- O brother, what is the expedient for (loosing) this knot?” He (the Israelite) said, “(Only) he that is God-fearing drinks this (water).” 3445
- ای برادر این گره را چاره چیست ** گفت این را او خورد کو متقیست
- The God-fearing man is he that has become quit of (has renounced) the way of Pharaoh and has become like unto Moses.
- متقی آنست کو بیزار شد ** از ره فرعون و موسی‌وار شد
- Become (as) the people of Moses and drink this water; make peace with the Moon and behold the moonbeams.
- قوم موسی شو بخور این آب را ** صلح کن با مه ببین مهتاب را
- There are a hundred thousand darknesses in thine eye (which arise) from thy wrath against the servants of God.
- صدهزاران ظلمتست از خشم تو ** بر عبادالله اندر چشم تو
- Extinguish wrath, open the (spiritual) eye, rejoice, take a lesson from (true) friends, become a teacher (of the Truth).
- خشم بنشان چشم بگشا شاد شو ** عبرت از یاران بگیر استاد شو
- How wilt thou become my parasite (follower) in scooping up (the water) when thou hast an unbelief (as great) as Mount Qáf? 3450
- کی طفیل من شوی در اغتراف ** چون ترا کفریست هم‌چون کوه قاف
- How should a mountain go into the cavity (eye) of a needle, unless indeed it become a single thread?
- کوه در سوراخ سوزن کی رود ** جز مگر که آن رشته‌ی یکتا شود
- By asking forgiveness (of God) make the mountain (like) a straw, and (then) take joyously the cup of the forgiven and drain (it) joyously!
- کوه را که کن به استغفار و خوش ** جام مغفوران بگیر و خوش بکش
- Inasmuch as God hath made it unlawful to the unbelievers, how wilt thou drink of it (whilst thou art endued) with this imposture?
- تو بدین تزویر چون نوشی از آن ** چون حرامش کرد حق بر کافران
- How should the Creator of imposture buy (accept) thy imposture, O fabricator of fiction?
- خالق تزویر تزویر ترا ** کی خرد ای مفتری مفترا
- Become (like) the kinsfolk of Moses, for deceit is useless: thy deceit is (like) measuring the empty wind. 3455
- آل موسی شو که حیلت سود نیست ** حیله‌ات باد تهی پیمودنیست
- Will the water dare to turn aside from the command of the Lord and bestow refreshment on the unbelievers?
- زهره دارد آب کز امر صمد ** گردد او با کافران آبی کند
- Or dost thou suppose that thou art eating bread? Thou art eating snake-venom and (that which causes) wasting away of the spirit.
- یا تو پنداری که تو نان می‌خوری ** زهر مار و کاهش جان می‌خوری
- How should bread restore to health the spirit that averts its heart from the command of the Beloved Spirit?
- نان کجا اصلاح آن جانی کند ** کو دل از فرمان جانان بر کند
- Or dost thou suppose that when thou readest the words of the Mathnawí thou hearest them gratis (without giving aught in return)?
- یا تو پنداری که حرف مثنوی ** چون بخوانی رایگانش بشنوی
- Or that the discourse of wisdom and the hidden mystery comes easily into thy ear and mouth? 3460
- یا کلام حکمت و سر نهان ** اندر آید زغبه در گوش و دهان
- It comes in, but, like fables, it shows (only) the husk, not the kernel of the berries,
- اندر آید لیک چون افسانه‌ها ** پوست بنماید نه مغز دانه‌ها
- (As) a sweetheart who has drawn a veil over her head and face and has hidden her face from thine eye.
- در سر و رو در کشیده چادری ** رو نهان کرده ز چشمت دلبری
- By reason of contumacy the Sháhnáma or Kalíla seems to thee just like the Qur’án.
- شاه‌نامه یا کلیله پیش تو ** هم‌چنان باشد که قرآن از عتو
- The difference between truth and falsehood is (visible) at the moment when the collyrium of (Divine) favour opens the eye;
- فرق آنگه باشد از حق و مجاز ** که کند کحل عنایت چشم باز
- Otherwise, dung and musk are both the same to one whose nose is obstructed (by disease), since (in him) there is no sense of smell. 3465
- ورنه پشک و مشک پیش اخشمی ** هر دو یکسانست چون نبود شمی
- His aim is to divert himself from ennui (by reading such books), and neglect the Word of the Almighty,
- خویشتن مشغول کردن از ملال ** باشدش قصد از کلام ذوالجلال
- That by means of that (entertaining) discourse he may quench the fire of distress and anxiety and provide a cure (for his malady).
- کاتش وسواس را و غصه را ** زان سخن بنشاند و سازد دوا
- For the purpose of quenching this amount of fire, pure water and urine are alike in skill (are equally serviceable).
- بهر این مقدار آتش شاندن ** آب پاک و بول یکسان شدن به فن
- Both this urine and (this) water will quench the fire of distress, just as (it is quenched) during sleep.
- آتش وسواس را این بول و آب ** هر دو بنشانند هم‌چون وقت خواب