In Book Five of Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi's *Masnavi*, the Quranic story of Prophet Abraham sacrificing and reviving four birds is interpreted as a spiritual allegory concerning the purification of the human ego (nafs). Rumi uses the four birds to symbolize four detrimental, worldly traits within human nature: greed (symbolized by the duck), lust (the rooster), pride and ostentation (the peacock), and worldly ambition (the crow). The poem advises the spiritual seeker, addressed as the 'Abraham of the time', to 'kill' these four mischievous birds—meaning to mortify these base habits—and revive them in a purified, transformed state. This process of spiritual annihilation and rebirth is presented as essential for achieving eternal spiritual life and removing the obstacles that block a soul's connection with the divine.

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## Original content
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تو خلیل وقتی ای خورشیدهش 
این چهار اطیار ره زن را بکش
زانک هر مرغی ازینها زاغ وش 
هست عقل عاقلان را دیده کش
چار وصف تن چو مرغان خلیل 
بسمل ایشان دهد جان را سبیل
ای خلیل اندر خلاص نیک و بد 
سر ببرشان تا رهد پاها ز سد
کل توی و جملگان اجزای تو 
بر گشا که هست پاشان پای تو
از تو عالم روح زاری می شود 
پشت صد لشکر سواری می شود
زانک این تن شد مقام چار خو 
نامشان شد چار مرغ فتنه جو
خلق را گر زندگی خواهی ابد 
سر ببر زین چار مرغ شوم بد
بازشان زنده کن از نوعی دگر 
که نباشد بعد از آن زیشان ضرر
چار مرغ معنوی راه زن 
کرده اند اندر دل خلقان وطن
چون امیر جمله دلهای سوی 
اندرین دور ای خلیفه حق توی
سر ببر این چار مرغ زنده را 
سر مدی کن خلق ناپاینده را
بط و طاوسست و زاغست و خروس 
این مثال چار خلق اندر نفوس
بط حرصست و خروس آن شهوتست 
جاه چون طاوس و زاغ امنیتست
منیتش آن که بود اومیدساز 
طامع تأبید یا عمر دراز
بط حرص آمد که نوکش در زمین 
در تر و در خشک می جوید دفین
یک زمان نبود معطل آن گلو 
نشنود از حکم جز امر کلوا
هم چو یغماجیست خانه می کند 
زود زود انبان خود پر می کند
اندر انبان می فشارد نیک و بد 
دانه های در و حبات نخود
تا مبادا یاغیی آید دگر 
می فشارد در جوال او خشک و تر
وقت تنگ و فرصت اندک او مخوف 
در بغل زد هر چه زودتر بی وقوف
لیک مؤمن ز اعتماد آن حیات 
می کند غارت به مهل و با انات
آمنست از فوت و از یاغی که او 
می شناسد قهر شه را بر عدو
آمنست از خواجه تاشان دگر 
که بیایندش مزاحم صرفه بر
عدل شه را دید در ضبط حشم 
که نیارد کرد کس بر کس ستم
لاجرم نشتابد و ساکن بود 
از فوات حظ خود آمن بود
بس تانی دارد و صبر و شکیب 
چشم سیر و مؤثرست و پاک جیب
کین تانی پرتو رحمان بود 
وان شتاب از هزه شیطان بود
زانک شیطانش بترساند ز فقر 
بارگیر صبر را بکشد به عقر
از نبی بشنو که شیطان در وعید 
می کند تهدیدت از فقر شدید
تا خوری زشت و بری زشت و شتاب 
نی مروت نی تانی نی ثواب
لاجرم کافر خورد در هفت بطن 
دین و دل باریک و لاغر زفت بطن

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## English translation
You are the Abraham of the time, O sun of intelligence!
Slay these four birds of prey (robbers of the way),
Because each of these birds, like a crow,
Plucks out the eye of the intellect of the wise.

