VI. The Greater (Spiritual) Warfare.
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Jalal al-Din Rumi, Maulana and Redhouse, James W. (James William), Sir
Ask not how copper vile, by wise alchemist’s art,
Is changed to gold when solved by elixir in part.194
Election and compulsion, fancies both, in thee;
But when by saints they’re viewed, God’s glory may they be.
Upon the table, bread’s a lifeless, senseless mass;
When taken in man’s mouth, the soul it joins, in class.
On table transubstantiation takes not place;195
The soul it is transforms it, nourished by God’s grace.
Such is the soul’s great power; most perspicacious man,
So long as that soul life and power retain can.105
A human being, mass of mingled flesh and blood,
Moved by the Lord, can cleave hill, dale, mine, and sea’s flood.
The strength of strongest man can merely split a stone;196
The Power that informs man’s soul can cleave the moon.197
If man’s heart but untie the mouth of mystery’s sack,
His soul soon soars aloft beyond the starry track.
If heaven’s mystery divulged should, ’haps, become,
The whole world ’twould burn up, as fire doth wood consume.”
Let’s contemplate the acts of God, the deeds of men;
Know, men’s deeds do exist. This truth is patent, then.110
If men’s deeds be not in this nether world of ours,
Say not thou unto others: “Why these deeds of yours?”
God’s act it is through which those deeds of ours arise;
Our acts are but the sequels of God’s agencies.
The letter, or the spirit, ’tis, our reason weighs.
But both at once it cannot comprehend always.
Examining the spirit, letter we neglect;
At one time forwards, backwards we cannot prospect.
If thou straight forward look at any point of time,
Thou canst not backwards see, whatever be the clime.115
Our souls not taking in the letter, spirit too,
How could they e’er create these predicates, one, two?
God comprehendeth all things;—all things doth ensue;
One act’s no hindrance, with Him, other acts to do.
The reason Satan gave: “Since Thou hast tempted me,”198
The scheming demon strove to hide his sin, we see.
His trespass Adam owned: “Against ourselves we’ve sinned.”199
God’s act he, like as we, then left not out of mind.
Through shame the act of Satan Adam secret kept.
Self-accusation’s fruit, in consequence, he reaped.120