Rumi's Masnavi - Albeit the Ka‘ba is the House of His religious service, my form too, in which I was created, is the House of His inmost consciousness.

Albeit the Ka‘ba is the House of His religious service, my form too, in which I was created, is the House of His inmost consciousness. 2245

کعبه هر چندی که خانه‏ی بر اوست ** خلقت من نیز خانه‏ی سر اوست‏

Never since God made the Ka‘ba hath He gone into it, and none but the Living (God) hath ever gone into this House (of mine).

تا بکرد آن کعبه را در وی نرفت ** و اندر این خانه بجز آن حی نرفت‏

When thou hast seen me, thou hast seen God: thou hast circled round the Ka‘ba of Sincerity.

چون مرا دیدی خدا را دیده‏ای ** گرد کعبه‏ی صدق بر گردیده‏ای‏

To serve me is to obey and glorify God: beware thou think not that God is separate from me.

خدمت من طاعت و حمد خداست ** تا نپنداری که حق از من جداست‏

Open thine eyes well and look on me, that thou mayst behold the Light of God in man.”

چشم نیکو باز کن در من نگر ** تا ببینی نور حق اندر بشر

Báyazíd gave heed to those mystic sayings, and put them in his ear as a golden ring. 2250

بایزید آن نکته‏ها را هوش داشت ** همچو زرین حلقه‏اش در گوش داشت‏

Through him (the old man), Báyazíd came into an increase (of spiritual endowment): the adept at last attained unto the end.

آمد از وی بایزید اندر مزید ** منتهی در منتها آخر رسید

How the Prophet-God bless and save him! –– perceived that the cause of that person’s sickness was irreverence in prayer.

دانستن پیغامبر صلی الله علیه و آله که سبب رنجوری آن شخص گستاخی بوده است در دعا

When the Prophet saw the sick man, he dealt sweetly and tenderly with that familiar friend.

چون پیمبر دید آن بیمار را ** خوش نوازش کرد یار غار را

He became alive when he saw the Prophet: you might say, that moment created him.

زنده شد او چون پیمبر را بدید ** گوییا آن دم مر او را آفرید

He said, “Sickness has given me this good fortune, that this Sultan has come to my side at morn,

گفت بیماری مرا این بخت داد ** کامد این سلطان بر من بامداد

So that health and well-being have accrued to me from the arrival of this King who is without retinue. 2255

تا مرا صحت رسید و عاقبت ** از قدوم این شه بی‏حاشیت‏

O happy pain and sickness and fever! O blessed anguish and wakefulness in the night!

ای خجسته رنج و بیماری و تب ** ای مبارک درد و بیداری شب‏

Lo, in (my) old age God of His grace and bounty hath bestowed on me such a sickness and malady!

نک مرا در پیری از لطف و کرم ** حق چنین رنجوریی داد و سقم‏

He too hath given me pain in the back, so that every midnight I cannot help springing up quickly from sleep.

درد پشتم داد هم تا من ز خواب ** بر جهم هر نیم شب لا بد شتاب‏

In order that I may not slumber all night like a buffalo, God of His grace hath given me pains.

تا نخسبم جمله شب چون گاومیش ** دردها بخشید حق از لطف خویش‏

Through this infirmity the mercy of Kings has been aroused, and Hell’s threatening of me has been silenced.” 2260

زین شکست آن رحم شاهان جوش کرد ** دوزخ از تهدید من خاموش کرد

Pain is a treasure, for there are mercies in it: the kernel becomes fresh when you scrape off the rind.

رنج گنج آمد که رحمتها در اوست ** مغز تازه شد چو بخراشید پوست‏

O brother, (to dwell in) a dark and cold place, to endure patiently sorrow and weakness and pain,

ای برادر موضع تاریک و سرد ** صبر کردن بر غم و سستی و درد

Is the Fountain of Life and the cup of (spiritual) intoxication, for those heights are all in lowliness.

چشمه‏ی حیوان و جام مستی است ** کان بلندیها همه در پستی است‏

That Spring is implied in autumn, and that autumn is (fulfilled) in the Spring: do not flee from it.

آن بهاران مضمر است اندر خزان ** در بهار است آن خزان مگریز از آن‏

Be a fellow-traveller with grief, agree with desolation, seek long (lasting) life in thy death (to self). 2265

همره غم باش و با وحشت بساز ** می‏طلب در مرگ خود عمر دراز

Do not listen to what thy fleshly soul says, that this place (of self-mortification) is bad, inasmuch as her doings are contrary (to thy spiritual advancement).

آن چه گوید نفس تو کاینجا بد است ** مشنوش چون کار او ضد آمده ست‏

Do thou oppose her, for such (is the) injunction (that) has come from the prophets in the world.

تو خلافش کن که از پیغمبران ** این چنین آمد وصیت در جهان‏

It becomes necessary to take counsel concerning things to be done, so that there may not be repentance in the end.

مشورت در کارها واجب شود ** تا پشیمانی در آخر کم بود

The community said, “With whom shall we take counsel?” The prophets answered, “With intellect, (which is) the Imám (leader).”

