قطره گرچه خرد و کوته‌پا بود ** لطف آب بحر ازو پیدا بود
Though the drop be small and short of foot, (yet) by it the purity of the ocean’s water is made manifest.
از غبار ار پاک داری کله را ** تو ز یک قطره ببینی دجله را
If you keep the (outer) veil (coat of the inward eye) free from dust, you will see the Tigris in a single drop (of water).
جزوها بر حال کلها شاهدست ** تا شفق غماز خورشید آمدست
The parts bear witness to the state of (their) wholes, so that the afterglow of sunset has become an informer concerning the sun.
آن قسم بر جسم احمد راند حق ** آنچ فرمودست کلا والشفق
God applied that oath, (namely), His Words Verily (I swear) by the afterglow of sunset, to the body of Ahmad (Mohammad).
مور بر دانه چرا لرزان بدی ** گر از آن یک دانه خرمن‌دان بدی 1500
Wherefore should the ant have been trembling (in desire) for the grain (of corn), if from that single grain it had known (inferred) the (existence of) the stack?
بر سر حرف آ که صوفی بی‌دلست ** در مکافات جفا مستعجلست
Come (now) to the topic (in hand), for the Súfi is distraught (has lost control of his reason) and is making haste to exact redress for the injury (inflicted on him).
ای تو کرده ظلمها چون خوش‌دلی ** از تقاضای مکافی غافلی
O thou that has committed deeds of injustice, ho art thou (so) glad at heart? Art thou unaware of the demand (that will be made upon thee) by him who exacts the penalty?
یا فراموشت شدست از کرده‌هات ** که فرو آویخت غفلت پرده‌هات
Or hast thou forgotten those deeds of thine, since heedlessness has let down curtains (of oblivion) over thee?
گر نه خصمیهاستی اندر قفات ** جرم گردون رشک بردی بر صفات
If there were no litigations pursuing thee the celestial orb would envy thy happiness,
لیک محبوسی برای آن حقوق ** اندک اندک عذر می‌خواه از عقوق 1505
But on account of those just claims (against thee) thou art embarrassed. Little by little, (therefore), beg to be excused for thy unrighteousness.
تا به یکبارت نگیرد محتسب ** آب خود روشن کن اکنون با محب
Lest the Inspector suddenly arrest thee, now (at once) make thy (turbid) water clear (make full amends and wipe out thy injustice) towards the lover (of God).
رفت صوفی سوی آن سیلی‌زنش ** دست زد چون مدعی در دامنش
The Súfi went to the man who had slapped him, and laid hold of his skirt like a plaintiff.
اندر آوردش بر قاضی کشان ** کین خر ادبار را بر خر نشان
Haling him along, he brought him to the Cadi, saying, “Mount this asinine miscreant on an ass (and parade him through the streets),
یا به زخم دره او را ده جزا ** آنچنان که رای تو بیند سزا
Or punish him with blows of the whip, according as thy judgement may deem fitting;
کانک از زجر تو میرد در دمار ** بر تو تاوان نیست آن باشد جبار 1510
For (in the case of) one who dies under thy chastisement, no fine is (imposed) on thee in vengeance (for him): that (death) is unpenalised.”
در حد و تعزیر قاضی هر که مرد ** نیست بر قاضی ضمان کو نیست خرد
When any one has died under the punishment and flagellation of the cadi no responsibility lies on the cadi, for he (the cadi) is not a person of small account.
نایب حقست و سایه‌ی عدل حق ** آینه‌ی هر مستحق و مستحق
He is God’s deputy and the shadow of God’s justice, the mirror (that displays the real nature) of every plaintiff and defendant;
کو ادب از بهر مظلومی کند ** نه برای عرض و خشم و دخل خود
For he inflicts correction for the sake of one who has been wronged, not for the sake of his honour or his anger or his income (profit).
چون برای حق و روز آجله‌ست ** گر خطایی شد دیت بر عاقله‌ست
Since it is (done) for the sake of God and the Day (of Judgement) hereafter, if a mistake is made (by him) the blood-wit falls upon the (dead man’s) kinsmen on the father’s side.
آنک بهر خود زند او ضامنست ** وآنک بهر حق زند او آمنست 1515
He who strikes (and kills) for his own sake is (held) responsible, while he who strikes (and kills) for God’s sake is secure.
گر پدر زد مر پسر را و بمرد ** آن پدر را خونبها باید شمرد
If a father strikes his son and he (the son) dies, the father must pay the blood-price,
زانک او را بهر کار خویش زد ** خدمت او هست واجب بر ولد
Because he struck him for his own benefit, (since) it is the duty of the son to serve him (the father).
چون معلم زد صبی را شد تلف ** بر معلم نیست چیزی لا تخف
(But) when a teacher strikes a boy and he (the boy) perishes (is killed by the blows), nothing (in the way of penalty) is (imposed) on the teacher; no fear’
کان معلم نایب افتاد و امین ** هر امین را هست حکمش همچنین
For the teacher is a deputy (of God) and a trustee; and the ease of every trustee is the same as this
نیست واجب خدمت استا برو ** پس نبود استا به زجرش کارجو 1520
It is not his (the boy’s) duty to serve his master (teacher) therefore in chastising him the master was not seeking benefit (for himself),
ور پدر زد او برای خود زدست ** لاجرم از خونبها دادن نرست
But if his father struck him, he struck for his own sake: consequently he was not freed from (responsibility for) paying the blood-price.
