Rumi's Masnavi - The mystic's progress is (an ascension) at every moment to the throne of the (Divine) King; the ascetic's progress is one day's journey every month.

The mystic's progress is (an ascension) at every moment to the throne of the (Divine) King; the ascetic's progress is one day's journey every month. 2180

Although, for the ascetic, one day is of great value, (yet) how should his one day be (equal to) fifty thousand (years)?

The length of every day in the life of the adept is fifty thousand of the years of the world.

Intellects are excluded from this mystery: if the heart of Imagination burst, let it burst!

In the sight of Love, fear is not (so much as) a single hair: in the law of Love, all things (else) are (offered) as a sacrifice.

Love is an attribute of God, but fear is an attribute of the servant (of God) who is afflicted by lust and gluttony. [Love is an attribute of God, but fear is an attribute of the servant (of God) who is afflicted by vulva and belly.] 2185

Since you have read in the Qur’án (the words) “they love Him” joined in a certain place with (the words) “He loves them,”

Know, then, that love (mahabbat), and excessive love (‘ishq) too, is an attribute of God: fear is not an attribute of God, O honoured sir.

What relation exists between the attributes of God and those of a handful of earth? What relation exists between the attributes of him who is originated in time and those of the Holy (Eternal) One?

If I should continue to describe Love, a hundred Resurrections would pass, and it (my description would still be) incomplete;

For there is a limit to the date of the Resurrection, but what limit can there be where the Divine attributes are (concerned)? 2190

Love hath five hundred wings, and every wing (extends) from above the empyrean to beneath the earth.

The timorous ascetic runs on foot; the lovers (of God) fly more quickly than the lightning and the wind.

How should those fearful ones overtake Love?—for Love's passion makes the (lofty) heaven its carpet—

Unless perchance the favours of the (Divine) Light come and say, “Become free from the world and from this wayfaring;

Escape from thine own qush and dush, for (only) the royal falcon has found the way to the King.” 2195

This “qush and dush” is necessity and free-will: the pull of the Beloved (who draws you to Himself) transcends these twain.

When the wife arrived home, she opened the door: the sound of the door fell on their ears.

The maid jumped up in consternation and disorder; the man jumped up and began to say his prayers.

The wife saw that the maid was dishevelled and confused and excited and witless and unmanageable.

She saw her husband standing up (and engaged) in the ritual prayer: the wife was made suspicious by (all) that agitation. 2200

Periculi nulla ratione habita, mariti laciniam sustulit: testiculos et penem videt semine inquinatos. [She raised (her) husband’s skirt without risk; she saw (his) testicles and penis soiled with sperm.]

Seminis quod reliquum erat e pene stillabat: femur genuque inquinata et spurca evaserant. [Remnants of sperm were dripping from (his) penis; his thighs and knees had become soiled and filthy.]

Caput ejus colapho percussit et “O vilissime,” inquit, “num hujusmodi sunt testiculi viri preces sollennes rite facientis? [She slapped at his head and said, “O despicable (one), are these the testicles of a man of prayer?]

Num iste penis cum Dei commemoratione precibusque sollennibus conveniens est? Num femur tale et inguen sordibus plenum. [Is this (soiled) penis worthy of commemoration (of God) and ritual prayer, or these thighs and groin full of filth?]

Deal equitably (answer fairly): is a scroll (a register of actions) full of injustice and wickedness and unbelief and enmity fit (to be placed) in the right hand? 2205

If you ask an infidel, “By whom were this heaven and these creatures and this world created?”

He will reply that they were created by the Lord to whose Lordship the Creation bears witness.

Do his unbelief and great wickedness and wrong-doing fit (properly agree with) such a confession by him?

Do those infamous deeds and that vicious conduct go fitly with such a true confession?

His actions have given the lie to his words, so that he has become fit for (deserving of) the awful torment. 2210

On the Day of Resurrection every hidden thing will be made manifest: every sinner will be ignominiously exposed by himself.

His hands and feet will give evidence and declare his iniquity in the presence of Him whose help is sought.

His hand will say, “I have stolen such and such”; his lip will say, “I have asked such and such questions”;

His foot will say, “I have gone to (enjoy) things desired”; his pudendum will say, “I have committed fornication.” [His foot will say, “I have gone to (enjoy) things desired”; his private parts will say, “I have committed fornication.”]

His eye will say, “I have cast amorous glances at things forbidden”; his ear will say, “I have gathered evil words.” 2215

Therefore he is a lie from head to foot, for even his own members give him the lie,

Just as, in (the case of) the specious prayers (performed by the ascetic), their fine appearance was proved to be false testimonio testiculi. [Just as, in (the case of) the specious prayers (performed by the ascetic), their fine appearance was proved to be false by the testimony of the (soiled) testicles.]

Act, then, in such wise that the action itself, without (your) tongue (uttering a word), will be (equivalent to) saying “I testify” and (to making) the most explicit declaration,

So that your whole body, limb by limb, O son, will have said “I testify” as regards both good and ill.

The slave's walking behind his master is a testimony (equivalent to saying), “I am subject to authority and this man is my lord.” 2220

If you have blackened the scroll (record) of your life, repent of the deeds you did formerly.

Though your life has (almost) passed, this (present) moment is its root: water it with repentance if it lacks moisture.

Give the Living Water to the root of your life, in order that the tree of your life may become verdant.

By this (Water) all past (sins) are made good: by this (Water) last year's poison is made (sweet) as sugar.

God hath changed your evil deeds (to good), in order that what has preceded may become wholly (acts of) piety. 2225

O master, cleave bravely to a repentance (like that) of Nasúh: strive earnestly both with body and spirit.

Hear from me the description of this repentance of Nasúh: (if) you have believed (in it before), (yet now) believe afresh.

Story explaining the repentance of Nasúh. As milk that flows from the teat never returns to the teat, so he who has repented like Nasúh will never think of that sin in the way of desire; nay, his loathing will increase continually, and that loathing is a proof that he has experienced the delight of being accepted (as a sincere penitent), and that the old lust has ceased to give delight, and that the former (delight) has established itself in the place of the latter, as it has been said (in verse): “Nothing breaks off (one) love except another love: why don't you take a friend (who is) fairer than he?” And when his (the penitent's) heart desires to sin again, it is a sign that he has not experienced the delight of acceptance, and that the delight of acceptance has not superseded the delight of sin, and that he has not (yet) become (like the righteous of whom God saith), “We will surely dispose him to ease,” but that the (sinful) delight (spoken) of (in the text), “We will surely dispose him to hardship,” is still remaining in him.

There was aforetime a man named Nasúh: he earned his livelihood by shampooing women.

His face resembled a female countenance: he was disguising his manliness.