چونک تعویق آمد اندر عرض و طول ** شاه شد زان گنج دل سیر و ملول
When he met with obstacles (to success) in (all) the breadth and length (of his enterprise), the king became sick at heart and weary.
دشتها را گز گز آن شه چاه کند ** رقعه را از خشم پیش او فکند 1960
(After) the king (had) dug pits in the deserts, yard by yard, he threw the scroll wrathfully before him (the fakir).
گفت گیر این رقعه کش آثار نیست ** تو بدین اولیتری کت کار نیست
“Take this scroll,” said he, “which has no (good) effects; you are the fittest (owner) for it, since you have no work.
نیست این کار کسی کش هست کار ** که بسوزد گل بگردد گرد خار
It is no use for one who has work (to do) that he should burn the rose and go about (busy himself with) the thorn.
نادر افتد اهل این ماخولیا ** منتظر که روید از آهن گیا
’Tis singular (how) the victims of this melancholy madness expect grass to grow from iron.
سخت جانی باید این فن را چو تو ** تو که داری جان سخت این را بجو
This specialty needs a man of stout heart like you: do you, who have a stout heart, search for this (treasure).
گر نیابی نبودت هرگز ملال ** ور بیابی آن به تو کردم حلال 1965
If you cannot find it, you will never weary (of seeking); and if you find it, I grant you the right of possession.”
عقل راه ناامیدی کی رود ** عشق باشد کان طرف بر سر دود
How should Reason wend the way of despair? ’Tis Love that runs on its head in that direction.
لاابالی عشق باشد نی خرد ** عقل آن جوید کز آن سودی برد
Love is reckless, not Reason: Reason seeks that from which it may get some profit.
ترک‌تاز و تن‌گداز و بی‌حیا ** در بلا چون سنگ زیر آسیا
(The lover is) fierce in onset and body-consuming and unabashed: in tribulation, like the nether millstone;
سخت‌رویی که ندارد هیچ پشت ** بهره‌جویی را درون خویش کشت
A hard-faced one that has no back: he has killed in himself the seeking of self-interest.
پاک می‌بازد نباشد مزدجو ** آنچنان که پاک می‌گیرد ز هو 1970
He gambles (everything) clean away, he seeks no reward, even as he receives (everything) clean (as a free gift) from Him (God).
می‌دهد حق هستیش بی‌علتی ** می‌سپارد باز بی‌علت فتی
God gives him his existence without any cause: the devoted (lover) yields it up again without cause;
که فتوت دادن بی علتست ** پاک‌بازی خارج هر ملتست
For devotion consists in giving without cause: gambling (one's self) clean away (pure self-sacrifice) is outside of (transcends) every religion.
زانک ملت فضل جوید یا خلاص ** پاک بازانند قربانان خاص
Forasmuch as religion seeks (Divine) grace or salvation, those who gamble (everything) clean away are (God's) chosen favourites.
نی خدا را امتحانی می‌کنند ** نی در سود و زیانی می‌زنند
Neither do they put God to any test, nor do they knock at the door of any profit or loss.
باز دادن شاه گنج‌نامه را به آن فقیر کی بگیر ما از سر این برخاستیم
How the king gave back the treasure-scroll to the fakir, saying, “Take it: we are quit of it.”
چونک رقعه‌ی گنج پر آشوب را ** شه مسلم داشت آن مکروب را 1975
When the king handed over to that grief-stricken man the treasure-scroll (which was) fraught with commotion,
گشت آمن او ز خصمان و ز نیش ** رفت و می‌پیچید در سودای خویش
He (the fakir) became secure from rivals and annoyance, (so) he went and wrapped himself in his melancholy madness.
یار کرد او عشق درداندیش را ** کلب لیسد خویش ریش خویش را
He made sad-thoughted Love his friend: a dog licks his own sore himself.
عشق را در پیچش خود یار نیست ** محرمش در ده یکی دیار نیست
Love hath none to help him in his torment: there is not in the village one inhabitant familiar with him.
نیست از عاشق کسی دیوانه‌تر ** عقل از سودای او کورست و کر
None is more mad than the lover, (yet) Reason is blind and deaf to his melancholia,
زآنک این دیوانگی عام نیست ** طب را ارشاد این احکام نیست 1980
Because this is no common madness: in these cases Medicine cannot give right guidance.
گر طبیبی را رسد زین گون جنون ** دفتر طب را فرو شوید به خون
If frenzy of this kind overtake a physician, he will wash out (obliterate) the book of Medicine with (tears of) blood.
طب جمله‌ی عقلها منقوش اوست ** روی جمله دلبران روپوش اوست
The Medicine of all intellects is (but) a picture of him (Love); the faces of all sweethearts are (but) a veil of him.
روی در روی خود آر ای عشق‌کیش ** نیست ای مفتون ترا جز خویش خویش
O votary of Love, turn thy face towards thine own face: thou hast no kinsman but thyself, O distraught one.
