Comparison of the covetous man, who does not see the all-providingness of God and the (infinite) stores of His mercy, to an ant struggling with a single grain of wheat on a great threshing-floor and showing violent agitation and trembling and dragging it hurriedly along, unconscious of the amplitude of the threshing-floor.
شاعر: رومی
وزن: فاعلاتن فاعلاتن فاعلن (رمل مسدس محذوف یا وزن مثنوی)
صنف: مثنوی
The ant trembles for a grain (of wheat) because it is blind to the goodly threshing-floors.
It drags a grain along greedily and fearfully, for it does not see such a noble stack of winnowed wheat (as is there).
The Owner of the threshing-floor is saying (to the ant), “Hey, thou who in thy blindness deemest nothing something,
Hast thou regarded that (alone) as belonging to My threshing-floors, so that thou art devoted with (all) thy soul to that (single) grain?”
O thou who in semblance art (insignificant as) a mote, look at Saturn; thou art a lame ant: go, look at Solomon.
Thou art not this body: thou art that (spiritual) Eye. If thou hast beheld the spirit, thou art delivered from the body.
Man (essentially) is eye: the rest (of him) is (mere) flesh and skin: whatsoever his eye has beheld, he is that thing.
A jar will submerge a mountain with (its) water when the eye of the jar is open to the Sea.
When from the soul (interior) of the jar a channel is made to the Sea, the jar will overwhelm the Jayhún (Oxus).
For that reason whatsoever the speech (voice) of Ahmad (Mohammed) may utter, the words are (really) uttered by the Sea.
All his words were pearls of the Sea, for his heart had a passage into the Sea.
Since the bounty of the Sea is (poured) through our jar, what wonder (that) the Sea (itself) should be (contained) in a Fish?
The sensual eye is fixed on the form of the thoroughfare: thou art regarding it as a thoroughfare, but he (the Perfect Man) as a permanent abode.
This dualism is characteristic of the eye that sees double; but (in reality) the first is the last and the last is the first.
Hark, by what means is this made known (to thee)? By means of the (spiritual) resurrection. Seek to experience (that) resurrection: do not dispute concerning (that) resurrection.
The (necessary) condition of (experiencing) the Day of Resurrection is to die first, for (the word) ba‘th (resurrection) is (signifies) “to raise to life from the dead.”
Hence all the world have taken the wrong way, for they are afraid of nonexistence, though it is (really) the refuge (in which they find salvation).
Whence shall we seek (true knowledge? From renouncing (our false) knowledge. Whence shall we seek (true) peace? From renouncing peace (with our carnal selves).
Whence shall we seek (real) existence? From renouncing (illusory) existence. Whence shall we seek the apple (of Truth)? From renouncing the hand (of self-assertion and self-interest).
O best Helper, only Thou canst make the eye that regards the non-existent to regard that which is (really) existent.
The eye that was produced from non-existence regarded the Essence of (real) Being as wholly non-existent;
(But), if (thy) two eyes are transformed and illumined, this well-ordered world becomes the scene of the Last Judgement.
These realities are shown forth imperfectly (here) because the apprehension of them is forbidden to these raw (ignorant) ones.
Although God is munificent, the enjoyment of the delightful gardens of Paradise is forbidden to him who is destined for Hell.
The honey of Paradise becomes bitter in his mouth, since he was not (destined to be) one of them that faithfully keep the covenant of everlasting life.
Ye (worldly folk) also (who are engaged) in commerce—how should your hands move (to sell anything) when there is no buyer?
How should (idle) looking-on be capable of buying? The fool's looking-on is (not for buying, but merely for) loitering.
(He strolls about) continually asking, “How much is this?” and “How much is that?” for the sake of pastime and mockery.
(’Tis only) from boredom (that) he asks you (to show him) your goods: that person is not a buyer and customer.
He inspects the article a hundred times and hands it back (to you): when did he (ever) measure a piece of cloth? He measured wind (and nothing else).
What a distance between the approach and bargaining of a purchaser and the pleasantries of a silly joker?
Since there is not a mite in his possession, how should he seek (to buy) a coat except in jest?
He has no capital for trading: what, then, is the difference between his ill-favoured person and a shadow?
The capital (required) for the market of this world is gold; there (in the next world) the capital is love and two eyes wet (with tears).
Whoever went to market without any capital, his life passed and he speedily returned in disappointment.
“Oh, where hast thou been, brother?” “Nowhere.” “Oh, what hast thou cooked to eat?” “No (good) soup.”
Become a buyer, that my hand may move (to sell to thee), and that my pregnant mine may bring forth the ruby.
Though the buyer is slack and lukewarm, (yet) call (him) to the (true) religion, for the (command to) call hath come down (from God).
Let the falcon fly and catch the spiritual dove: in calling (to God) take the way of Noah.
Perform an act of service for the Creator's sake: what hast thou to do with being accepted or rejected by the people?
