آب نیلست و به قبطی خون نمود ** قوم موسی را نه خون بد آب بود
It is the water of the Nile, which seemed blood to the Egyptian, (but) to the people of Moses was not blood, but water.
دشمن این حرف این دم در نظر ** شد ممثل سرنگون اندر سقر
At this moment the enemy of these words (the Mathnawí) is pictured in (thy) sight (falling) headlong into Hell-fire.
ای ضیاء الحق تو دیدی حال او ** حق نمودت پاسخ افعال او35
O Ziyá’u ’l-Haqq (Radiance of God), thou hast seen his (evil) state: God hath shown unto thee the answer to his (evil) actions.
دیدهی غیبت چو غیبست اوستاد ** کم مبادا زین جهان این دید و داد
Thine eye which beholds the invisible is a master(-seer) like the Invisible: may this vision and gift not vanish from this world!
این حکایت را که نقد وقت ماست ** گر تمامش میکنی اینجا رواست
If thou wilt here complete this story, which is the current coin of (directly applicable to) our present state, ’tis fitting.
ناکسان را ترک کن بهر کسان ** قصه را پایان بر و مخلص رسان
Leave the unworthy folk for the sake of the worthy: bring the tale to the end and conduct it to the issue.
این حکایت گر نشد آنجا تمام ** چارمین جلدست آرش در نظام
If this story was not finished there (in the Third Book), ’tis (now) the Fourth Volume: set it out in order.
تمامی حکایت آن عاشق که از عسس گریخت در باغی مجهول خود معشوق را در باغ یافت و عسس را از شادی دعای خیر میکرد و میگفت کی عسی ان تکرهوا شیا و هو خیر لکم
Conclusion of the story of the lover who fled from the night-patrol into an orchard unknown to him, and for joy at finding his beloved in the orchard called down blessings on the night-patrol and said, "It may be that ye loathe a thing although it is better for you."
اندر آن بودیم کان شخص از عسس ** راند اندر باغ از خوفی فرس40
We were at the point (of the story) where that person (fled) in terror from the night-patrol (and) galloped into the orchard.
بود اندر باغ آن صاحبجمال ** کز غمش این در عنا بد هشت سال
In the orchard was the beauteous one for love of whom this (youth) had been in tribulation eight years.
سایهی او را نبود امکان دید ** همچو عنقا وصف او را میشنید
He had no possibility of seeing (even) her shadow: he was (only) hearing the description of her, as (of) the ‘Anqá,