گرچه حافظ باشد و چست و فقیه ** چشم‌روشن به وگر باشد سفیه
Though he know the Qur’án by heart and be quick and learned in divinity, the clear-sighted man is superior, even if he be a fool.
کور را پرهیز نبود از قذر ** چشم باشد اصل پرهیز و حذر
The blind man has no (means of) abstention from filth: the eye is the source of abstention and precaution.
او پلیدی را نبیند در عبور ** هیچ مومن را مبادا چشم کور2090
He does not see the dirt in passing by. May no true believer have blind eyes!
کور ظاهر در نجاسه‌ی ظاهرست ** کور باطن در نجاسات سرست
The man outwardly blind is in outward (material) filthiness; the man inwardly blind is in inward (spiritual) filthiness.
این نجاسه‌ی ظاهر از آبی رود ** آن نجاسه‌ی باطن افزون می‌شود
This outward filthiness may be removed by some water; that inward filthiness (gradually) increases.
جز بب چشم نتوان شستن آن ** چون نجاسات بواطن شد عیان
It cannot be washed away save by water of the eye (tears), when (once) the inward filthinesses have become manifest.
چون نجس خواندست کافر را خدا ** آن نجاست نیست بر ظاهر ورا
Since God has called the infidel “filth,” that filthiness is not on his outward part.
ظاهر کافر ملوث نیست زین ** آن نجاست هست در اخلاق و دین2095
The infidel's outward part is not defiled by this (outward filth); that filthiness is in (his) disposition and religion.
این نجاست بویش آید بیست گام ** و آن نجاست بویش از ری تا بشام
The smell of this (outward filth comes (extends to a distance of) twenty paces; but the smell of that (inward) filth (reaches) from Rayy to Damascus;
بلک بویش آسمانها بر رود ** بر دماغ حور و رضوان بر شود
Nay, its smell goes up to the heavens and mounts to the brain of the houris and Rizwán.
اینچ می‌گویم به قدر فهم تست ** مردم اندر حسرت فهم درست
What I am saying is according to the measure of your understanding: I die in grief for (the absence of) a sound understanding.
فهم آبست و وجود تن سبو ** چون سبو بشکست ریزد آب ازو
The understanding is (like) the water, and the bodily existence (is like) the jug: when the jug is cracked, the water spills from it.
این سبو را پنج سوراخست ژرف ** اندرو نه آب ماند خود نه برف2100
This jug has five deep holes: neither water will stay in it nor even snow.
امر غضوا غضة ابصارکم ** هم شنیدی راست ننهادی تو سم
You have heard, too, the command (of God), “Close ye your eyes tightly”; (yet) you have not walked aright.
از دهانت نطق فهمت را برد ** گوش چون ریگست فهمت را خورد
Your speech bears away your understanding by (way of) the mouth; your ear is like sand: it drinks (sucks up) your understanding.
همچنین سوراخهای دیگرت ** می‌کشاند آب فهم مضمرت
Similarly, your other holes (avenues of sense-perception) are drawing (off) the hidden water of your understanding.
گر ز دریا آب را بیرون کنی ** بی عوض آن بحر را هامون کنی
If you expel the water from the sea without (admitting) compensation, you will make the sea a desert.
بیگهست ار نه بگویم حال را ** مدخل اعواض را و ابدال را2105
’Tis late; otherwise, I would declare the (true) state of the case (as to) the entrance of compensations and substitutes,
کان عوضها و آن بدلها بحر را ** از کجا آید ز بعد خرجها
(And tell) whence come to the sea those compensations and substitutes after (such) expenditures.
صد هزاران جانور زو می‌خورند ** ابرها هم از برونش می‌برند
Hundreds of thousands of animals drink of it; from outside also the clouds take it (its water) away;
باز دریا آن عوضها می‌کشد ** از کجا دانند اصحاب رشد
(But) again the sea draws (into itself) those compensations— whence (they come) is known to the righteous.
قصه‌ها آغاز کردیم از شتاب ** ماند بی مخلص درون این کتاب
We began the stories in haste; in this Book (the Mathnawí) they are left without (being brought to) the (final) issue.
ای ضیاء الحق حسام الدین راد ** که فلک و ارکان چو تو شاهی نزاد2110
O Light of God, noble Husámu’ddín, a king whose like the sky and the elements have never brought to birth,
تو بنادر آمدی در جان و دل ** ای دل و جان از قدوم تو خجل
Seldom hast thou come into (the world of) soul and heart, O thou at whose advent heart and soul are abashed.
