Rumi's Masnavi - 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).

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

’Twas on account of that monarch of auspicious gait that Mount Sinai was (turned to) rubies from end to end.

ز آن شهنشاه همایون نعل بود ** که سراسر طور سینا لعل بود

(All) the parts of the mountain received life and intelligence— after all, are we inferior to stone, O people?

جان پذیرفت و خرد اجزای کوه ** ما کم از سنگیم آخر ای گروه‏

Neither is there gushing from the soul a single spring, nor is the body becoming one of those clad in green;

نه ز جان یک چشمه جوشان می‏شود ** نه بدن از سبز پوشان می‏شود

Neither is there in it the echo of the cry of longing, nor the purity (born) of the draught of (wine bestowed by) the Cup-bearer. 1335

نه صدای بانگ مشتاقی در او ** نه صفای جرعه‏ی ساقی در او

Where is (so great) zeal, that they should entirely dig up such a mountain as this with axe and with pick?—

کو حمیت تا ز تیشه و ز کلند ** این چنین که را بکلی بر کنند

(In the hope that) maybe a Moon will shine upon its particles, (that) maybe the radiance of the Moon will find a way into it.

بو که بر اجزای او تابد مهی ** بو که در وی تاب مه یابد رهی‏

Inasmuch as the (temporal) Resurrection shall dig up the mountains, how shall it cast the shadow (of protection) over us?

چون قیامت کوهها را بر کند ** پس قیامت این کرم کی می‏کند

How is this (spiritual) Resurrection inferior to that (temporal) Resurrection? That (temporal) Resurrection is the wound, and this (spiritual) Resurrection is as the plaster.

این قیامت ز آن قیامت کی کم است ** آن قیامت زخم و این چون مرهم است‏

Every one that has seen (experienced) this plaster is safe from the wound: every evil one that has seen this good is a well-doer. 1340

هر که دید این مرهم از زخم ایمن است ** هر بدی کاین حسن دید او محسن است‏

Oh, happy is the ugly one to whom the beauteous one has become a companion; alas for one of rosy countenance with whom autumn has consorted!

ای خنک زشتی که خویش شد حریف ** و ای گل رویی که جفتش شد خریف‏

When lifeless bread is companioned with life, the bread becomes living and is turned into the substance of that (life).

نان مرده چون حریف جان شود ** زنده گردد نان و عین آن شود

Dark faggots become the companions of fire: the darkness departed, and all was turned into light.

هیزم تیره حریف نار شد ** تیرگی رفت و همه انوار شد

When the dead ass fell into the salt-mine, it put aside asininity and mortality.

در نمک‏لان چون خر مرده فتاد ** آن خری و مردگی یک سو نهاد

The baptism of Allah is the dyeing-vat of Hú (the Absolute God): therein (all) piebald things become of one colour. 1345

صبغة الله هست خم رنگ هو ** پیسها یک رنگ گردد اندر او

When he (the mystic) falls into the vat, and you say to him, “Arise,” he says in rapture, “I am the vat: do not blame (me).”

چون در آن خم افتد و گوییش قم ** از طرب گوید منم خم لا تلم‏

That “I am the vat” is the (same as) saying “I am God”: he has the colour of the fire, albeit he is iron.

آن منم خم خود انا الحق گفتن است ** رنگ آتش دارد الا آهن است‏

The colour of the iron is naughted in the colour of the fire: it (the iron) boasts of (its) fieriness, though (actually) it is like one who keeps silence.

رنگ آهن محو رنگ آتش است ** ز آتشی می‏لافد و خامش‏وش است‏

When it has become like gold of the mine in redness, then without tongue its boast is “I am the fire.”

چون به سرخی گشت همچون زر کان ** پس انا النار است لافش بی‏زبان‏

It has become glorified by the colour and nature of the fire: it says, “I am the fire, I am the fire. 1350

شد ز رنگ و طبع آتش محتشم ** گوید او من آتشم من آتشم‏

I am the fire; if thou have doubt and suspicion, make trial, put thy hand upon me.

آتشم من گر ترا شک است و ظن ** آزمون کن دست را بر من بزن‏

I am the fire; if it seem dubious to thee, lay thy face upon my face for one moment.”

آتشم من بر تو گر شد مشتبه ** روی خود بر روی من یک دم بنه‏

When Man receives light from God, he is worshipped by the angels because of his being chosen (by God).

آدمی چون نور گیرد از خدا ** هست مسجود ملایک ز اجتبا

Also, (he is) worshipped by that one whose spirit, like the angel, has been freed from contumacy and doubt.

نیز مسجود کسی کاو چون ملک ** رسته باشد جانش از طغیان و شک‏