The bane of this world is desire, my friends-
Renounce it and drink wine that never ends!
Close tightly your mouth, and you'll clearly find
To that world open gullets make men blind.
You vile mouth, you are nothing but hell's gate!
This world's an intermediary state,
But next to it there is eternal light,
As pure milk flows near blood all day and night-
Don't heedlessly step in this blood, beware!
Your milk will turn to blood once mixed in there!
Adam took one step for enjoyment's sake
And lost his seat above for that mistake,
As if he were a demon, angels fled-
How much he wept for just a piece of bread.
From Rumi The Masnavi, Book 2
A new translation by Jawid Mojaddedi
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