Rumi's Masnavi (Mathnawi)

Masnavi, a calligraphic specimen from 1490, Mevlana Museum, Konya, Turkey

These verses are from Rumi's Masnavi (Mathnawi), where he discusses the nature of intellect and foolishness. In this section, Rumi narrates a story about a suspicious person who repeatedly sends letters and complains about not receiving a reply. Rumi uses this story as a means to explore deeper concepts of reason, wisdom, and the difference between acquired intellect and divinely granted intellect.

Key Concepts in the Verses:

1. Acquired Intellect (Aql-e-Maksabi): This is the intellect that one gains through learning, study, and experience—such as what one would learn from books, teachers, and logical thinking. Rumi describes this type of intellect as useful but limited, as it is based on external sources and can sometimes feel burdensome or tiring to hold onto.
2. Divine Intellect (Aql-e-Wahbi): This is the intellect bestowed by God. Rumi considers this a much higher form of wisdom, one that springs internally, like a well of knowledge that constantly flows from within. This wisdom is not subject to decay or depletion. It is pure, ever-renewing, and independent of external conditions.

A Persian miniature depicting Jalal al-Din Rumi showing love for his disciple Hussam al-Din Chelebi (c. 1594)

Rumi contrasts these two types of intellects, suggesting that divine intellect is eternal and untainted, whereas acquired intellect can become stale, limited, or blocked when external sources are cut off.

Story of the Fool and Letters:

The narrative involves a foolish person sending multiple letters to a ruler, complaining that they haven't received a reply. Despite the petitions, the ruler doesn't respond and instead distances himself. When a servant suggests that a reply would be simple and polite, the ruler responds by saying the fool is not just mistaken but dangerous. Rumi uses this story to illustrate that foolishness spreads harm, just as it did in the story of Noah's flood.

Wisdom vs. Foolishness:

Rumi stresses that foolishness is harmful, not just to the fool but to society as a whole. Even if a fool offers something seemingly sweet (like a treat), it brings no benefit, only harm—symbolized by the fool’s gift of candy that causes illness rather than pleasure.

In contrast, intellect is described as life-giving, a source of nourishment for the soul, much like spiritual food. While foolishness destroys, divine intellect brings life and growth. Rumi further emphasizes that intellect is not just logical reasoning but a spiritual insight that illuminates and nourishes the human soul.

Rumi's Teaching:

• Foolishness: The fool is compared to harmful elements—foolishness, like storms, can destroy entire communities. Even the Prophet Muhammad is quoted as saying that fools are an enemy of the wise and serve as obstacles on the path to truth.
• True Wisdom: Rumi believes that divine intellect is the only real sustenance for the human soul. Physical nourishment like food and drink sustains the body, but the soul can only thrive on the light of wisdom.

Conclusion:

Rumi's message in these verses is a call to seek divine wisdom and avoid the dangers of foolishness. He teaches that divinely granted intellect is a true gift that continually rejuvenates the soul, whereas foolishness only leads to ruin and decay. The intellect that is purely based on external learning is valuable, but its limitations pale in comparison to the wisdom that comes directly from the source of divine insight.

