پس غدای عاشقان آمد سماع ** که درو باشد خیال اجتماع
Therefore samá‘ (music) is the food of lovers (of God), since therein is the phantasy of composure (tranquillity of mind).
قوتی گیرد خیالات ضمیر ** بلک صورت گردد از بانگ و صفیر
From (hearing) sounds and pipings the mental phantasies gather a (great) strength; nay, they become forms (in the imagination).
آتش عشق از نواها گشت تیز ** آن چنان که آتش آن جوزریز
The fire of love is made keen (inflamed) by melodies, just as the fire (ardour) of the man who dropped walnuts (into the water).
حکایت آن مرد تشنه کی از سر جوز بن جوز می‌ریخت در جوی آب کی در گو بود و به آب نمی‌رسید تا به افتادن جوز بانگ آب# بشنود و او را چو سماع خوش بانگ آب اندر طرب می‌آورد
Story of the thirsty man who dropped walnuts from the top of a walnut-tree into the water-brook that was in the hollow, without reaching the water (himself), in order that he might hear the sound made by the walnuts falling on the water, which thrilled him with joy as (though it were) sweet music.
در نغولی بود آب آن تشنه راند ** بر درخت جوز جوزی می‌فشاند745
The water was in a deep place: the thirsty man went up the tree and scattered the walnuts one by one.
می‌فتاد از جوزبن جوز اندر آب ** بانگ می‌آمد همی دید او حباب
The walnuts were falling from the walnut-tree into the water: the sound was coming (to his ears), and he was seeing the bubbles.
عاقلی گفتش که بگذار ای فتی ** جوزها خود تشنگی آرد ترا
A sensible person said to him, “Leave off, O youth: truly the (loss of the) walnuts will bring thirst (regret) to you.
بیشتر در آب می‌افتد ثمر ** آب در پستیست از تو دور در
The more the fruit falls into the water—(since) the water is below at a (great) distance from you,
تا تو از بالا فرو آیی به زور ** آب جویش برده باشد تا به دور
The river-water will have carried it (the fruit) far away before you with effort come down from the top (of the tree).”
He replied, “My purpose in this scattering is not (to obtain possession of) the walnuts: look more keenly, do not stop at this superficial (view).
قصد من آنست که آید بانگ آب ** هم ببینم بر سر آب این حباب
My purpose is that the sound of the water should come (to my ears); also, that I should see these bubbles on the surface of the water.”
تشنه را خود شغل چه بود در جهان ** گرد پای حوض گشتن جاودان
What, indeed, is the thirsty man's business in the world? To circle for ever round the base of the tank,
گرد جو و گرد آب و بانگ آب ** هم‌چو حاجی طایف کعبه‌ی صواب
Round the channel and round the Water and the sound of the Water, like a pilgrim circumambulating the Ka‘ba of Truth.
هم‌چنان مقصود من زین مثنوی ** ای ضیاء الحق حسام‌الدین توی
Even so, in (composing) this Mathnawí thou, O Ziyá’u ’l-Haqq (Radiance of God) Husámu’ddín, art my object.
مثنوی اندر فروع و در اصول ** جمله آن تست کردستی قبول755
The whole Mathnawí in its branches and roots is thine: thou hast accepted (it).
در قبول آرند شاهان نیک و بد ** چون قبول آرند نبود بیش رد
Kings accept (both) good and bad: when they accept (anything), it is reprobate no more.
چون نهالی کاشتی آبش بده ** چون گشادش داده‌ای بگشا گره
Since thou hast planted the sapling, give it water. Since thou hast given it freedom (to grow), untie the knots.
قصدم از الفاظ او راز توست ** قصدم از انشایش آواز توست
In (all) its expressions my object is (to reveal) thy mystery; in composing it my object is (to hear) thy voice.
پیش من آوازت آواز خداست ** عاشق از معشوق حاشا که جداست
To me thy voice is the voice of God: Heaven forfend that (I should say) the lover is separate from the Beloved.
اتصالی بی‌تکیف بی‌قیاس ** هست رب‌الناس را با جان ناس760
There is a union beyond description or analogy between the Lord of Man and the spirit of Man.
لیک گفتم ناس من نسناس نی ** ناس غیر جان جان‌اشناس نی
But I said nás (Man), not nasnás; nás is none but the spirit that knows the (Divine) Spirit.
ناس مردم باشد و کو مردمی ** تو سر مردم ندیدستی دمی
Nás is Man, and where is Manhood? You have never beheld the head (spiritual principle) of Man: you are a tail.
ما رمیت اذ رمیت خوانده‌ای ** لیک جسمی در تجزی مانده‌ای
You have recited (the text) thou didst not throw when thou threwest, but you are a (mere) body: you have remained in division.
ملک جسمت را چو بلقیس ای غبی ** ترک کن بهر سلیمان نبی
Like Bilqís, O foolish one, abandon the kingdom of your body for the sake of the prophet Solomon.
