پر سر مقطوع اگر صد خندق است ** پیش درد من مزاج مطلق است
If there are a hundred moats full of severed heads, ’tis an absolute pleasantry in comparison with my anguish.
من نخواهم زد دگر از خوف و بیم ** این چنین طبل هوا زیر گلیم
Nevermore in fear and dread will I beat such a drum of passion under a blanket.
من علم اکنون به صحرا می‌زنم ** یا سراندازی و یا روی صنم
Now I will plant my banner in the open plain: (let my fate be) either to lose my head or (to behold) the face of my adored one!
حلق کو نبود سزای آن شراب ** آن بریده به به شمشیر و ضراب
The throat that is not worthy of that wine—’tis best it should be cut by blows of the sword;
دیده کو نبود ز وصلش در فره ** آن چنان دیده سپید کور به 4170
The eye that is not (rejoiced) in abundance by union with her—such an eye is best white (with disease) and blind;
گوش کان نبود سزای راز او ** بر کنش که نبود آن بر سر نکو
The ear that is not worthy of (hearing) her secret—tear it off, for it is no good on the head;
اندر آن دستی که نبود آن نصاب ** آن شکسته به به ساطور قصاب
The hand in which there is not the (requisite) amount (to win her favour)—’tis best that it should be chopped off by the butcher's knife;
آنچنان پایی که از رفتار او ** جان نپیوندد به نرگس زار او
The foot by whose faring the spirit is not led into her narcissus-plot—
آنچنان پا در حدید اولیترست ** که آنچنان پا عاقبت درد سرست
Such a foot is best in iron (chains), for such a foot is ultimately (the cause of) headache (affliction).
بیان مجاهد کی دست از مجاهده باز ندارد اگر چه داند بسطت عطاء حق را کی آن مقصود از طرف دیگر و به سبب نوع عمل دیگر بدو رساند کی در وهم او نبوده باشد او همه وهم و اومید درین طریق معین بسته باشد حلقه‌ی همین در می‌زند بوک حق تعالی آن روزی را از در دیگر بدو رساند کی او آن تدبیر نکرده باشد و یرزقه من حیث لا یحتسب العبد یدبر والله یقدر و بود کی بنده را وهم بندگی بود کی مرا از غیر این در برساند اگر چه من حلقه‌ی این در می‌زنم حق تعالی او را هم ازین در روزی رساند فی‌الجمله این همه درهای یکی سرایست مع تقریره
[Setting forth (the case of) the earnest seeker who does not refrain from exerting himself to the utmost, although he knows that the amplitude of God's bounty may cause the object of his desire to reach him from a different quarter and by means of work of a different kind which he has never imagined; but since all his thoughts and hopes are fixed on this particular method (of attaining his object), he continues to knock at this same door, (knowing that) maybe God most High will cause his appointed portion to reach him through some other door which he has not foreseen, ‘and will provide for him from a quarter on which he does not reckon’—‘Man proposes but God disposes.’ And, (again), a slave (of God) may conceive, as beseems a slave, that although he keeps knocking at this (particular) door he will be supplied from another door; and (nevertheless) God most High may cause his portion to reach him through this very door (at which he is knocking). In short, all these (doors) are the doors of one Palace. And the exposition thereof.]
یا درین ره آیدم آن کام من ** یا چو باز آیم ز ره سوی وطن 4175
Either this desire of mine will be fulfilled on this journey or when I return home from the journey.
بوک موقوفست کامم بر سفر ** چون سفر کردم بیابم در حضر
It may be that (the fulfilment of) my desire depends on going abroad and that after I have gone abroad I shall attain (to it) at home.
یار را چندین بجویم جد و چست ** که بدانم که نمی‌بایست جست
I will seek the Beloved with all my might and energy until I know whether I need not have sought (Him).
آن معیت کی رود در گوش من ** تا نگردم گرد دوران زمن
How should (the mystery of) His being with me enter my (spiritual) ear unless I wander round the world?
کی کنم من از معیت فهم راز ** جز که از بعد سفرهای دراز
How should I apprehend the mystery of His being with me except after (making) long journeys?”
