر عاقلی‏

These shells of bodies in the world, though they all are living by (grace of) the Sea of Soul—

این صدفهای قوالب در جهان ** گر چه جمله زنده‏اند از بحر جان‏

Yet there is not a pearl in every shell: open your eyes and look into the heart of each one,

لیک اندر هر صدف نبود گهر ** چشم بگشا در دل هر یک نگر

And pick out what that one has and what this, because that costly pearl is seldom found. 1025

کان چه دارد وین چه دارد می‏گزین ** ز انکه کمیاب است آن در ثمین‏

If you go (turn your attention) to the form, by external appearance a mountain is a hundred times as much as a ruby in bigness;

گر به صورت می‏روی کوهی به شکل ** در بزرگی هست صد چندان که لعل‏

Also, in respect of form, your hands and feet and hair are a hundred times as much as the contour of the eye;

هم به صورت دست و پا و پشم تو ** هست صد چندان که نقش چشم تو

But this (fact) is not hidden from you, that the two eyes are the choicest of all (your) members.

لیک پوشیده نباشد بر تو این ** کز همه اعضا دو چشم آمد گزین‏

By one thought that comes into the mind a hundred worlds are overturned in a single moment.

از یک اندیشه که آید در درون ** صد جهان گردد به یک دم سر نگون‏

If the body of the Sultan is, in form (appearance), one (only), (yet) hundreds of thousands of soldiers run behind (it). 1030

جسم سلطان گر به صورت یک بود ** صد هزاران لشکرش در پی دود

Again, the figure and form of the excellent King are ruled by one invisible thought.

باز شکل و صورت شاه صفی ** هست محکوم یکی فکر خفی‏

Behold people without end who, moved by one thought, have gone over the earth like a flood;

خلق بی‏پایان ز یک اندیشه بین ** گشته چون سیلی روانه بر زمین‏

Small is that thought in the people's eyes, but like a flood it swallowed and swept away the world.

هست آن اندیشه پیش خلق خرد ** لیک چون سیلی جهان را خورد و برد

So, when you see that from a thought every craft in the world (arises and) subsists—

پس چو می‏بینی که از اندیشه‏ای ** قایم است اندر جهان هر پیشه‏ای‏

(That) houses and palaces and cities, mountains and plains and rivers, 1035

خانه‏ها و قصرها و شهرها ** کوهها و دشتها و نهرها

Earth and ocean as well as sun and sky, are living (derive their life) from it as fishes from the sea—

هم زمین و بحر و هم مهر و فلک ** زنده از وی همچو کز دریا سمک‏

Then why in your foolishness, O blind one, does the body seem to you a Solomon, and thought (only) as an ant?

پس چرا از ابلهی پیش تو کور ** تن سلیمان است و اندیشه چو مور

To your eye the mountain appears great: (to you) thought is like a mouse, and the mountain (like) a wolf.

می‏نماید پیش چشمت که بزرگ ** هست اندیشه چو موش و کوه گرگ‏

The (material) world in your eyes is awful and sublime: you tremble and are frightened at the clouds and the thunder and the sky,

عالم اندر چشم تو هول و عظیم ** ز ابر و رعد و چرخ داری لرز و بیم‏

While in regard to the world of thought, O less (lower) than the ass, you are secure and indifferent as a witless stone, 1040

وز جهان فکرتی ای کم ز خر ** ایمن و غافل چو سنگ بی‏خبر

Because you are a (mere) shape and have no portion of intelligence; you are not of human nature, you are an ass's colt.

ز انکه نقشی وز خرد بی‏بهره‏ای ** آدمی خو نیستی خر کره‏ای‏

From ignorance you deem the shadow to be the substance: hence to you the substance has become a plaything and of slight account.

سایه را تو شخص می‏بینی ز جهل ** شخص از آن شد نزد تو بازی و سهل‏

Wait till the Day when that thought and phantasy unfolds its wings and pinions without any veil (encumbrance).

باش تا روزی که آن فکر و خیال ** بر گشاید بی‏حجابی پر و بال‏

You will see that the mountains have become soft as wool, (and that) this Earth of hot and cold has become naught;

کوهها بینی شده چون پشم نرم ** نیست گشته این زمین سرد و گرم‏

You will see neither the sky nor the stars nor (any) existence but God, the One, the Living, the Loving. 1045

نه سما بینی نه اختر نه وجود ** جز خدای واحد حی ودود

Here is a tale, (be it) true or false, to illustrate (these) truths.