گفت امت مشورت با کی کنیم ** انبیا گفتند با عقل امیم‏

He (the questioner) said, “(But) if a child should come in, or a woman who has no clear understanding or judgement.” 2270

گفت گر کودک در آید یا زنی ** کاو ندارد عقل و رای روشنی‏

“Take counsel with her,” said he (the prophet), “and do the contrary of what she bids (thee), and go thy way.”

گفت با او مشورت کن و انچه گفت ** تو خلاف آن کن و در راه افت‏

Know that your fleshly soul is woman and worse than woman, because woman is a part (of evil), but your fleshly soul is evil entire.

نفس خود را زن شناس از زن بتر ** ز انکه زن جزوی است نفست کل شر

If you take counsel with your fleshly soul, oppose that vile one (in) whatsoever she may say.

مشورت با نفس خود گر می‏کنی ** هر چه گوید کن خلاف آن دنی‏

If she bid you pray and fast-the fleshly soul is a great plotter, she will bring some plot against you to birth.

گر نماز و روزه می‏فرمایدت ** نفس مکار است مکری زایدت‏

(When you take) counsel with your fleshly soul concerning (your) actions––whatsoever she tells (you to do), the reverse of that is perfectly right. 2275

مشورت با نفس خویش اندر فعال ** هر چه گوید عکس آن باشد کمال‏

(If) you cannot cope with her and her contumacy, go to a friend and mix with him.

بر نیایی با وی و استیز او ** رو بر یاری بگیر آمیز او

Mind gains strength from another mind: the sugar-cane is made perfect by the sugar-cane.

عقل قوت گیرد از عقل دگر ** نی شکر کامل شود از نیشکر

I have seen (wondrous) things (arising) from the deceitfulness of the fleshly soul, for by her magic she takes away the faculties of discernment.

من ز مکر نفس دیدم چیزها ** کاو برد از سحر خود تمییزها

She will proffer afresh to you promises that she has broken thousands of times.

وعده‏ها بدهد ترا تازه به دست ** که هزاران بار آنها را شکست‏

If your life be prolonged even for a hundred years, she will lay before you a new pretext every day. 2280

عمر اگر صد سال خود مهلت دهد ** اوت هر روزی بهانه‏ی نو نهد

She utters cold (vain) promises (as though) warm (from the heart); (she is) a witch, she ties up the manhood of a man.

گرم گوید وعده‏های سرد را ** جادویی مردی ببندد مرد را

O (thou who art the) radiance of God, Husámu’ddín, come! for without thee no herbs will grow from the brackish soil.

ای ضیاء الحق حسام الدین بیا ** که نروید بی‏تو از شوره گیا

A curtain has been let down from heaven because of the curse of one whose heart is sorely vexed.

از فلک آویخته شد پرده‏ای ** از پی نفرین دل آزرده‏ای‏

This destiny only the (Divine) destiny can cure: the understanding of His creatures is stunned at His destiny, stunned.

این قضا را هم قضا داند علاج ** عقل خلقان در قضا گیج است گیج‏

The lack serpent that was (as) a worm fallen on the road has become a dragon; 2285

اژدها گشته ست آن مار سیاه ** آن که کرمی بود افتاده به راه‏

(But) in thy hand, O thou with (love for) whom the soul of Moses is intoxicated, the dragon or serpent became (as) the rod (in the hand of Moses).

اژدها و مار اندر دست تو ** شد عصا ای جان موسی مست تو

God gave thee command, saying, “Take it; fear not, so that the dragon may become a rod in thy hand.”

حکم خذها لا تخف دادت خدا ** تا به دستت اژدها گردد عصا

Hark, show the white hand, O King: out of the black nights reveal a new dawn!

هین ید بیضا نما ای پادشاه ** صبح نو بگشا ز شبهای سیاه‏

A hell hath blazed forth; breathe (thy) enchantment over it, O thou whose breath is more (excellent) than the breath of the sea.

دوزخی افروخت در وی دم فسون ** ای دم تو از دم دریا فزون‏

She (the fleshly soul) is the guileful sea that shows (but) a (little) foam; she is the hell that from guile shows (but) a (little) heat. 2290

بحر مکار است بنموده کفی ** دوزخ است از مکر بنموده تفی‏

She appears exiguous in your eyes, to the end that you may regard her as feeble and that your wrath may be stirred (against her);

ز آن نماید مختصر در چشم تو ** تا زبون بینیش جنبد خشم تو

Even as there was a dense host (of infidels), (but) to the Prophet’s eye it seemed small,

همچنان که لشکر انبوه بود ** مر پیمبر را به چشم اندک نمود

So that the Prophet set upon them without (fear of) the danger; but if he had deemed (them) more (in number), he would have acted cautiously in that (affair).

تا بر ایشان زد پیمبر بی‏خطر ** ور فزون دیدی از آن کردی حذر

That was the Divine favour, and thou wert worthy of it, O Ahmad (Mohammed); else, thou wouldst have become faint-hearted.

آن عنایت بود و اهل آن بدی ** احمدا ور نه تو بد دل می‏شدی‏