The Masnavi, Book One (Oxford World's Classics)

The Healing of the Sick Slave-Girl
16

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The desert fox, which when they capture her,
They chop her head o
ff just to keep the fur;
That elephant who’s beaten savagely,
They shed his blood just for his ivory,
Those who would kill for secondary goals
Should know I’ll take my vengeance on their souls,
I’m now the victim, your turn’s coming soon,
Those hungry for my blood are not immune!
A lengthy shadow though a wall can cast;
215
That shadow will return to it at last:
The world’s a mountain, actions like a shout,
Your echo will return to you, watch out!’
These were his 
final words when he was slain,
The slave-girl now was purged of love and pain.
Love of the dead is not a lasting love
Because the dead don’t come back from above,
Love of the living in your soul and blood
Each moment makes you fresher than a bud,
Save love for him, eternal and divine,
220
The Saqi with the soul-expanding wine!
Choose love of him, from whose resplendent face
The prophets 
find their mission and their grace––
Don’t tell me ‘From that king we have been barred,’
Dealing with noble men is not that hard !
Explanation of how the goldsmith’s murder by poisoning was in
accord with God’s instruction, not due to the passions and corrupt
wishes of the carnal soul
Although the healer’s killing seems severe,
Be sure he didn’t act through greed or fear,
Nor to placate the king’s desire instead ––
Divine command decreed he should be dead.
Think of the child whose jugular Khezr slit,
*
225
Most people failed to see the good in it:
The Healing of the Sick Slave-Girl
17

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For those in deep communion with their Lord
Their every deed’s correct, in full accord,
He who gives life may kill, we must condone
His deputy’s act like his very own;
Like Ismail
* lay your neck before his blade
And smile for this brave sacri
fice you’ve made,
So that your soul will live on joyfully
With God, like Ahmad’s
* soul, eternally;
Each lover drinks the wine of his own soul
230
When slain by his beloved that’s his goal.
The king did not start scheming through desire ––
Now throw that false suspicion in the 
fire!
You still think he committed sin, don’t you?
When God re
fines, no flaws can filter through;
Religious discipline and su
ffering loss
Is so the furnace burns the silver’s dross,
That’s why for good and bad we scrutinize
And gold is boiled so that the scum may rise ––
So if his deeds from heaven didn’t spring
235
He’d be a dog that bites and not a king!
Already he’s been puri
fied from greed,
His righteous act just seemed a wicked deed:
When Khezr destroyed that boat out in the sea
What seemed destructive was true piety,
Moses stayed veiled,
* though he was wise and good––
Don’t jump without wings, till you’ve understood!
This red’s a rose and not a bloody stain,
He’s drunk with gnosis, don’t call him insane,
If shedding Muslim blood was his sole aim
240
I’d be an in
fidel to bless his name!
When evil’s praised the highest heavens shake,
If pious men applaud that’s their mistake!
He was a glorious king, and circumspect,
Hand-picked by God, one of the pure elect,
Whoever such a king should choose to slay
More grace and status soon will come his way.
If good could not be caused through violence
How could his soul have shown such vehemence?
The Healing of the Sick Slave-Girl
18

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When children tremble near the barber’s blade,
*
245
Their mothers smile with joy though they’re afraid:
For half a life he gives a hundred more,
Such gifts beyond your dreams he has in store,
So stop comparing him with your low state,
Re
flect on this before it gets too late!