Rumi's Masnavi (Mathnawi)
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:
- 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.
- 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.
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 |