VII. The Merchant and the Parrot.
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Jalal al-Din Rumi, Maulana and Redhouse, James W. (James William), Sir
He’s soul. The two worlds His august body form.228
The body, through soul must receive good or harm.
Whoso in his worship turns truly to God,
Foul shame ’twould be for him to bow to faith’s rod.
Whoever’s a keeper of wardrobe to king,
Brings loss to his sovereign by petty trading.
With potentate, whoso, by grade, council holds,
If placed as a guard at a gate, roundly scolds.
Admitted to honour by kissing of hands,
To stoop, kiss the foot, degradation now stands.225
To kiss foot of sovereign’s a great honour, sure.
Compared with hands-kissing, ignominy pure.
A king would be jealous of servant so base
His foot who should kiss, when his hand was the place.
God’s jealousy wheat is on full threshing-floor;
Man’s jealousy, chaff blown away out of door.
Know: Jealousy rise doth take, still, in our God;
Man’s jealousy budded from that noble rod.
Let’s quit that deep subject; take up plaint and wail,
Against the great hardship of love’s chastening flail.229230
I cry, for that He loves to hear all my cries.
My moans, lamentations, are what He enjoys.
How should I cease wailing at His fell caprice?
I’m not of His darlings, nor in His service.
How should I not be, in my soul, black as night?
Deprived of His look, sweetness, warmth, and mild light.
All his disagreements are pleasant to me.
My life I’d give up, sacrifice I would be.
I love all my anguish; I dote on my pain,
So long as it pleases my heart’s treasured swain.235
My sorrow’s my eyes’ choicest collyrium;
My tears are as pearls from deep-sea tedium.
Tears poured forth by lovers at His adored feet,
Are pearls; though we’re used them as tears to misgreet.
My soul’s Soul’s the tyrant of whom I complain.
Complaint I make not. I describe but my pain.
My heart but pretends it has been too much hurt;
Excuse is this merely. I smile at such blurt.
Do justice now, God, of all justice the fount!
Thou sittest in justice’ seat; threshold I count.240