- Still, if it is impossible to drain (drink) the Oxus, one cannot deny one's self as much (water) as will slake thirst.
- آب جیحون را اگر نتوان کشید ** هم ز قدر تشنگی نتوان برید
- If you are thirsting for the spiritual Ocean, make a breach in the island of the Mathnawí.
- گر شدی عطشان بحر معنوی ** فرجه‌ای کن در جزیره‌ی مثنوی
- Make such a great breach that at every moment you will see the Mathnawi to be only spiritual.
- فرجه کن چندانک اندر هر نفس ** مثنوی را معنوی بینی و بس
- When the wind sweeps away the straw from the (surface of) the river-water, the water displays its unicolouredness.
- باد که را ز آب جو چون وا کند ** آب یک‌رنگی خود پیدا کند
- Behold the fresh branches of coral, behold the fruits grown from the water of the spirit! 70
- شاخهای تازه‌ی مرجان ببین ** میوه‌های رسته ز آب جان ببین
- 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.
- چون ز حرف و صوت و دم یکتا شود ** آن همه بگذارد و دریا شود
- The speaker of the word and the hearer of the word and the words (themselves)—all three become spirit in the end.
- حرف‌گو و حرف‌نوش و حرفها ** هر سه جان گردند اندر انتها
- The bread-giver and the bread-receiver and the wholesome bread become single (denuded) of their forms and are turned into earth,
- نان‌دهنده و نان‌ستان و نان‌پاک ** ساده گردند از صور گردند خاک
- But their reality, in the three (above-mentioned) categories, is both differentiated in (these) grades and permanent.
- لیک معنیشان بود در سه مقام ** در مراتب هم ممیز هم مدام
- 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.” 75
- خاک شد صورت ولی معنی نشد ** هر که گوید شد تو گویش نه نشد