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

Brother of death’ for sleep is apt indeed!
In order that by dawn they all come back
He’s tied a tether round them, though it’s slack,
To draw them in from meadows to their pen
405
Where they are burdened with their loads again;
Protected like Companions of the Cave,
*
Or safe, on Noah’s ark, from every wave,
If only souls were spared from being aware
Of what our mind and senses see out there!
Companions of the Cave today are found,
They’re right before you and heard all around
In song with the beloved constantly ––
Your eyes don’t have the power though to see.
The tale about the caliph
* seeing Layli
The caliph said to Layli, ‘You’re the one
410
Who’s left Majnun bewildered and undone,
But you don’t seem remarkable to me!’
She said, ‘You need Majnun’s own eyes to see!’
To be awake to this world means to sleep,
It’s worse than sleep in fact, and much more deep!
Asleep to God, awake to spectacles ––
This represents the worst of obstacles;
We’re kicked and punched by fantasies all day
From fear of loss to hope of higher pay,
The Jewish Vizier who Misled Christians
28

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Our souls thus lose their grace and purity
415
To block the path above for you and me.
The one asleep believes in fantasies
And dozes o
ff seduced by what he sees:
A demon for a houri
* he’ll mistake,
In lust ejaculating for its sake!
Once he has spilt his semen thus in vain
He’ll wake up, but his dream shall not remain ––
His weakness his own body has de
filed,
So he’ll regret that he had been beguiled.
A bird 
flies past, its shadow slides below
420
As if it can itself move to and fro,
A foolish hunter chases this all day,
Thinking it’s real he seeks it as his prey,
Not knowing it’s a shadow of the bird ––
About this simple fact he had not heard ––
He shoots this shadow with his hunting bow,
Empties his quiver for a phantom show!
Just like his quiver soon his life runs dry,
Wasted pursuing shadows, days pass by!
But when the shade of God heals like a nurse
425
It frees one from that empty shadow’s curse;
This shade’s beneath each of God’s chosen slaves,
To this world dead, his life for God he saves,
Forget your doubts and follow this man’s lead
So at the end of time you might be freed!
How he makes shadows stretch
* shows this is right
For saints are proof of the Divine Sun’s light;
Without a saint as guide, don’t enter yet,
Like Abraham 
don’t love the ones that set;
*
Leave shadows for the sunshine, and then seize
430
The cloak’s hem worn by King Shams-e Tabriz!
If you can’t
find the banquets where he’s been
Then ask the light of truth, Hosamoddin!
But if sheer envy grabs your throat, beware,
The devil’s the most envious one out there!
Through jealousy, he’s shown contempt for Man,
He’ll try to end our joy if he still can;
The Jewish Vizier who Misled Christians
29

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No harder road’s on this itinerary,
You’re blessed if from this jealousy you’re free!
The body serves as home for jealousies
435
When what’s inside is struck by this disease;
Although it’s home to jealousies, be sure
That God has made the body to be pure,
For 
Sanctify my house
* confirms it’s right
And earthly talismans can bring you light.
Don’t cheat those free from envy in their souls,
Your heart will blacken like the darkest coals,
Become instead the dirt on which they tread,
Bury, like us, your mean and envious head!