Rumi's Masnavi - Thou hast acted deceitfully to the end that thou mayest jump on to the pulpit and by thy palaver give this folk (the feeling of) regret.

Thou hast acted deceitfully to the end that thou mayest jump on to the pulpit and by thy palaver give this folk (the feeling of) regret.

Thou hast striven much, (but) thou hast not felt any (spiritual) ardour; hence from deceit thou hast exhibited a piece of impudence.”

(Spiritual) ardour belongs to the saints and prophets; on the other hand, impudence is the refuge of every impostor; 730

For they draw the people's attention to themselves, saying, “We are happy (with God),” though within (at heart) they are exceedingly unhappy.

How a braggart greased his lips and moustache every morning with the skin of a fat sheep's tail and came amongst his companions, saying, “I have eaten such and such (viands).”

A person, who (on account of his poverty) was lightly esteemed, used to grease his moustaches every morning

And go amongst the munificent (the rich), saying, “I have eaten some wellgreased food at the party.”

He would gaily put his hand on his moustache as a sign, meaning, “Look at my moustache!

For this is the witness to the truth of my words, and this is the token of my eating greasy and delicious food.” 735

His belly would say in soundless (mute) response, “May God destroy the plots of the liars!

Thy boasting hath set me on fire: may that greasy moustache of thine be torn out!

Were it not for thy foul boasting, O beggar, some generous man would have taken pity on me;

And if thou hadst shown the ailment and hadst not played false, some physician would have prepared a remedy for it.”

God hath said, “Do not move ear or tail crookedly:their veracity shall profit the veracious.” 740

Ne recurvatus in antro dormiveris, O tu qui passus es nocturnam pollutionem: reveal that which you have, and act straight; [Do not sleep bent in a cave, O you (who have) soiled (yourself) in the night (with sperm): reveal that which you have, and act straight;]

Or if you tell not your fault, at least refrain from (idle) talk: do not kill yourself by ostentation and trickery.

If you have got any money, do not open your mouth: there are touchstones on the Way,

And for the touchstones too there are tests concerning their own (inward) states.

God hath said, “From birth unto death they are tried every year twice.” 745

There is test upon test, O father: beware, do not (be ready to) buy yourself at the smallest test.

How Bal‘am the son of Bá‘úr was (felt himself) secure, because the Lord had made (many) tests (of him) and he had come through them honourably.

Bal‘am the son of Bá‘úr and the accursed Iblís were disgraced at the ultimate test.

He (the boastful hypocrite), by his pretension, desires to be (reputed) rich, (but) his belly is execrating his moustache,

Crying, “Display that which he is hiding! He has consumed me (with anguish): O God, expose him!”

All the members of his body are his adversaries, for he prates of spring (while) they are in December. 750

Vain talk repels acts of kindness and tears off the bough of pity from the trunk of the tree.

Bring forward (practise) honesty, or else be silent, and then behold pity and enjoy it.

That belly became the adversary of his moustache and secretly had recourse to prayer,

Crying, “O God, expose this idle brag of the base, in order that the pity of the noble may be moved towards me.”

The belly's prayer was answered: the ardency of need put out a flag. 755

God hath said, “Though thou be a profligate and idolater, I will answer when thou callest Me.”

Do thou cleave fast unto prayer and ever cry out: in the end it will deliver thee from the hands of the ghoul.

When the belly committed itself to God, the cat came and carried off the skin of that sheep's tail.

They ran after the cat, (but) she fled. The child (of the braggart), from fear of his scolding, changed colour (turned pale).

The little child came into (the midst of) the company and took away the prestige of the boastful man. 760

It said, “The sheep's tail with which every morning you greased your lips and moustaches—

The cat came and suddenly snatched it away: I ran hard, but the effort was of no use.”

Those who were present laughed from astonishment, and their feelings of pity began to be moved again.

They invited him (to eat) and kept him full-fed, they sowed the seed of pity in his soil.

When he had tasted honesty from the noble, he without arrogance (humbly) became devoted to honesty. 765

How the jackal which had fallen into the dyer’s vat pretended to be a peacock.

(In the fashion) that parti-colored jackal came secretly and tapped on the lobe of the rebuker’s ear.

“Prithee look at me and at my colour: truly the idolater possesses no idol like me.

Like the flower-garden I have become many-hued and lovely: bow in homage to me, do not withdraw from me (in aversion).

Behold my glory and splendour and sheen and radiance and colour! Call me the Pride of the World and the Pillar of the Religion!

I have become the theatre of the Divine Grace, I have become the tablet on which the Divine Majesty is unfolded. 770

O jackals, take heed, do not call me a jackal: how should a jackal have so much beauty?”

Those jackals came thither en masse, like moths around the candle.

“Say then, what shall we call thee, O creature of (pure) substance?” He replied, “ A peacock (brilliant) as Jupiter.”

Then they said to him, “The spiritual peacocks have displays (with the Beloved) in the Rose-garden:

Dost thou display thyself like that?” “No,” said he: “not having gone into the desert, how should I tread (the valley of) Mina?” 775

“Dost thou utter the cry of peacocks?” “Nay,” said he. “Then, Master Bu’l-‘Alam thou art not a peacock.

The peacock’s garment of honour comes from Heaven: how wilt thou attain thereto by means of colours and pretences?”

Comparison of Pharaoh and his pretence of divinity to the jackal which pretended to be a peacock.