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

The merchant relates to his parrot what he saw of
the parrots in India
The merchant on completing all his trade
Returned home, not prepared to be delayed,
He brought a present back for every slave
1660
And to the slave-girls souvenirs he gave.
The parrot asked, ‘Where’s what I chose instead?
Please tell me what you saw and what was said.’
He said, ‘No, for all that I now repent,
With biting 
fingernails my hours are spent––
Why did I say it? It was premature!
Through ignorance, or is my judgement poor?’
‘Master, what’s this repentance for?’ she said,
What’s brought this rage and grief inside your head?’
He said, ‘I passed on your complaint once there
1665
To birds like you, who 
flew without a care––
One of them felt your pain so much she cried,
Her frail heart broke, she shuddered, fell, and died!
Why did I say this for my little pet!
Ah, now it’s done what use is my regret!’
The Escape of the Merchant’s Parrot
103

---

Regard the words you utter with your tongue
A dangerous arrow which you have just 
flung;
An arrow can’t be brought back from its course ––
We have to block the torrent at its source;
Floods can submerge the world each time they rise,
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If they destroy the world that’s no surprise,
Actions bring forth e
ffects beyond our goal,
Unseen e
ffects beyond our own control,
The Lord created them, let this be clear,
Though they’re attributed to us down here:
Jim once was shot at by a man named Jack;
The arrows 
flew like leopards in attack;
A year passed, but Jim’s su
ffering wouldn’t end.
The Lord creates all pain, not Man, my friend:
Even if Jack, on shooting, fell, and died,
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This wouldn’t have made Jim’s deep pain subside,
But since this pain led to the death of Jim
For triggering it, we say Jack murdered him ––
Pin all the blame on Jack that Jim was slain
Even though God created all the pain!
*
Breath, sex, and sowing are comparable,
They’re all e
ffects which God makes possible:
The saints have gained from God such awesome might
That they can pull back arrows in mid-
flight:
E
ffects which stem from the original cause
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When saints repent are then compelled to pause:
By grace he makes unsaid what has been said
So no harm comes to anybody’s head,
From all the hearts which heard that harmful word
He wipes it out, unseen now and unheard!
Dear gentlemen, if you need proof it’s true
A verse we cause you to forget
* should do,
They caused you to forget, don’t be upset,
Observe their power to make you forget:
Then they made you forget, now they remind,
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And thus they rule the hearts of all mankind.
The Escape of the Merchant’s Parrot
104

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When you are blinded with forgetfulness
You’re impotent, your skills could not count less,
Though
you thought them a joke, they have God’s might,
As far as 
they made you forget recite!
*
Landlords may rule your bodies, not your soul,
That’s in the owner of the heart’s control,
Deeds are derived from sight, please realize
That men are just the pupils in their eyes ––
Its explanation I am forced to hide
1690
By barriers put up by those inside.
Since all forgetfulness and memory
Depend on Him, He’ll answer every plea:
Thousands of good and evil things each night
He empties from men’s hearts and out of sight,
By day He pours them in their hearts once more ––
Re
filling shells with pearls they used to store––
Knowledge of things we used to utilize
God’s guidance helps our souls to recognize ––
Your skills and talents all return to you
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To let you keep on doing what you do:
The jeweller’s skills don’t reach mere ironmongers,
A good man’s virtue won’t reach vile warmongers,
Your skills and virtues like your property
Will be returned on Judgment Day, you’ll see,
Just as they do when from your sleep you wake ––
Back to the rightful owner, no mistake,
Returning from that place that can’t be seen,
Where good and evil thoughts had also been,
Like carrier pigeons which have been abroad
1700
They bring back to their home a wondrous horde.