Rumi's Masnavi - (For him) of whom He (God) said, ‘Verily, I was sick and thou didst not visit Me,’ (that is), ‘I became ill, not he (the sick man) alone’;

(For him) of whom He (God) said, ‘Verily, I was sick and thou didst not visit Me,’ (that is), ‘I became ill, not he (the sick man) alone’;

آن که گفت انی مرضت لم تعد ** من شدم رنجور او تنها نشد

(For him) who has become seeing by Me and hearing by Me— this (talk of yours) is foolish nonsense even in regard to that servant.

آن که بی‏یسمع و بی‏یبصر شده ست ** در حق آن بنده این هم بی‏هده ست‏

To speak irreverently to one chosen of God causes the heart (spirit) to perish and keeps the page (record) black. 1740

بی‏ادب گفتن سخن با خاص حق ** دل بمیراند سیه دارد ورق‏

If you should call a man ‘Fátima’—though men and women are all of one kind—

گر تو مردی را بخوانی فاطمه ** گر چه یک جنسند مرد و زن همه‏

He will seek to murder you, so far as it is possible (for him), albeit he is good-natured and forbearing and quiet.

قصد خون تو کند تا ممکن است ** گر چه خوش خو و حلیم و ساکن است‏

(The name) Fátima is (a term of) praise in regard to women, (but) if you address it to a man, ’tis (like) the blow of a spearhead.

فاطمه مدح است در حق زنان ** مرد را گویی بود زخم سنان‏

Hand and foot are (terms of) praise in relation to us; in relation to the holiness of God they are pollution.

دست و پا در حق ما استایش است ** در حق پاکی حق آلایش است‏

(The words) He begat not, He was not begotten are appropriate to Him: He is the Creator of begetter and begotten. 1745

لم یلد لم یولد او را لایق است ** والد و مولود را او خالق است‏

Birth is the attribute of everything that is (a) body: whatever is born is on this side of the river,

هر چه جسم آمد ولادت وصف اوست ** هر چه مولود است او زین سوی جوست‏

Because it is of (the world of) becoming and decay and (is) contemptible: it is originated and certainly requires an Originator.”

ز انکه از کون و فساد است و مهین ** حادث است و محدثی خواهد یقین‏

He (the shepherd) said, “O Moses, thou hast closed my mouth and thou hast burned my soul with repentance.”

گفت ای موسی دهانم دوختی ** و ز پشیمانی تو جانم سوختی‏

He rent his garment and heaved a sigh, and hastily turned his head towards a desert and went (his way).

جامه را بدرید و آهی کرد تفت ** سر نهاد اندر بیابانی و رفت‏

How the high God rebuked Moses, on whom be peace, on account of the shepherd.

عتاب کردن حق تعالی با موسی علیه السلام از بهر آن شبان‏

A revelation came to Moses from God—“Thou hast parted My servant from Me. 1750

وحی آمد سوی موسی از خدا ** بنده‏ی ما را ز ما کردی جدا

Didst thou come (as a prophet) to unite, or didst thou come to sever?

تو برای وصل کردن آمدی ** نی برای فصل کردن آمدی‏

So far as thou canst, do not set foot in separation: of (all) things the most hateful to Me is divorce.

تا توانی پا منه اندر فراق ** أبغض الأشیاء عندی الطلاق‏

I have bestowed on every one a (special) way of acting: I have given to every one a (peculiar) form of expression.

هر کسی را سیرتی بنهاده‏ام ** هر کسی را اصطلاحی داده‏ام‏

In regard to him it is (worthy of) praise, and in regard to thee it is (worthy of) blame: in regard to him honey, and in regard to thee poison.

در حق او مدح و در حق تو ذم ** در حق او شهد و در حق تو سم‏

I am independent of all purity and impurity, of all slothfulness and alacrity (in worshipping Me). 1755

ما بری از پاک و ناپاکی همه ** از گران جانی و چالاکی همه‏

I did not ordain (Divine worship) that I might make any profit; nay, but that I might do a kindness to (My) servants.

من نکردم امر تا سودی کنم ** بلکه تا بر بندگان جودی کنم‏

In the Hindoos the idiom of Hind (India) is praiseworthy; in the Sindians the idiom of Sind is praiseworthy.

هندوان را اصطلاح هند مدح ** سندیان را اصطلاح سند مدح‏

I am not sanctified by their glorification (of Me); ’tis they that become sanctified and pearl-scattering (pure and radiant).

من نگردم پاک از تسبیحشان ** پاک هم ایشان شوند و در فشان‏

I look not at the tongue and the speech; I look at the spirit and the state (of feeling).

ما زبان را ننگریم و قال را ** ما روان را بنگریم و حال را

I gaze into the heart (to see) whether it be lowly, though the words uttered be not lowly, 1760

ناظر قلبیم اگر خاشع بود ** گر چه گفت لفظ ناخاضع رود

Because the heart is the substance, speech (only) the accident; so the accident is subservient, the substance is the (real) object.

ز انکه دل جوهر بود گفتن عرض ** پس طفیل آمد عرض جوهر غرض‏

How much (more) of these phrases and conceptions and metaphors? I want burning, burning: become friendly with that burning!

چند ازین الفاظ و اضمار و مجاز ** سوز خواهم سوز با آن سوز ساز