The Evils of Procrastination (part one)
Ibrahim Gamard
With Sunlight's pleasure and gratitude come this week's verses
from Rumi's Mathnawi, selected by Abraham Sarmad Brody and
translated by Ibrahim Gamard:
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The Evils of Procrastination (part one)
Mathnawi II: 1227-1243
(Concerning) the governor’s ordering a particular man, “Tear
out this thornbush which you’ve planted on the road!”
Like (the story of),(1) that harsh and oppressive man of pleasant
speech(2) (who) had planted a thornbush in the middle of the road.
Travelers became his critics. They told him often, “Dig this up!”
(But) he didn’t pull it out.
That thornbush was becoming greater (in size) every moment,
(while) the feet of the people were becoming bloody from its stabs.
Peoples’ clothes were torn by the thorns, (while) the feet of the
poor were severely wounded.
When the governor told him, (very) seriously, “Root it up!” He
replied, “Yes, I’ll dig it out some day.”
For a time, he gave promises about tomorrow and the next day.
(Meanwhile) his thornbush became (more) strong and bulky in form.
One day, the governor said to him, “O crooked promiser! Come
forward to the task (assigned) by us.(3) (And) don’t crawl back again
(from it).
He answered, “O uncle! The days (to accomplish it) are between
us,(4) O uncle.” (The governor) said, “Hurry, (and) don’t stretch out
(paying your) debt to us.”(5)
You who are saying, “Tomorrow,” should know this: that with
each day that time keeps coming,
That bad and corrupt tree(6) keeps getting younger and this digger
keeps getting old and (also) needy and desperate.
The thornbush (gains) in strength and rising higher, (while) the
uprooter of the thorn (bush) (gains) in old age and becoming less.
Every day and every moment the thornbush (is) green and fresh,
(while) the thorn (bush) digger (is) more groaning and dried-up every
day.
It is becoming younger, (while) you (are becoming) older. Be
quick, and don’t gamble away your time (wastefully).
Know (that) every one of your bad habits(7) (is like) a thornbush
(which) has stabbed (your) feet many times.
You have been wounded many times by your own (bad) qualities.
You lack sense(8) (and) you’ve become very senseless.
If, in regard to other people being wounded-- which is because of
your ugly disposition that it is made to reach (them)--
You are thoughtless and unaware, at any rate, you are not
(inattentive) of your own wounds. (For) you are the (cause of)
torment for (both) yourself and every stranger.
-- From "The Mathnawî-yé Ma`nawî" [Rhymed Couplets of
Deep Spiritual Meaning] of Jalaluddin Rumi.
Translated from the Persian by Ibrahim Gamard (with
gratitude for R.A. Nicholson's 1926 British translation)
(c) Ibrahim Gamard (translation, footnotes, &
transliteration)
(1) Like (the story of): Just prior, Rumi told the story of how a
thirsty man tore down a brick wall which prevented him from
reaching a stream. This immediate action saved him, and Rumi
interpreted (as translated by Nicholson): “Oh, blest is he that deems
his early days an opportunity to be seized, and pays his debt-- In the
days when he has the power, (when) he has health and strength of
heart and vigour....Ere the days of eld [= being elderly] arrive and
bind your neck.... (Ere) the soil becomes nitrous (barren),
crumbling, and poor.... (When) the water of strength... (is) cut
off.... The face, from wrinkling, like the back of a lizard.... The day
late, the ass lame, and the way long; the shop ruined and the business
in disorder; The roots of bad habit firmly set, and the power to tear
them up decreased” (II: 1215-26). Then the present section begins.
(2) that harsh and oppressive man of pleasant speech: “It means he is,
essentially, crude and harsh-tempered--while, outwardly, he is a
pleasing speaker.” (Anqirawi, Commentary-- translated here from the
Persian trans. of the 17th century Turkish commentary)
(3) Come forward to the task (assigned) by us: “It means, ‘Obey my
command.” (Anqirawi, Commentary)
(4) The days (to accomplish it) are between us: “I.e. ‘there is still
some time before the account between us need be settled.’”
(Nicholson, footnote) “It means that the person who was the owner
of the thornbush said to the governor of the district.... ‘If uprooting
the thornbush is not a (finished) task today, I will finally eradicate
it
(after) one more day.’
(5) don’t stretch out (paying your) debt to us: means to withhold and
delay. “The intended meaning of the thornbush: the desires of the ego
[nafs] and a blameworthy character. And the intended meaning of the
governor: the perfected spiritual guide [murshid]... (who) constantly
advises the beginner and the one who seeks guidance.... ‘Purify your
craving nature [nafs] and cleanse your heart from (worldly) desires.
Because if you neglect doing so, day by day the ugly character of
your ego will become stronger.’” (Anqirawi, Commentary)
(6) That bad and corrupt tree: Nicholson translated, “That evil tree.”
The word translated here [bad] means evil, malignant, wicked, foul,
corrupt, bad.
(7) bad habits [khoy-é bad: means bad (corrupt, foul, etc.) habits,
natures, manners, customs, qualities of temperament and disposition.
“It means ugly and blameworthy habits and manners...” (Anqirawi,
Commentary)
(8) You lack sense: “i.e. ‘you cannot perceive that the pain which you
are conscious of suffering is caused by your own evil nature.’”
(Nicholson, Commentary)
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farmûdan-é wâlî ân mard-râ ke în khâr-bon-râ ke neshânda-î bar
sar-é râh bar-kan
ham-chô ân shakhS-é dorosht-é khwash-sokhon
dar meyân-é rah neshând ô khâr-bon
rah-gozar-yân-ash malâmat-gar shod-and
bas be-goft-and-ash be-kan în-râ na-kand
har damê ân khâr-bon afzûn shody
pây-é khalq az zakhm-é ân por-khûn shody
jâma-hây-é khalq be-d’rîdy ze-khâr
pây-é darwêsh-ân be-khasty zâr zâr
chûn ba-jid Hâkim ba-d-ô goft în be-kan
goft ârî bar-kan-am rôzê-sh man
maddatê fardâ-wo fardâ wa`da dâd
shod derakht-é khâr-é ô muHkam-nehâd
goft rôzê Hâkim-ash ay wa`da-kazh
pêsh â dar kâr-é mâ wâ-pas ma-ghazh
goft al-’ayyâmu yâ `am bayna-nâ
goft `ajjil lâ tumâTil dayna-nâ
tô ke mê-gôy-î ke fardâ, în be-dân
ke ba-har rôzê ke mê-ây-ad zamân
ân derakht-é bad jawân-tar mê-shaw-ad
w-în kananda pîr-o muZTar mê-shaw-ad
khâr-bon dar quwwat-o bar-khâstan
khâr-kan dar pîrî-wo dar kâstan
khâr-bon har rôz-o har dam sabz-o tar
khâr-kan har rôz zâr-o khoshk-tar
ô jawân-tar mê-shaw-ad tô pîr-tar
zûd bâsh-o rôzegâr-é khwad ma-bar
khâr-bon dân har yakê khôy-é bad-at
bâr-hâ dar pây khâr âkhir zad-at
bâr-hâ az khôy-é khwad khasta shod-î
His na-dâr-î, sakht bê-His âmad-î
gar ze-khasta-gashtan-é dîgar kas-ân
ke ze-khulq-é zesht-é tô hast ân rasân
ghâfil-î, bârê ze-zakhm-é khwad na-î
tô `aZâb-é khwêsh-o har bê-gâna-î
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