چند کردم مدح قوم ما مضی ** قصد من زانها تو بودی ز اقتضا
How oft have I praised the people of the past! Of necessity, thou wert (the object of) my quest in (praising) them.
خانه‌ی خود را شناسد خود دعا ** تو بنام هر که خواهی کن ثنا
Verily the invocation knows its own house: attach the praise to the name of whomsoever you will.
بهر کتمان مدیح از نا محل ** حق نهادست این حکایات و مثل
God hath set down these tales and parables for the purpose of concealing (the true nature of) the praise from the unworthy.
گر چه آن مدح از تو هم آمد خجل ** لیک بپذیرد خدا جهد المقل2115
Even if that praise is abashed before thee, yet God accepts the (utmost) exertion of one that has little (to give).
حق پذیرد کسره‌ای دارد معاف ** کز دو دیده‌ی کور دو قطره کفاف
God accepts a crust (of bread) and absolves (the giver), for from the eyes of a blind man two drops (of light) are enough.
مرغ و ماهی داند آن ابهام را ** که ستودم مجمل این خوش‌نام را
Birds and fishes know the (real meaning of) the ambiguous style in which I have praised compendiously this person of goodly name,
تا برو آه حسودان کم وزد ** تا خیالش را به دندان کم گزد
To the end that the sighs of the envious may not blow upon him, and that he (the envier) may not bite the (false) idea of him (Husámu’ddín) with the teeth (of malice).
خود خیالش را کجا یابد حسود ** در وثاق موش طوطی کی غنود
Where should the envious man find even the idea of him? When did a parrot rest in the abode of a mouse?
آن خیال او بود از احتیال ** موی ابروی ویست آن نه هلال2120
That idea of him (Husámu’ddín) arises (in the mind of the envious man) from cunning practice (on his part): it is the hair of his eyebrow, not the new moon.
مدح تو گویم برون از پنج و هفت ** بر نویس اکنون دقوقی پیش رفت
I sing thy praise outside of the five (senses) and the seven (heavens). Now write “Daqúqí went forward.”
پیش رفتن دقوقی به امامت آن قوم
How Daqúqí went forward to lead that company (in prayer).
در تحیات و سلام الصالحین ** مدح جمله‌ی انبیا آمد عجین
In the salutations and benedictions addressed to the righteous (saints) praise of all the prophets is blended.
مدحها شد جملگی آمیخته ** کوزه‌ها در یک لگن در ریخته
The praises are all commingled (and united): the jugs are poured into one basin.
زانک خود ممدوح جز یک بیش نیست ** کیشها زین روی جز یک کیش نیست
Inasmuch as the object of praise Himself is not more than One, from this point of view (all) religions are but one religion.
دان که هر مدحی بنور حق رود ** بر صور و اشخاص عاریت بود2125
Know that every praise goes (belongs) to the Light of God and is (only) lent to (created) forms and persons.
مدحها جز مستحق را کی کنند ** لیک بر پنداشت گم‌ره می‌شوند
How should folk praise (any one) except Him who (alone) has the right (to be praised)?—but they go astray on (the ground of) a vain fancy.
همچو نوری تافته بر حایطی ** حایط آن انوار را چون رابطی
The Light of God in relation to phenomena is as a light shining upon a wall—the wall is a link (focus) for these splendours:
لاجرم چون سایه سوی اصل راند ** ضال مه گم کرد و ز استایش بماند
Necessarily, when the reflexion moved towards its source, he who had gone astray lost the moon and ceased from praise;
یا ز چاهی عکس ماهی وا نمود ** سر بچه در کرد و آن را می‌ستود
Or (again) a reflexion of the moon appeared from a well, and he (the misguided one) put his head into the well and was praising that same (reflexion):
در حقیقت مادح ماهست او ** گرچه جهل او بعکسش کرد رو2130
In truth he is a praiser of the moon, although his ignorance has turned its face towards its (the moon's) reflexion.
مدح او مه‌راست نه آن عکس را ** کفر شد آن چون غلط شد ماجرا
His praise belongs to the moon, not to that reflexion, (but) that (praise) becomes infidelity when the matter is misapprehended;
کز شقاوت گشت گم‌ره آن دلیر ** مه به بالا بود و او پنداشت زیر
For that bold man was led astray by (his) perdition: the moon was above, while he fancied it was below.