The Mathnawi of Jalaluddin Rumi - Page 19

Hark, read the Qur’án the sacred scripture of Islam and behold lawful magic in the overthrow of plots huge as the mountains.
“I am not like Pharaoh that I should come to the Nile; I am going towards the fire, like Khalíl Friend (of God), a title for Abraham.”
’Tis not fire; in reality ’tis flowing water, while the other, through Divine cunning, is water whereof the real nature is fire.
Excellently well said the complaisant Prophet, “A mote of intelligence is better for thee than fasting and performing the ritual prayer.”

A floral ornament appears here in the manuscript. 455. Because thy intelligence is the substance, whereas these two things are accidents: these two are made obligatory in the case of persons who possess the full complement of it,
In order that the mirror—intelligence—may have a bright lustre; for purity comes to the breast—the heart—from piety.
But if the mirror is fundamentally depraved, only after a long time does the polisher get it back to purity;
While in the case of the fine mirror, which is like a goodly planting-ground, a little polishing is enough for it.

The diversity of intelligences in their nature as originally created; a doctrine opposed to that of the

Mu’tazilites, who assert that particular individual intelligences are originally equal, and that this

superiority and diversity is the result of learning and training and experience.

Know well that intelligences differ thus in degree from the earth to the sky.

A floral ornament appears here in the manuscript. 460. There is an intelligence like the orb of the sun; there is an intelligence inferior to the planet Venus and the meteor.
There is an intelligence like a flickering lamp; there is an intelligence like a star of fire,
Because, when the cloud is removed from it, it produces intellects that behold the Light of God.
The particular intelligence has given the universal intelligence a bad name: worldly desire has deprived the worldly man of his desire in the world hereafter.
That universal intelligence, through being a prey to God, beheld the beauty of the Divine Hunting, while this particular intelligence, through being a hunter of worldly goods, suffered the pain of being a prey to perdition.

A floral ornament appears here in the manuscript. 465. The former, through service, gained the pride of lordship, while the latter, through lordship, turned from the path of glory.
The latter, through being a Pharaoh, was taken captive by the water of perdition, while the Israelites, through captivity, became mighty as a hundred Suhrábs legendary heroes of Persian epic.
’Tis a topsy-turvy game and a terrible quandary; do not try to escape by cunning: ’tis all a matter of Divine favour and fortune.
Do not weave plots in vain imagination and cunning; for the Self-sufficient One does not give way to the contriver.
Contrive, in the way of following the guidance of one who serves God well, that you may gain the position of a prophet in a religious community.

A floral ornament appears here in the manuscript. 470. Contrive that you may be delivered from your own contrivance; contrive that you may become detached from the body.
Contrive that you may become the meanest slave of God: if you enter into the state of meanness, which is self-abasement, you will become lordly.
Never, O old wolf, practise foxiness and perform service with the purpose of gaining lordship;
But rush into the fire like a moth: do not hoard up that service, play for love!
Renounce power and adopt piteous supplication: the Divine mercy comes towards piteous supplication, O dervish.

A floral ornament appears here in the manuscript. 475. The piteous supplication of one sorely distressed and athirst is real; the piteous but cold supplication of falsehood is proper to the miscreant.
The weeping of Joseph's brethren is a trick, for their hearts are full of envy and infirmity.