در عجوزه جان آمیزش‌کنیست ** صورت گرمابه‌ها را روح نیست
In the old woman there is a soul that mingles (with the body): the pictured forms in the hot-baths have no (rational) spirit.
صورت گرمابه گر جنبش کند ** در زمان او از عجوزه بر کند
If the pictured form in the hot-bath should move, it would at once separate thee from the old woman.
جان چه باشد با خبر از خیر و شر ** شاد با احسان و گریان از ضرر
What is soul? (Soul is) conscious of good and evil, rejoicing on account of kindness, weeping on account of injury.
چون سر و ماهیت جان مخبرست ** هر که او آگاه‌تر با جان‌ترست
Since consciousness is the inmost nature and essence of the soul, the more aware one is the more spiritual is he.
روح را تاثیر آگاهی بود ** هر که را این بیش اللهی بود 150
Awareness is the effect of the spirit: any one who has this in excess is a man of God.
چون خبرها هست بیرون زین نهاد ** باشد این جانها در آن میدان جماد
Since there are consciousnesses beyond this (bodily) nature, in that (spiritual) arena these (sensual) souls are (like) inanimate matter.
جان اول مظهر درگاه شد ** جان جان خود مظهر الله شد
The first soul is the theatre of the (Divine) court; the Soul of the soul is verily the theatre of God (Himself).
آن ملایک جمله عقل و جان بدند ** جان نو آمد که جسم آن بدند
The angels were entirely reason and spirit (till) there came a new Spirit of which they were the body.
از سعادت چون بر آن جان بر زدند ** هم‌چو تن آن روح را خادم شدند
When, by happy fortune, they attached themselves to that Spirit, they became subservient to that Spirit, as the body (is subservient to the spirit dwelling in it).
آن بلیس از جان از آن سر برده بود ** یک نشد با جان که عضو مرده بود 155
Hence Iblís (Satan) had turned his head away from the Spirit: he did not become one with it because he was a dead limb.
چون نبودش آن فدای آن نشد ** دست بشکسته مطیع جان نشد
Since he had it not, he did not become devoted to it: the broken hand does not obey the spirit (which rules the body).
جان نشد ناقص گر آن عضوش شکست ** کان بدست اوست تواند کرد هست
(But) the Spirit is not impaired though its limb is broken, for that (limb) is in its power, and it can bring it to life.
سر دیگر هست کو گوش دگر ** طوطیی کو مستعد آن شکر
There is another mystery (to be told), (but) where is another ear? Where is a parrot capable of (eating) that sugar?
طوطیان خاص را قندیست ژرف ** طوطیان عام از آن خور بسته طرف
For the elect parrots there is a profound (occult) candy: to that food the eyes of the vulgar parrots are closed.
کی چشد درویش صورت زان زکات ** معنیست آن نه فعولن فاعلات 160
How should one who has (only) the appearance of a dervish taste of that purity? It is spiritual reality, not (mere) fa‘úlun fá‘ilát (amphibrachs and cretics).
از خر عیسی دریغش نیست قند ** لیک خر آمد به خلقت که پسند
Candy is not withheld from the ass of Jesus by him (Jesus), but the ass is naturally pleased with straw.
قند خر را گر طرب انگیختی ** پیش خر قنطار شکر ریختی
If candy had roused delight in the ass, he would have poured hundredweights of sugar in front of the ass.
معنی نختم علی افواههم ** این شناس اینست ره‌رو را مهم
Know that this is the (inner) meaning of We seal their mouths: this (knowledge) is important for the traveller on the Way,
تا ز راه خاتم پیغامبران ** بوک بر خیزد ز لب ختم گران
That perchance, by (his following) the Way of the Seal of the prophets, the heavy seal may be lifted from his lips.
ختمهایی که انبیا بگذاشتند ** آن بدین احمدی برداشتند 165
The seals which the (former) prophets left were removed by the religion of Ahmad (Mohammed).
قفلهای ناگشاده مانده بود ** از کف انا فتحنا برگشود
The unopened locks had remained (as they were): they were opened by the hand of Lo, We have opened (unto thee).
او شفیع است این جهان و آن جهان ** این جهان زی دین و آنجا زی جنان
He is the intercessor in this world and in yonder world—in this world (for guidance) to the (true) religion, and yonder (for entrance) to Paradise.
این جهان گوید که تو رهشان نما ** وآن جهان گوید که تو مهشان نما
In this world he says, “Do Thou show unto them the Way,” and in yonder world he says, “Do Thou show unto them the Moon.”
پیشه‌اش اندر ظهور و در کمون ** اهد قومی انهم لا یعلمون
It was his custom in public and in private (to say), “Guide my people: verily they know not.”
باز گشته از دم او هر دو باب ** در دو عالم دعوت او مستجاب 170
By his breath (powerful intercession) both the Gates were opened: in both worlds his prayer is answered.
بهر این خاتم شدست او که به جود ** مثل او نه بود و نه خواهند بود
He has become the Seal (of the prophets) for this reason that there never was any one like him in munificence nor ever shall be.
چونک در صنعت برد استاد دست ** نه تو گویی ختم صنعت بر توست
When a master surpasses (all others) in his craft, don't you say (to him), “The craft is sealed on thee”?
در گشاد ختمها تو خاتمی ** در جهان روح‌بخشان حاتمی
In the opening of seals thou (O Mohammed) art the Seal: in the world of the givers of spiritual life thou art the Hátim.
