How the Khwája and his kinsfolk arrived at the village, and how the countryman pretended not to see or recognise them:
شاعر: رومی
وزن: فاعلاتن فاعلاتن فاعلن (رمل مسدس محذوف یا وزن مثنوی)
صنف: مثنوی
When, after a month, they arrived in that quarter, themselves without provisions and their beasts without fodder,
See how the countryman, from evil intent, still inflicts (on them) calamities small and great,
And keeps his face hidden from them by day, lest they should open their mouths in the direction of his orchard.
’Tis better that a face like that, which is wholly (composed of) hypocrisy and malice, should be hidden from Moslems.
There are faces on which demons are settled like gnats, as (though they were) guardsmen.
When you behold his (such a one's) face, they (the demons) fall upon you: either do not behold that face, (or) when you have beheld (it), do not laugh pleasantly.
Concerning such a wicked, sinful face God hath said, “Verily, We will drag (him) by the forelock.”
When they (the townsman's party) had made enquiry and found his (the countryman's) house, they hurried like kinsfolk to the door.
(Thereupon) the people in his house bolted the door. At this perverseness, the Khwája became mad-like,
But indeed it was no time for asperity: when you have fallen into the pit, what is the use of being enraged?
Five days they remained at his door: (they passed) the night in the cold, the day itself in the blaze of the sun.
Their remaining (there) was not from heedlessness or asininity; nay, it was from necessity and want of an ass.
From necessity, the good are (often) bound to the vile: from sore hunger the lion will eat a putrid carcase.
He (the townsman) would see him (the countryman) and salute him, saying, “I am so-and-so, this is my name.”
“Maybe,” he said; “how should I know who thou art, whether thou art a dirty fellow or an honest gentleman?”
“This moment,” said he, “resembles the Resurrection, since a brother has come to flee from his brother.”
He would explain to him (the countryman), saying, “I am he from whose table thou didst eat viands manifold.
On such and such a day I bought that merchandise for thee: every secret that goes beyond the two (who share it) is published (to all).
The people heard the secret of our affection; (as a rule) when the gullet has received bounty, the face hath (signs of) bashfulness.”
He (the countryman) would say to him, “Why dost thou talk nonsense? I know neither thee nor thy name nor thy dwelling-place.”
On the fifth night there began such a (storm of) cloud and rain that the sky might (well) be astonished at its raining.
When the knife reached the bone, the Khwája knocked at the door, crying, “Call the master!”
When (at last), in response to a hundred urgent entreaties, he came to the door, he said, “Why, what is it, my dear sir?”
He replied, “I abandon those claims (to thy gratitude), I renounce that (recompense) which I was fancying.
I have suffered five years' pain: five days my miserable soul (hath been) amidst this heat and blaze.”
One injustice from kindred and friends and family is in heaviness as three hundred thousand,
Because he (the sufferer) did not set his mind on (anticipate) his (the friend's) cruelty and injustice: his soul was accustomed to kindness and faithfulness from him.
Whatsoever is tribulation and sore grief to men, know for sure that this is in consequence of its being contrary to habit.
He (the townsman) said (further), “O thou the sun of whose love is in decline, if thou hast shed my blood, I acquit thee.
On this night of rain give us a nook (to shelter in), so that at the Resurrection thou mayst obtain a viaticum (reward for the good work).”
“There is a nook,” he replied, “belonging to the keeper of the vineyard: he keeps watch there against the wolf,
(With) bow and arrow in his hand on account of the wolf, so that he may shoot if the fierce wolf should come.
If thou wilt do that service, the place is thine; and if not, have the kindness to seek another place.”
He said, “I will do a hundred services, (only) give thou the place, and put that bow and arrow in my hand.
I will not sleep, I will guard the vines; if the wolf raise his head, I will shoot the arrow at him.
For God's sake do not leave me to-night, O double-hearted (hypocrite), (with) the rain-water overhead and the mud underneath!”
A nook was cleared, and he with his family went thither: (’twas) a narrow place and without room to turn.
Mounted upon one another, like locusts, (and crowded) from terror of the flood into the corner of the cavern,
During the night, the whole night, they all (were) crying, “O God, this serves us right, serves us right, serves us right.”
This is what is deserved by him that consorted with the vile, or showed worthiness for the sake of the unworthy.
