کوه در سوراخ سوزن کی رود ** جز مگر که آن رشته‌ی یکتا شود
How should a mountain go into the cavity (eye) of a needle, unless indeed it become a single thread?
کوه را که کن به استغفار و خوش ** جام مغفوران بگیر و خوش بکش
By asking forgiveness (of God) make the mountain (like) a straw, and (then) take joyously the cup of the forgiven and drain (it) joyously!
تو بدین تزویر چون نوشی از آن ** چون حرامش کرد حق بر کافران
Inasmuch as God hath made it unlawful to the unbelievers, how wilt thou drink of it (whilst thou art endued) with this imposture?
خالق تزویر تزویر ترا ** کی خرد ای مفتری مفترا
How should the Creator of imposture buy (accept) thy imposture, O fabricator of fiction?
آل موسی شو که حیلت سود نیست ** حیله‌ات باد تهی پیمودنیست3455
Become (like) the kinsfolk of Moses, for deceit is useless: thy deceit is (like) measuring the empty wind.
زهره دارد آب کز امر صمد ** گردد او با کافران آبی کند
Will the water dare to turn aside from the command of the Lord and bestow refreshment on the unbelievers?
یا تو پنداری که تو نان می‌خوری ** زهر مار و کاهش جان می‌خوری
Or dost thou suppose that thou art eating bread? Thou art eating snake-venom and (that which causes) wasting away of the spirit.
نان کجا اصلاح آن جانی کند ** کو دل از فرمان جانان بر کند
How should bread restore to health the spirit that averts its heart from the command of the Beloved Spirit?
یا تو پنداری که حرف مثنوی ** چون بخوانی رایگانش بشنوی
Or dost thou suppose that when thou readest the words of the Mathnawí thou hearest them gratis (without giving aught in return)?
یا کلام حکمت و سر نهان ** اندر آید زغبه در گوش و دهان3460
Or that the discourse of wisdom and the hidden mystery comes easily into thy ear and mouth?
اندر آید لیک چون افسانه‌ها ** پوست بنماید نه مغز دانه‌ها
It comes in, but, like fables, it shows (only) the husk, not the kernel of the berries,
در سر و رو در کشیده چادری ** رو نهان کرده ز چشمت دلبری
(As) a sweetheart who has drawn a veil over her head and face and has hidden her face from thine eye.
شاه‌نامه یا کلیله پیش تو ** هم‌چنان باشد که قرآن از عتو
By reason of contumacy the Sháhnáma or Kalíla seems to thee just like the Qur’án.
فرق آنگه باشد از حق و مجاز ** که کند کحل عنایت چشم باز
The difference between truth and falsehood is (visible) at the moment when the collyrium of (Divine) favour opens the eye;
ورنه پشک و مشک پیش اخشمی ** هر دو یکسانست چون نبود شمی3465
Otherwise, dung and musk are both the same to one whose nose is obstructed (by disease), since (in him) there is no sense of smell.
خویشتن مشغول کردن از ملال ** باشدش قصد از کلام ذوالجلال
His aim is to divert himself from ennui (by reading such books), and neglect the Word of the Almighty,
کاتش وسواس را و غصه را ** زان سخن بنشاند و سازد دوا
That by means of that (entertaining) discourse he may quench the fire of distress and anxiety and provide a cure (for his malady).
بهر این مقدار آتش شاندن ** آب پاک و بول یکسان شدن به فن
For the purpose of quenching this amount of fire, pure water and urine are alike in skill (are equally serviceable).
آتش وسواس را این بول و آب ** هر دو بنشانند هم‌چون وقت خواب
Both this urine and (this) water will quench the fire of distress, just as (it is quenched) during sleep.
لیک گر واقف شوی زین آب پاک ** که کلام ایزدست و روحناک3470
But if thou become (really) acquainted with this pure water, which is the Word of God and spiritual,
نیست گردد وسوسه کلی ز جان ** دل بیابد ره به سوی گلستان
All distress will vanish from the soul, and the heart will find its way to the Rose-garden,
زانک در باغی و در جویی پرد ** هر که از سر صحف بویی برد
Because every one who catches a scent of the mystery of the (Divine) scriptures flies into an orchard with a running brook.
یا تو پنداری که روی اولیا ** آنچنان که هست می‌بینیم ما
Or dost thou suppose that we see the face of the Saints as it is (in reality)?
در تعجب مانده پیغامبر از آن ** چون نمی‌بینند رویم مومنان
Hence the Prophet remained in astonishment, saying, “How are the true believers not seeing my face?
چون نمی‌بینند نور روم خلق ** که سبق بردست بر خورشید شرق3475
How are the people not seeing the light of my face, which has borne away the prize from the orient sun?
ور همی‌بینند این حیرت چراست ** تا که وحی آمد که آن رو در خفاست
And if they are seeing (it), wherefore is this perplexity?”— until a revelation came (to him from God), saying, “That face is in concealment.
