Rumi's Masnavi - In order that He might make it easy for him to gain ease (success), and that he might turn away his face from difficulty (unsuccess).

In order that He might make it easy for him to gain ease (success), and that he might turn away his face from difficulty (unsuccess).

تا میسر کرد یسری را بر او ** تا ز عسری او بگردانید رو

For him, (God’s) causing (the warfare) to seem little was victory, since God was his friend and taught him the way.

کم نمودن مر و را پیروز بود ** که حقش یار و طریق آموز بود

(But) he that hath not God for his victorious support, alas if the fierce lion seem to him a cat.

آن که حق پشتش نباشد از ظفر ** وای اگر گربش نماید شیر نر

Alas if from afar he see a hundred as one, so that in vain confidence he enters on the fray.

وای اگر صدرا یکی بیند ز دور ** تا به چالش اندر آید از غرور

He (God) causes a Prophet’s sword to seem a dart and makes the fierce lion appear as a cat, 2300

ز آن نماید ذو الفقاری حربه‏ای ** ز آن نماید شیر نر چون گربه‏ای‏

To the end that the fool may fall boldly to fighting, and that He may catch them by this device;

تا دلیر اندر فتد احمق به جنگ ** و اندر آردشان بدین حیلت به چنگ‏

(And besides He is acting thus), in order that those dolts may have come towards the fire-temple by means of their own feet (by their own free will).

تا به پای خویش باشند آمده ** آن فلیوان جانب آتش‏کده‏

He is showing (what seems to you) a blade of straw, in order that you may quickly give a puff so as to make it vanish out of existence.

کاه برگی می‏نماید تا تو زود ** پف کنی کاو را برانی از وجود

Beware! for that straw has uprooted mountains: through it the world is weeping, while it (the straw) is in laughter.

هین که آن که کوهها بر کنده است ** زو جهان گریان و او در خنده است‏

He makes this river-water seem (only) up to the ankle, (but) a hundred such as Áj son of 'Unuq have ben drowned therein. 2305

می‏نماید تا به کعب این آب جو ** صد چو عاج ابن عنق شد غرق او

He makes the wave of blood seem to him a mound of musk: He makes the bottom of the sea seem dry land.

می‏نماید موج خونش تل مشک ** می‏نماید قعر دریا خاک خشک‏

Blind Pharaoh deemed that sea dry, so that in (the pride of his) manhood and strength he drave into it.

خشک دید آن بحر را فرعون کور ** تا در او راند از سر مردی و زور

When he enters (it), he is at the bottom of the sea: how should the eye of Pharaoh be seeing?

چون در آید در تگ دریا بود ** دیده‏ی فرعون کی بینا بود

The eye is made seeing by meeting with God: how should God become the confidant of every fool?

دیده بینا از لقای حق شود ** حق کجا هم راز هر احمق شود

He (the fool) sees (what he thinks is) candy: it is, in sooth, deadly poison; he sees (what he thinks is) the road: it is, in sooth, the cry of the ghoul (luring him to destruction). 2310

قند بیند خود شود زهر قتول ** راه بیند خود بود آن بانگ غول‏

O sky, in the tribulation of (these) latter days thou art revolving swiftly; pray, give (us) time (respite and relief).

ای فلک در فتنه‏ی آخر زمان ** تیز می‏گردی بده آخر زمان‏

Thou art a keen dagger to assail us; thou art a poisoned lancet to bleed us.

خنجر تیزی تو اندر قصد ما ** نیش زهر آلوده‏ای در فصد ما

O sky, learn mercy from the Mercy of God: do not, like a snake, inflict wounds on the hearts of ants.

ای فلک از رحم حق آموز رحم ** بر دل موران مزن چون مار زخم‏

By the truth of Him who hath set the wheel of thy sphere turning above this (earthly) abode,

حق آن که چرخه‏ی چرخ ترا ** کرد گردان بر فراز این سرا

(We beseech thee to) revolve in another wise and show mercy, ere thou uproot us. 2315

که دگرگون گردی و رحمت کنی ** پیش از آن که بیخ ما را بر کنی‏

(We beseech thee by) the truth of thy having fostered us at first, so that our (young) shoot grew up from (the nurture given by) water and earth;

حق آن که دایگی کردی نخست ** تا نهال ما ز آب و خاک رست‏

By the truth of that King who created thee pure and displayed so many cressets in thee,

حق آن شه که ترا صاف آفرید ** کرد چندان مشعله در تو پدید

Who hath kept thee so flourishing and lasting that the materialist hath thought thee (existent) from eternity.

آن چنان معمور و باقی داشتت ** تا که دهری از ازل پنداشتت‏

Thanks (to God), we have come to know thy beginning: the prophets have told that secret of thine.

شکر دانستیم آغاز ترا ** انبیا گفتند آن راز ترا

A man knows that a house is made (at some time or other); the spider which plays idly in it (knows) not (this). 2320

آدمی داند که خانه حادث است ** عنکبوتی نه که در وی عابث است‏

How should the gnat know of what date this garden is?––for ‘twas born in spring, and its death is in the (following) winter.

