Rumi's Masnavi - This, which is busy (in appearance), is (really) idle and (superficial, like) a husk; and that which is hidden is its core and origin.

This, which is busy (in appearance), is (really) idle and (superficial, like) a husk; and that which is hidden is its core and origin.

اینکه بر کار است بی‏کار است و پوست ** و انکه پنهان است مغز و اصل اوست‏

The dust is as a tool in the hand of the wind: deem the wind high and of high descent.

خاک همچون آلتی در دست باد ** باد را دان عالی و عالی نژاد

The gaze of the eye of dust falls on the dust; an eye that sees the wind is of another sort.

چشم خاکی را به خاک افتد نظر ** باد بین چشمی بود نوعی دگر

A horse knows a horse, because it (one horse) is associated (homogeneous with other horses); likewise (only) a rider knows the things appertaining to a rider. 1285

اسب داند اسب را کاو هست یار ** هم سواری داند احوال سوار

The sensuous eye is the horse, and the Light of God is the rider: without the rider the horse itself is useless.

چشم حس اسب است و نور حق سوار ** بی‏سواره اسب خود ناید به کار

Therefore train the horse (so as to cure it) of bad habits; else the horse will be rejected before the King.

پس ادب کن اسب را از خوی بد ** ور نه پیش شاه باشد اسب رد

The horse's eye finds the way from the King's eye: without the King's eye its eye is in desperate plight.

چشم اسب از چشم شه رهبر بود ** چشم او بی‏چشم شه مضطر بود

The eye of horses, whithersoever you call it except to grass and pasture, says, “Nay, why (should we go)?”

چشم اسبان جز گیاه و جز چرا ** هر کجا خوانی بگوید نه چرا

The Light of God mounts (as a rider) on the sensuous eye, and then the soul yearns after God. 1290

نور حق بر نور حس راکب شود ** آن گهی جان سوی حق راغب شود

How should the riderless horse know the marks of the road? The King is needed (to ride it) in order that it may know the King's road.

اسب بی‏راکب چه داند رسم راه ** شاه باید تا بداند شاه راه‏

Go towards a sense on which the Light is riding: that Light is a good companion for the sense.

سوی حسی رو که نورش راکب است ** حس را آن نور نیکو صاحب است‏

The Light of God is an ornament to the light of sense: this is the meaning of light upon light.

نور حس را نور حق تزیین بود ** معنی نور علی‏ نور این بود

The light of sense draws (a man) towards earth; the Light of God bears him aloft,

نور حسی می‏کشد سوی ثری ** نور حقش می‏برد سوی علی‏

Because sensible things are a lower world: the Light of God is (as) the sea, and the sense as a dew-drop. 1295

ز انکه محسوسات دونتر عالمی است ** نور حق دریا و حس چون شبنمی است‏

But that which rides on it (on the sense) is not manifested save by good effects and words.

لیک پیدا نیست آن راکب بر او ** جز به آثار و به گفتار نکو

The sensuous light, which is gross and heavy, is hidden in the black of the eyes.

نور حسی کاو غلیظ است و گران ** هست پنهان در سواد دیده‏گان‏

Inasmuch as you are not seeing the light of sense with (your) eye, how should you see the light of that religious one (the saint) with (your) eye?

چون که نور حس نمی‏بینی ز چشم ** چون ببینی نور آن دینی ز چشم‏

The light of sense is hidden notwithstanding this grossness: how (then) should not that radiance be hidden which is pure (and subtle)?

نور حس با این غلیظی مختفی است ** چون خفی نبود ضیایی کان صفی است‏

This world, like straws in the hand (control) of the wind (which is) the (world) unseen, is a helpless object before the power and sway of the Unseen 1300

این جهان چون خس به دست باد غیب ** عاجزی پیش گرفت و داد غیب‏

It (this control) makes it now lofty, now low; makes it now sound (and whole), now broken;

گه بلندش می‏کند گاهیش پست ** گه درستش می‏کند گاهی شکست‏

Now carries it to the right, now to the left; now makes it roses, now thorns.

گه یمینش می‏برد گاهی یسار ** گه گلستانش کند گاهیش خار

See (how) the Hand (is) hidden, while the pen is writing; the horse careering, while the Rider is invisible.

دست پنهان و قلم بین خط گزار ** اسب در جولان و ناپیدا سوار

See the arrow flying, and the Bow not in sight; the (individual) souls manifest, and the Soul of souls hidden.

تیر پران بین و ناپیدا کمان ** جانها پیدا و پنهان جان جان‏

Do not break the arrow, for it is the arrow of a King; it is not shot at long range (at random), it is from the thumb-stall of One who knows (how to hit the target). 1305

تیر را مشکن که این تیر شهی است ** تیر پرتابی ز شصت آگهی است‏

God said, “Thou didst not throw when thou threwest”: the action of God has precedence over (our) actions.

ما رمیت إذ رمیت گفت حق ** کار حق بر کارها دارد سبق‏

Break your own anger, do not break the arrow: the eye of your anger reckons milk (to be) blood.

