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

(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

If you say, “What was the profit of (our created) being?” (I reply), “There is profit in your question, O contumacious one.

گر تو گویی فایده‏ی هستی چه بود ** در سؤالت فایده هست ای عنود

If this question of yours has no profit, why should we listen to it in vain and fruitlessly?

گر ندارد این سؤالت فایده ** چه شنویم این را عبث بی‏عایده‏

And if there are many profits in your question, then why, pray, is the world unprofitable? 1070

ور سؤالت را بسی فاییده‏هاست ** پس جهان بی‏فایده آخر چراست‏

And (again), if from one standpoint the world is unprofitable, from other standpoints it is advantageous.

ور جهان از یک جهت بی‏فایده ست ** از جهتهای دگر پر عایده ست‏

If your profit is no profit to me, (yet) since it is a profit to you, do not withdraw from it.”

فایده‏ی تو گر مرا فاییده نیست ** مر ترا چون فایده ست از وی مه ایست‏

The beauty of Joseph profited a (whole) world (of people), though to his brethren it was a vain superfluity.

حسن یوسف عالمی را فایده ** گر چه بر اخوان عبث بد زایده‏

The melodies of David were so dear (to the faithful), but to the interdicted (unbeliever) they were (no more than) the noise of wood.

لحن داودی چنان محبوب بود ** لیک بر محروم بانگ چوب بود

The water of the Nile was superior to the Water of Life, but to the interdicted and unbelieving it was blood. 1075

آب نیل از آب حیوان بد فزون ** لیک بر محروم و منکر بود خون‏

To the true believer martyrdom is life; to the hypocrite it is death and corruption.

هست بر مومن شهیدی زندگی ** بر منافق مردن است و ژندگی‏

Tell (me), what single blessing is there in the world, from which some group of people is not excluded?

چیست در عالم بگو یک نعمتی ** که نه محرومند از وی امتی‏

What profit have the ox and the ass in sugar? Every soul has a different food;

گاو و خر را فایده چه در شکر ** هست هر جان را یکی قوتی دگر

But if that food is accidental to it (and not according to its real nature), then admonition is the (proper) correction for it.

لیک گر آن قوت بر وی عارضی است ** پس نصیحت کردن او را رایضی است‏

As (in the case of) one who from disease has become fond of (eating) clay— though he may suppose that that (clay) is indeed his (natural) food, 1080

چون کسی کاو از مرض گل داشت دوست ** گر چه پندارد که آن خود قوت اوست‏

He has (in reality) forgotten his original food and has betaken himself to the food of disease.

قوت اصلی را فرامش کرده است ** روی در قوت مرض آورده است‏

Having given up honey, he has eaten poison; he has made the food of disease (to be his nourishment) as (though it were) fat.

نوش را بگذاشته سم خورده است ** قوت علت همچو چوبش کرده است‏

Man's original food is the Light of God: animal food is improper for him;

قوت اصلی بشر نور خداست ** قوت حیوانی مر او را ناسزاست‏

But, in consequence of disease, his mind has fallen into this (delusion), that day and night he should eat of this water and clay.

لیک از علت در این افتاد دل ** که خورد او روز و شب زین آب و گل‏

(He is) pale-faced, weak-footed, faint-hearted—where is the food of by Heaven which hath (starry) tracks? 1085

روی زرد و پای سست و دل سبک ** کو غذای و السما ذات الحبک‏

That is the food of the chosen ones of the (Divine) sovereignty; the eating thereof is (done) without throat or instrument.

آن غذای خاصگان دولت است ** خوردن آن بی‏گلو و آلت است‏

The food of the (spiritual) sun is (derived) from the light of the (celestial) Throne; (the food that belongs) to the envious and devilish is (derived) from the smoke of the (terrestrial) carpet.

شد غذای آفتاب از نور عرش ** مر حسود و دیو را از دود فرش‏

God said concerning the martyrs, they are (alive with their Lord) receiving sustenance. For that food there was neither mouth nor dish.

در شهیدان یرزقون فرمود حق ** آن غذا را نه دهان بد نه طبق‏

The heart is eating a (particular) food from every single companion; the heart is getting a (particular) excellence from every single (piece of) knowledge.

دل ز هر یاری غذایی می‏خورد ** دل ز هر علمی صفایی می‏برد

Every human being's (outer) form is like a cup; (only) the (spiritual) eye is a percipient of his (or her) reality. 1090

صورت هر آدمی چون کاسه‏ای است ** چشم از معنی او حساسه‏ای است‏

You eat (receive) something from meeting with any one, and you carry away something from conjunction with any associate.

