آدمی اندر بلا کشته بهست ** نفس کافر نعمتست و گمرهست
’Tis best for a man to be killed (mortified) in tribulation: the carnal soul is an ingrate and one that has gone astray.
خطاب حق تعالی به عزرائیل علیه‌السلام کی ترا رحم بر کی بیشتر آمد ازین خلایق کی جانشان قبض کردی و جواب دادن عزرائیل حضرت را
How God addressed Azrael, saying, “Of all these creatures whose souls thou hast seized, whom didst thou pity most?” and the answer given by Azrael to the Lord.
حق به عزرائیل می‌گفت ای نقیب ** بر کی رحم آمد ترا از هر کیب
God was saying to Azrael, “O marshal, whom of all the miserable ones didst thou pity (most)?”
گفت بر جمله دلم سوزد به درد ** لیک ترسم امر را اهمال کرد
He replied, “My heart burns with grief for them all, but I am afraid to neglect the (Divine) command,
تا بگویم کاشکی یزدان مرا ** در عوض قربان کند بهر فتی
So that I should say, ‘Would that God might sacrifice me in exchange for the (generous) youth!’”
گفت بر کی بیشتر رحم آمدت ** از کی دل پر سوز و بریان‌تر شدت 4800
God asked, “For whom didst thou feel the greatest pity? On account of whom was thy heart most filled with flame and grilled?”
گفت روزی کشتیی بر موج تیز ** من شکستم ز امر تا شد ریز ریز
“One day,” said he, “by (Thy) command I wrecked a ship on the fierce waves, so that it went to pieces.
پس بگفتی قبض کن جان همه ** جز زنی و غیر طفلی زان رمه
Then Thou bad’st me take the souls of them all, except one woman and one child belonging to that company.
هر دو بر یک تخته‌ای در ماندند ** تخته را آن موج‌ها می‌راندند
The twain were left on a plank, and the plank was being driven on by the waves.
باز گفتی جان مادر قبض کن ** طفل را بگذار تنها ز امر کن
Then Thou saidst, ‘Take the mother's soul and leave the child alone in obedience to the command Be!’
چون ز مادر بسکلیدم طفل را ** خود تو می‌دانی چه تلخ آمد مرا 4805
When I parted the child from its mother, Thou thyself knowest how bitter ’twas to me.
بس بدیدم دود ماتم‌های زفت ** تلخی آن طفل از فکرم نرفت
Often have I seen sighs (heaved) in great mournings, (but) the bitter grief of that child has never gone from my recollection.”
گفت حق آن طفل را از فضل خویش ** موج را گفتم فکن در بیشه‌ایش
God said, “Of My grace I bade the waves cast that child into a forest—
بیشه‌ای پر سوسن و ریحان و گل ** پر درخت میوه‌دار خوش‌اکل
A forest abounding in lilies and sweet basils and roses, full of trees laden with fruit good to eat,
چشمه‌های آب شیرین زلال ** پروریدم طفل را با صد دلال
And fountains of sweet limpid water. I fostered the child with a hundred endearments.
صد هزاران مرغ مطرب خوش‌صدا ** اندر آن روضه فکنده صد نوا 4810
Myriads of melodious singing-birds poured forth a hundred songs in that garden.
پسترش کردم ز برگ نسترن ** کرده او را آمن از صدمه‌ی فتن
I made for him a couch of wild-rose leaves; I made him secure from the shock of afflictions.
گفته من خورشید را کو را مگز ** باد را گفته برو آهسته وز
I told the sun not to scorch him; I told the wind to blow on him gently;
ابر را گفته برو باران مریز ** برق را گفته برو مگرای تیز
I told the clouds not to rain upon him; I told the lightning not to dart at him.
زین چمن ای دی مبران اعتدال ** پنجه ای بهمن برین روضه ممال
I said, ‘O December, do not cut off the mild weather from this orchard; O November, do not let thy fist fall on this garden.’”
کرامات شیخ شیبان راعی قدس الله روحه العزیز
The miracles of Shaybán Rá‘í, may God sanctify his venerable spirit!
هم‌چو آن شیبان که از گرگ عنید ** وقت جمعه بر رعا خط می‌کشید 4815
Just as Shaybán Rá‘í (the shepherd), because of the froward wolf, used to draw a line round his flock at the hour of the Friday prayers,
تا برون ناید از آن خط گوسفند ** نه در آید گرگ و دزد با گزند
In order that no sheep should go beyond that line, and that no wolf or mischievous robber should come inside.
بر مثال دایره‌ی تعویذ هود ** که اندر آن صرصر امان آل بود
’Twas on the model of Húd's circle of refuge, in which his followers were safe from the sarsar wind.
(Húd said to them), “Stay quietly within this line for eight days and view the terrible mutilation (which is being inflicted) outside.”
بر هوا بردی فکندی بر حجر ** تا دریدی لحم و عظم از هم‌دگر
It (the wind) lifted (the unbelievers) into the air and flung them on the stones, so that flesh and bone were torn asunder.
یک گره را بر هوا درهم زدی ** تا چو خشخاش استخوان ریزان شدی 4820
One party it hurled against each other in the air, so that their bones crumbled like poppy-seed.