پس خودی را سر ببر ای ذوالفقار ** بی‌خودی شو فانیی درویش‌وار
Behead (your) selfhood, then, O (you who resemble the sword) Dhu ‘l-faqár: become a selfless naughted one like the dervish.
چون شدی بی‌خود هر آنچ تو کنی ** ما رمیت اذ رمیتی آمنی
When you have become selfless, everything that you do (is a case of) thou didst not throw when thou threwest, (and) you are safe.
آن ضمان بر حق بود نه بر امین ** هست تفصیلش به فقه اندر مبین
The responsibility lies on God, not on the trustee: ‘tis set forth plainly in (books of) jurisprudence.
هر دکانی راست سودایی دگر ** مثنوی دکان فقرست ای پسر 1525
Every shop has a different (kind of) merchandise: the Mathnawi is the shop for (spiritual) poverty, O son.
در دکان کفشگر چرمست خوب ** قالب کفش است اگر بینی تو چوب
In the shoemaker’s shop there is fine leather: if you see wood (there), it is (only) the mould for the shoe.
پیش بزازان قز و ادکن بود ** بهر گز باشد اگر آهن بود
The drapers have (in their shops) silk and dun-coloured cloth: if iron be (there), it is (only to serve) for a yard-measure.
مثنوی ما دکان وحدتست ** غیر واحد هرچه بینی آن بتست
Our Mathnawi is the shop for Unity: anything that you see (there) except the One God) is (only) an idol.
Know that to praise an idol for the purpose of ensnaring the vulgar is just like (the Prophet’s reference to) “the most exalted Cranes.”
خواندش در سوره‌ی والنجم زود ** لیک آن فتنه بد از سوره نبود 1530
He recited it those words) quickly in the Súra (entitled) Wa’l-Najm, but it was a temptation (of the Devil), it was not (really) part of the Súra.
جمله کفار آن زمان ساجد شدند ** هم سری بود آنک سر بر در زدند
Thereupon all the infidels prostrated themselves (in worship): ‘twas a mystery (of Divine Wisdom), too, that they knocked their heads upon the door.
بعد ازین حرفیست پیچاپیچ و دور ** با سلیمان باش و دیوان را مشور
After this there is a perplexing and abstruse argument stay with Solomon and do not stir up the demons!
هین حدیث صوفی و قاضی بیار ** وان ستمکار ضعیف زار زار
Hark, relate the story of the Súfí and the Cadi and the offender who was (so) feeble and wretchedly ill.
گفت قاضی ثبت العرش ای پسر ** تا برو نقشی کنم از خیر و شر
The Cadi said (to the Súfí), “Make the roof firm, O son, in order that I may decorate it with good and evil.
کو زننده کو محل انتقام ** این خیالی گشته است اندر سقام 1535
Where is the assailant? Where is that which is subject to vengeance? This man in (consequence of) sickness has become a (mere) phantom.
شرع بهر زندگان و اغنیاست ** شرع بر اصحاب گورستان کجاست
The law is for the living and self-sufficient: where (how) is the law (binding) upon the occupants of the graveyard?”
آن گروهی کز فقیری بی‌سرند ** صد جهت زان مردگان فانی‌تراند
The class (of men) who are headless (selfless) because of (their spiritual) poverty are in a hundred respects more naughted than those dead (and buried).
مرده از یک روست فانی در گزند ** صوفیان از صد جهت فانی شدند
The dead man is naughted (only) from one point of view, namely), as regards loss (of bodily life); the Súfís have been naughted in a hundred respects.
مرگ یک قتلست و این سیصد هزار ** هر یکی را خونبهایی بی‌شمار
(Bodily) death is a single killing, while this (spiritual death) is three hundred thousand (killings), for each one of which there is a blood-price beyond reckoning.
گرچه کشت این قوم را حق بارها ** ریخت بهر خونبها انبارها 1540
Though God hath killed these folk many a time, (yet) He hath poured forth (infinite) stores (of grace) in payment of the blood-price.
هم‌چو جرجیس‌اند هر یک در سرار ** کشته گشته زنده گشته شصت بار
Every one (of these martyrs) is inwardly like Jirjís (St George): they have been killed and brought to life (again) sixty times.
کشته از ذوق سنان دادگر ** می‌بسوزد که بزن زخمی دگر
From his delight in (being smitten by) the spear-point of the (Divine) Judge, the killed one is ever burning (in rapture) and crying. Strike another blow!”
والله از عشق وجود جان‌پرست ** کشته بر قتل دوم عاشق‌ترست
(I swear) by God, from love for the existence that fosters the spirit, the killed one longs (still) more passionately to be killed a second time.
گفت قاضی من قضادار حیم ** حاکم اصحاب گورستان کیم
The Cadi said, “I am the cadi for the living: how am I the judge of the occupants of the graveyard?
این به صورت گر نه در گورست پست ** گورها در دودمانش آمدست 1545
If to outward seeming this man is not laid low in the grave, (yet) graves have entered into his household.