از لقای هر کسی چیزی خوری ** و ز قران هر قرین چیزی بری‏

When planet comes into conjunction with planet, the effect appropriate to them both is assuredly produced,

چون ستاره با ستاره شد قرین ** لایق هر دو اثر زاید یقین‏

As (for example) the conjunction of man and woman brings to birth the human being, and (as) sparks arise from the conjunction of stone and iron;

چون قران مرد و زن زاید بشر ** وز قران سنگ و آهن شد شرر

And (as) from the conjunction of earth with rains (there are produced) fruits and greenery and sweet herbs;

و ز قران خاک با بارانها ** میوه‏ها و سبزه و ریحانها

And (as) from the conjunction of green things (plants and verdant spots) with man (there is produced) joy of heart and carelessness and happiness; 1095

و ز قران سبزه‏ها با آدمی ** دل خوشی و بی‏غمی و خرمی‏

And (as) from the conjunction of happiness with our souls are born our goodness and beneficence.

وز قران خرمی با جان ما ** می‏بزاید خوبی و احسان ما

Our bodies become capable of eating and drinking when our desire for recreation (in the open air) is satisfied.

قابل خوردن شود اجسام ما ** چون بر آید از تفرج کام ما

Redness of countenance is (derived) from the conjunction of blood (with the face); blood is (derived) from the beautiful rose-coloured sun.

سرخ رویی از قران خون بود ** خون ز خورشید خوش گلگون بود

Redness is the best of (all) colours, and that is (born) of the sun and is arriving (to us) from it.

بهترین رنگها سرخی بود ** و آن ز خورشید است و از وی می‏رسد

Every land that has been conjoined with Saturn has become nitrous and is not the place for sowing. 1100

هر زمینی کان قرین شد با زحل ** شوره گشت و کشت را نبود محل‏

Through concurrence power comes into action, as (in the case of) the conjunction of the Devil with hypocrites.

قوت اندر فعل آید ز اتفاق ** چون قران دیو با اهل نفاق‏

These spiritual truths without (possessing) any (worldly) pomp and grandeur, have pomp and grandeur from the Ninth Heaven.

این معانی راست از چرخ نهم ** بی‏همه طاق و طرم طاق و طرم‏

The pomp and grandeur belonging to (the world of) creation is a borrowed (adventitious) thing; the pomp and grandeur belonging to the (world of) Command is an essential thing.

خلق را طاق و طرم عاریت است ** امر را طاق و طرم ماهیت است‏

For the sake of (earthly) pomp and grandeur they endure abasement; in the hope of glory they are happy in (their) abasement.

از پی طاق و طرم خواری کشند ** بر امید عز در خواری خوشند

In the hope of a ten days' (transient) glory (full) of annoyance, they have made their necks, from anxiety, (thin) as a spindle. 1105

بر امید عز ده روزه‏ی خدوک ** گردن خود کرده‏اند از غم چو دوک‏

How do not they come to this place where I am?—for in this (spiritual) glory I am the shining Sun.

چون نمی‏آیند اینجا که منم ** کاندر این عز آفتاب روشنم‏

The rising-place of the sun is the pitch-coloured tower (of heaven), (but) my Sun is beyond (all) rising-places.

مشرق خورشید برج قیرگون ** آفتاب ما ز مشرقها برون‏

His “rising-place” (is only) in relation to His motes: His essence neither rose nor set.

مشرق او نسبت ذرات او ** نه بر آمد نه فرو شد ذات او

I who am left behind (surpassed in eminence) by His motes am (nevertheless) in both worlds a sun without shadow.

ما که واپس ماند ذرات وی‏ایم ** در دو عالم آفتابی بی‏فی‏ایم‏

Still, I am revolving round the Sun—’tis wonderful; the cause of this is the majesty of the Sun. 1110

باز گرد شمس می‏گردم عجب ** هم ز فر شمس باشد این سبب‏

The Sun is acquainted with (all secondary) causes; at the same time the cord of (all secondary) causes is severed from Him.

شمس باشد بر سببها مطلع ** هم از او حبل سببها منقطع‏

Hundreds of thousands of times have I cut off (abandoned) hope—of whom? Of the Sun? Do you believe this?

صد هزاران بار ببریدم امید ** از که از شمس این شما باور کنید

Do not believe of me that I can endure to be without the Sun, or the fish to be without water;

تو مرا باور مکن کز آفتاب ** صبر دارم من و یا ماهی ز آب‏

And if I become despairing, my despair is the objective manifestation of the Sun's work, O goodly (friend).

ور شوم نومید نومیدی من ** عین صنع آفتاب است ای حسن‏

How should the objective manifestation of the work be cut off from the very self of the Worker? How should any object of (contingent) being pasture on (derive existence from) aught but (Absolute) Being? 1115

عین صنع از نفس صانع چون برد ** هیچ هست از غیر هستی چون چرد

All (contingent) beings pasture on this Meadow, whether they be Buráq or Arab horses or even asses;

جمله هستیها از این روضه چرند ** گر براق و تازیان ور خود خرند