Religion
Assimilation
Translated by William Hastie, after Rückert's German (1903) · From The Festival of Spring (1903)
New Sword from Maker's Hand, in Edge and Point all bright;
See that in dirty Scabbard, it rust not, out of Sight!
Gold that in Miser's Coffer, in Blackness meanly lay,
Upon the Shah's Throne gleaming, becomes a World's Delight.
When full Clouds pour the Rain-drops, lo! every glad Tree drinks;
Fruits redden on the Apple tree, as Leaves grow pale in Fright.
This Stalk an empty Pipe still, in that sweet Sugar swells;
Yet both did sip the same Tank, at Morning, Noon, and Night.
One Deer distils perfumed Musk, another bitterest Gall,
Yet grazed together, side by side, upon the self-same Height.
Two creeping Worms together fed upon the same green Leaf;
One spins mere useless Theadlets, the other Silk aright.
The Bee's Lip, and the Snake's sucked from the self-same Flower;
The one made Honey's Sweetness, the other Poison's Bite.
One dines, and all his Nutriment transmutes to Life divine;
Another's Food is souring to Hatred and to Spite.
One's Eyes drink Light till blinded; the other stores it up,
And glows in rosy Brightness, Love-robed in red and white.
Be pure in all thy Members, and from Nature's golden Tree
Pluck God's own Blessing daily, and grow in Manhood's Might.
Cite this poem
MLA
Rumi, Jalal al-Din. “Assimilation.” Translated by William Hastie, after Rückert's German. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/rumi/70/.
Chicago
Rumi, Jalal al-Din. “Assimilation.” Translated by William Hastie, after Rückert's German. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/rumi/70/.
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