VII. The Merchant and the Parrot.
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Jalal al-Din Rumi, Maulana and Redhouse, James W. (James William), Sir
A swimmer thou art not;—nor seaman by trade;
From headstrongness strive not the deep sea to wade.
From fire Abr’am brought forth a fresh-plucked red rose.
A diver, from sea-bottom, pearls’ store can choose.
A saint handles earth, turns it straightway to gold.
A sinner, by touch, to earth turns this;—behold.
A just man’s accepted of God, the Most High.
His deeds are the works of God’s hand, still. Eigh! Eigh!
Th’ imperfect one’s hand is aye Satan’s foul limb;
Responsible rests he, howe’er he may climb.21165
To him wisdom’s self’s but a mere misguidance.
Th’ imperfect man’s science is crass ignorance.
Whatever as cause acts, as cause counted is;
A perfect man’s blasphemy’s pure faith, my quiz.212
Rash combatant, fight’st thou on foot ’gainst horseman!
Thy point thou’lt not carry;—as sure as thou’rt man.
So, Egypt’s magicians, in old Pharaoh’s days,
Contended ’gainst Moses; and rashly, always.
At length they owned Moses superior was;
Men honour, revere him, who most of power has.70
They said to him, then: “Command ’s thine! See! Purely!
‘Thy rod cast down’ first.213 This thy wish is; surely.”
He answered: “Nay, nay! First cast ye down your wands.
Produce to our sight the tricks ye’ve in your hands.”
The honour thus paid was a slur on their faith,
Removing contention from out of their path.
When they had perceived what was thus due to him,
They error acknowledged, though somewhat too dim.
The “perfect man” ’s free both to eat and to speak.214
If thou art “imperfect,” eat, speak not, in freak.75
Thou art but an ear. He’s a tongue;—not like thee.
To ear was addressed God’s word: “Silent be.”215
A newly-born infant, still sucking the breast,
Is speechless some while. He’s all ear, at the best.
His lips to keep closed he has, for a set time;
To speak till he learns,—words to frame and to chime.
If ear he lend not, he’ll not learn common sense;
Becomes laughingstock;—folly shows, most immense.
If hearing he have not, deaf being at root,
He mute must remain; no tongue has he, to boot.80