3-2860 Because the bird that relinquishes the grain (bait), eats grain from the spacious

field of Reality, which is without trickery.

3-2861 With that grain it is satisfied, and escapes the trap: no trap restrains its wings
and feathers.

6-378 This world is a trap, and desire is its bait: flee from the traps, quickly turn your
face towards God.

6-4658 Pull the snare to pieces, burn the bait, open new doors in this bodily house!

1-374 O God, there are hundreds of thousands of snares and baits, and we are as
greedy foodless birds.

1-375 From moment to moment we are caught in a new snare, even though we
become, each one, like a falcon or a Sīmurgh631.

1-376 You deliver us at every moment, and once more we are heading for a snare, o
You who are without need!

1-377 We are putting corn in this barn, and then we are losing the corn that has been
amassed.

1-378 Why, after all, do not we consider with intelligent mind that this damage to the
corn comes from the deceitfulness of the mouse?

1-379 Since the mouse has made a hole in our barn, and our barn has been ravaged by
its artful trickery.

1-380 O soul, in the first place ward off the mischief of the mouse, and then show
zeal in amassing the corn.

1-382 If there is no thievish mouse in our barn, where is the corn of forty years’
works of devotion?

1-387 Even if there are thousands of snares at our feet, when You are with us there is
no trouble.

The trap of lustful passion (shahwa). [2.4.2]

5-942 The accursed Iblīs said to (God), the Dispenser of justice, “I want a powerful
snare for this prey.”

5-952 God brought and placed wine and harp in front of him: he smiled faintly at it
and was half-pleased.

631
Sīmurgh: mythical, phoenix-like bird in ancient Iranian mythology. The renowned 12 th century Ṣūfī Master
and author Ḥażrat Shaykh Farīdu’d-Dīn ‘Aṭṭār used it in his famous book “The Conference of the Birds”. In this
book the Sīmurgh symbolically represents man’s Divine potential, which can be realized by completing the
mystical journey.

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