Rumi's Masnavi - In particular, I, who have a bad name, was not evil-natured (in regard to you): what you saw was nothing evil, it was (only) a magic spell;

In particular, I, who have a bad name, was not evil-natured (in regard to you): what you saw was nothing evil, it was (only) a magic spell;

خصاه من بدرگ نبودم زشت‌اسم ** آنک دیدی بد نبد بود آن طلسم

And if, hypothetically, that purpose (of mine) had been evil, (still) friends pardon such a fault.”

ور بدی بد آن سگالش قدرا ** عفو فرمایند یاران زان خطا

The world of imagination and the phantom of hope and fear is a great obstacle to the traveller (on the mystic Way).

عالم وهم و خیال طمع و بیم ** هست ره‌رو را یکی سدی عظیم

The pictures (illusions) of this picture-making phantasy were harmful (even) to one like Khalíl (Abraham), who was (firm as) a mountain.

نقشهای این خیال نقش‌بند ** چون خلیلی را که که بد شد گزند

The noble Abraham said, “This is my Lord,” when he fell into the world (fell under the sway) of imagination. 2650

گفت هذا ربی ابراهیم راد ** چونک اندر عالم وهم اوفتاد

That person who bored the pearl of interpretation, interpreted the mention of the star thus—

ذکر کوکب را چنین تاویل گفت ** آن کسی که گوهر تاویل سفت

(That) the world of imagination and blinding phantasy uprooted such a mountain (of wisdom) from its foundation,

عالم وهم و خیال چشم‌بند ** آنچنان که را ز جای خویش کند

So that the words, “This is my Lord,” were uttered by him: what, (then), must be the case with a goose or an ass?

تا که هذا ربی آمد قال او ** خربط و خر را چه باشد حال او

Understandings (strong) as mountains have been submerged in the seas of imagination and the whirlpools of phantasy.

غرق گشته عقلهای چون جبال ** در بحار وهم و گرداب خیال

Mountains are put to shame by this Flood: where is any safety (to be found) but in the Ship (Ark) of Noah? 2655

کوهها را هست زین طوفان فضوح ** کو امانی جز که در کشتی نوح

By this phantasy, which infests the road of Faith like a brigand, the followers of the (true) Religion have become (split into) two and seventy sects.

زین خیال ره‌زن راه یقین ** گشت هفتاد و دو ملت اهل دین

The man of sure faith is delivered from imagination and phantasy: he does not call a hair of the eyebrow the new moon,

مرد ایقان رست از وهم و خیال ** موی ابرو را نمی‌گوید هلال

While he that has not the (spiritual) light of ‘Umar as his support is waylaid (deceived) by a crooked hair of the eyebrow.

وآنک نور عمرش نبود سند ** موی ابروی کژی راهش زند

A hundred thousand awful and terrible ships have been shattered to pieces in the sea of imagination.

صد هزاران کشتی با هول و سهم ** تخته تخته گشته در دریای وهم

The least (of them is) the energetic and ingenious Pharaoh: his moon was eclipsed in the mansion of imagination. 2660

کمترین فرعون چست فیلسوف ** ماه او در برج وهمی در خسوف

Nobody knows who is the cuckold, and he that knows has no doubt concerning himself.

کس نداند روسپی‌زن کیست آن ** وانک داند نیستش بر خود گمان

Since thine own imagination keeps thee giddy-headed, wherefore shouldst thou revolve round the imagination of another?

چون ترا وهم تو دارد خیره‌سر ** از چه گردی گرد وهم آن دگر

I am helpless against my own egoism: why hast thou, full of egoism, sat down beside me?

عاجزم من از منی خویشتن ** چه نشستی پر منی تو پیش من

I am seeking with (all) my soul one who is free from egoism, that I may become the ball of that goodly bat.

بی‌من و مایی همی‌جویم به جان ** تا شوم من گوی آن خوش صولجان

In sooth any one who has become without ego is all egos: when he is not loved by himself he becomes loved by (them) all. 2665

هر که بی‌من شد همه من‌ها خود اوست ** دوست جمله شد چو خود را نیست دوست

(When) a mirror becomes devoid of images, it gains splendour because (then) it is the reporter (reflector) of all images.

آینه بی‌نقش شد یابد بها ** زانک شد حاکی جمله نقشها

Story of Shaykh Mohammed Sar-razí of Ghazna, may God sanctify his spirit!

حکایت شیخ محمد سررزی غزنوی قدس الله سره

In Ghazna there was an ascetic, abounding in knowledge (of divinity): his name was Mohammed and his title Sar-razí.

زاهدی در غزنی از دانش مزی ** بد محمد نام و کفیت سررزی

Every night he would break his fast with vine-tendrils (sar-i raz): during seven years he was continually (engaged) in one quest.

بود افطارش سر رز هر شبی ** هفت سال او دایم اندر مطلبی

He experienced many marvellous things from the King of existence, but his object was (to behold) the beauty of the King.

بس عجایب دید از شاه وجود ** لیک مقصودش جمال شاه بود

That man who was surfeited with himself went to the top of a mountain and said, “Appear, or I will fall (throw myself) to the bottom.” 2670

بر سر که رفت آن از خویش سیر ** گفت بنما یا فتادم من به زیر