The rich man then finds out he has no gold,
The clever man no talent, truth be told.
With a child storing peel they are compared,
Who, like a rich man, for his horde feels scared;
If you take some, he’ll cry in misery;
If you return it, he’ll smile happily.
Since he lacks knowledge and is ignorant,
His tears and laughter are irrelevant.
2640
A man thought he possessed what was just loaned
And feared to lose what he thought that he owned.
He dreamed that it was all his property
And feared that there might be a robbery.
Once death pulled at his ears till he would wake,
He laughed at his fears, seeing the mistake.
That’s like the scholars’ trembling out of fear,
Since they have knowledge just of things down here.
Regarding these accomplished scholars, read
In the Qur’an ‘They do not know’*—take heed!
2645
Each fears that somebody will come and steal,
Thinking his knowledge is worth a great deal.
He says, ‘They’re wasting all my time,’ but he
Doesn’t have time of value actually.
‘They’ve taken me away from work!’ he’ll say;
His soul is plunged in sloth, though, all the way.
‘My skirt is long,’ the bare man says in fear.
‘How will I get it safely out of here?’
He views the sciences as valuable,
But still has failed to understand his soul.
2650
He knows the property of every substance,
But, like an ass, does not know his own essence.
‘I know what’s lawful and what’s not,’ he’ll claim—
You don’t know if you’re lawful—feel some shame!
You know the licit and illicit well,
But are you licit? You can’t even tell.
You know the cost of everything on earth,
But not what you yourself are really worth.
The lucky and unlucky stars you see,
But not which one you are, unfortunately.
2655
The point of every science is to convey
To you who you will be on Judgment Day.
You know the laws and creeds of your religion,
But how good and how bad is your foundation?
Your own foundation’s worth more in the end,
For finding out your origin, my friend.
Description of the pleasantness of the City of Sheba and their ingratitude
At root the Sheba People were so rotten:
They’d shun the means to reach God; they’d forgotten
He gave them orchards, fields, and a huge mansion
On every side for their joy and expansion.
2660
The trees had so much fruit on them that they
Would fall off on the ground and block the way:
The windfall left the road below so blocked;
The tons of fruit left travellers very shocked.
Baskets on heads in the vicinity
Would fill with falling fruits unwittingly.
Wind scattered all those fruits around, not them—
The fruits filled every person’s waiting hem.
Huge branches would hang down so low, and then
Be brushed by heads of all the passing men.
2665
And due to gold found there in such excess,
Labourers would wear golden belts no less.
The dogs would trample on cakes good to eat;
Wolves could get stomach aches from too much meat.
The town and village were now safe from robberies;
Wolves didn’t cause goats any more anxieties.
If I were to record all bounties they
Were given and which grew more day by day,
It would then hinder matters more important—
The Prophet followed this: ‘Be firm and constant!’*
2670
The Prophets came from God to counsel the People of Sheba
Then thirteen Prophets entered there, so they
Could guide all of the lost men. They’d then say:
‘Give thanks that bounty has been multiplied!
If waking’s steed sleeps, wake it!’ these men cried.
‘Thanking the Benefactor’s necessary,
So His wrath’s door won’t open suddenly.
Witness the generosity that’s sent!
Would your small thanks leave others still content?
He gives a head, so it will bow down low,
And legs to kneel in thanks He will bestow.’
2675
‘The ghoul has taken our thanks,’ said the men—
‘We’re weary now of giving thanks again.
Our weariness with His munificence
Means we’re not happy with obedience.
We don’t want orchards, bounties most would treasure;
We don’t want every means and aid to leisure.’
The Prophets said, ‘In your heart is a sickness;
Your knowledge of God therefore suffers weakness—
All bounty from Him turns to more disease;
Food cannot strengthen men as sick as these.
2680
Stubborn one, many sweet things came for you,
Then turned unsweet, from pure to dirty too.
You were the foe of all things that were pleasant,
And everything you touched would turn unpleasant.