حق معیت گفت و دل را مهر کرد ** تا که عکس آید به گوش دل نه طرد 4180
God hath said that He is with us, but He hath sealed the heart in order that it (the real meaning) may enter the heart's ear contrariwise (indirectly), not directly.
چون سفرها کرد و داد راه داد ** بعد از آن مهر از دل او بر گشاد
When he (the seeker) has made (many) journeys and performed the duties of the Way, after that (and not before) the seal is removed from his heart.
چون خطایین آن حساب با صفا ** گرددش روشن ز بعد دو خطا
As (in the arithmetical method of) “the two errors,” the excellent (successful) calculation (only) becomes clear to him after two mistakes.
بعد از آن گوید اگر دانستمی ** این معیت را کی او را جستمی
After that, he says (to himself), “If I had known (the real nature of) this being with God, how should I have searched for Him?
دانش آن بود موقوف سفر ** ناید آن دانش به تیزی فکر
(But) the knowledge thereof depended on journeying: that knowledge is not to be gained by keenness of thought.”
آنچنان که وجه وام شیخ بود ** بسته و موقوف گریه‌ی آن وجود 4185
’Tis just as the payment of the Shaykh's debts was contingent and dependent on the weeping of that (young) creature.
کودک حلواییی بگریست زار ** توخته شد وام آن شیخ کبار
(When) the confectioner's boy wept bitterly, the debts of the venerable Shaykh were discharged.
گفته شد آن داستان معنوی ** پیش ازین اندر خلال مثنوی
That spiritual tale has already been related in the course of the Mathnawí.
در دلت خوف افکند از موضعی ** تا نباشد غیر آنت مطمعی
He (God) puts in thy heart the fear of (losing) a certain position, in order that no other (position) may be an object of hope to thee.
در طمع فایده‌ی دیگر نهد ** وآن مرادت از کسی دیگر دهد
To thy hope (of gaining thy wish from that quarter) He attaches another advantage (beneficial result); but He grants thee thy wish from (the hands of) some one else.
ای طمع در بسته در یک جای سخت ** که آیدم میوه از آن عالی‌درخت 4190
O thou who hast fixed thy hopes firmly on one quarter, saying, “The fruit will come to me from that lofty tree,”
آن طمع زان جا نخواهد شد وفا ** بل ز جای دیگر آید آن عطا
Thy hope will not be fulfilled from there; nay, the bounty will come from another place.
آن طمع را پس چرا در تو نهاد ** چون نخواستت زان طرف آن چیز داد
Why, then, did He implant in thee that hope, since He would not give thee the (desired) thing from that quarter?
از برای حکمتی و صنعتی ** نیز تا باشد دلت در حیرتی
(’Tis) for a wise purpose and contrivance; and also in order that thy heart may be in a state of bewilderment.
تا دلت حیران بود ای مستفید ** که مرادم از کجا خواهد رسد
(’Tis) that thy heart may be bewildered, O learner, (wondering) from where the object of thy desire will come (to thee).
تا بدانی عجز خویش و جهل خویش ** تا شود ایقان تو در غیب بیش 4195
(’Tis) that thou mayst know thy weakness and thy ignorance and that consequently thy faith in the Unseen may be increased;
هم دلت حیران بود در منتجع ** که چه رویاند مصرف زین طمع
And, moreover, that thy heart may be perplexed concerning the source whence the (expected) benefit will arrive, and what (result) the (Divine) Disposer will produce from this hope.
طمع داری روزیی در درزیی ** تا ز خیاطی بی زر تا زیی
Thou hopest (to find) a means of livelihood in tailoring, so that by working as a tailor thou mayst earn money all thy life;
رزق تو در زرگری آرد پدید ** که ز وهمت بود آن مکسب بعید
(But) He causes thy daily bread to come to thee in the goldsmith's craft—a means of gain that was far from (entering) thy imagination.
پس طمع در درزیی بهر چه بود ** چون نخواست آن رزق زان جانب گشود
Wherefore, then, were thy hopes set on tailoring, when He did not intend to let thy daily bread reach thee from that side?