خشم خود بشکن تو مشکن تیر را ** چشم خشمت خون شمارد شیر را

Give the arrow a kiss and bring it to the King—the blood-stained arrow, wet with your blood.

بوسه ده بر تیر و پیش شاه بر ** تیر خون آلود از خون تو تر

That which is seen is helpless and confined and feeble; and that which is unseen is so fierce and uncontrollable.

آن چه پیدا عاجز و بسته و زبون ** و آن چه ناپیدا چنان تند و حرون‏

We are the (hunted) prey: to whom belongs such a (fearful) snare? We are the ball (for the blows) of the polo-bat—and where is the Batsman? 1310

ما شکاریم این چنین دامی کراست ** گوی چوگانیم چوگانی کجاست‏

He tears, He sews: where is this Tailor? He blows, He burns: where is this Fire-kindler?

می‏درد می‏دوزد این خیاط کو ** می‏دمد می‏سوزد این نفاط کو

At one hour He makes the true saint an unbeliever; at another hour He makes the (impious) deist an (orthodox) ascetic;

ساعتی کافر کند صدیق را ** ساعتی زاهد کند زندیق را

For the mukhlis (sincere worshipper) is in danger of the snare until he becomes entirely purged of self,

ز انکه مخلص در خطر باشد ز دام ** تا ز خود خالص نگردد او تمام‏

Because he is (still) on the Way, and the brigands are numberless: (only) he escapes who is under God's safeguard.

ز انکه در راهست و ره زن بی‏حد است ** آن رهد کاو در امان ایزد است‏

(If) he has not become (selfless, like) a pure mirror, he is (no more than) mukhlis: (if) he has not caught the bird, he is (still) hunting; 1315

آینه‏ی خالص نگشت او مخلص است ** مرغ را نگرفته است او مقنص است‏

(But) when the mukhlis has become mukhlas, he is delivered: he has reached the place of safety and has won the victory.

چون که مخلص گشت مخلص باز رست ** در مقام امن رفت و برد دست‏

No mirror (ever) became iron again; no bread (ever) became the wheat in the stack.

هیچ آیینه دگر آهن نشد ** هیچ نانی گندم خرمن نشد

No full-grown grape (ever) became a young grape; no mature fruit (ever) became premature fruit.

هیچ انگوری دگر غوره نشد ** هیچ میوه‏ی پخته با کوره نشد

Become mature and be far from (the possibility of) change for the worse: go, become the Light, like Burhán-i Muhaqqiq.

پخته گرد و از تغیر دور شو ** رو چو برهان محقق نور شو

When you have escaped from self, you have become wholly the proof (of God): when the slave (in you) has become naught, you have become the King. 1320

چون ز خود رستی همه برهان شدی ** چون که بنده نیست شد سلطان شدی‏

[And if you wish to behold (this mystery) plainly, Saláhu’ddín has shown it forth: he has made the eyes to see and has opened (them).

ور عیان خواهی صلاح دین نمود ** دیده‏ها را کرد بینا و گشود

From his eyes and mien every eye that hath the Light of Hú (God) has discerned (mystical) poverty.

فقر را از چشم و از سیمای او ** دید هر چشمی که دارد نور هو

The Shaykh (Saláhu’ddín) is one who, like God, acts without instrument, giving lessons to his disciples without anything said.]

شیخ فعال است بی‏آلت چو حق ** با مریدان داده بی‏گفتی سبق‏

In his hand the heart is submissive like soft wax: his seal makes (the impression) now (of) shame, now (of) fame.

دل به دست او چو موم نرم رام ** مهر او گه ننگ سازد گاه نام‏

The seal impressed on his wax is telling of the seal-ring; of whom, again, does the device tell, (which is) graven on the stone of the ring? 1325

مهر مومش حاکی انگشتری است ** باز آن نقش نگین حاکی کیست‏

It tells of the thought of the Goldsmith—(all this) is a chain, every link (inserted) in another.

حاکی اندیشه‏ی آن زرگر است ** سلسله‏ی هر حلقه اندر دیگر است‏

Whose voice is this echo in the mountains of (our) hearts? Sometimes this mountain is full of the voice, sometimes it is empty.

این صدا در کوه دلها بانگ کی ست ** گه پرست از بانگ این که گه تهی است‏

Wheresoever he is, he is the Sage, the Master—may his voice not forsake this mountain!

هر کجا هست او حکیم است اوستاد ** بانگ او زین کوه دل خالی مباد

There is a mountain that (only) doubles the voice; there is a mountain that makes it hundredfold.

هست که کاوا مثنا می‏کند ** هست که کآواز صد تا می‏کند

At that voice and speech the mountain lets gush forth hundreds of thousands of springs of clear water. 1330

می‏زهاند کوه از آن آواز و قال ** صد هزاران چشمه‏ی آب زلال‏

Inasmuch as that grace emanates (even) from the mountain, the waters in the springs become blood.

چون ز کوه آن لطف بیرون می‏شود ** آبها در چشمه‏ها خون می‏شود