The four qualities of the body are like Abraham's birds;
Slaying them opens the way for the soul.
O Abraham, in delivering (the soul) from good and evil,
Cut off their heads so that the feet may be freed from the barrier.

You are the whole, and all are your parts;
Release them, for their feet are your feet.
Through you, the world of spirit becomes full of supplication;
The backs of a hundred armies become ridden by you.

Because this body became the dwelling-place of four temperaments (traits),
Their name became the four mischief-seeking birds.
If you desire eternal life for the people,
Cut off the heads of these four evil, sinister birds.

Then bring them to life again in another fashion,
So that thereafter no harm may come from them.
Four spiritual birds of prey (highwaymen)
Have made their home within the hearts of mankind.

Since you are the commander of all pure hearts,
In this era, you are the vicegerent of God.
Cut off the heads of these four living birds,
And make the transient creation eternal.

The duck, the peacock, the crow, and the rooster:
These are the examples of four characters within human souls.
The duck is greed, and the rooster is lust;
Prestige is like the peacock, and the crow is false security (hope).
Its desire is that which builds hope,
Greedy for eternity or a long life.

The duck is greed, whose beak is in the earth,
Seeking treasure in both wet and dry.
Not for a moment is that throat idle;
It hears nothing of the commandment except the command 'Eat!'

Like a plunderer, it ransacks the house,
Quickly, quickly filling its bag.
Into the bag it squeezes good and bad alike,
Grains of pearls and seeds of chickpeas.

Lest another rebel (rival plunderer) should arrive,
It squeezes wet and dry into its sack.
The time is tight, the opportunity short, and he is terrified;
He stuffs everything under his arm as fast as possible, without discernment.

But the believer, through trust in that Life,
Plunders with leisure and patience.
He is secure from loss and from any rival, for he
Knows the King's dominance over the enemy.

He is secure from other fellow-servants
Who might come to obstruct or take away his profit.
He has seen the King's justice in controlling the retinue,
So that no one can commit oppression against another.

Therefore, he does not hasten but remains calm,
Secure against the loss of his portion.
He has great deliberation, patience, and endurance;
He is satisfied of eye, generous (influential), and pure of pocket.

For this deliberation is a reflection of the Merciful,
While that haste is from the agitation of Satan.
Because Satan frightens him with poverty,
And slays the mount of patience.

Hear from the Prophet that Satan, in his threat,
Threatens you with severe poverty,
So that you may eat foully, act foully, and hasten,
Showing neither chivalry, nor deliberation, nor merit.

Consequently, the unbeliever eats with seven stomachs;
His religion and heart are thin and lean, while his belly is fat.

دفتر پنجم - بخش ۲ - تفسیر خذ اربعة من الطیر فصرهن الیک / Book Five - Section 2 - Commentary on 'Take four of the birds and draw them to thee'

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آمدیم اکنون به طاوس دورنگ 
کو کند جلوه برای نام و ننگ
همت او صید خلق از خیر و شر 
وز نتیجه و فایده آن بی خبر
بی خبر چون دام می گیرد شکار 
دام را چه علم از مقصود کار
دام را چه ضر و چه نفع از گرفت 
زین گرفت بیهده ش دارم شگفت
ای برادر دوستان افراشتی 
با دو صد دلداری و بگذاشتی
کارت این بودست از وقت ولاد 
صید مردم کردن از دام وداد
زان شکار و انبهی و باد و بود 
دست در کن هیچ یابی تار و پود
بیشتر رفتست و بیگاهست روز 
تو به جد در صید خلقانی هنوز
آن یکی می گیر و آن می هل ز دام 
وین دگر را صید می کن چون لام
باز این را می هل و می جو دگر 
اینت لعب کودکان بی خبر
شب شود در دام تو یک صید نی 
دام بر تو جز صداع و قید نی
پس تو خود را صید می کردی به دام 
که شدی محبوس و محرومی ز کام
در زمانه صاحب دامی بود 
هم چو ما احمق که صید خود کند
چون شکار خوک آمد صید عام 
رنج بی حد لقمه خوردن زو حرام
آنک ارزد صید را عشقست و بس 
لیک او کی گنجد اندر دام کس
تو مگر آیی و صید او شوی 
دام بگذاری به دام او روی
عشق می گوید به گوشم پست پست 
صید بودن خوش تر از صیادیست
گول من کن خویش را و غره شو 
آفتابی را رها کن ذره شو
بر درم ساکن شو و بی خانه باش 
دعوی شمعی مکن پروانه باش
تا ببینی چاشنی زندگی 
سلطنت بینی نهان در بندگی
نعل بینی بازگونه در جهان 
تخته بندان را لقب گشته شهان
بس طناب اندر گلو و تاج دار 
بر وی انبوهی که اینک تاجدار
هم چو گور کافران بیرون حلل 
اندرون قهر خدا عز و جل
چون قبور آن را مجصص کرده اند 
پرده پندار پیش آورده اند
طبع مسکینت مجصص از هنر 
هم چو نخل موم بی برگ و ثمر

