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

We made it be forgotten
*–– comprehend
That better things replace them in the end!
God abrogates laws for our bene
fit:
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He takes grass but gives 
flowers in place of it,
The day’s activity is stopped at night ––
Watch stillness now bestow true wisdom’s light,
But then the night is cancelled by the day,
The
fire of which makes stillness burn away.
Though sleep and rest in darkness may abound
The Water of Life
* too in there is found,
And aren’t minds refreshed while resting here
As pauses help a voice sound loud and clear:
From opposites thus opposites alight ––
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Inside your heart’s dark core He’s shone this light.’
The Prophet’s wars brought peace which all had sought,
Our peace these days stems from the wars he fought;
Though he slew thousands who showed enmity
This was so men could gain security:
The gardener trims the branches that cause harm
To cultivate a straight and tall date-palm,
And any weeds he 
finds he will uproot
So that the garden thrives and bears much fruit;
The dentist pulls out teeth that show decay
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So that the patient’s pain will go away ––
Loss therefore can hide many gains inside
As martyrs gain new life once they have died;
Once cut, the throat that ate its daily bread
Receives God’s bounty and feels joy
* instead:
When throats of animals are lawfully slit
Men’s throats grow and from grace they bene
fit,
But what if one should stab another man?
Guess by analogy now if you can!
Why Ali Dropped his Sword in Battle
235

---

A third throat grows, one nurtured day and night
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With tonic from God and His rays of light ––
The throat that’s cut drinks tonic He lets 
flow,
The throat that dies in ‘
Yes!
*’ has just fled ‘No!’
Say, ‘That’s enough!’ You miserable, vile troll,
How long will you choose bread to feed your soul?
You bear no fruit just like the willow tree
For you have given bread priority ––
If your base sensual soul can’t give up bread
To turn to gold try alchemy instead!
Since you would like your garments cleaned today
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From all the washers why now turn away?
Although you break your fast with bread, my friend,
He mends what’s broken, He’ll help you ascend,
Since He mends what is broken, be aware:
If He breaks things, in truth it is repair,
But if you break things He will say to you:
‘Now 
fix it!’ But you won’t know what to do!
He has the right to smash things up, for He
Knows how to mend what’s broken instantly:
He who knows how to sew can tear as well,
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He’ll buy a better thing than what He’ll sell;
He’ll wreck a house so its roof hits the 
floor
And then rebuild it better than before;
Should He decapitate a man, His grace
Would bring a thousand heads soon in its place ––
If He had not decreed a confrontation,
Saying: ‘
There’s life through your retaliation,’
*
Who would have had the gall to strike His sword
At someone else and claim it’s from the Lord!
For anyone with open eyes can tell
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That killer is a fool of fate as well;
If by the Lord’s decree a fool is led,
He’ll even strike against his own child’s head ––
Don’t curse the evildoers, but beware
You’re impotent too in God’s ruling snare.
Why Ali Dropped his Sword in Battle
236

---

Adam is surprised at the accursed Satan falling
astray and shows conceit
Once Adam looked at Satan with disdain
Filled with contempt and scorn, when he was vain;
Self-conscious, he thought he was in the right
And laughed at wretched Satan’s awful plight.
The Lord’s possessiveness cried, ‘Who are you?
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About the hidden truths you have no clue!’
If He should turn your waistcoat inside out,
He’d lift a mountain from its base no doubt,
He would unveil a hundred Adams then
And cause cursed Satans to be born again:
Adam said, ‘I repent now for that glance,
I won’t presume again with arrogance.