پشه کی داند که این باغ از کی است ** کاو بهاران زاد و مرگش در دی است‏

The worm that is born miserably in (dry) wood––how should it know the wood at the time when it was a (sappy) shoot?

کرم کاندر چوب زاید سست حال ** کی بداند چوب را وقت نهال‏

And if the worm should know (this), it would be intellect in its essential substance; the worm would be (only) its (outward) form.

ور بداند کرم از ماهیتش ** عقل باشد کرم باشد صورتش‏

Intellect shows itself (in many) guises, (but) like the Jinn is leagues removed from them (in its real nature).

عقل خود را می‏نماید رنگها ** چون پری دور است از آن فرسنگ‏ها

It is above the angels––what occasion is there for (comparing it with) the Jinn? (But) you have the wings of a gnat, you are flying downwards. 2325

از ملک بالاست چه جای پری ** تو مگس پری به پستی می‏پری‏

Although your intellect is flying upward, the bird of your conventional notions is feeding below.

گر چه عقلت سوی بالا می‏پرد ** مرغ تقلیدت به پستی می‏چرد

Conventional knowledge is the bane of our souls; it is a borrowed thing, but we rest (at ease in the belief) that it is ours.

علم تقلیدی وبال جان ماست ** عاریه ست و ما نشسته کان ماست‏

It behoves us to become ignorant of this (worldly) wisdom; (rather) must we clutch at madness.

زین خرد جاهل همی باید شدن ** دست در دیوانگی باید زدن‏

Always flee from whatever you deem profitable to your (lower) self: drink poison and spill the water of life.

هر چه بینی سود خود ز آن می‏گریز ** زهر نوش و آب حیوان را بریز

Revile any one that praises you: lend (both) interest and capital to the destitute. 2330

هر که بستاند ترا دشنام ده ** سود و سرمایه به مفلس وام ده‏

Let safety go, and dwell in the place of fear (danger): leave reputation behind and be disgraced and notorious.

ایمنی بگذار و جای خوف باش ** بگذر از ناموس و رسوا باش و فاش‏

I have tried far-thinking (provident) intellect; henceforth I will make myself mad.

آزمودم عقل دور اندیش را ** بعد از این دیوانه سازم خویش را

How Dalqak excused himself to the Sayyid-i Ajall (who asked him) why he had married a harlot.

عذر گفتن دلقک با سید که چرا فاحشه را نکاح کرد

One night the Sayyid-i Ajall said to Dalqak, “You have married a harlot in haste.

گفت با دلقک شبی سید اجل ** قحبه‏ای را خواستی تو از عجل‏

You ought to have disclosed this (matter) to me, so that we might have made a chaste (woman) your wife.”

با من این را باز می‏بایست گفت ** تا یکی مستور کردیمیت جفت‏

Dalqak replied, “I have (already) married nine chaste and virtuous women: they became harlots, and I wasted away with grief. 2335

گفت نه مستور صالح خواستم ** قحبه گشتند و ز غم تن کاستم‏

I married this harlot without (previous) acquaintance (with her), in order to see how this one (also) would turn out in the end.

خواستم این قحبه را بی‏معرفت ** تا ببینم چون شود این عاقبت‏

Often have I tried (sound) intelligence; henceforth I will seek a nursery for insanity.”

عقل را من آزمودم هم بسی ** زین سپس جویم جنون را مغرسی‏

How an inquirer managed to draw into conversation an eminent (saintly) man who had feigned to be mad.

به حیلت در سخن آوردن سائل آن بزرگ را که خود را دیوانه ساخته بود

A certain man was saying, “I want some one of intelligence, (that) I may consult him about a difficulty.”

آن یکی می‏گفت خواهم عاقلی ** مشورت آرم بدو در مشکلی‏

One said to him, “In our city there is nobody of intelligence except yonder man who appears to be mad.

آن یکی گفتش که اندر شهر ما ** نیست عاقل جز که آن مجنون‏نما

Look, there is (one named) so-and-so: mounted on a cane, he rides (it as a cock-horse) amongst the children. 2340

بر نیی گشته سواره نک فلان ** می‏دواند در میان کودکان‏

He is possessed of judgment and (keen as) a spark of fire; he is as the sky in dignity, and as the stars in high estate.

صاحب رای است و آتش پاره‏ای ** آسمان قدر است و اختر باره‏ای‏

His glory has become the (rational) soul of the Cherubim; he has become concealed in this (feigned) madness.”

فر او کروبیان را جان شده ست ** او در این دیوانگی پنهان شده ست‏

But you must not account every madman a (rational) soul: do not, like Sámirí, lay down your head (in worship) to a calf.

لیک هر دیوانه را جان نشمری ** سر منه گوساله را چون سامری‏

When a manifest saint has declared unto you hundreds of thousands of unseen things and hidden mysteries,

چون ولیی آشکارا با تو گفت ** صد هزاران غیب و اسرار نهفت‏

And you have not had the (proper) understanding and knowledge, (so that) you have not distinguished dung from aloes-wood— 2345

مر ترا آن فهم و آن دانش نبود ** واندانستی تو سرگین را ز عود