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.
پاک سبحانی که سیبستان کند ** در غمام حرفشان پنهان کنند
The Holy Transcendent One who makes the apple-orchard conceals them (the apples) in a mist of words.
زین غمام بانگ و حرف و گفت و گوی ** پرده‌ای کز سیب ناید غیر بوی 85
From this mist of sound and words and talk (arises such) a screen that naught of the apple comes (into perception) save the scent.
باری افزون کش تو این بو را به هوش ** تا سوی اصلت برد بگرفته گوش
At least draw (inhale) this scent in greater quantity with (the nostrils of) your intelligence, that taking you by the ear it may lead you towards your origin.
بو نگه‌دار و بپرهیز از زکام ** تن بپوش از باد و بود سرد عام
Preserve the scent and beware of the rheum: protect your body from the cold wind (breath) and being of the vulgar,
تا نینداید مشامت را ز اثر ** ای هواشان از زمستان سردتر
Lest by the effect (thereof) it stop up your nose: oh, their air is colder than winter.
چون جمادند و فسرده و تن‌شگرف ** می‌جهد انفاسشان از تل برف
They are like lifeless matter and frozen and stout of body: their breaths issue from a snow-hill.
چون زمین زین برف در پوشد کفن ** تیغ خورشید حسام‌الدین بزن 90
When the earth (of your being) is covered with a shroud of this snow, brandish the sunbeam-sword of Husámu’ddín.
هین بر آر از شرق سیف‌الله را ** گرم کن زان شرق این درگاه را
Hark, lift up the sword of Allah from the east: with (the radiance of) that east make this portal hot.
برف را خنجر زند آن آفتاب ** سیلها ریزد ز کهها بر تراب
That Sun smites the snow with a dagger: it causes the torrents to pour from the mountains upon the (frozen) earth,
زانک لا شرقیست و لا غربیست او ** با منجم روز و شب حربیست او
For it is neither of the east nor of the west: by day and by night it is at war with the astronomer,
که چرا جز من نجوم بی‌هدی ** قبله کردی از لیمی و عمی
Saying, “Why in thy baseness and blindness hast thou made a qibla other than me of stars that give no true guidance?
تا خوشت ناید مقال آن امین ** در نبی که لا احب الا فلین 95
Displeasing to thee are the words of that trusty one in the Qur’án—‘I love not them that set.’
از قزح در پیش مه بستی کمر ** زان همی رنجی ز وانشق القمر
(Prompted) by Quzah, thou hast girt thyself (for service) before the moon: hence thou art vexed by (the sign announced in the Verse) and the moon shall be split asunder.
منکری این را که شمس کورت ** شمس پیش تست اعلی‌مرتبت
Thou disbelievest that the sun shall be folded up: in thy opinion the sun is of the highest degree.
از ستاره دیده تصریف هوا ** ناخوشت آید اذا النجم هوی
Thou deemest change of weather to be caused by the stars: thou art displeased with (the text) when the star shall fall.
خود مثرتر نباشد مه ز نان ** ای بسا نان که ببرد عرق جان
Verily, the moon produces no greater effect than bread: O many a loaf of bread that severs the vein of life!
خود مثرتر نباشد زهره زآب ** ای بسا آبا که کرد او تن خراب 100
Verily, (the planet) Venus produces no greater effect than water: O many a water that has destroyed the body!
مهر آن در جان تست و پند دوست ** می‌زند بر گوش تو بیرون پوست
Love of those (stars) is (implanted) in thy soul, and the advice of thy friend strikes (only) on the outer skin of thy ear.
پند ما در تو نگیرد ای فلان ** پند تو در ما نگیرد هم بدان
(If) our advice takes no hold of thee, O great man, know that neither does thy advice take any hold of us.
جز مگر مفتاح خاص آید ز دوست ** که مقالید السموات آن اوست
(Thy ears are closed) unless, perchance, the special (sovereign) key (to open them) come from the Friend to whom belong the keys of the heavens.”
این سخن هم‌چون ستاره‌ست و قمر ** لیک بی‌فرمان حق ندهد اثر
This discourse is like the stars and the moon (in splendour), but without the command of God it makes no impression.
این ستاره‌ی بی‌جهت تاثیر او ** می‌زند بر گوشهای وحی‌جو 105
The impression made by this star (which is) beyond locality strikes (only) on ears that seek inspiration,
کی بیایید از جهت تا بی‌جهات ** تا ندراند شما را گرگ مات
Saying, “Come ye from (the world of) locality to the world without spatial relations, in order that the wolf may not tear you to pieces in checkmate (utter discomfiture).”
آنچنان که لمعه‌ی درپاش اوست ** شمس دنیا در صفت خفاش اوست
Since its pearl-scattering radiance is such (as has been mentioned), the sun of the present world may be described as its bat.
هفت چرخ ازرقی در رق اوست ** پیک ماه اندر تب و در دق اوست
The seven blue (celestial) spheres are in servitude to it; the courier moon is fevered and wasted away by it.
زهره چنگ مسله در وی زده ** مشتری با نقد جان پیش آمده
Venus lays her hand upon it to beseech (its favour); Jupiter comes forward to offer to it the ready money of his soul.
در هوای دستبوس او زحل ** لیک خود را می‌نبیند از محل 110
Saturn is eager to kiss its hand, but he does not regard himself as worthy of that honour.
دست و پا مریخ چندین خست ازو ** وآن عطارد صد قلم بشکست ازو
On account of it, Mars has inflicted so many wounds on his hands and feet; and on account of it Mercury has broken a hundred pens.
با منجم این همه انجم به جنگ ** کای رها کرده تو جان بگزیده رنگ
All these stars (planets) are at war with the astronomer, saying, “O thou who hast let the spirit go and hast preferred colour (vanity),
جان ویست و ما همه رنگ و رقوم ** کوکب هر فکر او جان نجوم
It is the spirit, and we all are (mere) colour and designs: the star (spark) of every thought in it is the soul of the (material) stars.”
فکر کو آنجا همه نورست پاک ** بهر تست این لفظ فکر ای فکرناک
Where is thought (in relation to it)? There all is pure light: this word “thought” is (used only) for thy sake, O thinker.
هر ستاره خانه دارد در علا ** هیچ خانه در نگنجد نجم ما 115
Every (material) star hath its house on high: our star is not contained in any house.
جای سوز اندر مکان کی در رود ** نور نامحدود را حد کی بود
How should that which burns (transcends) place (spatial relations) enter into space? How should there be a limit for the illimitable light?