سوی تو ماهست و سوی خلق ابر ** تا نبیند رایگان روی تو گبر
In relation to thee it is the moon, and in relation to the people it is the cloud, in order that the infidel may not see thy face for nothing.
سوی تو دانه‌ست و سوی خلق دام ** تا ننوشد زین شراب خاص عام
In relation to thee it is the bait, and in relation to the people it is the trap, in order that the vulgar may not drink of this chosen wine.”
گفت یزدان که تراهم ینظرون ** نقش حمامند هم لا یبصرون
God said, “Thou seest them looking,” (but) they are (like) the pictures in a bathhouse: they do not see.
می‌نماید صورت ای صورت‌پرست ** که آن دو چشم مرده‌ی او ناظرست3480
The form appears, O worshipper of form, as though its two dead eyes were looking.
پیش چشم نقش می‌آری ادب ** کو چرا پاسم نمی‌دارد عجب
Thou art showing reverence before the eye of the image, saying, “I wonder why it pays no regard to me.
از چه پس بی‌پاسخست این نقش نیک ** که نمی‌گوید سلامم را علیک
Wherefore is this goodly image (so) very irresponsive that it does not say ‘alayk (on thee be peace!) in reply to my salaam?
می‌نجنباند سر و سبلت ز جود ** پاس آنک کردمش من صد سجود
It does not nod its head and moustache generously in regard for my having made a hundred prostrations before it.”
حق اگر چه سر نجنباند برون ** پاس آن ذوقی دهد در اندرون
God, though He does not nod the head outwardly, (yet) in regard for that (worship of Him) bestows an inward delight,
که دو صد جنبیدن سر ارزد آن ** سر چنین جنباند آخر عقل و جان3485
Which is worth two hundred noddings of the head: in this fashion, after all, do Intellect and Spirit nod the head.
عقل را خدمت کنی در اجتهاد ** پاس عقل آنست که افزاید رشاد
(If) thou serve Intellect in earnest, the regard of Intellect (for thee) is (shown by this), that it increases (thy) righteousness.
حق نجنباند به ظاهر سر ترا ** لیک سازد بر سران سرور ترا
God does not nod the head to thee outwardly, but He makes thee a prince over the princes (of the world).
مر ترا چیزی دهد یزدان نهان ** که سجود تو کنند اهل جهان
To thee God gives secretly something (of such power) that the people of the world bow down before thee,
آنچنان که داد سنگی را هنر ** تا عزیز خلق شد یعنی که زر
Just as He gave to a stone such virtue that it was honoured by His creatures: that is to say, (it became) gold.
قطره‌ی آبی بیابد لطف حق ** گوهری گردد برد از زر سبق3490
(If) a drop of water gain the favour of God, it becomes a pearl and bears away the palm from gold.
جسم خاکست و چو حق تابیش داد ** در جهان‌گیری چو مه شد اوستاد
The body is earth; and when God gave it a spark (of His Light) it became adept, like the moon, in taking possession of the world.
هین طلسمست این و نقش مرده است ** احمقان را چشمش از ره برده است
Beware! this (worldly empire) is a talisman and a dead image: its eye hath led the foolish astray from the (right) path.
می‌نماید او که چشمی می‌زند ** ابلهان سازیده‌اند او را سند
It appears to wink: the foolish have made it their support (have put their trust in it).
در خواستن قبطی دعای خیر و هدایت از سبطی و دعا کردن سبطی قبطی را به خیر و مستجاب شدن از اکرم الاکرمین وارحم الراحمین
How the Egyptian besought blessing and guidance from the Israelite, and how the Israelite prayed for the Egyptian and received a favourable answer to his prayer from the Most Gracious and Merciful (God).
گفت قبطی تو دعایی کن که من ** از سیاهی دل ندارم آن دهن
The Egyptian said, “Do thou offer a prayer (for me), since from blackness of heart I have not the mouth (fit for offering an acceptable prayer),
که بود که قفل این دل وا شود ** زشت را در بزم خوبان جا شود3495
For it may be that the lock of this heart will be opened and that a place will be (granted) to this ugly one at the banquet of the beauteous.
مسخی از تو صاحب خوبی شود ** یا بلیسی باز کروبی شود
Through thee the deformed may become endowed with beauty, or an Iblís may again become one of the Cherubim;
یا بفر دست مریم بوی مشک ** یابد و تری و میوه شاخ خشک
Or, by the august influence of Mary's hand, the withered bough may acquire the fragrance of musk and freshness and fruit.”
سبطی آن دم در سجود افتاد و گفت ** کای خدای عالم جهر و نهفت
Thereupon the Israelite fell to worship and said, “O God who knowest the manifest and the hidden,
جز تو پیش کی بر آرد بنده دست ** هم دعا و هم اجابت از توست
To whom but Thee should Thy servant lift his hand? Both the prayer and the answer (to prayer) are from Thee.
هم ز اول تو دهی میل دعا ** تو دهی آخر دعاها را جزا3500
Thou at first givest the desire for prayer, and Thou at last givest likewise the recompense for prayers.