بهر نادر حکمتی در علم حق ** که نبشت آن حکم را در ما سبق 4200
(’Twas) by reason of a marvellous providence in the knowledge of God— an edict which He wrote in the (eternal) past;
نیز تا حیران بود اندیشه‌ات ** تا که حیرانی بود کل پیشه‌ات
And also to the end that thy thoughts should be bewildered, so that bewilderment should be thy whole occupation.
یا وصال یار زین سعیم رسد ** یا ز راهی خارج از سعی جسد
(The eldest prince said), “My union with the Beloved will be achieved either by this effort or by some means outside of bodily effort.
من نگویم زین طریق آید مراد ** می‌طپم تا از کجا خواهد گشاد
I do not assert that my object will be gained in this (particular) way: I am palpitating (restlessly seeking) to ascertain from what quarter it will appear.
سربریده مرغ هر سو می‌فتد ** تا کدامین سو رهد جان از جسد
The decapitated bird tumbles in every direction to see in what direction its (vital) spirit may escape from its body.
یا مراد من برآید زین خروج ** یا ز برجی دیگر از ذات البروج 4205
My desire will be attained either by this going forth (in quest of it) or through (the opening of) some other gateway by (the hand of) Heaven.”
حکایت آن شخص کی خواب دید کی آنچ می‌طلبی از یسار به مصر وفا شود آنجا گنجیست در فلان محله در فلان خانه چون به مصر آمد کسی گفت من خواب دیده‌ایم کی گنجیست به بغداد در فلان محله در فلان خانه نام محله و خانه‌ی این شخص بگفت آن شخص فهم کرد کی آن گنج در مصر گفتن جهت آن بود کی مرا یقین کنند کی در غیر خانه‌ی خود نمی‌باید جستن ولیکن این گنج یقین و محقق جز در مصر حاصل نشود
Story of the person who dreamed that his hopes of opulence would be fulfilled in Cairo, and that there was a treasure (buried) in a certain house in a certain quarter of that city. When he came to Cairo, some one said to him, “I have dreamed of a treasure in such and such a quarter and such and such a house in Baghdád”; and he named the quarter and house in which this person lived. The latter perceived, however, that the information concerning the treasure in Cairo had been given to him (in his dream) in order to make him realise that, (although) he must not seek anywhere but in his own house, this treasure would really and truly be gained only in Cairo.
بود یک میراثی مال و عقار ** جمله را خورد و بماند او عور و زار
There was (once) a man who inherited money and estates: he squandered all and was left destitute and miserable.
مال میراثی ندارد خود وفا ** چون بناکام از گذشته شد جدا
Inherited wealth indeed does not remain constant (to its new owner), since it was parted against its will from the deceased one.
او نداند قدر هم کاسان بیافت ** کو بکد و رنج و کسبش کم شتاف
Just because he (the heir) got it easily, he does not know its value; for he never made haste to work and toil and earn it.
قدر جان زان می‌ندانی ای فلان ** که بدادت حق به بخشش رایگان
O such-and-such, you know not the value of your soul because God bountifully gave it to you for nothing.
نقد رفت و کاله رفته و خانه‌ها ** ماند چون چغدان در آن ویرانه‌ها 4210
His ready money went and his furniture and houses went: he was left (alone) like owls in the deserts.
گفت یا رب برگ دادی رفت برگ ** یا بده برگی و یا بفرست مرگ
He cried, “O Lord, Thou gavest (me) provision: the provision is gone: either give (me) some provision or send death.”
چون تهی شد یاد حق آغاز کرد ** یا رب و یا رب اجرنی ساز کرد
When he became empty, he began to call unto God: he started the tune of “O Lord!” and “O Lord, protect me!”
چون پیمبر گفته مومن مزهرست ** در زمان خالیی ناله گرست
Since the Prophet has said that the true believer is (like) a lute (mizhar), (which) makes music (only) at the time when it is empty—
چون شود پر مطربش بنهد ز دست ** پر مشو که آسیب دست او خوشست
(For) as soon as it is filled, the minstrel lays it down—do not become full, for sweet is the touch of His hand.
تی شو و خوش باش بین اصبعین ** کز می لا این سرمستست این 4215
Become empty and stay happily between (His) two fingers, for “where” is intoxicated with the wine of “nowhere.”