Masnavi i Ma'navi — trans. E. H. Whinfield (abridged) (1898)

The Prophet had a scribe who used to write down the texts that fell from his lips. At last this scribe became so conceited that he imagined all this heavenly wisdom proceeded from his own wit, and not from the Prophet. Puffed up with self-importance, he fancied himself inspired, and his heart was hardened against his master, and he became a renegade, like the fallen angels Harut and Marut. He took his own foolish surmises to be the truth, whereas they were all wide of the mark, as those of the deaf man who went to condole with a sick neighbour and answered all his remarks at cross purposes. How philosophers deceive themselves. On the last day, 1 "when Earth shall quake with quaking," This earth shall give witness of her condition. For she "shall tell out her tidings openly," Yea, earth and her rocks shall tell them forth! The philosopher reasons from base analogies (True reason comes not out of a dark corner) ; The philosopher (I say) denies this in his pride of intellect. Say to him, "Go, dash thy head against a wall!" The speech of water, of earth, of mire, Is audible by the ears of men of heart! Tho philosopher, who denies Divine Providence, Is a stranger to the perceptions of saints. He says that the flashes of men's morbid imaginations Instil many vain fancies into men's minds. But, on the contrary, 'tis his perverseness and want of faith Which implant in himself this vain fancy of negation. The philosopher denies the existence of the Devil; At the same time he is the Devil's laughing-stock. If thou hast not seen the Devil, look at thyself, Without demon's aid how came that blue turban 2 on thy brow? Whosoever has a doubt or disquietude in his heart Is a secret denier and philosopher. Now and then he displays firm belief, But that slight dash of philosophy blackens his face. Beware, O believers! That lurks in you too; You may develop innumerable states of mind. All the seventy and two heresies lurk in you; Have a care lest one day they prevail over you! He in whose breast the leaf of true faith is grown Must tremble as a leaf from fear of such a catastrophe. Thou makest a mock of Iblis and the Devil, Because thou art a fine man in thy own sight; But when thy soul shall tell thy wretched faults, What lamentation thou wilt cause to the faithful! The sellers of base gold sit smiling in their shops, Because the touchstone is not as yet in their sight. O Veiler of sins! strip not the veil from us; Lend us aid on the day of trial!

NOTES:

• 1. Koran xcix. 1-4.
• 2. Blue turbans were considered a sign of hypocrisy (Hafiz, Ode 5).

STORY XIV. The Chinese and the Greek Artists.

The Chinese and the Greeks disputed before the Sultan which of them were the better painters; and, in order to settle the dispute, the Sultan allotted to each a house to be painted by them. The Chinese procured all kinds of paints, and coloured their house in the most elaborate way. The Greeks, on the other hand, used no colours at all, but contented themselves with cleansing the walls of their house from all filth, and burnishing them till they were as clear and bright as the heavens. When the two houses were offered to tho Sultan's inspection, that painted by tho Chinese was much admired; but the Greek house carried off the palm, as all the colours of the other house were reflected on its walls with an endless variety of shades and hues. Knowledge of the heart preferable to the knowledge of the schools. The knowledge of men of heart bears them up, The knowledge of men of the body weighs them down. When 'tis knowledge of the heart, it is a friend; When knowledge of the body, it is a burden. God saith, "As an ass bearing a load of books," 1 The knowledge which is not of Him is a burden. Knowledge which comes not immediately from Him Endures no longer than the rouge of the tirewoman. Nevertheless, if you bear this burden in a right spirit 'Twill be removed, and you will obtain joy. See you bear not that burden out of vainglory, Then you will behold a store of true knowledge within. When you mount the steed of this true knowledge, Straightway the burden will fall from your back. If you drink not His cup, how will you escape lusts? You, who seek no more of Him than to name His name? What do His name and fame suggest? The idea of Him. And the idea of Him guides you to union with Him. Know you a guide without something to which it guides? Were there no roads there would be no ghouls. Know you a name without a thing answering to it? Have you ever plucked a rose (Gul) from Gaf and Lam? You name His name; go, seek the reality named by it! Look for the moon in heaven, not in the water! If you desire to rise above mere names and letters, Make yourself free from self at one stroke! Like a sword be without trace of soft iron; Like a steel mirror, scour off all rust with contrition; Make yourself pure from all attributes of self, That you may see your own pure bright essence! Yea, see in your heart the knowledge of the Prophet, Without book, without tutor, without preceptor. The Prophet saith, "He is one of my people, Whoso is of like temper and spirit with me. His soul beholds me by the selfsame light Whereby I myself behold him, Without traditions and scriptures and histories, In the fount of the water of life." Learn the mystery, "I was last night a Kurd, And this morning am become an Arab." 2 This mystery of "last night" and "this morning" Leads you into the road that brings you to God. But if you want an instance of this secret knowledge, Hear the story of the Greeks and the Chinese.