Rumi's Masnavi - On account of laziness and avarice and egoism you are drawing your head back (behaving in a headstrong manner) and making yourself the head.

On account of laziness and avarice and egoism you are drawing your head back (behaving in a headstrong manner) and making yourself the head.

از کسل وز بخل وز ما و منی ** می‌کشی سر خویش را سر می‌کنی

(You are) like the beast that flees from the burden: it takes its head (goes its own way) into the mountains.

هم‌چو استوری که بگریزد ز بار ** او سر خود گیرد اندر کوهسار

Its master is running after it, crying, “O giddy-headed one, on every side there is a wolf in quest of an ass.

صاحبش در پی دوان کای خیره سر ** هر طرف گرگیست اندر قصد خر

If thou disappear now from mine eye, the mighty wolf will approach thee from every direction.

گر ز چشمم این زمان غایب شوی ** پیشت آید هر طرف گرگ قوی

He will chew thy bones like sugar, so that thou wilt never see life again. 2000

استخوانت را بخاید چون شکر ** که نبینی زندگانی را دگر

(Or) do not suppose that (immediate destruction); at any rate thou wilt be left without fodder: fire is (finally) extinguished by lack of faggots.

آن مگیر آخر بمانی از علف ** آتش از بی‌هیزمی گردد تلف

Beware! Do not flee from my control and from the heaviness of the burden, for I am thy (rational) soul.”

هین بمگریز از تصرف کردنم ** وز گرانی بار که جانت منم

You also are a beast (of burden), for your carnal soul predominates: the predominant (quality) determines (a thing's nature), O worshipper of self.

تو ستوری هم که نفست غالبست ** حکم غالب را بود ای خودپرست

The Almighty did not call you an ass, He called you a horse: the Arabs say to the Arab horse “ta‘ál” (“come”).

خر نخواندت اسپ خواندت ذوالجلال ** اسپ تازی را عرب گوید تعال

Mustafá (Mohammed) was God's stable-overseer for the beasts, (which are) the iniquitous carnal soul. 2005

میر آخر بود حق را مصطفی ** بهر استوران نفس پر جفا