XVI. Ali’s Forbearance.
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Jalal al-Din Rumi, Maulana and Redhouse, James W. (James William), Sir
If thou wouldst cleanse thy garments—free them from all soil,—
Despise not thou the bleacher, nor his useful toil.
If greed of food have fractured abstinence in thee;
Lay hold on Him who fractures heals. From self get free.
No sooner shall the fracture be by Him fast bound,
New union will take place,—the broken part grow sound.
If thou hadst made the fracture, it would thee invite
To make it whole again,—the sundered bones unite.
Thou canst not? Thence we see, the right is His to break
Who can unite the fractured limb—make strong whatever’s weak.165
Who knows to mend hath privilege a cloth to tear.
Who knows to sell, to buy hath also learnt, ’tis clear.
He may disturb a house, and turn it upside down,
Who can arrange it better than the whole wide town.
If God destroy one creature in His boundless might,
By thousands He creates, and brings again to light.
Had He not set a punishment for each offence,
Or had not said: “Lex talionis is life’s fence,”422
Who’d had audacity, of his own will,
To put to death a man who should another kill?170
He knows each creature by His power endued with sight.
And He’s aware a slayer does but work His might.
If His command be set on mortal’s head to slay,—
Albeit his own child,—he must the word obey.
Go! Stand in fear! Blame not, too much, the bad!
Know, thou art equally a slave with him who’s mad!
The eye of Adam fell upon a demon foul,
Him viewed with proud disdain, with haughty scowl.
His self-esteem, his egotistic pride him drove,
With smile sarcastical, the cursed imp to reprove.175
God’s wrath was roused. He him addressed: “Ho! Adam! Ho!
Hast thou no insight into mysteries of woe?
If I tear fiercely off a hide from heels to head,
A mountain I can also wrench from its firm stead.
A hundred Adams of their fig-leaves I can strip;
A thousand demons into true believers whip.”
In terms contrite and meek was Adam’s answer couched:
“Forgive, Lord God! I stand reproved! My fault’s avouched!
Henceforth, I vow, I never will repeat such fault.
Repentance I profess. Do Thou forego assault.”180