نحلها بر کو و کندو و شجر ** می‌نهند از شهد انبار شکر
(Yet) in mountain and hive and tree the bees are depositing a sugar-store of honey.
زهرها هرچند زهری می‌کنند ** زود تریاقاتشان بر می‌کنند 35
However much the venoms show venomousness, the antidotes quickly root them out.
این جهان جنگست کل چون بنگری ** ذره با ذره چو دین با کافری
When you consider, this world is all at strife, mote with mote, as religion (is in conflict) with infidelity.
آن یکی ذره همی پرد به چپ ** وآن دگر سوی یمین اندر طلب
One mote is flying to the left, and another to the right in search.
ذره‌ای بالا و آن دیگر نگون ** جنگ فعلیشان ببین اندر رکون
One mote (flies) up and another down: in their inclination (movement) behold actual strife.
جنگ فعلی هست از جنگ نهان ** زین تخالف آن تخالف را بدان
The actual strife is the result of the hidden strife: know that that discord springs from this discord.
ذره‌ای کان محو شد در آفتاب ** جنگ او بیرون شد از وصف و حساب 40
The strife of the mote that has been effaced in the sun is beyond description and calculation.
چون ز ذره محو شد نفس و نفس ** جنگش اکنون جنگ خورشیدست بس
Since the (individual) soul and breath have been effaced from the mote, its strife now is only the strife of the sun,
رفت از وی جنبش طبع و سکون ** از چه از انا الیه راجعون
(Its) natural movement and rest have gone from it—by what (means)? By means of Verily unto Him we are returning.
ما به بحر تو ز خود راجع شدیم ** وز رضاع اصل مسترضع شدیم
We have returned from ourselves to Thy sea and have sucked from the source that suckled us.
در فروغ راه ای مانده ز غول ** لاف کم زن از اصول ای بی‌اصول
O thou who, on account of the ghoul, hast remained in the derivatives (unessentials) of the Way, do not boast of (possessing) the fundamental principles (thereof), O unprincipled man.
جنگ ما و صلح ما در نور عین ** نیست از ما هست بین اصبعین 45
Our war and our peace is in the light of the Essence: ’tis not from us, ’tis between the two fingers (of God).
جنگ طبعی جنگ فعلی جنگ قول ** در میان جزوها حربیست هول
War of nature, war of action, war of speech—there is a terrible conflict amongst the parts (of the universe).
این جهان زن جنگ قایم می‌بود ** در عناصر در نگر تا حل شود
This world is maintained by means of this war: consider the elements, in order that it (the difficulty) may be solved.
چار عنصر چار استون قویست ** که بدیشان سقف دنیا مستویست
The four elements are four strong pillars by which the roof of the present world is (kept) upright.
هر ستونی اشکننده‌ی آن دگر ** استن آب اشکننده‌ی آن شرر
Each pillar is a destroyer of the other: the pillar (known as) water is a destroyer of the flames (of fire).
پس بنای خلق بر اضداد بود ** لاجرم ما جنگییم از ضر و سود 50
Hence the edifice of creation is (based) upon contraries; consequently we are at war for weal and woe.
هست احوالم خلاف همدگر ** هر یکی با هم مخالف در اثر
My states (of mind and body) are mutually opposed: each one is mutually opposite in its effect.
چونک هر دم راه خود را می‌زنم ** با دگر کس سازگاری چون کنم
Since I am incessantly waylaying (struggling with) myself, how should I act in harmony with another?
موج لشکرهای احوالم ببین ** هر یکی با دیگری در جنگ و کین
Behold the surging armies of my “states,” each at war and strife with another.
می‌نگر در خود چنین جنگ گران ** پس چه مشغولی به جنگ دیگران
Contemplate the same grievous war in thyself: why, then, art thou engaged in warring with others?
یا مگر زین جنگ حقت وا خرد ** در جهان صلح یک رنگت برد 55
Or (is it because thou hast no means of escape) unless God shall redeem thee from this war and bring thee into the unicoloured world of peace?
آن جهان جز باقی و آباد نیست ** زانک آن ترکیب از اضداد نیست
That world is naught but everlasting and flourishing, because it is not composed of contraries.
این تفانی از ضد آید ضد را ** چون نباشد ضد نبود جز بقا
This reciprocal destruction is inflicted by (every) contrary on its contrary: when there is no contrary, there is naught but everlastingness.
نفی ضد کرد از بهشت آن بی‌نظیر ** که نباشد شمس و ضدش زمهریر
He (God) who hath no like banished contraries from Paradise, saying, “Neither sun nor its contrary, intense cold, shall be there.”
هست بی‌رنگی اصول رنگها ** صلحها باشد اصول جنگها
Colourlessness is the origin of colours, peaces are the origins of wars.
