XVI. Ali’s Forbearance.
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Jalal al-Din Rumi, Maulana and Redhouse, James W. (James William), Sir
From Satan we escape, because Thou’st paid a price;
And bought our souls, to set us free from vice.
Thou art the Guide of all who live upon the earth.
Without his staff and guide, what is a blind man worth?
Besides Thee, all that’s goodly, all that shocks our sense,
Is fatal unto man,—consuming fire intense.
If any seek the fire, to make thereof a shield,
A Magian he becomes, of Zoroaster’s yield.
All else besides the Lord is vain, and of no worth.
The mercies of our God, a bounteous rain, poured forth.205
Now turn again to ‘Alī and his destined foe.
His great forbearance contemplate; this wretch’s woe.
He made remark: “My murderer’s before my eyes,
All day and night. No anger towards him in me lies.
Death is to me as sweet as life;—as my own self;
My death and resurrection, two sides of one shelf.
A deathless death’s a welcome change to loving heart;
A lifeless life has been its present counterpart.”
Death to appearance, life is,—in the main;
Externally a loss;—intrinsically, gain.210
Within its mother’s womb a child’s lot is to roam.
It has to blossom in the world, as ocean’s foam.
I have a wish, a longing, towards the world of doom;
But God forbids: “Cast not your lives away,” in gloom.425
All prohibition’s but a bar from what is loved;
No prohibition’s needed from a thing reproved.
A grain with bitter kernel, still more bitter rind,
Full prohibition carries in itself, we find.
The fruit of death is savoury, in my esteem.
Nay more. “The slain do live” a blessed text must seem.426215
Then slay me, O my trusty friends, without reproach.
My death is life eternal. Let it, then, approach.
In death I’ll find my love. My dearest friends, adieu!
How long shall I be barred from darling interview?
Unless our separation be from one we mourn,
Why should we say: “Forsooth, to Him we shall return?”427
’Tis only he returns, who comes back to his home.
Our true return’s from severance to union’s dome.
That servant once again appealed and begged: “‘Alī!
Put me to death, that sin so heinous I may flee!220