هست اشارات محمدالمراد ** کل گشاد اندر گشاد اندر گشاد
The purport (is this, that) the indications (esoteric teachings) of Mohammed are wholly revelation within revelation within revelation.
صد هزاران آفرین بر جان او ** بر قدوم و دور فرزندان او 175
A hundred thousand blessings on his spirit and on the advent and cycle of his sons!
آن خلیفه‌زادگان مقبلش ** زاده‌اند از عنصر جان و دلش
Those fortunate Caliph-born sons of his are born of the substance of his soul and heart.
گر ز بغداد و هری یا از ری‌اند ** بی‌مزاج آب و گل نسل وی‌اند
Whether they be of Baghdád or Herát or Rayy, they are his progeny without admixture of water and earth.
شاخ گل هر جا که روید هم گلست ** خم مل هر جا که جوشد هم ملست
Wherever the rose-bough blossoms, ’tis still the (same) rose; wherever the wine-jar bubbles, ’tis still the (same) wine.
گر ز مغرب بر زند خورشید سر ** عین خورشیدست نه چیز دگر
If the sun uplift its head (rise) from the west, ’tis the same sun, not anything else.
عیب چینان را ازین دم کور دار ** هم بستاری خود ای کردگار 180
O Maker, by means of Thy veiling grace keep the fault-pickers blind to this (mystic) utterance.
گفت حق چشم خفاش بدخصال ** بسته‌ام من ز آفتاب بی‌مثال
God said (in answer to my prayer), “I have blindfolded the eyes of the evil-natured bat (so as to prevent it) from (seeing) the peerless Sun.
از نظرهای خفاش کم و کاست ** انجم آن شمس نیز اندر خفاست
From the glances of the infirm and feeble bat even the stars of that Sun are concealed.”
نکوهیدن ناموسهای پوسیده را کی مانع ذوق ایمان و دلیل ضعف صدق‌اند و راه‌زن صد هزار ابله چنانک راه‌زن آن مخنث شده بودند گوسفندان و نمی‌یارست گذشتن و پرسیدن مخنث از چوپان کی این گوسفندان تو مرا عجب گزند گفت ای مردی و در تو رگ مردی هست همه فدای تو اند و اگر مخنثی هر یکی ترا اژدرهاست مخنثی دیگر هست کی چون گوسفندان را بیند در حال از راه باز گردد نیارد پرسیدن ترسد کی اگر بپرسم گوسفندان در من افتند و مرا بگزند
In blame of the rotten (worthless) reputations which prevent spiritual experience of the Faith and point to insincerity and stand in the way of hundreds of thousands of fools; as (for example) the (flock of) sheep stood in the way of a certain effeminate person, and he durst not pass, so he asked the shepherd, “Will these sheep of yours bite me, I wonder?” “If you are a man,” he replied, “and the root of manhood is in you, they all are devoted to you; but if you are effeminate, each one of them is a dragon to (destroy) you.” There is another (kind of) effeminate person who, when he sees the sheep, immediately turns back and does not dare to ask (the shepherd); for he is afraid that, if he asks, the sheep will fall upon him and bite him.
ای ضیاء الحق حسام‌الدین بیا ** ای صقال روح و سلطان الهدی
Come, O Radiance of God, Husámu’ddín, O polisher of the spirit and sovereign of the Way to salvation,
مثنوی را مسرح مشروح ده ** صورت امثال او را روح ده
Give the Mathnawí a free and open course, endow the outward form of its parables with the spirit (of life),
تا حروفش جمله عقل و جان شوند ** سوی خلدستان جان پران شوند 185
That all its words may become reason and soul and may fly towards the soul's everlasting abode.
هم به سعی تو ز ارواح آمدند ** سوی دام حرف و مستحقن شدند
(’Twas) through thy efforts (that) they came from the (world of) spirits into the trap of words and were confined (there).
باد عمرت در جهان هم‌چون خضر ** جان‌فزا و دستگیر و مستمر
May thy life in the world be like (that of) Khadir, soul-increasing and help giving and perpetual!
چون خضر و الیاس مانی در جهان ** تا زمین گردد ز لطفت آسمان
Like Khadir and Ilyás, mayst thou remain in the world (for ever), that by thy grace earth may become heaven!
گفتمی از لطف تو جزوی ز صد ** گر نبودی طمطراق چشم بد
I would declare a hundredth part of thy grace, were it not for the vainglory of the evil eye;
لیک از چشم بد زهراب دم ** زخمهای روح‌فرسا خورده‌ام 190
But from the evil venomous eye I have suffered spirit-crushing strokes.
جز به رمز ذکر حال دیگران ** شرح حالت می‌نیارم در بیان
(Therefore) I will not give an eloquent description of thy state except allusively, by telling of the state of others.
این بهانه هم ز دستان دلیست ** که ازو پاهای دل اندر گلیست
(Really, however) this pretext too is one of the lures of the heart whereby the feet of the heart are (caught) in a mire.
صد دل و جان عاشق صانع شده ** چشم بد یا گوش بد مانع شده
Hundreds of hearts and souls are in love with the Maker, (but) the evil eye or the evil ear has hindered (them from seeking union with Him).
خود یکی بوطالب آن عم رسول ** می‌نمودش شنعه‌ی عربان مهول
One (of them), indeed, (is) Bú Tálib, the Prophet's uncle: to him the revilement of the Arabs seemed terrible,
که چه گویندم عرب کز طفل خود ** او بگردانید دیدن معتمد 195
For (he thought), “What will the Arabs say of me? (They will say), ‘At the bidding of his nephew he has changed the (traditional) custom on which we rely.’”