Whoever then befriended you was seen
By your eyes as contemptible and mean.
You viewed as someone who deserved deep reverence
Whoever kept their distance from your presence.
This is one of that sickness’s effects—
It poisons all things with which it connects.
2685
You must fight that disease off very quickly,
For it makes sugar seem to your eyes filthy.
Every sweet thing that comes to you will turn
Unsweet—Water of Life, like fire, will burn.
That sickness aids your death and torment, friend;
Due to it your own life will quickly end.
Your heart has come alive through kinds of food
That make your body rot—it does no good.
Through coaxing many have been hunted—they
Seemed worthless, though, when they became your prey.
2690
When higher intellects become acquainted
They gain within through love that is untainted;
But when two base selves do this, then instead
It brings about diminishment ahead,
Because the self soon circles round the sickness
And very quickly this corrupts your gnosis.
If you don’t want your friend to be a foe,
Choose someone next who knows more than you know.
Since you’re sick, through the Simoom-self’s effect*
Whatever you should touch you will infect.
2695
A jewel you’ll change to stone; and then if you
Touch the heart’s love, this turns to hatred too.
If you take a pure saying that is wise,
It soon turns vile and tasteless to your eyes.
You’ll say, “I’ve heard this often. It’s old, brother.
If you’re my helper, share with me another!”
If something new should later come to you,
The next day you’d grow weary of that too.
Uproot the sickness, then each thing you hear,
Though it be old, will sound new to your ear;
2700
Fresh leaves will grow from that old tale—you’ll see
A hundred blossoms bloom on an old tree.
We’re soul-
physicians, God’s apprentices;
The Nile was parted* when its waves saw us.
From other healers we’re so far apart—
They can’t see through your pulse inside your heart.
We view it with no intermediary;
Clairvoyance gives us vantage-points to see.
Those are physicians who give food and make
The animal soul stronger by mistake—
2705
We are physicians of your deeds and speech,
Inspired by God’s light ray within our reach.
We say, “These deeds will give you benefit,
But those deeds lead you far away from it.
This kind of talk will help you move ahead,
But that kind will cause harm to you instead.”
Urine is those physicians’ evidence,
Ours revelation from His eminence.
We don’t request from anyone a fee—
God gave us so much gain most generously.
2710
Incurable diseases rush to us—
Our remedy treats all the illnesses.’
The community demanded miracles from the Prophets
The people said, ‘You who claim Prophethood,
Where’s proof you can heal and make bad things good?
Like us you have to sleep and eat, then lead
Your cattle to the field so they can feed.
Since you’re trapped too in water and in clay,
How can you make our phoenix hearts your prey?
The lure of power and status lures men to
Make claims that they’re new Prophets like you do.
2715
Such lies and boasts will not be well received,
For we refuse to ever be deceived.’
‘This is due to your sickness,’ they replied,
‘Blindness is vision’s veil, and it will hide:
You’ve heard our call, but you can’t understand
Or see the jewel we hold now in each hand;
This jewel’s a test for people, which we turn
Around their eyes to see if they’ll discern.
Demanding “Where’s the proof?” shows you can’t see
The jewel. You’re trapped by blindness tragically.
2720
If the sun says, “The day has come—arise!”
Would you dispute its words as though they’re lies?
Would you say, “Where’s your proof?” It would reply,
“Blind one, you should ask God now for an eye!”
If someone seeks a lamp in daylight, that
Tells us he is as blind now as a bat.
If you can’t see, but guess aloud it’s dawn,
Despite the fact you’re veiled, do not let on
To everyone like this about your blindness.
Be silent, wait for God’s grace and His kindness!
2725
To ask a man, “Where is the day?” at noon
Will draw disgrace to yourself very soon.
Silence and patience draws God’s mercy, but
Seeking proofs shows you are inadequate.
Accept “Be silent!”* so that its reward
Will come into your spirit from the Lord.
If you don’t want a relapse near Him, then
Fling your wealth and your head down, sage of men.