This is what is deserved by him that in vain desire gives up paying homage to the dust of the noble.
That you lick the dust and the wall of the pure (elect) is better (for you) than the vulgar and their vines and rose-gardens.
That you become a slave to a man of enlightened heart is better (for you) than that you should walk upon the crown of the head of kings.
From the kings of earth you will get nothing but the (empty) noise of a drum, O courier of (many) roads.
Even the townsmen are brigands in comparison with the Spirit. Who is the countryman? The fool that is without spiritual gifts.
This is what is deserved by him who, (when) the cry of a ghoul came to him, without rational foresight chose to move (towards the ghoul).
When repentance has gone from the (core of the) heart to the pericardium after this it is of no use to acknowledge (one's sin).
(With) the bow and arrow in his hand, he (was) seeking the wolf all night to and fro.
The wolf, in sooth, was given power over him, like sparks of fire: (he was) seeking the wolf (outside), and (was) unaware of the wolf (within himself).
Every gnat, every flea, had become as a wolf and inflicted a wound upon them in that ruined place.
There was no opportunity even of driving away those gnats, because of (their) dread of an attack by the contumacious wolf,
Lest the wolf should inflict some damage, (and then) the countryman would tear out the Khwája's beard.
In this wise (they were) gnashing their teeth till midnight: their souls were coming (up) from the navel to the lip.
Suddenly the figure of a deserted (solitary) wolf raised its head (appeared) from the top of a hillock.
The Khwája loosed the arrow from the thumbstall and shot at the animal, so that it fell to the ground.
In falling, wind escaped from the animal: the countryman uttered a wail and beat his hands,
(Crying), “O ungenerous (wretch), it is my ass-colt!” “Nay,” said he, “this is the devilish wolf.
The features of wolfishness are apparent in it; its form makes (one) acquainted with its wolfishness.”
“Nay,” he said, “I know the wind that escaped from its arse as well as (I know) water from wine.
Thou hast killed my ass-colt in the meadows—mayst thou never be released from anguish!”
“Make a better investigation,” he replied; “it is night, and at night material objects are screened from the beholder.
Night causes many a thing to appear wrong and changed (from its proper aspect): not every one has the (power of) seeing correctly by night.
(Now there is) both night and clouds and heavy rain withal: these three darknesses produce great error.”
He said, “To me ’tis as (manifest as) bright day: I know (it), it is the wind of my ass-colt.
Amongst twenty winds I know that wind as the traveller (knows) his provisions for the journey.”
The Khwája sprang up, and losing patience he seized the countryman by his collar,
Crying, “O fool and cutpurse, thou hast shown hypocrisy: thou hast eaten both beng and opium together.
Amidst three darknesses thou knowest the wind of the ass: how dost not thou know me, O giddy-head?
He that knows a colt at midnight, how should he not know his own ten years' comrade?”
Thou art feigning to be distraught (with love of God) and a gnostic: thou art throwing dust in the eyes of generosity,
Saying, “I have no consciousness even of myself: in my heart there is no room for aught but God.
I have no recollection of what I ate yesterday: this heart takes joy in nothing except bewilderment.
I am sane and maddened by God: remember (this), and (since I am) in such a state of selflessness, hold me excusable.
He that eats carrion, that is to say, (drinks) date-wine—the (religious) Law enrols him amongst those who are excused.
The drunkard and eater of beng has not (the right of) divorce or barter; he is even as a child: he is a person absolved and emancipated.
The intoxication that arises from the scent of the unique King—a hundred vats of wine never wrought that (intoxication) in head and brain.
To him (the God-intoxicated man), then, how should the obligation (to keep the Law) be applicable? The horse is fallen (out of account) and has become unable to move.
Who in the world would lay a load upon the ass-colt? Who would give lessons in Persian to Bú Murra?
When lameness comes, the load is taken off: God hath said, It is no sin in the blind.
I have become blind in regard to myself, seeing by (the grace of) God: therefore I am absolved from the small (obligation) and from the great.”
Thou braggest of thy dervishhood and selflessness, (thou utterest) the wailful cries of those intoxicated with God,
Saying, “I know not earth from heaven.” The (Divine) jealousy hath tried thee, tried thee (and found thee wanting).
Thus hath the wind of thy ass-colt put thee to shame, thus hath it affirmed the existence of thy self-negation.
