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

Explanation of trust in God: the lion’s prey tell it
to stop self-exertion
Once in a valley all the beasts ran scared:
A lion preyed on them and none were spared.
How a Hare Killed the Tyrannical Lion
57

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It used to hide, then pounce and seize its prey ––
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That’s why they couldn’t face another day;
Once, with the lion they agreed a deal:
‘Each day we’ll satisfy you with a meal,
But you must not attack us any more!
This means our grass won’t taste bad like before.’
The lion answers its prey and explains the bene
fit of exerting oneself
The lion said, ‘Alright, if you’re sincere,
But I know every trick, let that be clear!
Men’s schemes have ruined me, I’ve made mistakes,
Been bitten by men’s scorpions and their snakes.’
One’s carnal soul that’s hidden from our sight
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Is worse than them in scheming and in spite,
‘Believers are not stung,’ when I 
first heard
I followed with my heart the Prophet’s word.
The lion’s prey prefer full trust in fate to exerting oneself
The beasts of prey said, ‘Sage who clearly sees,
Precautions can’t
prevent what God decrees,
To play safe just means extra bother too ––
Have trust in destiny, that’s best for you!
Don’t wave your 
fist at fate and shake your head
In case fate picks a 
fight with you instead!
With God’s decree be dead just like a pawn,
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Protected from 
the Lord of every dawn.’
*
The lion prefers exertion of e
ffort to trust in fate
The lion said, ‘If trust will guide, okay,
But e
ffort also is the Prophet’s way:
For once Mohammad 
firmly clarified:
“Trust God, but still make sure your camel’s tied!”
God loves the one who earns, so I urge you:
Trust God but don’t forget you must act too!’
How a Hare Killed the Tyrannical Lion
58

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The lion’s prey prefer trust in God over exerting oneself
They said, ‘But trying to earn means you’re weak,
Birds say such bites 
fill no more than one’s beak,
And earning can’t surpass full trust in fate,
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Complete surrender to the Lord’s dictate.’
Many 
fled problems, but found more despair:
Don’t run from snakes straight to a dragon’s lair!
A man’s scheme back
fired with his first real shot,
It seemed the food of life, but made him rot,
He locked the door, but with his foe inside!
Such was the plot that Pharaoh once had tried:
A hundred thousand babies he had slain,
But let the one sought in his home remain!
Our vision has such 
flaws, to end your plight
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Annihilate your vision in God’s sight:
His sight for ours –– what a terri
fic swap!
With His sight your ful
filment will not stop;
Until a child has learned to walk he must
Ride father’s shoulders, placing there his trust,
If he impatiently sets o
ff alone
He’ll end up wretched, bruised, and on his own;
Men’s souls, without a hand or foot, could be
Seen
flying through the realms of purity,
But when God told them, ‘
Go down
* in your cage!’
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They were entrapped again by lust and rage.
We’re children of the Lord who want love’s milk,
Men are God’s family, though not of His ilk,
If He can drop the rain down on your head
Through mercy He can also bring you bread!
The lion prefers exerting oneself over trust
The lion said, ‘But God has caused to rise
A ladder right before our very eyes;
We must climb rung by rung up to the top ––
It’s sel
fish to resign to fate and stop: