Rumi's Masnavi - In order that the heedless crow may approach them and the crafty one cunningly seize her by the leg.

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)?

Had it not been (done) by his father's leave, he would never have emerged from the well till the Resurrection;

(But) in order to please him his father gave the permission and said, “Since this is thy desire, may good come (of it)!”

Any blind man who turns away in scorn from a Messiah will be left, like the Jews, without guidance; 4115

(For) though he was blind, he was capable of receiving light; (but) from showing this aversion he becomes blind and blue (miserably lost).

Jesus says to him, “O blind man, cling to me with both hands: I have a precious collyrium.

If thou art blind, thou wilt obtain light from me and lay hold of the (sweet-scented) Joseph's shirt of the spirit.”

The (real) fortune and highway (of success) lies in the business that comes to thee after utter defeat (self-abasement).

Give up the business that hath no foot or head (permanence): hark, old donkey, get for thyself a Pír! 4120

May none but the Pír be (thy) master and captain!—not the Pír (old man) of the rolling sky, but the Pír of right guidance.

The devotee of darkness sees the light immediately as soon as he becomes subject to (the authority of) the Pír.

What is required is self-surrender, not long toil: ’tis useless to rush about in error.

Henceforth I will not seek the way to the Ether (the highest celestial sphere): I will seek the Pír, I will seek the Pír, the Pír, the Pír!

The Pír is the ladder to Heaven: by whom (what) is the arrow made to fly? By the bow. 4125

Was it not Abraham that caused the gross Nimrod to (attempt the) journey to heaven by means of the vulture?

(Impelled) by self-will, he often went upward; but no vulture can fly to heaven.

Abraham said to him, “O traveller, I will be thy vulture: this is more seemly for thee.

When thou makest of me a ladder to go aloft, thou wilt ascend to heaven without flying”—

As the heart (spirit), without provisions or riding-camel, travels (swiftly) as lightning to west and east; 4130

As man's consciousness, wandering abroad whilst he is asleep, travels during the night to (remote) cities;

As the gnostic, sitting quietly (in one place), travels by a hidden track through a hundred worlds.

If he has not been endowed with power to travel like this, (then) from whom are (derived) these reports concerning that (spiritual) country?

Hundreds of thousands of Pírs are agreed upon (the truth of) these reports and these veracious narratives.

Amongst these sources (authorities) there is no dispute, such as there is in (the case of) knowledge based on opinions. 4135

That (knowledge based on opinion) is (like) searching (for the direction of the Ka‘ba) in the dark night, while this (mystic knowledge) is (like) the presence of the Ka‘ba and midday.

Arise, O (thou who resemblest) Nimrod, and seek wings from (holy) personages: thou wilt not get any ladder from these vultures.

The vulture is the particular (discursive) reason, O poor (-spirited) one: its wings are connected with the eating of carrion;