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## English translation
We have come now to the two-colored peacock,
Who displays himself for the sake of name and reputation.
His aspiration is to capture people, whether for good or evil,
While he remains ignorant of its result and benefit.
He is ignorant, like a trap that catches prey—
What knowledge does a trap have of the work's purpose?
What harm or benefit does a trap gain from capturing?
I marvel at this futile capturing of his.
O brother, you raised up friends,
With two hundred endearments, and then left them.
Your work since the time of birth has been this:
To capture people through the trap of affection.
From that prey, and that crowd, and that pomp and vanity,
Reach out your hand—do you find any warp or weft?
Most of the day is gone and it is late,
Yet you are still diligently hunting people!
You catch one and release another from the trap,
And you capture this other one like the letter Lam.
Then you let this one go and seek another—
What a game of ignorant children!
Night falls, and not a single prey is in your trap;
The trap brings you nothing but a headache and a bond.
In truth, you were hunting yourself with the trap,
Since you became imprisoned and deprived of your desire.
In this world, is there any owner of a trap
So foolish as us, who hunts himself?
The capture of the common folk is like hunting swine:
Boundless pain, and eating a morsel of it is forbidden.
The only one who is worthy of being hunted is Love, and nothing else,
But how can He fit into anyone's trap?
Unless you come and become His prey,
Abandon your trap and go into His trap.
Love whispers softly in my ear:
'To be the prey is sweeter than being the hunter.
Make yourself simple-minded for me and be deceived;
Leave the sun and become a particle.
Dwell at my door and be homeless;
Do not claim to be the candle, be the moth,
So that you may taste the sweetness of life,
And see sovereignty hidden in servitude.
You will see horseshoes reversed in the world:
Those bound to wooden planks have been nicknamed kings.
Many a rope is around a neck, yet they wear a crown,
With a crowd around them crying, 'Behold, the crowned one!'
Like the graves of infidels, covered with robes outside,
But inside is the wrath of God, the Almighty, the Majestic.
Because they have plastered those graves,
They have drawn a veil of illusion before them.
Your wretched nature is plastered with superficial talents,
Like a waxen palm tree, devoid of leaves and fruit.'

دفتر پنجم - بخش ۲۰ - صفت طاوس و طبع او و سبب کشتن ابراهیم علیه‌السلام او را / Book Five - Section 20 - The Character of the Peacock, Its Nature, and the Reason for Abraham, Peace Be Upon Him, Killing It

