Rumi's Masnavi - The third was a Turk; and he said, “This (money) is mine: I don't want ‘inab, I want uzum.”

The third was a Turk; and he said, “This (money) is mine: I don't want ‘inab, I want uzum.”

The fourth, a Greek, said, “Stop this talk: I want istáfíl.”

These people began fighting in contention with one another, because they were unaware of the hidden meaning of the names. 3685

In their folly they smote each other with their fists: they were full of ignorance and empty of knowledge.

If a master of the esoteric had been there, a revered and many-languaged man, he would have pacified them;

And then he would have said, “With this one dirhem I will give all of you what ye wish.

When without deceit ye surrender your hearts (to me), this dirhem will do all this for you.

Your one dirhem will become four—the result desired: four enemies will become one through unanimity. 3690

What each one of you says produces strife and separation; what I say brings you agreement.

Therefore be ye mute, keep silence, that I may be your tongue in speech and talk.”

(Even) if your words appear uniform (seem to express an agreement), in effect they are the source of contention and anger.

Borrowed (accidental) heat produces no (essential) effect; natural heat hath (its own) effect.

If you have made vinegar hot by means of fire, (still) when you drink it, it will undoubtedly increase the coldness (of your constitution), 3695

Because that (artificially produced) heat of it is exotic: its fundamental nature is coldness and tartness.

And (on the other hand), though grape-syrup be frozen, my son, it will add heat to the liver when you drink it.

Hence the Shaykh's hypocrisy is better than our sincerity, for the former arises from (spiritual) insight, while the latter arises from (spiritual) blindness.

From the Shaykh's discourse comes union (concord); the words of the corporealists (materialists) bring separation (discord).

As (for example) Solomon, who sped (on his prophetic mission) from God, and who knew the language of all birds— 3700

In the time of his just sway the deer made friends with the leopard and ceased from war.

The dove became secure from the talons of the hawk, the sheep took no precaution against the wolf.

He (Solomon) became an arbitrator between enemies: he became a (means of establishing) oneness between the creatures that fly with wings.

Thou art running after grain, like an ant. Hark! seek for Solomon! Why art thou still astray?

To the seeker of grain his grain becomes a snare, but the seeker of Solomon may have both (Solomon and the grain). 3705

In these latter days the soul-birds have no security from each other for a moment;

(Yet) even in our epoch there is a Solomon who would give (us) peace and not suffer our injustice to continue.

Call to mind (the text), There is no people down to (the words) but in the past a warner dwelt among them.

God said that verily there has never been a people devoid of a vicar of God and a man of spiritual power;

And he makes the soul-birds so unanimous that, in respect of sincerity, he purges them of (all) guile and rancour. 3710

They become (as) kind as a mother: he (Mohammed) said of the Moslems, “(They are as) one soul.”

(’Twas) through the Messenger of Allah they became one soul; else, they were absolute enemies, every one (to the other).

How dissension and enmity amongst the Ansár were removed by the blessings of the Prophet—may God bless and save him!

The two tribes which were named Aws and Khazraj had a blood-thirsty spirit towards each other.

Through (the preaching of) Mustafá (Mohammed) their ancient feuds vanished in the light of Islam and of pureness (of heart).

First, those enemies became brethren like the units of (a bunch of) grapes in the garden; 3715

And (then) at the admonition given in the words, The true believers are brethren, they dissolved (and mingled) and became one body.

The appearance of the (clustered) grapes is (that of) brethren: when you squeeze them they become one juice.

The immature and the full-grown grape are opponents, but when the immature grape has ripened, it becomes a good friend.

The immature grape that has remained stone-hard and crude —God in eternity has called it an original unbeliever.

He (such a one) is neither a brother nor one (in) soul (with the faithful Moslems): he is an ill-starred heretic in (the state of) damnation. 3720

If I should tell that which he keeps hidden (in his heart), there would arise in the world a sore temptation of (men's) minds.

’Tis better that the secret of the blind infidel should be untold: ’tis better that the smoke of Hell should be banished from Iram.

The good immature grapes, which are capable (of ripening), are at last (made) one in heart by the breath of the masters of heart (the saints).

They push on rapidly to grapehood (maturity), so that duality and hatred and strife depart (from them).

Then in grapehood they rend their skins till they become one: unity is the (proper) attribute of him (who is one with others). 3725

A friend becomes a foe because he is still two: no one (ever) engaged in a battle with himself.

Blessings on the universal love of the Master, (which) gave oneness to hundreds of thousands of motes!

(They were) as dust scattered on the thoroughfare: the hand of the Potter made them one jug.

(But the simile fails as applied to souls), for the oneness of bodies (formed) of water and clay is imperfect: the (oneness of) soul is not like this.

If I should here utter similitudes in comparison (illustration), I fear it might disorder (perplex) the understanding. 3730

Even now there exists (a) Solomon, but we are blinded by exulting in (our) farsightedness.

Far-sightedness keeps a man blind, just as one sleeping in a house is blind to the house.