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6
497-546

  • It (the bird) replied, “Firmness of heart is needed for achievement, but a (firm) friend does not lack friends.
  • Be a (firm) friend, that you may find friends innumerable; for without friends you will be left helpless.
  • The Devil is a wolf, and you are like Joseph: do not let go Jacob's skirt, O excellent one.
  • Generally the wolf seizes (his prey) at the moment when a year-old sheep strays alone by itself from the flock. 500
  • He who has abandoned (the performance of) the Sunna with the (Moslem) community, has not he drunk his own blood (exposed himself to destruction) in such a haunt of wild beasts?
  • The Sunna is the (safe) road, and the community are like (your) companions (on the road): without the road and without comrades you will fall into (sore) straits;
  • (But) not the fellow-traveller who is an enemy to Reason and seeks an opportunity to carry off your clothes,
  • (And only) goes about with you in order to find a mountain-pass where he can plunder you!
  • Nor one who has the (timorous) heart of a camel and, when he feels afraid, instructs (you) to turn back on the road! 505
  • By his camel's courage he frightens his comrade: know that such a fellow-traveller is an enemy, not a friend.
  • The road (to God) is self-sacrifice, and in every thicket is a bane to drive back any one whose soul is (brittle) as a glass bottle.
  • The road of religion is full of trouble and bale for the reason that it is not the road for any one whose nature is effeminate.
  • On this road (men's) souls are tried by terror as a sieve (is used) for sifting bran.
  • What is the road? Full of footprints. What is the comrade? The ladder whereby minds ascend. 510
  • I grant that, through (your) taking precautions, the wolf may not find you, (but) without company you will not find that (spiritual) alacrity.
  • He who cheerfully goes alone on a journey—(if he goes) with companions his progress is increased a hundredfold.
  • Notwithstanding the grossness of the ass, it (the ass) is exhilarated, O dervish, by comrades (of its own kind) and becomes capable of (exerting) strength.
  • To any ass that goes alone (and away) from the caravan the road is (made) a hundredfold (longer) by fatigue.
  • How many more goadings and cudgellings does it suffer that it may cross the desert (unaccompanied and) alone! 515
  • That ass is saying to you (implicitly), ‘Take good heed! Don't travel alone like this, unless you are an ass!’
  • Beyond doubt he who cheerfully goes alone into the custom-house will go more cheerfully (when he is) with companions.
  • Every prophet (that walked) on this straight road produced evidentiary miracles and sought fellow-travellers.
  • Were it not for the help given by the walls, how should houses and magazines arise?
  • If each wall be separated (from the others), how shall the roof remain suspended in the air? 520
  • If no help be given by ink and pen, how shall the writing come on to the surface of the paper?
  • If this rush-mat which some one is spreading were not joined together (interwoven), the wind would carry it away.
  • Since God created pairs of every kind, therefore (all) results are produced by means of union.”
  • He (the fowler) spoke (on one side) and it (the bird) spoke (on the other side): their debate on this subject was prolonged by the vehemence (with which they argued).
  • Make the Mathnawí nimble and pleasing to the heart: abridge and shorten (their) controversy. 525
  • Afterwards, it (the bird) said to him, “Whose is the wheat?” He replied, “It is the deposit of an orphan who has no guardian.
  • It is orphans' property, deposited with me because people deem me trustworthy.”
  • The bird said, “I am driven by necessity and in a sore plight: (even) carrion is lawful to me at this moment.
  • Hark, with your permission I will eat of this wheat, O trusty and devout and venerable one.”
  • He replied, “You are the judge of (your) necessity: if you eat without necessity, you will commit a sin; 530
  • And if the necessity exists, yet ’tis better to abstain; or if you do eat, at any rate give a guarantee for (payment of) it.”
  • Thereupon the bird pondered deeply, (but) its restive steed took its head (recoiled) from the pull of the rein.
  • When it had eaten the wheat, it remained in the trap: it recited several times (the chapters of the Qur’án entitled) Yásín and al-An‘ám.
  • What is (the use of crying) “Alas” and “Ah me” after being left helpless? This black smoke ought to have been (exhaled) before that (calamity).
  • At the time when greed and desire have stirred (in the heart), at that time keep saying, “(Help me), O Thou who comest at the cry for help!” 535
  • For that time is prior to the devastation of Basra, and it may be that Basra will still be saved from that overthrow.
  • O thou that wilt weep for me, O thou that wilt be bereft of me, weep for me before the demolition of Basra and Mawsil (Mosul).
  • Mourn for me and smear thyself with dust before my death; do not mourn for me after my death, but bear (the loss of me) with patience.
  • Weep for me before my destruction in (the flood of) decease: after the flood of decease leave off weeping.
  • At the time when the Devil was waylaying (you), at that time you ought to have recited (the Súra entitled) Yásín. 540
  • O watchman, use your rattle before the caravan is ruined (by the robbers).
  • Story of the watchman who kept silence till the robbers had carried off the entire stock of the merchants, but afterwards made an outcry and did the duty of a watchman.
  • A certain watchman fell asleep. The robbers carried off the goods and secreted the (various) articles under any piece of earth.
  • (When) it was day, the caravaneers awoke: they saw that stock and money and camels were gone.
  • Then they said to him, “O watchman, tell (us) what has happened. Where are this stock and these goods?”
  • He replied, “The robbers came unexpectedly, and hastily carried off the stock from before me.” 545
  • The party (of merchants) said to him, “O man (weak) as a sandhill, what were you doing, then? Who are you, O recreant?”