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

The vizier’s answer that he won’t end his seclusion
‘Cut short your proofs,’ the sly vizier then said,
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‘Let these words penetrate your skulls instead:
If I’m the truthful one, abandon doubt,
Even if, “Sky is land!” you hear me shout!
If I am perfect, you can’t disagree,
And if I’m not, then why keep pestering me?
I won’t leave my seclusion from all cares,
I’m busy now with spiritual a
ffairs!’
The disciples object to the vizier’s seclusion
They said, ‘It’s not that we’re refuting you,
Our words don’t give a stranger’s point of view;
Deprived of union mournfully we cry,
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In unison our tortured spirits sigh:
The Jewish Vizier who Misled Christians
39

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A child which never argues with its nurse
Cries, but can’t tell what’s better and what’s worse.
We’re like a harp you pluck in various ways,
This sad lament’s not ours, it’s you who plays,
We’re like the 
flute whose music you blow out,
The mountain which must echo what you shout,
Chess-pieces, winning now, and now in mate:
It’s you, majestic one, who seals our fate!
Who are we, soul of souls, that we should sit
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Beside a man like you when we’re un
fit?’
Non-entities, we’re forced to fade away,
Eternal One, our transience you display,
We’re just like lions men paint on their 
flag
Who only charge when wind should make it sag:
Our charge is visible, while wind is not ––
May that which is invisible be sought!
This wind, our very being, blows from You,
You brought to life our whole existence too:
When You showed non-existence Being’s light,
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It gave itself to You, love at 
first sight!
Such great attractions please don’t gather up,
Nor take away the wine and drinking-cup,
*
For if You take them who can challenge You ––
Paintings can’t tell their artist what to do!
Don’t gaze at us, nor look on secretly,
Witness instead your generosity:
We were not there, and we made no demands,
You heard our prayer before we raised our hands!
The fabric hanging in the weaver’s loom
615
Is helpless like a child inside the womb,
The people at the court before His might,
Like cloth before the needle, cannot 
fight:
Sometimes it sews a demon, then a man,
Sometimes sheer joy then pain is in its plan,
Cloth has no hands to save itself from it,
Nor tongue to tell its harm and bene
fit.
The Jewish Vizier who Misled Christians
40

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Read out from the Koran that verse we know
Where God says, 
When you threw you did not throw!
*
When we 
fire arrows don’t give us the blame––
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We’re just the bow, it’s God who’s taking aim!
Don’t dwell on our compulsion, but His might,
To know humility keep this in sight,
Our wretchedness con
firms this further still
While feeling shame just proves we have free will:
If we’re not free to choose then why feel shame,
Express regret and grief, and take the blame?
And why should students strive and teachers guide,
Why does the mind shove fate’s decree aside?
And if you say, ‘He’s blind to fate and proud,
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The moon of truth is covered by a cloud’,
This is the answer if you’ve ears to hear ––
Quit unbelief, and faith will make things clear:
When you fall ill you grieve and feel so low,
You’re then awake to what you need to know,
When starting to feel sick your prayers begin,
You beg forgiveness for a life of sin,
Its ugliness the Lord to you displays
So you’ll resolve to follow righteous ways:
You swear to God that you’ll at last take heed
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And make your every act a pious deed,
That being sick can heal you thus makes sense,
It wakes you with increased intelligence!
So heed this principle and never doubt,
Whoever’s su
ffering pain has worked this out:
The more awake they are the worse their plight,
Their su
ffering turns their tortured faces white!
Before His power where’s your humility,
Admit that you’re a slave to His decree!
How can a man who’s chained feel joy and ease
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Or prisoners do exactly as they please?
And when your feet are shackled like a slave
While o
fficers make sure that you behave,
Don’t proudly seek from weaker men respect ––
For poor souls being humble’s more correct!