Rumi's Masnavi - Since you are fond of eating and drinking, ask a woman (in marriage) at once; else the cat comes and carries off the fat sheep's tail.

Since you are fond of eating and drinking, ask a woman (in marriage) at once; else the cat comes and carries off the fat sheep's tail.

Quickly put a heavy load on the shying ass before he puts (you) down.

(If) you do not know the effect of fire, hold aloof (from it): do not approach the fire with such (little) knowledge (as you have).

If you have no knowledge of the cooking-pot and the fire, neither the pot nor the soup will be spared by the flames.

Water must be there and skill too, in order that the (contents of the) pot may be safely cooked in boiling. 1380

If you are ignorant of the science of the ironsmith, your beard and hair will be burned when you pass by that place (the forge).

Femina januam clausit asinumque animo gaudente attraxit: necessario poenam gustavit. [The woman shut the (stable) door and drew the ass (to her) joyfully; necessarily, she tasted the penalty (for her shameful behavior).]

In medium stabulum eum trahendo duxit: sub asino decubuit supina [Pulling, she brought it into the middle of the stable: she lay down on (her) back under the male ass]

In eadem sella quam viderat ab ancilla (adhibitam), ut ista meretrix quoque voto potiretur. [On the same chair that she saw (used) by the maidservant in order to attain her desire; that whore (did) also.]

Pedem sustulit, asinus (veretrum) in eam trusit: asini veretro ignis in ea accensus est. [She raised (her) feet and the ass thrust (its penis) into her; a fire (of lust) was kindled in her by the ass’s penis.] 1385

Cum asinus eruditus esset, in hera infixit (veretrum) usque ad testiculos: simul hera periit. [The ass had been trained; it pressed (its penis) into the lady up to (its) testicles: the lady died at once.]

Jecur ejus veretri verbere discissum, viscera inter se dirupta. [(Her) liver was torn by the blow of the ass’s penis; (her) intestines were torn away from each other. ]

Extemplo femina, nulla voce facta, animam reddidit: hinc cecidit sella, illinc femina. [She did not utter (anything): the woman gave up (her) soul at once. The chair fell to one side, the woman to (the other) side.]

Area stabuli sanguine plena, femina inverso capite prostrata: periit, animamque ejus abripuit Fati calamitas. [The floor of the stable became filled with blood, the woman (lay) prostrate: she died and the calamities (of Fate) took (her) life. ]

Ecce mors nefanda cum centum opprobriis, O pater: num vidisti (quemquam) de veretro asini martyrem? [An abominable death with a hundred disgraces, O father: have you (ever) seen a martyr (slain) by an ass’s penis?] 1390

Hear from the Qur’án (what is) the torment of disgrace: do not sacrifice your life in such a shameful cause.

Know that the male ass is this bestial soul: to be under it is more shameful than that (woman's behaviour).

If you die in egoism in the way of (for the sake of) the fleshly soul, know for certain that you are like that woman.

He (God) will give our fleshly soul the form of an ass, because He makes the (outward) forms to be in accordance with the (inward) nature.

This is the manifestation of the secret at the Resurrection: by God, by God, flee from the ass-like body! 1395

God terrified (threatened) the unbelievers with the Fire: the unbelievers said, “Better the Fire than shame.”

He said, “Nay, that Fire is the source of (all) shames”—like the fire (of lust) that destroyed this woman.

In her greed she ate immoderately: the mouthful of an infamous death stuck in her throat (and choked her).

Eat (and drink) in moderation, O greedy man, though it be a mouthful of halwá or khabís.

The high God hath given the balance a tongue (which you must regulate): hark, recite the Súratu’ l-Rahmán (the Chapter of the Merciful) in the Qur’án. 1400

Beware, do not in your greed let the balance go: cupidity and greed are enemies that lead you to perdition.

Greed craves all and loses all: do not serve greed, O ignoble son of the ignoble.

The maid, whilst she went (on her errand), was saying (to herself), “Ah, mistress, thou hast sent away the expert.

Thou wilt set to work without the expert and wilt foolishly hazard thy life.

O thou who hast stolen from me an imperfect knowledge, thou wert ashamed to ask about the trap.” 1405

(If) the bird had picked the grain from its stack, the (trap-) cord would not have fallen on its neck (and made it captive).

Eat less of the grain, do not patch (the body) so much (with food): after having recited eat ye, recite (also) do not exceed,

So that you may eat the grain and (yet) not fall into the trap. Knowledge and contentment effect this. And (now) farewell.

The wise man gets happiness from the present life, not sorrow, (while) the ignorant are left in disappointment and regret.

When the trap-cord (of sensuality) falls on their throats, it becomes unlawful (forbidden) to them all to eat the grain. 1410

How should the bird in the trap eat (enjoy) the grain? The grain in the trap is like poison (to him), if he feed (on it).

(Only) the heedless bird will eat grain from the trap, as these common folk do in the trap of the present world.

Again, the knowing and prudent birds have debarred themselves from the grain;

For the grain in the trap is poisonous food: blind is the bird that desires the grain in the trap.

The Owner of the trap cut off the heads of the foolish ones, and conducted the clever ones to the (exalted) assembly-places; 1415

For in the former (only) the flesh is serviceable, but in the clever ones (their) song and warble soft and low.

Deinde venit ancilla perque rimam januae heram videt sub asino mortuam. [Then, the maidservant arrived. Through a crack in the door, she saw the lady dead under the ass.]

“O hera stulta,” inquit, “hoc (facinus ineptum) quid fuit, etsi ea quae perita est technam tibi ostenderat? [She said, “O foolish lady, what was this (foolish deed), even if your teacher showed you a plan (of the method)?]

Technae quod patebat vidisti, tibi ignotum quod latebat: imperita tabernam aperuisti. [You saw its outward (form); its secret (was) hidden from you. Not having become a master (of the craft), you opened the shop.]

Veretrum tanquam mel vel cibum ex dactylis et butyro comparatum vidisti: cur illam cucurbitam non vidisti, O avida? [You saw the penis, like honey or like dates (cooked with flour and butter): why did you not see the gourd, O greedy one?] 1420

Vel cur, cum asini amore obruta esses, cucurbita visu tuo sejuncta manebat? [Or (why), when you were immersed in love for the ass, did the gourd remain hidden from your sight?]

Docta ab ea quae perita est vidisti technae speciem externam: peritiam ipsa valde gaudens assumpsisti.” [You saw the external (form) of the craft from the master, (and then) you assumed expertise very joyfully. ]

Oh, there is many a stupid ignorant hypocrite who has seen nothing of the Way of the (holy) men except the woollen mantle (súf).

Oh, there are many impudent fellows who, with little practice (in the religious life), have learned from the (spiritual) kings nothing but talk and brag.

Every one (of them), staff (rod) in hand, says, “I am Moses,” and breathes upon the foolish folk, saying, “I am Jesus.” 1425