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گر خدا دادی مرا پانصد دهان ** گفتمی شرح تو ای جان و جهان
- If God gave me five hundred mouths, I would sing in description (praise) of thee, O (my) soul and world;
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یک دهان دارم من آن هم منکسر ** در خجالت از تو ای دانای سر
- (But) I have (only) one mouth, and even that one is crushed with shame before thee, O knower of the mystery.
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منکسرتر خود نباشم از عدم ** کز دهانش آمدستند این امم
- In sooth I am not more crushed than non-existence, from the mouth of which (all) these peoples have come (forth).
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صد هزار آثار غیبی منتظر ** کز عدم بیرون جهد با لطف و بر
- A hundred thousand impressions of the Unseen World are waiting to spring forth graciously and kindly from non-existence.
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از تقاضای تو میگردد سرم ** ای ببرده من به پیش آن کرم 4215
- Because of thy urgency my head is reeling: oh, I am dead in the presence of that bounty.
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رغبت ما از تقاضای توست ** جذبهی حقست هر جا رهروست
- Our desire (for thee) arises from thy urgency: wherever there is a wayfarer, ’tis the pull of God (that draws him on).
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خاک بیبادی به بالا بر جهد ** کشتی بیبحر پا در ره نهد
- Does the dust leap upward without a wind? Does a ship voyage without the sea?
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پیش آب زندگانی کس نمرد ** پیش آبت آب حیوانست درد
- None (ever) died in the presence of the Water of Life: compared with thy water the Water of Life is (mere) dregs.
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آب حیوان قبلهی جان دوستان ** ز آب باشد سبز و خندان بوستان
- The Water of Life is the goal of those to whom life is dear: by water the garden is (made) verdant and smiling.
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مرگ آشامان ز عشقش زندهاند ** دل ز جان و آب جان بر کندهاند 4220
- (But) those who quaff the cup of death are living through His love: they have torn their hearts away from life and the Water of Life.
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آب عشق تو چو ما را دست داد ** آب حیوان شد به پیش ما کساد
- When the water of Thy love gave us its hand (was gained by us), the Water of Life became worthless in our sight.
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ز آب حیوان هست هر جان را نوی ** لیک آب آب حیوانی توی
- Every soul derives freshness from the Water of Life, but Thou art the Water (Source) of the Water of Life.
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هر دمی مرگی و حشری دادیم ** تا بدیدم دست برد آن کرم
- Thou didst bestow on me a (spiritual) death and a resurrection continually, that I might experience the conquering power of that bounty (of Thine).
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همچو خفتن گشت این مردن مرا ** ز اعتماد بعث کردن ای خدا
- This (bodily) dying became (as unformidable) to me as sleeping, from my confidence that Thou, O God, wouldst raise me from the dead.
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هفت دریا هر دم ار گردد سراب ** گوش گیری آوریش ای آب آب 4225
- If the Seven Seas become a mirage at every moment, Thou wilt take it (the water) by the ear and bring it (back), O Water (Source) of the water.
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عقل لرزان از اجل وان عشق شوخ ** سنگ کی ترسد ز باران چون کلوخ
- Reason is trembling with fear of death, but Love is bold: how should the stone be afraid of rain as the clod (is)?
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از صحاف مثنوی این پنجمست ** بر بروج چرخ جان چون انجمست
- This is the Fifth of the Scrolls (Books) of the Mathnawí: it is like the stars in the zodiacal signs of the spiritual sky.
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ره نیابد از ستاره هر حواس ** جز که کشتیبان استارهشناس
- Not every sense can find its way by the star: (none can do so) except the mariner acquainted with the star.
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جز نظاره نیست قسم دیگران ** از سعودش غافلند و از قران
- The lot of the others is naught but looking (at it): they are ignorant of its auspiciousness and (fortunate) conjunction.
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آشنایی گیر شبها تا به روز ** با چنین استارهای دیوسوز 4230
- During the nights till daybreak make thyself familiar with devil-burning stars like these,
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هر یکی در دفع دیو بدگمان ** هست نفطانداز قلعهی آسمان
- Every one (of which) is hurling naphtha from the fortress of Heaven to drive away the evil-thinking devil.
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اختر ار با دیو همچون عقربست ** مشتری را او ولی الاقربست
- To the devil the stars are (noxious) as a scorpion, (but) to the buyer (of Truth) it (the star) is the next of kin (the nearest and dearest).
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قوس اگر از تیر دوزد دیو را ** دلو پر آبست زرع و میو را
- If the Bow (Sagittarius) pierce the devil with an arrow, (yet) the Bucket (Aquarius) is full of water for the crops and fruit.
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حوت اگرچه کشتی غی بشکند ** دوست را چون ثور کشتی میکند
- Though the Fish (Pisces) wreck the ship of error, (yet) for the friend (of Truth) it is (ploughing and) sowing like the bull.
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شمس اگر شب را بدرد چون اسد ** لعل را زو خلعت اطلس رسد 4235
- If the Sun rend Night to pieces, like a lion, (yet) there comes from it a satin robe of honour for the ruby.