یک فسانه راست آمد یا دروغ ** تا دهد مر راستیها را فروغ‏

How the (King's) retainers envied the favourite slave.

حسد کردن حشم بر غلام خاص

A King had, of his grace, preferred a certain slave above all his retinue.

پادشاهی بنده‏ای را از کرم ** بر گزیده بود بر جمله حشم‏

His allowance was the stipend of forty Amírs; a hundred Viziers would not see (receive) a tenth of its amount.

جامگی او وظیفه‏ی چل امیر ** ده یک قدرش ندیدی صد وزیر

Through the perfection of (his) natal star and prosperity and fortune he was an Ayáz, while the King was the Mahmúd of the time.

از کمال طالع و اقبال و بخت ** او ایازی بود و شه محمود وقت‏

His spirit in its origin, before (the creation of) this body, was near-related and akin to the King's spirit. 1050

روح او با روح شه در اصل خویش ** پیش از این تن بوده هم پیوند و خویش‏

(Only) that matters which has existed before the body; leave (behind you) these things which have newly sprung into being.

کار آن دارد که پیش از تن بده ست ** بگذر از اینها که نو حادث شده ست‏

That which matters belongs to the knower (of God), for he is not squinting: his eye is (fixed) upon the things first sown.

کار عارف راست کاو نه احول است ** چشم او بر کشتهای اول است‏

That which was sown as wheat (good) or as barley (relatively evil)—day and night his eye is fastened on that place (where it was sown).

آن چه گندم کاشتندش و آن چه جو ** چشم او آن جاست روز و شب گرو

Night gave birth to nothing but what she was pregnant withal: designs and plots are wind, (empty) wind.

آنچ آبست است شب جز آن نزاد ** حیله‏ها و مکرها باد است باد

How should he please his heart with fair designs who sees the design of God (prevailing) over them? 1055

کی کند دل خوش به حیلتهای گش ** آن که بیند حیله‏ی حق بر سرش‏

He is within the snare (of God) and is laying a snare: by your life, neither that (snare) will escape (destruction) nor will this (man).

او درون دام دامی می‏نهد ** جان تو نه این جهد نه آن جهد

Though (in the meanwhile) a hundred herbs grow and fade, there will grow up at last that which God has sown.

گر بروید ور بریزد صد گیاه ** عاقبت بر روید آن کشته‏ی اله‏

He (the cunning man) sowed new seed over the first seed; (but) this second (seed) is passing away, and (only) the first is sound (and enduring).

کشت نو کارید بر کشت نخست ** این دوم فانی است و آن اول درست‏

The first seed is perfect and choice; the second seed is corrupt and rotten.

تخم اول کامل و بگزیده است ** تخم ثانی فاسد و پوسیده است‏

Cast away this contrivance of yours before the Beloved— though your contrivance indeed is of His contriving. 1060

افکن این تدبیر خود را پیش دوست ** گر چه تدبیرت هم از تدبیر اوست‏

That which God has raised (and that alone) has use: what He has at first sown at last grows.

کار آن دارد که حق افراشته ست ** آخر آن روید که اول کاشته ست‏

Whatever you sow, sow for His sake, inasmuch as you are the Beloved's captive, O lover.

هر چه کاری از برای او بکار ** چون اسیر دوستی ای دوستدار

Do not hang about the thievish fleshly soul and its work: whatsoever is not God's work is naught, naught.

گرد نفس دزد و کار او مپیچ ** هر چه آن نه کار حق هیچ است هیچ‏

(Sow the good seed) ere the Day of Resurrection shall appear and the night-thief be shamed before Him whose is the Kingdom,

پیش از آن که روز دین پیدا شود ** نزد مالک دزد شب رسوا شود

With the goods stolen by his contrivance and craft (still) remaining on his neck at the Day of Judgement. 1065

رخت دزدیده به تدبیر و فنش ** مانده روز داوری بر گردنش‏

Hundreds of thousands of minds may jump together (conspire) to lay a snare other than His snare;

صد هزاران عقل با هم بر جهند ** تا به غیر دام او دامی نهند

(But) they only find their snare more grievous (to themselves), (for) how can straws show any power (of resistance) against the wind?

دام خود را سخت‏تر یابند و بس ** کی نماید قوتی با باد خس‏