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

the Faithful
* sleeping under the tree
The man approached, but wouldn’t go too near,
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On seeing him his body shook with fear ––
Awe of a sleeping man left him undone,
A blissful state now 
filled him like the sun;
Such contradictory states as love and awe
Together in his heart the stranger saw,
Saying inside, ‘A thousand kings I’ve seen
Who honoured me, with sultans too I’ve been,
But fear had never given me such 
fits––
Now awe of this man’s robbed me of my wits!
Jungles of lions even I’ve explored
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And not turned pale, however much they roared,
Omar and the Emissary from Byzantium
89

---

And on the battle
field I’ve earned renown
For acting bravely when the rest are down ––
I’ve taken and dealt out such mighty blows
For I’m the bravest, everybody knows.
This man lies sound asleep and he’s unarmed
So why do I now shake and feel alarmed?
It’s awe of God, not just a human being,
A man dressed in a gown that I’m now seeing.’
Whoever’s path is fear of God will 
find
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That he is feared by jinn and all mankind.
With folded hands in a submissive pose
He stood until Omar woke and arose,
He then saluted him and bowed his head:
‘First say salaam, then talk!’ the Prophet said.
*
Omar responded, told him to come near
And to sit next to him and have no fear:
‘
Don’t fear! ’
* for scared men is quite suitable,
But not for those who aren’t afraid at all:
The scared are reassured they won’t be harmed ––
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By this advice, their fearful hearts are calmed;
Why say ‘Don’t fear!’ to one who isn’t scared?
This is a lesson brave men should be spared!
Omar thus helped a troubled heart to 
find
Abundant happiness and peace of mind,
With subtleties that few can comprehend
About God’s attributes, our greatest friend!
He spoke of God’s love for his true élite
And of the states and stations one could meet:
The state is the unveiling of the bride,
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The station’s being alone with her inside,
*
For her unveiling’s seen by every guest
But with the groom alone the bride will rest ––
The bride unveils for every onlooker
But afterwards he lies alone with her!
So many Su
fis have enjoyed a state
But few know of the stations that await.
Omar taught him the journey of the soul,
Spiritual travelling to the furthest goal,
Omar and the Emissary from Byzantium
90

---

And of the time which stands beyond all time,
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That lofty station, sacred and sublime,
And of the realm in which the spirit 
flew––
Before this life both 
flight and grace it knew,
Seeing beyond horizons coast to coast,
The utmost faith and zeal it then could boast.
Thus, when Omar saw that he was a friend,
He knew this man desired to comprehend:
The shaikh was perfect and the student keen,
The rider fast, the thoroughbred so lean.
The guide saw he would suit the brotherhood,
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Then sowed good seed in soil he knew was good.
The emissary from Byzantium questions the
Commander of the Faithful
‘Commander of the Faithful,
* please expound
For me how spirit came down to the ground:
How did that bird become caged in a cell?’
He said, ‘God chanted to the soul a spell;
The non-existents have no ear nor eye,
But when God chants a spell they stir and 
fly,
His spells give non-existents such a jolt
That to existence they all somersault!
And when existents hear God’s formula
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To non-existence their route’s similar.’
The rose smiled once He’d chanted to its stem,
His spell has made a stone turn to a gem,
Bodies transformed to souls by just one line,
His words have also caused the sun to shine,
But dark words whispered sometimes to its ear
Have made eclipses of the sun appear;
He also made the clouds perform the task
Of weeping tears just like a water-
flask––
What spells He must have whispered to the ground
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To make it think, but not make any sound!
Whoever is perplexed by doubt and fear ––
The Lord will chant a riddle in his ear