Rumi's Masnavi - Until the sun of the prophets rose and said, “Begone, O alloy! Come, O thou that art pure!”

Until the sun of the prophets rose and said, “Begone, O alloy! Come, O thou that art pure!”

تا بر آمد آفتاب انبیا ** گفت ای غش دور شو صافی بیا

The eye can distinguish colours, the eye knows ruby and (common) stone.

چشم داند فرق کردن رنگ را ** چشم داند لعل را و سنگ را

The eye knows the jewel and the rubbish; hence bits of rubbish sting the eye.

چشم داند گوهر و خاشاک را ** چشم را ز آن می‏خلد خاشاکها

These vile counterfeiters are enemies of day, those pieces of gold from the mine are lovers of day, 290

دشمن روزند این قلابکان ** عاشق روزند آن زرهای کان‏

Because day is the mirror that makes it (the fine gold) known, so that the ashrafí (the coin of sterling gold) may see (receive) its (day's) gift of honour.

ز آن که روز است آینه‏ی تعریف او ** تا ببیند اشرفی تشریف او

Hence God bestowed the title of “Day” on the Resurrection, (for) day displays the beauty of red and yellow.

حق قیامت را لقب ز آن روز کرد ** روز بنماید جمال سرخ و زرد

In reality, then, day is the inmost consciousness of the saints, (though) beside their moon day is (dim) as shadows.

پس حقیقت روز سر اولیاست ** روز پیش ماهشان چون سایه‏هاست‏

Know that day is the reflexion of the mystery (the illumined consciousness) of the man of God, while eye-sealing night is the reflexion of his occultation.

عکس راز مرد حق دانید روز ** عکس ستاریش شام چشم دوز

For that reason God said, By the morn: by the morn is (refers to) the light of the hidden mind of Mustafá (Mohammed). 295

ز آن سبب فرمود یزدان و الضحی ** و الضحی‏ نور ضمیر مصطفی‏

The other view, that the Beloved (God) meant this morn (in the literal sense), is (held) just for the reason that this too is the reflexion of him;

قول دیگر کین ضحی را خواست دوست ** هم برای آنکه این هم عکس اوست