Sell your superfluous speech, buy sacrifice
Of status, wealth, and soul—that is the price
2730
For His grace to sing your praise, and thus make
The heavens jealous of the rank you’ll take.
When you respect these healers’ hearts at last,
You’ll feel ashamed of doubting in the past.
Removing blindness is beyond all humans,
Yet God guides you to honour your physicians—
With all your souls become their devotees
And thus be filled with musk and ambergris.’
The people are suspicious of the Prophets
The people said, ‘It’s fraud and trickery.
How should God make mere men His deputy?
2735
Kings’ messengers must be of the same nature;
Water and clay’s so far from the Creator.
Have we just eaten donkeys’ brains, to view
As close friends to the Homa gnats like you?
How far apart, like God and earthen clay,
Or motes and sunlight which make bright each day.
Where’s the resemblance? What connection binds
That it should be believed by rational minds?
Story about the hares who sent one hare to the elephant, telling him: ‘Say that you are the ambassador of the moon in heaven come to warn him not to drink from that spring!’ as it is told in full in Kalila and Dimna*
‘This is like when the hare said, “It is true,
I’m the moon’s messenger and partner too”:
2740
When all the beasts of chase were suffering
Due to some elephants near their pure spring,
Deprived of water, they stayed barred so long
That they devised a trick, since they weren’t strong.
From a hill’s peak their chief called to invite
The elephants on the new moon’s first night:
“Come here on the fourteenth, elephant king,
And you’ll find evidence inside the spring.
King elephant, I’m the ambassador;
Remember you can’t blame the messenger.
2745
The moon says, ‘Elephants begone, and know
That that pure spring is ours. You must now go
Or else I’ll turn you blind most wickedly.’
I’ve warned you, so the blame won’t fall on me.
Agree to leave the spring—not one more word
Unless you want the moon to slash its sword.
The proof is that the moon’s form splits and bursts
Each time an elephant comes there who thirsts.
King of the elephants, come here that night
To see the proof at that spring in plain sight.”
2750
The herd’s own king came when two weeks had passed
And drank from that same spring his very last—
On lowering his trunk inside the pool,
Water splashed and the moon seemed split. The fool
Believed the claim made earlier by the hare
Because the moon’s reflection broke in there.
We’re not like elephants that we should fear
The moon’s reflection breaking up now here.’
‘Oh dear, our spiritual counsel has instead
Tightened their shackles!’ all the Prophets said.
2755
The Prophets answer their sneering and tell them parables
‘Alas that the cure of your malady
Has turned now to wrath’s poison tragically.
Our lamp has made your sight worse by surprise,
Because God’s placed wrath’s blinkers on your eyes.
What could we gain from you when we possess
Dominion higher than the stars no less?
How could the sea of pearls then benefit
From a mere ship that has been stuffed with shit?
Alas for that blind eye—the sun appears
As a mere mote, however much it nears.’
2760
Of Adam, who was peerless on that day,
Satan’s eye could perceive no more than clay.*
The devilish eye sees winter when it’s spring;
It’s drawn back home still from a different thing.
Fortunes come down to the unfortunate,
Yet stupidly they turn away from it.
Beloveds come unrecognized, then go
Unnoticed by the luckless who don’t know.
Privation makes men’s eyes err tragically;
What turns their heart
s is a bad destiny.
2765
Since a stone idol is a god for you,
Blindness and curses naturally ensue.
To partner God you deem stone suitable—
Closeness to God you’ll still deny Man’s soul?
A dead gnat fits the Homa’s company—
Can’t living men then gain God’s intimacy?
You merely have concocted that dead thing;
Living beings are created by the King.
You’re lovers of yourselves and what you’ve made;
Towards their own heads serpents’ tails have prayed.
2770
That tail lacks grace and fortune, and there’s no
Delight or peace in that head even though
The serpent’s tail twists round its head—the two
Both suit each other as all partners do.
The Masnavi, Book Three Page 23