Wilson. Rumi's Masnavi, Book II

Today's free book is Rumi's Masnavi: Book II, translation and commentary in two volumes, by C. E. Wilson. The translation is in Volume I, with the commentary in Volume II.

For the table of contents of the first volume, check at the bottom of this post below the image. The book is available at Hathi Trust.


Stories, and Disquisitions with Titles:

— A certain person in the time of 'Umar—May God be pleased with him!—imagines he sees the new moon.

A snake-catcher steals a snake from another snake-catcher.

A companion of Jesus—on Him be peace!—begs Him to restore some bones to life.

A (travelling) Sufj advises a (monastery) servant how to attend to (his) animal; to which the servant answers, "There is no power (except in God)."

(God takes counsel with the angels as to the creation of man.)

The King finds (his) falcon in the house of a decrepit old woman.

Shaikh Ahmad buys "halva" for his creditors on the inspiration of God most High.

A certain person warns an ascetic to weep but little lest he become blind.

A peasant strokes a lion in the dark, thinking that it is his ox.

Some Sufis sell the animal of a traveller for (the expenses of) the "sama."

The Judge's criers proclaim an insolvent round the town.

The people blame a person who killed his mother on a certain charge.

A King tests two slaves whom he has lately bought.

The retinue (of a King) are envious of a favourite slave.

A falcon gets into trouble amongst owls in a ruin.

The Story of the thirsty person on the top of a wall, and of his throwing bricks into the water.

A Governor orders a man to dig up from the road a bramble-bush which he has planted.

An exposition of the evil of putting off good deeds until the morrow. [Followed by further reflections of the Author].

The friends of Zu'n-Nun, the Egyptian—May God's mercy be on him!—come to the madhouse to visit him.

Luqman's master tests his intelligence.

From the insignificant figure of the hoopoo a reflection falls upon the heart of Bilqis of her reverence for Solomon—on him be peace!

Moses—on him be peace!—objects to the prayer of a shepherd.

A noble molests a sleeping man into whose mouth a snake had glided.

A certain person trusts to the fawning and fidelity of a bear.

The cajoling behaviour of a madman to Jalinus, and the fear of the latter.

The cause of the flying and feeding of one bird with another which was not of its own kind.

Mustafa—on him be peace!—goes to visit one of the Companions who is sick. Exposition of the advantage of this.

God inspires Moses—on him be peace!—with the thought that he had not visited Him as one visits the sick.

A gardener separates a Sufi, a Jurist and a descendant of Ali from one another.

A Shaikh says to Bayazid—May God sanctify his hidden state!—" I am the Ka'ba; circumambulate round me."

Story of the disciple who built a new house.

Dalqak excuses himself to a most noble lord (who asks him) why he married a harlot.

An enquirer by a device makes a holy man speak who feigned to be insane.

A dog attacks a mendicant blind man.

A Muhtasib summons to prison a man who has fallen down dead-drunk.

Satan awakens Mu'aviya, saying, "Arise! it is prayer-time."

A Canon-Judge complains of the misery of judgeship, and the Deputy-Judge answers him.

The virtue of the regret of a sincere (worshipper) for the loss of prayer with the congregation.

A thief escapes through the calling out of a certain person to the master of a house who had come near to reaching and seizing the thief.

Story of the Vazir whom the King dismissed from office and made Censor-Inspector.

Story of the religious Hypocrites and of their building the Mosque of Opposition.

The Story of the person who sought his stray camel and made enquiries about it.

Perplexity in the midst of opposed sects and systems, and attaining to deliverance and an asylum from it.

(On) examining everything, so that the good or evil which is in it may be revealed.

Shews that in every soul there is the misleading and disturbing factor which there was in the Mosque of Opposition.

Story of the Indian who quarrelled with his friend about an act, not knowing that he also was involved in it.

A band of Oghuz Turks resolve to kill a man in order that another may be intimidated.

Exposition of the state of the egotistical and those who are ungrateful for the blessing of the existence of the prophets and saints.

An old man's complaints to a physician of (his) ailments, and the physician's answer to him.

The Story of Juhi and the boy who was lamenting before his father's bier.

A boy is afraid of a certain corpulent person. The person says to him, "Do not fear me, O boy, for I am a hermaphrodite."

The Story of an archer and of his fear of a horseman who was riding through a wood.

Story of the Bedouin and of his putting sand into a sack, and of a philosopher's chiding him.

The miracles of Ibrahim, son of Adham, by the sea.

The beginning of the enlightenment of the Adept's senses by the Light which sees all mysteries.

A stranger reproaches a Shaikh, and the Shaikh's disciple answers him.

A certain person claims that God will not call him to account for sin, and Shu'aib—on him be peace!—answers him.

Aisha—May God be pleased with her!—says to Mustafa—on him be peace!—"You pray in any place without oratory. How is it?"

A mouse draws the leading rein of a camel, and gets conceited.

The miracles of a certain darvish who in a vessel was suspected of theft.

Some Sufis vilify a certain Sufi, accusing him of speaking too much before the Shaikh.

Speaks of claims the very nature of which is a witness to the truth of them.

John (the Baptist)—on him be peace!—in (his) mother's womb inclines in worship before Jesus —on him be peace!

Speaking with the tongue of the condition, and the understanding of it.

The acceptance of the absurd and false by foolish people.

Describes how a King seeks a tree with fruit such that whoever eats of it never dies.

The contention as to grapes of four persons, each of whom knows grapes by a different name.

The cessation of discord and hostility among the Helpers by the blessing of the Prophet—on him be peace!

Story of the ducklings which a domestic fowl fostered.

The amazement of the pilgrims at the miracles of a certain ascetic whom they found alone in the desert on the burning sand.