Rumi's Masnavi - How should folk praise (any one) except Him who (alone) has the right (to be praised)?—but they go astray on (the ground of) a vain fancy.

How should folk praise (any one) except Him who (alone) has the right (to be praised)?—but they go astray on (the ground of) a vain fancy.

مدحها جز مستحق را کی کنند ** لیک بر پنداشت گم‌ره می‌شوند

The Light of God in relation to phenomena is as a light shining upon a wall—the wall is a link (focus) for these splendours:

همچو نوری تافته بر حایطی ** حایط آن انوار را چون رابطی

Necessarily, when the reflexion moved towards its source, he who had gone astray lost the moon and ceased from praise;

لاجرم چون سایه سوی اصل راند ** ضال مه گم کرد و ز استایش بماند

Or (again) a reflexion of the moon appeared from a well, and he (the misguided one) put his head into the well and was praising that same (reflexion):

یا ز چاهی عکس ماهی وا نمود ** سر بچه در کرد و آن را می‌ستود

In truth he is a praiser of the moon, although his ignorance has turned its face towards its (the moon's) reflexion. 2130

در حقیقت مادح ماهست او ** گرچه جهل او بعکسش کرد رو

His praise belongs to the moon, not to that reflexion, (but) that (praise) becomes infidelity when the matter is misapprehended;

مدح او مه‌راست نه آن عکس را ** کفر شد آن چون غلط شد ماجرا

For that bold man was led astray by (his) perdition: the moon was above, while he fancied it was below.

کز شقاوت گشت گم‌ره آن دلیر ** مه به بالا بود و او پنداشت زیر

The people are distracted by these idols (objects of desire), and (afterwards) they repent of the lust which they have indulged,

زین بتان خلقان پریشان می‌شوند ** شهوت رانده پشیمان می‌شوند

Because he (such a one) has indulged his lust with a phantom and has remained farther away from the Reality (than he was before).

زآنک شهوت با خیالی رانده است ** وز حقیقت دورتر وا مانده است

Your desire for a phantom is like a wing, so that by means of that wing he (the seeker) may ascend to the Reality. 2135

با خیالی میل تو چون پر بود ** تا بدان پر بر حقیقت بر شود