Rumi's Masnavi - The eye of the narcissus became blind: He restored it; the throat of the reed was cut: He himself fostered it again (and revived it).

The eye of the narcissus became blind: He restored it; the throat of the reed was cut: He himself fostered it again (and revived it).

چشم نرگس کور شد بازش بساخت ** حلق نی ببرید و بازش خود نواخت‌‌

Since we are made (by God) and are not makers, we are not (entitled to be anything) but humble and content.

ما چو مصنوعیم و صانع نیستیم ** جز زبون و جز که قانع نیستیم‌‌

We all are of the flesh and busy with fleshliness: if Thou call us not (to Thyself), we all are Ahrimans (Devils).

ما همه نفسی و نفسی می‌‌زنیم ** گر نخوانی ما همه اهرمنیم‌‌

(If) we have been delivered from Ahriman, (it is only) because Thou hast redeemed our souls from blindness.

ز آن ز اهرمن رهیدستیم ما ** که خریدی جان ما را از عمی‌‌

Thou art the Guide of every one that hath life: what is the blind man without staff and guide? 3920

تو عصا کش هر که را که زندگی است ** بی‌‌عصا و بی‌‌عصا کش کور چیست‌‌

Excepting Thee (alone), whatsoever is sweet or unsweet is man-destroying and the essence of fire.

غیر تو هر چه خوش است و ناخوش است ** آدمی سوز است و عین آتش است‌‌

Any one to whom fire is a refuge and support becomes both a Magian and a Zoroaster.

هر که را آتش پناه و پشت شد ** هم مجوسی گشت و هم زردشت شد

Everything except Allah is vain: verily the grace of Allah is a cloud pouring abundantly and continually.

کل شی‌‌ء ما خلا الله باطل ** إن فضل الله غیم هاطل‌‌

Returning to the story of ‘Alí—may God honour his person!— and how generously he behaved to his murderer.

باز گشتن به حکایت امیر المؤمنین علی کرم الله وجهه و مسامحت کردن او با خونی خویش‌‌

Go back to ‘Alí and his murderer, and the kindness he showed to the murderer, and his superiority (moral and spiritual excellence).

باز رو سوی علی و خونی‌‌اش ** و آن کرم با خونی و افزونی‌‌اش‌‌

He said, “Day and night I see the enemy with my eyes, (but) I have no anger against him, 3925

گفت دشمن را همی بینم به چشم ** روز و شب بر وی ندارم هیچ خشم

Because death has become sweet as manna to me: my death has laid fast hold of resurrection.”

ز آنکه مرگم همچو من خوش آمده ست ** مرگ من در بعث چنگ اندر زده ست‌‌

The death of deathlessness is lawful to us, the provision of unprovidedness is a bounty to us.

مرگ بی‌‌مرگی بود ما را حلال ** برگ بی‌‌برگی بود ما را نوال‌‌

’Tis death outwardly but life inwardly: apparently ’tis a cutting-off (decease), in secret (in reality) ’tis permanence (life without end).

ظاهرش مرگ و به باطن زندگی ** ظاهرش ابتر نهان پایندگی‌‌

To the embryo in the womb birth is a going (to another state of existence): in the world it (the embryo) blossoms anew.

در رحم زادن جنین را رفتن است ** در جهان او را ز نو بشکفتن است‌‌

“Since I have intense love and longing for death, the prohibition do not cast yourselves (into destruction) is (meant) for me, 3930

چون مرا سوی اجل عشق و هواست ** نهی لا تلقوا بأيدیکم مراست‌‌

Because (only) the sweet berry is prohibited; (for) how should it become necessary to prohibit the sour one?

ز آنکه نهی از دانه‌‌ی شیرین بود ** تلخ را خود نهی حاجت کی شود

The berry that has a sour kernel and rind—its very sourness and disagreeableness are (serve as) a prohibition of it.

دانه‌‌ای که تلخ باشد مغز و پوست ** تلخی و مکروهی‌‌اش خود نهی اوست‌‌

To me the berry of dying has become sweet: (the text) nay, they are living has come (from God) on my account.

دانه‌‌ی مردن مرا شیرین شده ست ** بل هم احیاء پی من آمده ست‌‌

Slay me, my trusty friends, slay me, vile as I am: verily, in my being slain is my life for evermore.

اقتلونی یا ثقاتی لائما ** إن فی قتلی حیاتی دایما

Verily, in my death is my life, O youth—how long shall I be parted from my home? Until when? 3935

إن فی موتی حیاتی یا فتی ** کم أفارق موطنی حتی متی‌‌

If there were not in my staying (in this world) my separation (from God), He would not have said, ‘Verily, we are returning to Him.’”

فرقتی لو لم تکن فی ذا السکون ** لم یقل إنا إليه راجعون‌‌

The returning one is he that comes back to his (native) city, and (fleeing) from the separation (plurality) of Time approaches the Unity.

راجع آن باشد که باز آید به شهر ** سوی وحدت آید از تفریق دهر

How the stirrup-holder of ‘Alí, may God honour his person, came (to him), saying, “For God's sake, kill me and deliver me from this doom.”

افتادن رکابدار هر باری پیش علی کرم الله وجهه که ای امیر المؤمنین از بهر خدا مرا بکش و از این قضا برهان‌‌

“He came back, saying, ‘O‘ Alí, kill me quickly, that I may not see that bitter moment and hour.

باز آمد کای علی زودم بکش ** تا نبینم آن دم و وقت ترش‌‌

Shed my blood, I make it lawful to thee, so that my eye may not behold that resurrection’.

من حلالت می‌‌کنم خونم بریز ** تا نبیند چشم من آن رستخیز

I said, ‘If every atom should become a murderer and, dagger in hand, go to attack thee, 3940

گفتم ار هر ذره‌‌ای خونی شود ** خنجر اندر کف به قصد تو رود