آن جهانست اصل این پرغم وثاق ** وصل باشد اصل هر هجر و فراق 60
That world is the origin of this dolorous abode, union is the origin of every parting and separation.
این مخالف از چه‌ایم ای خواجه ما ** واز چه زاید وحدت این اعداد را
Wherefore, sire, are we thus in opposition, and wherefore does unity give birth to these numbers?
زانک ما فرعیم و چار اضداد اصل ** خوی خود در فرع کرد ایجاد اصل
Because we are the branch and the four elements are the stock: in the branch the stock has brought its own nature into existence.
گوهر جان چون ورای فصلهاست ** خوی او این نیست خوی کبریاست
(But) since the substance, (which is) the spirit, is beyond ramifications, its nature is not this (plurality); it is the nature of (the Divine) Majesty.
جنگها بین کان اصول صلحهاست ** چون نبی که جنگ او بهر خداست
Perceive that wars which are the origins of peaces are like (the war of) the Prophet whose war is for God's sake.
غالبست و چیر در هر دو جهان ** شرح این غالب نگنجد در دهان 65
He is victorious and mighty in both worlds: the description of this victor is not contained in the mouth.
آب جیحون را اگر نتوان کشید ** هم ز قدر تشنگی نتوان برید
Still, if it is impossible to drain (drink) the Oxus, one cannot deny one's self as much (water) as will slake thirst.
گر شدی عطشان بحر معنوی ** فرجه‌ای کن در جزیره‌ی مثنوی
If you are thirsting for the spiritual Ocean, make a breach in the island of the Mathnawí.
فرجه کن چندانک اندر هر نفس ** مثنوی را معنوی بینی و بس
Make such a great breach that at every moment you will see the Mathnawi to be only spiritual.
باد که را ز آب جو چون وا کند ** آب یک‌رنگی خود پیدا کند
When the wind sweeps away the straw from the (surface of) the river-water, the water displays its unicolouredness.
شاخهای تازه‌ی مرجان ببین ** میوه‌های رسته ز آب جان ببین 70
Behold the fresh branches of coral, behold the fruits grown from the water of the spirit!
چون ز حرف و صوت و دم یکتا شود ** آن همه بگذارد و دریا شود
When it (the Mathnawí) is made single (and denuded) of words and sounds and breaths, it leaves all that (behind) and becomes the (spiritual) Ocean.
حرف‌گو و حرف‌نوش و حرفها ** هر سه جان گردند اندر انتها
The speaker of the word and the hearer of the word and the words (themselves)—all three become spirit in the end.
نان‌دهنده و نان‌ستان و نان‌پاک ** ساده گردند از صور گردند خاک
The bread-giver and the bread-receiver and the wholesome bread become single (denuded) of their forms and are turned into earth,
لیک معنیشان بود در سه مقام ** در مراتب هم ممیز هم مدام
But their reality, in the three (above-mentioned) categories, is both differentiated in (these) grades and permanent.
خاک شد صورت ولی معنی نشد ** هر که گوید شد تو گویش نه نشد 75
In appearance they have become earth, in reality they have not; if any one say that they have, say to him, “No, they have not.”
در جهان روح هر سه منتظر ** گه ز صورت هارب و گه مستقر
In the spiritual world all three are waiting (for the Divine command), sometimes fleeing from form and sometimes taking abode (in it).
امر آید در صور رو در رود ** باز هم از امرش مجرد می‌شود
(When) the (Divine) command comes—“Enter into forms”— they enter (into them); likewise at His command they become divested (of form).
پس له الخلق و له الامرش بدان ** خلق صورت امر جان راکب بر آن
Know, therefore, that (in the text) to Him belongs the creation and to Him the command “the creation” is the form and “the command” is the spirit riding upon it.
راکب و مرکوب در فرمان شاه ** جسم بر درگاه وجان در بارگاه
(Both) the rider and the ridden are under the authority of the King: the body is at the portal and the spirit in the audience-chamber.
چونک خواهد که آب آید در سبو ** شاه گوید جیش جان را که ارکبوا 80
When the King desires the water to come into the pitcher, He says to the spirit-army, “Ride!”
باز جانها را چو خواند در علو ** بانگ آید از نقیبان که انزلوا
Again, when He calls the spirit aloft, there comes from the overseers the cry, “Dismount!”
بعد ازین باریک خواهد شد سخن ** کم کن آتش هیزمش افزون مکن
The discourse, (if continued) after this (point), will become subtle: diminish the fire, do not put more faggots on it,
تا نجوشد دیگهای خرد زود ** دیگ ادراکات خردست و فرود
Lest the small pots boil (too) quickly: the pot of the perceptions is small and low.