V. The Lion and the Beasts.
Project Gutenberg EPUB edition
Jalal al-Din Rumi, Maulana and Redhouse, James W. (James William), Sir
Whoe’er affirms compulsion, brings woe on himself,
Until his troubles to the grave conduct the elf.
The Prophet said: “My mission, ’s truth to preach to man.
Much trouble will surround it during my life’s span.”
Compulsion’s but the setting of a broken bone,156
Or binding of a muscle, torn, asunder gone.
Thou hast not broke thy leg in travelling God’s path.
Why put thy leg in splints? Cast off the idle swath.
He that shall really lose a leg in God’s just fight,
To him Burāq shall come, a chariot of light.157185
Religion’s carrier was he; carried then he’ll be.
God’s precepts he accepted; accepted now is he.
The Great King’s orders has he bravely carried out.
Henceforward he’s a herald;—shall God’s judgments shout.
The planets until now may have affected him;
Above the planets now he rests, and rules their trim.
If forms material find much honour in thy sight,
Thou’lt doubt the truth of writ: “The moon clave,” left and right.158
Renew thy faith at heart, not merely with mouth’s gust,
O hypocrite, who covertly dost worship lust.190
While lust is dominant, faith cannot be so strong;
For lust’s a bolt to close the door, lest faith should throng.
The virgin text of God explain not thou away;
Reform thyself; deform not what the Lord doth say.
As suits thy lusts thou comments makest on God’s Qur’ān.
Vile, as by thee perverted, is its sense, base man.
Thy case resemblance has with one of silly fly,
Who once upon a time himself thought very high.
Intoxicated was he, though he’d sipp’d no wine.
Like sunbeam’s mote he saw himself most gaily shine.195
He’d heard of noble falcons scorning lure and cage;
And straightway dubbed himself the phœnix of the age.
Our fly on scrap of straw, in pool from ass’s ease,
Had poised himself, as though a sailor on the seas.
Then cried: “Lo! I’ve called forth a sea and ship at will.
Long since I ’ve had a notion, pleasure’s cup to fill.
Behold a sea and ship of which I captain am,
Imbued with naval science, bold as any ram.”
Imagination thus had conjured up a sea.
To him it boundless seemed, dwarfing credulity.200