نامه‌ى ديگر نوشت آن بدگمان	That suspicious man wrote another letter	nāmeh-ye degar nevesht ān badgomān
پر ز تشنيع و نفير و پر فغان	Full of accusations, complaints, and cries	por ze tashni' va nafir va por faghān
که يکى رقعه نبشتم پيش شه	Saying, "I wrote one petition to the king"	ke yekī roq'e neveshtam pish-e shah
اى عجب آنجا رسيد و يافت ره	"Strangely, it reached him and found its way"	ey ajab ānjā resid va yāft rah
آن دگر را خواند هم آن خوب‌خد	"But he read the other and did nothing"	ān degar rā khānd ham ān khūbkhod
هم نداد او را جواب و تن بزد	"He gave no reply and turned away from me"	ham nadād ū rā javāb va tan bezad
خشک مي‌آورد او را شهريار	"The king treated him coldly and dry"	khoshk miāvard ū rā shahryār
او مکرر کرد رقعه پنج بار	"He repeated his petitions five times"	ū mokarrar kard roq'e panj bār
گفت حاجب آخر او بنده‌ى شماست	The chamberlain said, "After all, he is your servant"	goft hājeb ākhar ū bande-ye shomāst
گر جوابش بر نويسى هم رواست	"It would be fair if you replied to him"	gar javābesh bar nevisī ham ravāst
از شهى تو چه کم گردد اگر	"What would you lose as a king if"	az shahi to che kam gardad agar
بر غلام و بنده اندازى نظر	"You gave a glance to your servant or slave?"	bar gholām va bande andāzī nazar
گفت اين سهلست اما احمقست	The king said, "This is easy, but he is a fool"	goft in sahlist ammā ahmaqast
مرد احمق زشت و مردود حقست	"A fool is ugly and rejected by the Divine"	mard-e ahmaq zesht o mardūd-e haqqast
گرچه آمرزم گناه و زلتش	"Though I forgive his sins and errors"	garché āmorzam gonāh o zellatesh
هم کند بر من سرايت علتش	"His foolishness spreads its illness to me"	ham konad bar man sarāyat 'ellatesh
صد کس از گرگين همه گرگين شوند	"A hundred people will become wolves from a single wolf"	sad kas az gorgin hame gorgin shavand
خاصه اين گر خبيث ناپسند	"Especially this one, who is vile and despicable"	khāsseh īn gar khabīs nāpasand
گر کم عقلى مبادا گبر را	"If it weren't for lack of intellect, a fire-worshipper"	gar kam 'aqlī nabādā gabr rā
شوم او بي‌آب دارد ابر را	"His ill fortune would make even the clouds dry"	showm ū bi āb dārad abr rā
نم نبارد ابر از شومى او	"The cloud will not rain due to his misfortune"	nam nabarad abr az shūmī-e ū
شهر شد ويرانه از بومى او	"The city is ruined by his very presence"	shahr shod virāneh az būmī-e ū
از گر آن احمقان طوفان نوح	"It was the fools who caused Noah's flood"	az gar ān ahmaqān toofān-e nooh
کرد ويران عالمى را در فضوح	"They destroyed the world in disgrace"	kard virān ālamī rā dar fozooh
گفت پيغامبر که احمق هر که هست	The Prophet said, "Whoever is a fool"	goft peyghāmbar ke ahmaq har keh hast
او عدو ماست و غول ره‌زنست	"Is our enemy and a highway robber"	ū 'adoow-e māst o ghool-e rahzanast
هر که او عاقل بود از جان ماست	"Whoever is wise is dear to our soul"	har keh ū 'āqel boud az jān-e māst
روح او و ريح او ريحان ماست	"His spirit and breeze are like sweet basil to us"	rūh-e ū o rīh-e ū rīhān-e māst
عقل دشنامم دهد من راضيم	"If intellect insults me, I am content"	aql doshnāmam dahad man rāzīyam
زانک فيضى دارد از فياضيم	"Because it has a blessing from the Giver"	zānke feyzī dārad az fayyāzīyam
نبود آن دشنام او بي‌فايده	"His insult is not without benefit"	naboud ān doshnām-e ū bi fāyedeh
نبود آن مهمانيش بي‌مايده	"His hospitality is never without provision"	naboud ān mehmanī-esh bi māyedeh
احمق ار حلوا نهد اندر لبم	"If a fool places candy on my lips"	ahmaq ar halvā nehad andar labam
من از آن حلواى او اندر تبم	"I would fall ill from that sweet of his"	man az ān halvā-ye ū andar tabam
اين يقين دان گر لطيف و روشنى	"Know this with certainty, if you are delicate and bright"	īn yaqīn dān gar latīf o roshani