## Original content
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شهوتی است او و بس شهوت پرست 
زان شراب زهرناک ژاژ مست
گرنه بهر نسل بودی ای وصی 
آدم از ننگش بکردی خود خصی
گفت ابلیس لعین دادار را 
دام زفتی خواهم این اشکار را
زر و سیم و گله اسپش نمود 
که بدین تانی خلایق را ربود
گفت شاباش و ترش آویخت لنج 
شد ترنجیده ترش هم چون ترنج
پس زر و گوهر ز معدنهای خوش 
کرد آن پس مانده را حق پیش کش
گیر این دام دگر را ای لعین 
گفت زین افزون ده ای نعم المعین
چرب و شیرین و شرابات ثمین 
دادش و بس جامه ابریشمین
گفت یا رب بیش ازین خواهم مدد 
تا ببندمشان به حبل من مسد
تا که مستانت که نر و پر دلند 
مردوار آن بندها را بسکلند
تا بدین دام و رسنهای هوا 
مرد تو گردد ز نامردان جدا
دام دیگر خواهم ای سلطان تخت 
دام مردانداز و حیلت ساز سخت
خمر و چنگ آورد پیش او نهاد 
نیم خنده زد بدان شد نیم شاد
سوی اضلال ازل پیغام کرد 
که بر آر از قعر بحر فتنه گرد
نی یکی از بندگانت موسی است 
پرده ها در بحر او از گرد بست
آب از هر سو عنان را واکشید 
از تگ دریا غباری برجهید
چونک خوبی زنان فا او نمود 
که ز عقل و صبر مردان می فزود
پس زد انگشتک به رقص اندر فتاد 
که بده زوتر رسیدم در مراد
چون بدید آن چشمهای پرخمار 
که کند عقل و خرد را بی قرار
وآن صفای عارض آن دلبران 
که بسوزد چون سپند این دل بر آن
رو و خال و ابرو و لب چون عقیق 
گوییا حق تافت از پرده رقیق
دید او آن غنج و برجست او سبک 
چون تجلی حق از پرده تنک

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## English translation
It is pure lust and extremely lustful,
Drunk on that poisonous wine of idle talk.
If it were not for the sake of procreation, O advisor,
Adam would have castrated himself out of shame of it.
The accursed Iblis said to the Creator:
'I want a powerful snare for this prey.'
He showed him gold, silver, and herds of horses, saying:
'With these you can seize creatures.'
He said 'Well done' and hung his lip sourly;
He became wrinkled and sour like a bitter orange.
Then God presented gold and jewels from fine mines
As a gift to that rejected one.
'Take this other snare, O accursed one!'
He said: 'Give me more than this, O Best of Helpers!'
He gave him rich and sweet foods, precious wines,
And many silken robes.
He said: 'O Lord, I want more assistance than this,
To bind them with a rope of twisted palm-fiber.
So that Your drunken ones, who are brave and courageous,
May manly break those bonds.
So that through these snares and ropes of desire,
Your true man may be separated from the unmanly.'
'I want another snare, O Sultan of the Throne!
A snare that throws men down and is exceedingly deceptive.'
He brought wine and the harp and placed them before him;
He smiled half-heartedly and became half-pleased.
He sent a message to the eternal misguidance:
'Raise dust from the bottom of the sea of tribulation!'
'Is not one of Your servants Moses?
He raised veils of dust within the sea.
The water pulled back its reins from every side,
And a cloud of dust leaped up from the bottom of the sea.'
But when He showed him the beauty of women,
Which surpasses the intellect and patience of men,
Then he snapped his fingers and fell into dancing, saying:
'Give it quickly, I have reached my desire!'
When he saw those intoxicating, languid eyes
That make the intellect and wisdom restless,
And the purity of those beauties' cheeks,
On which this heart burns like wild rue,
Face, mole, eyebrow, and lips like carnelian—
As if the Divine shone through a thin veil.
He saw that coquetry and leapt up lightly,
Like the manifestation of the Divine from a sheer veil.

دفتر پنجم - بخش ۴۳ - بیان آنک کشتن خلیل علیه‌السلام خروس را اشارت به قمع و قهر کدام صفت بود از صفات مذمومات مهلکان در باطن مرید / Book Five - Section 43 - Explanation that Abraham's, Peace Be Upon Him, Killing of the Rooster was an Allusion to the Eradication and Overpowering of Which Blameworthy and Lethal Trait in the Inner Self of the Disciple

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