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

The story of the old harpist who in Omar’s reign would
play the harp in the middle of a graveyard without any
food just for the sake of God
There was once in Omar’s huge caliphate
A harpist whose sweet music was so great,
His voice made nightingales fall stunned and cry
While also making each joy multiply,
His breath graced meetings where the lords would throng,
1925
The Resurrection
* listened to his song
Like Esra
fil, whose voice was heard ahead
And brought back souls to bodies of the dead,
Or one of Esra
fil’s close friends, whose cry
Could make an elephant grow wings and 
fly!
For Esra
fil revives men totally
Though they’ve been rotting for a century.
The Prophets too have special tunes inside
From which to seekers precious life’s supplied,
The sensual ear can’t hear such melodies
1930
Since it’s been tainted by iniquities;
A man can’t hear the angels’ tunes inside,
Their inner secrets humans are denied,
These tunes are from this world of time and death,
The heart’s tune’s loftier than every breath,
Angels and men are captives equally
In ignorance’s gaol without a key:
Recite: ‘
Community of jinn and men’
And learn: ‘
If you can pass beyond, go then! ’
*
Within the saints are soulful melodies
1935
Which sing ‘
There is one God’, so listen please!
Lift up your heads from ‘not’
* which means negation
And cast o
ff fancies and imagination––
You’ve rotted in this planet of decay,
Your soul could not grow up and 
fly away!
The Old Harpist
119

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If I give just a hint about this song,
Men’s souls would rise from tombs before too long ––
Bring your ear close, for this tune isn’t hidden,
Though to relate it now I am forbidden:
The saints take Esra
fil’s place from today,
1940
They give life to the dead and show the way;
From corpses souls ascend without a choice
Up from the body’s tomb due to this voice,
Saying, ‘This voice has a distinctive tone,
To grant life is the job of God alone;
We’d died and been left there to decompose,
Then came God’s blast
* and everybody rose.’
Whether God’s blast is open or concealed,
It gives that which in Mary was revealed
*––
You who beneath your skin have lost it all
1945
Return from non-existence at His call!
This call comes from the King Himself, it’s true,
Although His servant utters it to you.
God told him, ‘I’m your tongue and eye, my slave,
Your wrath and your contentment too I gave,
Go forth, because 
through me you hear and see.’
*
Though you’re God’s secret, don’t claim mastery,
Since to 
Him who is for the Lord you turn,
I’m yours, for ‘
God’s for him’,
* as we all learn;
Sometimes I say ‘It’s you’, sometimes ‘It’s me’;
1950
Regardless, I am sunlight, can’t you see?
When I emit a breath just like a ray,
The problems of the world all fade away;
That darkness which resists all solar light
My breath makes like the morning, clear and bright!
The names to Adam God himself explained,
This knowledge all the rest through Adam gained;
Whether in Adam’s light or God’s you bask,
You choose between the goblet and the 
flask,
The Old Harpist
120

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For with the 
flask the goblet has a link
1955
So potent, blessed be that 
fine goblet’s drink!
The Prophet said, ‘