نيست بوسه‌ى کون خر را چاشنى	"There is no flavor in kissing a donkey's rump"	nīst boose-ye koon-e khar rā chāshni
سبلتت گنده کند بي‌فايده	"It only dirties your mustache, without benefit"	sobletat gondeh konad bī fāyedeh
جامه از ديگش سيه بي‌مايده	"And stains your clothes, without any food"	jāmeh az dīgash siyah bī māyedeh
مايده عقلست نى نان و شوى	"The true nourishment is the intellect, not bread and stew"	māyedeh 'aqlast nay nān o shavī
نور عقلست اى پسر جان را غذى	"The light of intellect, O son, is the nourishment for the soul"	noor-e 'aqlast ey pesar jān rā ghadhā
نيست غير نور آدم را خورش	"There is no food for mankind other than this light"	nīst gheyre noor ādam rā khorash
از جز آن جان نيابد پرورش	"Other than that, the soul finds no growth"	az joz ān jān nayābad parvarash
زين خورشها اندک اندک باز بر	"Gradually turn away from these other foods"	zeen khorash-hā andak andak bāz bar
کين غذاى خر بود نه آن حر	"For they are the food of donkeys, not the free"	ke īn ghadhā-ye khar boud nah ān harr
تا غذاى اصل را قابل شوى	"Until you are ready for the true nourishment"	tā ghadhā-ye asl rā ghābel shavī
لقمه‌هاى نور را آکل شوى	"So that you may eat bites of light"	loqmeh-hā-ye noor rā ākel shavī
عکس آن نورست کين نان نان شدست	"It is the reflection of that light that has made this bread into bread"	aks-e ān noorast ke īn nān nān shodast
فيض آن جانست کين جان جان شدست	"It is the blessing of that soul that has made this soul into a soul"	feyz-e ān jān ast ke īn jān jān shodast
چون خورى يکبار از ماکول نور	"Once you eat from the food of light"	chon khorī yek bār az mākūl-e noor
خاک ريزى بر سر نان و تنور	"You will throw dust on bread and the oven"	khāk rizī bar sar-e nān o tanoor
عقل دو عقلست اول مکسبى	"There are two types of intellect; the first is acquired"	aql do 'aqlast, aval maksabī
که در آموزى چو در مکتب صبى	"It is learned, like a child in school"	ke dar āmūzī cho dar maktab-e ṣabī
از کتاب و اوستاد و فکر و ذکر	"From books, teachers, thought, and remembrance"	az ketāb o ostād o fikr o zikar
از معانى وز علوم خوب و بکر	"From meanings and sciences, both good and pristine"	az ma'ānī vaz 'ulūm khub o bekar
عقل تو افزون شود بر ديگران	"Your intellect will increase above others"	aql-e to afzūn shavad bar digarān
ليک تو باشى ز حفظ آن گران	"But you will be burdened by its preservation"	lik to bāshī ze hefz ān garān
لوح حافظ باشى اندر دور و گشت	"You will be a slate for memory in a circular path"	luḥ-e hāfeẓ bāshī andar dūr o gasht
لوح محفوظ اوست کو زين در گذشت	"The preserved tablet that is beyond this"	luḥ-e maḥfūẓ ūst ku zīn dar gozasht
عقل ديگر بخشش يزدان بود	"The other intellect is a gift from God"	aql-e dīgar bakhshesh-e yazdān boud
چشمه‌ى آن در ميان جان بود	"Its spring is in the heart of the soul"	cheshmeh-ye ān dar miyān-e jān boud
چون ز سينه آب دانش جوش کرد	"When the water of knowledge springs from the chest"	chon ze sīneh āb-e dānesh josh kard
نه شود گنده نه ديرينه نه زرد	"It does not become foul, old, or yellow"	nah shavad gondeh nah dīrīneh nah zard
ور ره نبعش بود بسته چه غم	"If its source is blocked, what sorrow is there?"	var rah-e nab'ash boud baste che gham
کو همي‌جوشد ز خانه دم به دم	"It continually flows from the house, moment by moment"	ku hamī jūshad ze khāneh dam be dam
عقل تحصيلى مثال جويها	"The acquired intellect is like streams"	aql-e taḥṣīlī mesāl-e jūy-hā
کان رود در خانه‌اى از کويها	"That flow into a house from alleyways"	kān roud dar khāneh-ī az kuīhā
راه آبش بسته شد شد بي‌نوا	"If the path of water is blocked, it becomes destitute"	rāh-e ābesh baste shod shod bī-navā
از درون خويشتن جو چشمه را	"From within yourself, seek the spring"	az darūn khuiṣh'tan jū cheshmeh rā