می‌کنم لا حول نه از گفت خویش ** بلک از وسواس آن اندیشه کیش765
I am crying “lá hawl,” not on account of my own words, nay, but on account of the false suggestions of the person accustomed to think (evil),
کو خیالی می‌کند در گفت من ** در دل از وسواس و انکارات ظن
Who is conceiving in his heart a vain fancy about my words, (a fancy arising) from the false suggestions and incredulities of (evil) thought.
می‌کنم لا حول یعنی چاره نیست ** چون ترا در دل بضدم گفتنیست
I am crying “lá hawl,” that is, “there is no help,” because in your heart there is a contradiction of me.
چونک گفت من گرفتت در گلو ** من خمش کردم تو آن خود بگو
Since my words have stuck in your throat, I am silent: do you speak your own (words).
آن یکی نایی خوش نی می‌زدست ** ناگهان از مقعدش بادی بجست
A sweet flute-player was playing the flute subito e podice ejus erupit ventus. [A sweet flute-player was playing the flute: suddenly, some wind escaped from his ass.]
نای را بر کون نهاد او که ز من ** گر تو بهتر می‌زنی بستان بزن770
Fistulam in podice posuit, saying, “If you play better than I, take it (the flute) and play!” [He placed the flute on his anus, saying, “If you play better than I, take it (the flute) and play!”]
ای مسلمان خود ادب اندر طلب ** نیست الا حمل از هر بی‌ادب
O Musalmán, (whilst you are still engaged) in the quest, good manners are indeed nothing but forbearance with every one that is unmannerly.
هر که را بینی شکایت می‌کند ** که فلان کس راست طبع و خوی بد
When you see any one complaining of such and such a person's ill-nature and bad temper,
این شکایت‌گر بدان که بدخو است ** که مر آن بدخوی را او بدگو است
Know that the complainant is bad-tempered, forasmuch as he speaks ill of that bad-tempered person,
زانک خوش‌خو آن بود کو در خمول ** باشد از بدخو و بدطبعان حمول
Because he (alone) is good-tempered who is quietly forbearing towards the bad-tempered and ill-natured.
لیک در شیخ آن گله ز آمر خداست ** نه پی خشم و ممارات و هواست775
But in (the case of) the Shaykh, the complaint is (made) by the command of God; it is not (made) in consequence of anger and contentiousness and vain desire.
آن شکایت نیست هست اصلاح جان ** چون شکایت کردن پیغامبران
It is not a complaint, it is spiritual correction, like the complaints made by the prophets.
ناحمولی انبیا از امر دان ** ورنه حمالست بد را حلمشان
Know that the intolerance of the prophets is by command (of God); otherwise, their clemency is exceedingly tolerant of evil.
طبع را کشتند در حمل بدی ** ناحمولی گر بود هست ایزدی
They mortified their (carnal) nature in toleration of evil; if there be intolerance (on their part), it is Divine.
ای سلیمان در میان زاغ و باز ** حلم حق شو با همه مرغان بساز
O Solomon (of the age), amidst the crows and falcons be thou (a manifestation of) the clemency of God: sort with (adapt thyself to) all the birds.
ای دو صد بلقیس حلمت را زبون ** که اهد قومی انهم لا یعلمون780
Oh, two hundred (like) Bilqís are abased before thy clemency, for (thou sayest in the words of the Prophet), “(O God), guide my people, verily they know not.”
تهدید فرستادن سلیمان علیه‌السلام پیش بلقیس کی اصرار میندیش بر شرک و تاخیر مکن
How Solomon, on whom be peace, sent a threatening message to Bilqís, saying, "Do not think to persist in polytheism and do not make delay."
هین بیا بلقیس ورنه بد شود ** لشکرت خصمت شود مرتد شود
“Hark, Bilqís, come! Else, it will be bad (for thee): thy army will become thine enemy and will revolt.
پرده‌دار تو درت را بر کند ** جان تو با تو به جان خصمی کند
Thy chamberlain will destroy thy door: thy soul with (all) its soul will act as an enemy towards thee.”
جمله ذرات زمین و آسمان ** لشکر حق‌اند گاه امتحان
All the atoms of earth and heaven are God’s army, (as you will find out) on putting it to the test.
باد را دیدی که با عادان چه کرد ** آب را دیدی که در طوفان چه کرد
You have seen what the wind did to the people of ‘Ád, you have seen what the water did at the Deluge;
آنچ بر فرعون زد آن بحر کین ** وآنچ با قارون نمودست این زمین785
How that vengeful Sea dashed on Pharaoh, and how this Earth behaved to Qárún (Korah);
وآنچ آن بابیل با آن پیل کرد ** وآنچ پشه کله‌ی نمرود خورد
And what those bábíl (swifts) did to the Elephant, and how the gnat devoured the skull of Nimrod;