Selfless ones who have become safe from their own vices and virtues (Poetry) ~ Maulana Rumi

When, through (spiritual) poverty, faná (self-naughting) graces him (such a one), he becomes shadowless like Mohammed.

Faná graced (the Prophet who said) ‘Poverty is my pride’: he became shadowless like the flame of a candle.

(When) the candle has become entirely flame from head to foot, the shadow hath no passage (way of approach) around it.

The wax (candle) fled from itself and from the shadow into the radiance for the sake of Him who moulded the candle.

He said, ‘I moulded thee for the sake of faná (self-naughting).’ It replied, ‘I accordingly took refuge in faná.’

This is the necessary everlasting radiance, not the radiance of the perishable accidental candle.

When the candle is wholly naughted in the fire (of Divine illumination), you will not see any trace of the candle or rays (of its light).

Manifestly, in dispelling the darkness, the external (material) flame is maintained by a wax candle;

(But) the candle (which is) the body is contrary to the wax candle, since in proportion as that (the body) dwindles, the light of the spirit is increased.

This is the everlasting radiance, and that (bodily candle) is perishable: the candle of the spirit hath a Divine flame.

Since this tongue of fire was (really) light, ’twas far from it to become a perishable shadow.

The cloud's shadow falls on the earth: the shadow never consorts with the moon.

Selflessness is cloudlessness, O well-disposed one: in (the state of) selflessness thou wilt be like the orb of the moon.

Again, when a cloud comes, driven along, the light goes: of the moon there remains (only) a phantom.

Its light is made feeble by the cloud-veil: that noble full-moon becomes less than the new moon.

The moon is made to appear a phantom by clouds and dust: the cloud, (which is) the body, has caused us to conceive phantasies.

Behold the kindness of the (Divine) Moon; for this too is His kindness, that He hath said, ‘The clouds are enemies to Us.’

The Moon is independent of clouds and dust: the Moon hath His orbit aloft in the (spiritual) sky.

The cloud is our mortal enemy and adversary because it hides the Moon from our eyes.

This veil makes the houri (to appear as) a hag: it makes the full-moon less than a new moon.

The Moon hath seated us in the lap of glory: He hath called our foe His enemy.

The splendour and beauty of the cloud is (derived) from the Moon, (but) whoever calls the cloud the Moon is much astray.

Since the light of the Moon has been poured down upon the cloud, its (the cloud's) dark face has been transfigured by the Moon.

Although it is of the same colour as the Moon and is associated with (the Moon's) empire, (yet) in the cloud the light of the Moon is (only) borrowed (impermanent).  

At the Resurrection the sun and moon are discharged (from their office): the eye is occupied in (contemplating) the Source of (their) radiance,

In order that it may know (distinguish) the (permanent) possession from the (temporary) loan, and this perishable caravanseray from the everlasting abode.

The nurse is borrowed for three or four days: do thou, O Mother, take us into thy bosom!

My feathers are (like) the cloud and are a veil and gross: (only) by the reflexion of God's loveliness are they made lovely.

I will pluck my feathers and their beauty from the Way (to God), that I may behold the Moon's beauty (by immediate illumination) from the Moon. 

I do not want the nurse; (my) Mother is fairer. I am (like) Moses: (my) Mother (herself) is my nurse.

I do not want (to enjoy) the loveliness of the Moon through an intermediary, for this link is perdition to the people;

Unless (the intermediary be) a cloud (that) becomes naughted in the Way (to God) in order that it may not be a veil to the face of the Moon.

In the aspect of lá (self-negation) it (such a cloud) displays His (the Moon's) form, like the bodies of the prophets and saints.

Such a cloud is not veil-tying; it is in reality veil-tearing (and) salutary.

’Tis as when, on a bright morning, drops of rain were falling though there was no cloud above (in the sky).

That water-skin was a miracle of the Prophet: from self-effacement the cloud (which replenished it) had become of the same colour as the sky.

The cloud was (there), but the cloud-nature had gone from it: the body of the lover (of God) becomes like this by means of renunciation.

It is body, but corporeality has vanished from it: it has been transfigured, colour and perfume have gone from it.

(My) feathers are for the sake of others, while (my) head is for my own sake: (the head which is) the abode of hearing and sight is the pillar (support) of the body.

Know that to sacrifice the spirit for the sake of catching others is absolute infidelity and despair of good.

Beware! Do not be like sugar before parrots; nay, be a poison, be secure from loss;

Or (otherwise), for the sake of having a ‘Bravo’ addressed to thee, make thyself (as) a carcase in the presence of dogs!

Therefore Khadir scuttled the boat for this purpose, (namely), that the boat might be delivered from him who would have seized it by force.

(The mystery of) ‘Poverty is my pride’ is sublime: (it is) for the purpose that I may take refuge from the covetous with Him who is Self-sufficient.

Treasures are deposited in a ruined spot to the end that they may escape the greed of those who dwell in places of cultivation.

(If) thou canst not tear out thy feathers, go, adopt (a life of) solitude, that thou mayst not be entirely squandered (consumed) by that one and this one;

For thou art both the morsel (of food) and the eater of the morsel: thou art the devourer and the devoured. Apprehend (this), O (dear) soul!