In this wise doth God expose hypocrisy, in this wise doth He catch the quarry that has started away.
There are hundreds of thousands of trials, O father, for any one who says, “I am the captain of the Gate.”
If the vulgar do not know him by (putting him to) the trial, (yet) the adepts of the Way will demand from him the token (of his veracity).
When a churl pretends to be a tailor, the king will throw down a piece of satin in front of him,
Saying, “Cut this into a wide undervest (baghaltáq)”: from (as the result of) the trial there appear two horns on him.
Were there not a testing of every vicious person, every effeminate would be a Rustam in the fray.
Even suppose that the effeminate has put on a coat of mail: as soon as he feels the blow, he will become as a captive.
How will he that is intoxicated with God be restored to his senses by (the soft breath of) the west-wind? The God-intoxicated man will not come to himself at the blast of the trumpet (of Resurrection).
The wine of God is true, not false: thou hast drunk buttermilk, thou hast drunk buttermilk, buttermilk, buttermilk!
Thou hast made thyself out to be a Junayd or a Báyazíd, (saying), “Begone, for I do not know a hatchet from a key.”
How by means of hypocrisy, O contriver of fraud, wilt thou conceal depravity of nature and (spiritual) sloth and greed and concupiscence?
Thou makest thyself a Mansúr-i Halláj and settest fire to the cotton of thy friends,
Saying, “I do not know ‘Umar from Bú Lahab, (but) I know the wind of my ass-colt at midnight.”
Oh, the ass that would believe this from an ass like thee, and would make himself blind and deaf for thy sake!
Do not count thyself one of the travellers on the Way; thou art a comrade of them that defile the Way: do not eat dung (do not talk rubbish)!
Fly back from hypocrisy, hasten towards Reason: how shall the wing of the phenomenal (unreal) soar to Heaven?
Thou hast feigned to be a lover of God, (but in truth) thou hast played the game of love with a black devil.
At the Resurrection lover and beloved shall be tied in couples and quickly brought forward (to judgement).
Why hast thou made thyself crazy and senseless? Where is the blood of the vine? Thou hast drunk our blood,
(Saying), “Begone, I do not know thee: spring away from me. I am a gnostic who is beside himself and (I am) the Buhlúl of the village.”
Thou art conceiving a false opinion of thy nearness to God, thinking that the Tray-maker is not far from the tray;
(And) thou dost not see this, that the nearness of the saints (to God) hath a hundred miracles and pomps and powers.
By David iron is made (soft as) a piece of wax; in thy hand wax is (hard) as iron.
Nearness (to God) in respect of (His) creating and sustaining (us) is common to all, (but only) these noble ones possess the nearness (consisting) of the inspiration of Love.
Nearness is of various kinds, O father: the sun strikes (both) on the mountains and on the gold (in the mine);
But between the sun and the gold there is a nearness (affinity) of which the bid tree hath no knowledge.
(Both) the dry and fresh bough are near to the sun: how should the sun be screened off from either?
But where is the nearness of the sappy bough, from which you eat ripe fruit?
From nearness to the sun let the dry bough get (if it can) anything besides withering sooner!
O man without wisdom, do not be an inebriate of the sort that (when) he comes (back) to his wits he feels sorry;
Nay, be one of those inebriates on account of whom, whilst they are drinking the wine (of Divine Love), mature (strong) intellects suffer regret.
O thou who, like a cat, hast caught (nothing better than) an old mouse, if thou art pot-valiant with that wine (of Love), catch the Lion!
O thou who hast drunk of the phantom cup of Naught do not reel like them that are intoxicated with the (Divine) realities.
Thou art falling to this side and that, like the drunken: O thou (who art) on this side, there is no passage for thee on that side.
If thou (ever) find the way to that side, thenceforth toss thy head now to this side, now to that!
Thou art all on this side, (therefore) do not idly boast of that side: since thou hast not (died) the death (to self), do not agonise thyself in vain.
He with the soul of Khadir, (he) that does not shrink from death—if he know not the created (world), ’tis fitting.
Thou sweetenest thy palate with the savour of false imagination; thou blowest into the bag of selfhood and fillest it:
Then, at one prick of a needle thou art emptied of wind— may no intelligent man's body be fat (swollen) like this!
Thou makest pots of snow in winter: when they see the water how shall they maintain that (former) constancy?
