Rumi's Masnavi - My spirit has boasted that it is a water-bird: how should it lament the flood of tribulation?

My spirit has boasted that it is a water-bird: how should it lament the flood of tribulation?

What cares the duck for shipwreck? Her feet in the water are ship enough.

My soul and body are (kept) alive by this boast: how should I refrain from making this boast? 4065

I am dreaming but I am not asleep; I am a boaster but I am not a liar.

Though you behead me a hundred times, I am like a candle: I will burn brightly (still).

Though the stack (of my existence) catch fire (both) in front and behind, the stack (halo) of that Moon is enough for travellers in the night.

Joseph was hidden and concealed from Jacob the prophet by the trickery of his brethren.

They put him out of sight by an artifice, (but) at last his shirt gave an information.” 4070

The two (brothers of the eldest prince) admonished him in converse, saying, “Do not ignore the dangers.

Hark, do not put salt on our wounds! Beware, do not drink this poison rashly and in doubt (of the consequences).

How canst thou go without being counselled by a wise Shaykh, since thou hast not a discerning heart?

Woe to the unfledged bird that flies up to the zenith and falls into peril!”

Intelligence is wings and feathers to a man: when he lacks intelligence, (he must rely on) the intelligence of a guide. 4075

Either be victorious or in search of a victor: either have insight or be in search of one endowed with insight.

Without (possession of) the key, namely, intelligence, this knocking at the door is prompted by self-will, not by right motives.

See a whole world ensnared by self-will and by wounds (harmful things) that look like remedies (beneficial things).

The snake, (terrible) as death, stands (raises itself) on its breast, with a big leaf in its mouth in order to catch its prey.

It stands erect, like a herb, amidst the herbage, (so that) the bird thinks it is the stalk of a plant. 4080

When it (the bird) settles on the leaf for the purpose of eating, it falls into the mouth of the snake and (into the jaws of) death.

A crocodile opens its mouth: its teeth are surrounded by long worms.

The worms were produced by the residue of food left in its teeth; and it gave them lodging there.

The little birds see the worms and the food and imagine that coffin to be a meadow.

When its mouth is filled with birds, it suddenly swallows them and closes its mouth (again). 4085

Know that this world full of dessert (viands) and bread is like the open mouth of the crocodile.

O thou who scrapest together the means of livelihood, (in thy desire) for worms and morsels do not feel secure from the artfulness of the crocodile, (which is) Time.

A fox falls (and lies) flat under his earth: above his earth are deceptive grains,

In order that the heedless crow may approach them and the crafty one cunningly seize her by the leg.

Since there are a hundred thousand cunning tricks in animals, how (great) must be the cunning of Man who is superior (to all other animals)! 4090

In his hand (he carries) a copy of the Holy Book as (though he were) Zaynu ’l- ‘Ábidín; (but) in his sleeve a vengeful dagger.

He addresses thee smilingly—“O my lord,” (while) in his heart there is a Babylon of sorcery and guileful spells.

(He is) deadly poison, (though) in appearance he is honey and milk. Beware, do not go (on thy way) save in company with a wise (spiritual) preceptor.

All selfish pleasures are a deceit and fraud: round the lightning-flash is a wall of darkness.

The lightning is (but) a brief gleam, false and fleeting, surrounded by darkness; and thy way is long. 4095

By its light thou canst neither read a letter nor ride to thy destination.

But, as a penalty for thy being enthralled by the lightning, the beams of sunrise withdraw themselves from thee.

Mile after mile through the night the lightning's deception leads thee on, without a guide, in a dark wilderness.

Now thou fallest on a mountain, now into a river; now thou wanderest in this direction, now in that.

O seeker of worldly estate, thou wilt never find the guide; and if thou find him, thou wilt avert thy face from him, 4100

Saying, “I have travelled sixty miles on this road, and (now) this guide tells me I have lost my way.

If I give ear to this marvel, I must begin my journey again under his authority.

I have devoted my life to this journey: (I will pursue it) come what may. Begone, O Khwája!”

“(Yes), thou hast journeyed (far), but (only) in opinion (unsubstantial) as lightning: (come), make a tenth part of that journey for the sake of (Divine) inspiration (glorious) as the sunrise.

Thou hast read (the Verse), Opinion cannot serve instead of truth, and (yet) by a lightning-flash like that thou hast been blinded to a rising sun. 4105

Hark, come into our boat, O wretched man, or (at least) tie that boat (of thine) to this boat (of ours).”

He replies, “How should I abandon power and dominion? How should I follow thee blindly?”

A blind man is certainly better off with a guide than (when he goes) alone: in the former case there is (only) one ignominy, while in the latter there are a hundred.

Thou art fleeing from a gnat to a scorpion, thou art fleeing from a dewdrop into an ocean.

Thou art fleeing from thy father's unkindnesses into the midst of scoundrels and mischief and trouble. 4110

Like Joseph, thou art fleeing from one sorrow to fall into a well (of woe) through (being beguiled by) “let us frolic and play.”

Because of this pastime thou fallest into a well, like him; but where is the (Divine) favour to help thee (as it helped him)?