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

The Poor Bedouin and his Wife
147

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The earth is made just for terrestrials,
The sky’s the home of all celestials,
The base man is the lofty’s bitter foe,
The customer for each place we all know.
‘Veiled girl,’ he said, ‘Have you now lost your mind?
2400
Would you put make-up on just for the blind?
The world with precious pearls if I should strew,
If they’re not your share, what good will it do?
No longer 
fight or try to lead astray,
Or give me up instead, dear wife, today!
I do not wish to 
fight with enemies,
From righteous actions even my heart 
flees––
Stay silent or I’ll take this seriously
And leave behind our home immediately!’
The wife takes notice of her husband and seeks
forgiveness for her words
And when his wife saw him wild as a bear
2405
She started crying –– tears are woman’s snare:
She sobbed, ‘I’d never guessed what you might do,
I’d hoped for something di
fferent from you!’
With self-negation she came to his side:
‘I’m more your dust than your beloved bride;
I’m yours in soul and body, totally,
You now possess the power to order me;
If I lost patience with being poor, it was
On your account, my pain is not the cause:
You are my medicine for every ache,
2410
I don’t want you in need, it’s for your sake,
It’s not about my own wants that I care,
I scream and moan for your sake, this I swear ––
By God, for your sake you will 
find that I
Would sacri
fice myself, for you I’d die!
Would that your soul, which mine’s devoted to,
Could know what my soul thinks, my honest view!
The Poor Bedouin and his Wife
148

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Since you thought very badly then of me,
Of soul and body I long to be free,
And gold and silver I would throw away
2415
For you to not react like this today!
You occupy my heart and soul throughout ––
For this small slip of mine would you walk out?
You have the power to just walk away
Although my soul pleads that you’ll choose to stay.
Remember me, your idol from before,
The one you used to worship and adore?
I’ve lit my heart now to agree with you,
If you say “cooked” I’ll say “All the way through!”
For I’m your spinach, one small dish you eat,
2420
You’re worth it, whether with sour sauce or sweet!
I blasphemed then, but now I understand,
With all my heart I follow your command,
I didn’t recognize your royal traits,
I interrupted but a good wife waits.
I’ve fashioned now a torch from your compassion,
Repenting, I’ve abandoned opposition,
I’ve placed before you both a sword and shroud
To chop my head o
ff which has been too proud!
You speak of separation’s agonies ––
2425
Do what you wish to do, but not that please!
Your spirit pleads within you now for me,
It intercedes like this perpetually,
Your loving nature pleads my case within,
Relying on it, my heart sought out sin ––
Stop feeling angry now, be merciful,
Sweeter than honey by the bucketful!’
She spoke thus kindly and with some success
And she would pause to shed tears in distress,
Her tears and sobbing soon became excessive,
2430
Though she already was for him impressive ––
That pain produced a lightning bolt, which lit
A spark inside his heart and made it split:
The Poor Bedouin and his Wife
149

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That pretty face which turns you to her slave,
When she acts servile, how must you behave!
That one whose arrogance astonished you
Now cries in front of you –– what can you do?
That one whose proud rebu
ffs made your heart bleed
Can do more damage now she comes in need!
We’ve all been trapped once in her tyranny ––
2435
Now she is begging, what are we to plea?