X. Patience and Perseverance under a Teacher.
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Jalal al-Din Rumi, Maulana and Redhouse, James W. (James William), Sir
Thy beast is not a friend to travelling by the road.
How many muleteers through this have lost a load!
Know’st not the way? Observe which path thy beast would take,
And follow the reverse. Secure this will thee make.
“Consult thou them;”324 but then, do not what they advise;
For he who them opposes not, to ruin hies.
Lend not thyself to lust and fancy’s every wind;
For these are what lead men astray; to God’s truth blind.
There’s nothing in the world that better curbs the lusts,
Than holy company. Protected, he who trusts.25
The Prophet said to ‘Ali: “Cousin, list to me.
The ‘Lion of the Truth’325 art thou; a hero. See!
Trust not too much, however, to thy courage, sole;
Confide, much rather, on God’s arm to keep thee whole.
Put faith in aid from His divine, omniscient mind,
That never can be baffled by disputant blind.
His shadow on the earth is what keeps it in place;
His spirit, sunbird-like, soars in supernal space.
Were I to speak His praises until judgment day,
No end, no interruption, would admit my say.30
Himself He’s veiled in man, as sun behind a cloud.
This seek to comprehend. God knows what mysteries shroud.
The sun He is;—the sun of spirit, not of sky;
By light from Him man lives;—and angels eke, forby.
Then, ‘Ali, of all service man can offer here,
Do thou choose trust in God, dependence firm, sincere.
Each man betakes himself some special worship to;
And each some special friend selects, without ado.
Do thou take refuge in God’s wisdom, full, divine;
He’ll foil the secret foe that would thee undermine.35
Of all the modes of worship, this choose thou, the best;
Thou’lt distance all competitors, the prize thou’lt wrest.
Thy Teacher having chosen thus, obedience yield,
Implicit; even as Moses journeying o’er that field.326
Whate’er events betide, beware, and question not;
For fear thy guide should turn, and drive thee from the spot.327
Should He destroy a ship,328—no murmur from thy mouth;
Should He an infant choke,329—let slip no word uncouth.
God hath declared his hand is like the hand of God,
By saying: ‘God’s right hand above all hands doth plod.’33040