How a snake-catcher stole a snake from another snake-catcher.
135-A petty thief carried off a snake from a snake-catcher and in his folly was accounting it a prize.
The snake-catcher escaped from the snake's bite; the man who had robbed him was miserably killed by the snake.
The snake-catcher saw him (dead); then he recognised him and said, “My snake has emptied him of life.
My soul was desiring of Him (God) in prayer that I might find him and take the snake from him.
Thanks to God that that prayer was rejected: I thought ’twas loss, but it has turned out to be gain.”
140-Many are the prayers which are loss and destruction, and from kindness the Holy God is not hearing them.
دزدیدن مارگیر ماری را از مارگیری دیگر
دزدکی از مارگیری مار برد
ز ابلهی آن را غنیمت میشمرد
وا رهید آن مارگیر از زخم مار
مار کشت آن دزد او را زار زار
مارگیرش دید پس بشناختش
گفت از جان مار من پرداختش
در دعا میخواستی جانم ازو
کش بیابم مار بستانم ازو
شکر حق را کان دعا مردود شد
من زیان پنداشتم آن سود شد
بس دعاها کان زیانست و هلاک
وز کرم مینشنود یزدان پاک
Poet: Maulana Rumi
Translation: Reynold A. Nicholson
Edited by: