| Divine Face of Jalal ud Din Rumi |
| Translation & Commentary by Seema Arif |
| Social Harms of Flattery & Public Idolatory |
| Body is like cage, a thorn to soul
(1) Bearing alone cunningness of people To one he says, I�m close to your heart To others assure, we�ll never fall apart To one he says, there is none like you In brilliance, generosity or in virtue To Him he says, you are king of worlds Indebted to you for life our body bears To one he says, rejoice and celebrate To others, time to drink and felicitate The king seeing servants so devoted Walks in pride, all resilience aborted Hundreds like him, he not understand Thrown to water on Satan�s command |
| (1) Body and material world and its luxuries are dear to one as soul-mate, and they invoke friendship as they are forever partners. The person indulged in gratification of bodily needs or serving exoteric religion is but neglectful to the craving of heart, who is one�s real friend and company for ever. (2)Whether uttered in praise or a curse, the affect of words said is always enduring. (3) Denial of truth. One is hardly prepared to accept reality as it is, and goes to either extreme, either to torment or exalt oneself. (4) Diabetes mellitus, who is mother of all ailments, acts silently. When thrived fully it may produce sores in body, which are incurable, and surgical amputation is the only resolve. Learn more about Diabetes Mellitus.... |
| Notes |
| Worldly favors beguile are but tasty meal
Taste it not! Fire it is full of does not reveal The fire is hidden and the taste inviting Smoke it lets out in the end is prowling Don�t ever say that I do not favor flattery I deem people in due self-interest praise me Who now praising when curse you openly? Thy heart shall grieve of insults certainly. You know, deprived he says such things The lust, the greed, the curse may bring The affect carries with you for long (2) The state typical in praise do throng Similarly the affect on thee does sustain Pride for soul�s deception, brings disdain (3) |
| This Website has been created & maintained by Seema Arif |
| Go To Next Page |
| To Rumi Index |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
| Praise is sweet, thus palpable to heart
Criticism is bitter, so one throws apart It is but laxative, must you take bitter pill Displeasing and upsetting you not to chill Taste of sweet meat not for long endure Eulogy soon vaporize, bringing no cure Sweetness is hidden, in taste not reveals Reckon the difference by their opposites Sweetness churns effect in a silent factory After a while unleash cancers too deadly (4) |
Men in power beseech compliance and hail flattery in love of authority. Men of honor but prefer humility. Who is the head of state, his head is at stake. Any moment it may be beheaded both of life and respect, and just a sling of rope is left hanging in the air, waving like pendulum to remind people of the destruction it may cause over time. |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|