قبله از دل ساخت آمد در دعا ** لیس للانسان الا ما سعی
He (the fakir) made a qibla of his heart and began to pray: man hath naught but that for which he laboureth.
پیش از آن کو پاسخی بشنیده بود ** سالها اندر دعا پیچیده بود 1985
Ere he had heard any answer (to his prayer) he had (already) been engaged in praying for (many) years.
بی‌اجابت بر دعاها می‌تنید ** از کرم لبیک پنهان می‌شنید
He was always praying intently without (receiving) any (overt) response, (but) he was hearing Labbayka in secret from the (Divine) grace.
چونک بی‌دف رقص می‌کرد آن علیل ** ز اعتماد جود خلاق جلیل
Since that sickly man was always dancing without the tambourine, in reliance upon the bounty of the Almighty Creator,
سوی او نه هاتف و نه پیک بود ** گوش اومیدش پر از لبیک بود
(Though) neither a heavenly voice nor a (Divine) messenger was (ever) beside him, (yet) the ear of his hope was filled with Labbayka;
بی‌زبان می‌گفت اومیدش تعال ** از دلش می‌روفت آن دعوت ملال
His hope was always saying, without tongue, “Come!” and that call was sweeping (all) weariness from his heart.
آن کبوتر را که بام آموختست ** تو مخوان می‌رانش کان پر دوختست 1990
Do not call the pigeon that has learned (to haunt) the roof: drive it away (if you can), for its wings are stuck (to the roof).
ای ضیاء الحق حسام‌الدین برانش ** کز ملاقات تو بر رستست جانش
Do thou, O Radiance of God, Husámu’ddín, drive him (such an one) away (if thou canst), for (’tis) through meeting with thee (that) his spirit has grown up in him.
گر برانی مرغ جانش از گزاف ** هم بگرد بام تو آرد طواف
If thou unconscionably drive away the bird, his spirit, it will still circle about thy roof.
چینه و نقلش همه بر بام تست ** پر زنان بر اوج مست دام تست
All its grain and food is on thy roof: (while) flying in the zenith, it is (still) intoxicated with (love for) thy snare.
گر دمی منکر شود دزدانه روح ** در ادای شکرت ای فتح و فتوح
If for one moment the spirit stealthily (secretly) disbelieve in rendering thanks to thee, O (thou who art bestowing) victory and favour (upon it),
شحنه‌ی عشق مکرر کینه‌اش ** طشت آتش می‌نهد بر سینه‌اش 1995
Love, the magistrate who exacts vengeance repeatedly, will lay the fiery cauldron (of separation) on its breast,
که بیا سوی مه و بگذر ز گرد ** شاه عشقت خواند زوتر باز گرد
Saying, “Come to the Moon and leave the dust behind; Love, the King, calls thee: return with all speed!”
گرد این بام و کبوترخانه من ** چون کبوتر پر زنم مستانه من
I am flying ecstatically, like a pigeon, about this roof and pigeon-house.
جبرئیل عشقم و سدره‌م توی ** من سقیمم عیسی مریم توی
I am Love's Gabriel, and thou art my Lotus-tree; I am the sick man, and thou art (my) Jesus son of Mary.
جوش ده آن بحر گوهربار را ** خوش بپرس امروز این بیمار را
Let that pearl-shedding sea (of thine) break into surge: to-day ask kindly after this ailing one.
چون تو آن او شدی بحر آن اوست ** گرچه این دم نوبت بحران اوست 2000
When thou hast become his, the sea (of spiritual mysteries) is his, even though this is the hour of his crisis.
این خود آن ناله‌ست کو کرد آشکار ** آنچ پنهانست یا رب زینهار
This (Mathnawí) is only the wailful music that he has uttered; (as for) that which is (kept) hidden (within him), (have) mercy, O Lord!
دو دهان داریم گویا هم‌چو نی ** یک دهان پنهانست در لبهای وی
We have two vocal mouths, like the reed: one mouth is hidden in his lips.
یک دهان نالان شده سوی شما ** های هویی در فکنده در هوا
One mouth is wailing unto you: it lets (many) a shrill note fall on the air;
لیک داند هر که او را منظرست ** که فغان این سری هم زان سرست
But every one who hath insight knows that the lamentation (issuing) at this end is (inspired) from that end.
دمدمه‌ی این نای از دمهای اوست ** های هوی روح از هیهای اوست 2005
The noise of this reed is from his breaths: the spirit's outcry is from his outcry.
گر نبودی با لبش نی را سمر ** نی جهان را پر نکردی از شکر
If the reed had no converse with his lip, the reed would not fill the world with (music sweet as) sugar.
با کی خفتی وز چه پهلو خاستی ** که چنین پر جوش چون دریاستی
With whom hast thou slept and from what (whose) side hast thou risen, that thou art so full of agitation, like the sea?
یا ابیت عند ربی خواندی ** در دل دریای آتش راندی
Or hast thou recited (the words of the Prophet), “I pass the night with my Lord,” and plunged into the heart of the sea of fire?