Rumi's Masnavi - Do thou pity any one in the world who has become envious of the fortunate Sun.

Do thou pity any one in the world who has become envious of the fortunate Sun.

تو ببخشا بر کسی کاندر جهان ** شد حسود آفتاب کامران

Can he ever mask it (the Sun) from (men's) eyes and (prevent it) from giving freshness to things rotten?

تو اندش پوشید هیچ از دیده‌ها ** وز طراوت دادن پوسیده‌ها

Or can they diminish its infinite light or rise in resistance to its power?

یا ز نور بی‌حدش توانند کاست ** یا به دفع جاه او توانند خاست

Whosoever is envious of (him who is) the World—verily, that envy is everlasting death.

هر کسی کو حاسد کیهان بود ** آن حسد خود مرگ جاویدان بود

Thy dignity hath transcended intellectual apprehension: in describing thee the intellect has become an idle fool. 15

قدر تو بگذشت از درک عقول ** عقل اندر شرح تو شد بوالفضول

(Yet), although this intellect is too weak to declare (what thou art), one must weakly make a movement (attempt) in that (direction).

گر چه عاجز آمد این عقل از بیان ** عاجزانه جنبشی باید در آن

Know that when the whole of a thing is unattainable the whole of it is not (therefore to be) relinquished.

ان شیا کله لا یدرک ** اعلموا ان کله لا یترک

If you cannot drink (all) the flood-rain of the clouds, (yet) how can you give up water-drinking?

گر نتانی خورد طوفان سحاب ** کی توان کردن بترک خورد آب

If thou wilt not communicate the mystery, (at least) refresh (our) apprehensions with the husk thereof.

راز را گر می‌نیاری در میان ** درکها را تازه کن از قشر آن

(My) spoken words are (only) a husk in relation to thee, but they are a good kernel for other understandings. 20

نطقها نسبت به تو قشرست لیک ** پیش دیگر فهمها مغزست نیک