Amongst the Jews there was a king who wrought oppression,
an enemy of Isa(as) and a destroyer of Christians.
'Twas the epoch of Jesus and the turn was his
1. He was the
soul of Moses and Moses the soul of him,
(B)ut the squint-eyed (double seeing) king separated in the
way of God those two (Divine) prophets who were (really)
in accord (with each other).
The master said to a squint-eyed (pupil), "Come on; go,
fetch that bottle out of the room."
Said the squint-eyed one: "Which of the two bottles shall
I bring to you? Explain fully."
"There are two bottles", replied the master; "go, leave
off squinting and do not be seeing more (than one)."
"Oh master," said he, "don't chide me." Said the master
"Smash one of those two."
The bottle was one, though in his eyes it seemed two; when
he broke the bottle, there was no other.
When one was broken, both vanished from sight; a man is
made squint-eyed by (evil) propensity and anger.
Anger and lust make a man squint-eyed, they change the
spirit (so that it departs) from rectitude.
When self-interest appears, virtue becomes hidden: a hundred veils
rise from the heart of the eye.
When the cadi lets bribery gain hold of his heart, how should
he know the wronger from the wretched victim of wrong?
The king from Jewish rancour, became so squint-eyed that (we
cry), "Mercy, O Lord, mercy (save us from such an affliction)!"
He slew hundreds of thousands of wronged (innocent)
believers saying "I am the protection and support of the religion
of Moses."
How the vizier instructed the king to plot
He had a vizier, a miscreant and ogler (deceiver), who by
reason of his exceeding guile would tie knots on water.
"The Christians," said he, "seek to save their lives; they
hide their religion from the king.
Slay them not, for slaying them is useless: religion hath no
smell, it is not musk and aloes-wood.
The secret is concealed in a hundred coverings: its outward
form is (in agreement) with thee, resembling thee, (but) the inward
reality is in disagreement."
The king said to him: "Tell me, then, what is the
(best) plan? What is the remedy against that deceit and imposture? -
So that there will not remain a single Christian in the world,
neither one whose religion is manifest nor one who is concealed?"
"Oh, king" said he, "cut off my ears and hands, rip my nose
by bitter (cruel) decree;
Then bring me under the gallows that an intercessor may
plead for me.
Do this deed in the place for public proclamation, on a
highway where roads run in four directions.
Then banish me from thy presence to a distant land, that I
may cast mischief and confusion amongst them.
How the vizier brought the Christians into doubt
and perplexity
Then I will say (to them), "I am secretly a Christian. Oh God
who knowest all things hidden - Thou knowest me.
The king was informed of my Christian faith and from
bigotry sought to take my life.
I wished to hide my religion from the king and profess his
religion,
(But) the king got a scent of my inmost beliefs, and my
words were suspected (when I stood) before him.
He said "your words are like a needle in bread (specious but
pernicious); there is a window between my heart and yours.
Through that window I have seen your (real) state: I see
your state and will heed not your words."
Had not the spirit of Jesus been my aid, he would in Jewish
fashion have torn me to pieces.
For Jesus' sake I would yield my life and give my head and
lay on myself myriads of obligations to him.
I do not grudge Jesus my life, but full well am I versed in
the knowledge of his religion.
2
Grief was coming over me (it seemed a pity to me) that that
holy religion should perish amongst those who are ignorant (of it).
Thanks be to God and to Jesus that I have become a guide to
the true faith.
I have escaped from Jews and Judaism so (entirely) that I
have bound my waist with a (Christian) girdle.
The present era is the epoch of Jesus. O men, hearken
with your souls unto the mysteries of his religion!"
The king did him that deed (mutilation) which he had
proposed: the people remained in amazement at his deed.
He (the king) drove him away to the Christians. After that,
he (the vizier) began to proselytize.
How the Christians let themselves be duped by the vizier.
Myriads of Christian men gathered round him, little by little,
in his abode,
(W)hile he secretly expounded to them the mysteries of
Gospel and girdle and prayer.
Outwardly he was (as) the whistle and snare (of the fouler).
On this account
3 some Companions (of Mohammed) begged
of the Prophet (that he would acquaint them with) the deceitfulness
of the ghoul-like soul
4,
Saying "What of hidden selfish interests does it mingle in
acts of worship and in pure spiritual devotion?"
They were not seeking from him excellence of piety; they
were not inquiring where lay the outward defect.
Hair by hair, speck by speck, they were recognizing the
deceitfulness of the fleshly soul as (plainly as the difference of)
the rose and parsley.
Even the hair-splitters (the most scrupulous) of the
Companions used to become distraught in spirit at the (Prophet's)
admonition to them (the inquirers).
1 It was his turn to appear as a prophet.
2In this way he excuses himself for not having died a martyr's death.
3 "On this account" - Because it is hard to distinguish truth from falsehood.
4 "ghoul-like soul" - The appetitive soul, "the flesh."
"The Mathnawi of Jalalu'ddin Rumi"
Edited and translated by Reynold A. Nicholson
Published by "E.J.W.Gibb Memorial",
Cambridge, England.
First published 1926, Reprinted 1990.