آن سیاست را که لرزید آسمان ** مثنوی اندر نگنجد شرح آن
There is no room in the Mathnawí to describe fully that chastisement whereat Heaven trembled.
گر به طبع این می‌کنی ای باد سرد ** گرد خط و دایره‌ی آن هود گرد
If, O icy wind, thou art doing this by (thine own) nature, (then) try to invade the line and circle drawn by Húd!
ای طبیعی فوق طبع این ملک بین ** یا بیا و محو کن از مصحف این
O natural philosopher, perceive that this kingdom (of God) is above Nature, or else come and (if thou canst) wipe out this (narrative) from the Holy Book!
مقریان را منع کن بندی بنه ** یا معلم را به مال و سهم ده
Prohibit those who recite the Qur’án (professionally) and impose a ban (upon them), or punish the teacher and put terror into him!
عاجزی و خیره کن عجز از کجاست ** عجز تو تابی از آن روز جزاست 4825
Thou art helpless and unable to understand the cause of this helplessness: thy helplessness is a reflexion (foretaste) of the Day of Retribution.
عجزها داری تو در پیش ای لجوج ** وقت شد پنهانیان را نک خروج
O perverse man, thou hast many a helpless plight before thee: (when) the hour comes, lo, the hide-aways will emerge!
خرم آن کین عجز و حیرت قوت اوست ** در دو عالم خفته اندر ظل دوست
Happy is he whose (spiritual) food is this helplessness and bewilderment and who in both worlds is sleeping in the shadow (protection) of the Beloved.
هم در آخر عجز خود را او بدید ** مرده شد دین عجایز را گزید
He (such an one) is conscious of being helpless both in the stable (of the present life) and in the last (future) state: he is dead (to self), he has adopted “the old women's religion.”
چون زلیخا یوسفش بر وی بتافت ** از عجوزی در جوانی راه یافت
(He is) like Zalíkhá, (who), when Joseph beamed upon her, found the way from decrepitude to youth.
زندگی در مردن و در محنتست ** آب حیوان در درون ظلمتست 4830
Life depends on dying (to self) and on suffering tribulation: the Water of Life is in the (Land of) Darkness.
رجوع کردن به قصه‌ی پروردن حق تعالی نمرود را بی‌واسطه‌ی مادر و دایه در طفلی
Resuming the Story of the most High God's bringing up Nimrod in his childhood without the intervention of mother and nurse.
حاصل آن روضه چو باغ عارفان ** از سموم صرصر آمد در امان
“In short, that garden, like the (spiritual) orchard of gnostics, was secure from the simoom and the sarsar wind.
یک پلنگی طفلکان نو زاده بود ** گفتم او را شیر ده طاعت نمود
A leopardess (there) had newly given birth to cubs: I bade her give milk to him (Nimrod), and she obeyed.
پس بدادش شیر و خدمتهاش کرد ** تا که بالغ گشت و زفت و شیرمرد
So she gave him milk and tended him till he grew up and became strong and valiant.
چون فطامش شد بگفتم با پری ** تا در آموزید نطق و داوری
When he was weaned, I told the peris (Jinn) to teach him how to discourse and deal justice.
پرورش دادم مر او را زان چمن ** کی بگفت اندر بگنجد فن من 4835
I gave him nourishment from that garden: how should (the description of) My artfulness be contained in words.
داده من ایوب را مهر پدر ** بهر مهمانی کرمان بی‌ضرر
I bestowed on Job a father's love in order that he might entertain the worms hospitably and do them no harm.
داده کرمان را برو مهر ولد ** بر پدر من اینت قدرت اینت ید
I bestowed on the worms love for him like that of children for their father. Look, here is (a token of My) Power, here is (a token of My) Hand!
مادران را داب من آموختم ** چون بود لطفی که من افروختم
I have taught mothers to care (for their children): how (infinite) must be the kindness that I have kindled!
صد عنایت کردم و صد رابطه ** تا ببیند لطف من بی‌واسطه
(Unto him) I showed a hundred favours and (knit) a hundred ties (of obligation), that he might experience My kindness directly,
تا نباشد از سبب در کش‌مکش ** تا بود هر استعانت از منش 4840
And not be distracted by any secondary cause, to the end that every call for help should be made by him to Me,
ورنه تا خود هیچ عذری نبودش ** شکوتی نبود ز هر یار بدش
Or at least that he should have no excuse (for turning elsewhere) and no occasion to complain of any evil companion.
این حضانه دید با صد رابطه ** که بپروردم ورا بی‌واسطه
He enjoyed this tender care (cemented) by a hundred ties, for I fostered him (Myself) without an intermediary.
شکر او آن بود ای بنده‌ی جلیل ** که شد او نمرود و سوزنده‌ی خلیل
His thanks, O honoured servant, were this, that he became Nimrod and the burner of Khalíl (Abraham)”—
هم‌چنان کین شاه‌زاده شکر شاه ** کرد استکبار و استکثار جاه
Just as this prince, in return for the favours of the King, showed arrogance and sought to aggrandise himself,
که چرا من تابع غیری شوم ** چونک صاحب ملک و اقبال نوم 4845
Saying, “Why should I become the follower of another when I possess empire and new (splendid) fortune?”