He is God’s deputy and the shadow of God’s justice, the mirror (that displays the real nature) of every plaintiff and defendant;
نایب حقست و سایه‌ی عدل حق ** آینه‌ی هر مستحق و مستحق
For he inflicts correction for the sake of one who has been wronged, not for the sake of his honour or his anger or his income (profit).
کو ادب از بهر مظلومی کند ** نه برای عرض و خشم و دخل خود
Since it is (done) for the sake of God and the Day (of Judgement) hereafter, if a mistake is made (by him) the blood-wit falls upon the (dead man’s) kinsmen on the father’s side.
چون برای حق و روز آجله‌ست ** گر خطایی شد دیت بر عاقله‌ست
He who strikes (and kills) for his own sake is (held) responsible, while he who strikes (and kills) for God’s sake is secure.1515
آنک بهر خود زند او ضامنست ** وآنک بهر حق زند او آمنست
If a father strikes his son and he (the son) dies, the father must pay the blood-price,
گر پدر زد مر پسر را و بمرد ** آن پدر را خونبها باید شمرد
Because he struck him for his own benefit, (since) it is the duty of the son to serve him (the father).
زانک او را بهر کار خویش زد ** خدمت او هست واجب بر ولد
(But) when a teacher strikes a boy and he (the boy) perishes (is killed by the blows), nothing (in the way of penalty) is (imposed) on the teacher; no fear’
چون معلم زد صبی را شد تلف ** بر معلم نیست چیزی لا تخف
For the teacher is a deputy (of God) and a trustee; and the ease of every trustee is the same as this
کان معلم نایب افتاد و امین ** هر امین را هست حکمش همچنین
It is not his (the boy’s) duty to serve his master (teacher) therefore in chastising him the master was not seeking benefit (for himself),1520
نیست واجب خدمت استا برو ** پس نبود استا به زجرش کارجو
But if his father struck him, he struck for his own sake: consequently he was not freed from (responsibility for) paying the blood-price.
ور پدر زد او برای خود زدست ** لاجرم از خونبها دادن نرست
Behead (your) selfhood, then, O (you who resemble the sword) Dhu ‘l-faqár: become a selfless naughted one like the dervish.
پس خودی را سر ببر ای ذوالفقار ** بی‌خودی شو فانیی درویش‌وار
When you have become selfless, everything that you do (is a case of) thou didst not throw when thou threwest, (and) you are safe.
چون شدی بی‌خود هر آنچ تو کنی ** ما رمیت اذ رمیتی آمنی
The responsibility lies on God, not on the trustee: ‘tis set forth plainly in (books of) jurisprudence.
آن ضمان بر حق بود نه بر امین ** هست تفصیلش به فقه اندر مبین
Every shop has a different (kind of) merchandise: the Mathnawi is the shop for (spiritual) poverty, O son.1525
هر دکانی راست سودایی دگر ** مثنوی دکان فقرست ای پسر
In the shoemaker’s shop there is fine leather: if you see wood (there), it is (only) the mould for the shoe.
در دکان کفشگر چرمست خوب ** قالب کفش است اگر بینی تو چوب
The drapers have (in their shops) silk and dun-coloured cloth: if iron be (there), it is (only to serve) for a yard-measure.
پیش بزازان قز و ادکن بود ** بهر گز باشد اگر آهن بود
Our Mathnawi is the shop for Unity: anything that you see (there) except the One God) is (only) an idol.
مثنوی ما دکان وحدتست ** غیر واحد هرچه بینی آن بتست
Know that to praise an idol for the purpose of ensnaring the vulgar is just like (the Prophet’s reference to) “the most exalted Cranes.”