IX. The Poor Scenite Arab and his Wife.
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Jalal al-Din Rumi, Maulana and Redhouse, James W. (James William), Sir
Don’t look at me contemptuously, and all askance.
Lest I tell all my mind, thy baseness to enhance.
Thou holdest thyself much wiser than poor soul like me.
Hast ever found me wanting sense to make thee see?
Think not to fall upon me, wolf-like, unawares,
O thou at whose great wisdom woman’s folly stares!
The wisdom thou so holdest superior to all,
Not wisdom is; but serpent’s, scorpion’s, deadly gall.
A foe may God prove ever to thy drivelling guile!
So mayst thou turn out weaker than weak woman’s wile!85
Thou art both snake and snake-catcher, in one combined.
A serpent-charming serpent! Arab’s pride enshrined!
Did crows but realise their ugliness supreme,
As white as snow they’d change, through rage and arrant shame.
A charmer sings a charm against a snake, his foe;
The snake charms him in turn; hence follows boundless woe.
Were not his trap a charm prepared by the snake,
Would he become the victim of some small mistake?
The charmer first is caught in toils of greed and lust.
And sees not ’tis the snake has charmed him, bound him fast.90
The snake addresses him: ‘O charmer! See now! Look!
Thy own work thou perceivest, my wiles hast mistook.
Thou charmest in God’s name to make me thy bond-slave,
And lead me captive, make me sport for fool and knave.
The name of God it is that holds me fast enchained;
That name thou usest as my trap. Art not soft-brained?
That name will one day vengeance on thee for me take.
In fear of that dread name, I, soul and body, quake.
He’ll either take thy life with poison-fang of mine;
Or, like me, unto prison He will thee consign!’”95
Thus spake the woman bitterly unto her spouse,
Whole volumes would not hold the words that she let loose.
He answered her: “My wife! Art woman? Art thou mad?
‘My poverty’s my pride.’288 Reproach me not when sad.
Possessions, wealth, are but a cap the scalp to hide.
The scaldheads or baldpates alone in caps confide.
Whoever’s hair has grown in curls or tresses full.
Is always proud when he his cap away can pull.
A man of God resembles precious sense of sight.
Our eyes should not be bandaged, or we can’t see right.100