Recite, then, from the Qur’án (the words) they stand up languidly, when the bough gets no medicinal (curative) treatment from its root.
پس بخوان قاموا کسالی از نبی ** چون نیابد شاخ از بیخش طبی
This symbol (allegory) is fiery, (but) I will cut it short and resume (the story of) the fakir and the treasure and the circumstances connected with it.2235
آتشین است این نشان کوته کنم ** بر فقیر و گنج و احوالش زنم
You have seen the fire that burns every (dry) sapling; (now) see the fire of the Spirit by which phantasy is burnt.
آتشی دیدی که سوزد هر نهال ** آتش جان بین کزو سوزد خیال
Neither for phantasy nor for reality is there any protection against a fire like this which flamed forth from the Spirit.
نه خیال و نه حقیقت را امان ** زین چنین آتش که شعله زد ز جان
He is the adversary of every lion and every fox: everything is perishing except His Face.
خصم هر شیر آمد و هر روبه او ** کل شیء هالک الا وجهه
Go into His aspects (attributes) and Face (Essence), become spent (emptied of self): go in, become enveloped (suppressed), like the alif in bism.
در وجوه وجه او رو خرج شو ** چون الف در بسم در رو درج شو
In bism the alif has stayed hidden: it is in bism and also it is not in bism.2240
آن الف در بسم پنهان کرد ایست ** هست او در بسم و هم در بسم نیست
Such is the case with all the letters that disappear when they are elided for the purpose of (effecting) conjunctions.
هم‌چنین جمله‌ی حروف گشته مات ** وقت حذف حرف از بهر صلات
It (the suppressed alif in bism) is a sila (means of conjunction) and through it the b and the s have attained to union: the union of the b and the s could not bear the (external intervention of the) alif.
از صله‌ست و بی و سین زو وصل یافت ** وصل بی و سین الف را بر نتافت
Since this union cannot bear (the intervention of) a single letter, it behoves me to cut short the discourse.
چونک حرفی برنتابد این وصال ** واجب آید که کنم کوته مقال
Since a single letter is the cause of separation between the s and the b, here silence is a most urgent duty.
چون یکی حرفی فراق سین و بیست ** خامشی اینجا مهمتر واجبیست
When the alif has passed away from self(-existence), taking shelter (in self-abandonment), the b and the s say “alif” without it.2245
چون الف از خود فنا شد مکتنف ** بی و سین بی او همی‌گویند الف
(The words) thou didst not throw when thou threwest are (an utterance spoken) without him (the Prophet); likewise (the words) God said sprang from his silence.
ما رمیت اذ رمیت بی ویست ** هم‌چنین قال الله از صمتش بجست
So long as a drug exists (independently), it has no effect; it removes diseases (only) when it has perished (has been dissolved and assimilated).
تا بود دارو ندارد او عمل ** چونک شد فانی کند دفع علل
(Even) if (all) the forest should become pens and (all) the ocean ink, (yet) there is no hope of bringing the Mathnawí to an end.
گر شود بیشه قلم دریا مداد ** مثنوی را نیست پایانی امید
So long as the Brick-maker's mould is (filled with) earth, the scansion of its (the Mathnawí's) poetry, too, will be kept up.
چارچوب خشت‌زن تا خاک هست ** می‌دهد تقطیع شعرش نیز دست
When earth remains no more and He (God) dries (withers and destroys) its existence, His sea when it foams will make (fresh) earth.2250
چون نماند خاک و بودش جف کند ** خاک سازد بحر او چون کف کند
When the forest remains no more and disappears (from existence), (other) forests will raise their heads from the essence of the Sea.
چون نماند بیشه و سر در کشد ** بیشه‌ها از عین دریا سر کشد
Hence that Lord of relief (from sorrow) said, “Relate Traditions (drawn) from our Sea, since there is no harm (in doing so).”
بهر این گفت آن خداوند فرج ** حدثوا عن بحرنا اذ لا حرج
(Now) turn back from the Sea and set thy face towards dry land: talk only of the plaything, for it is better (more suitable) for the child,
باز گرد از بحر و رو در خشک نه ** هم ز لعبت گو که کودک‌راست به
So that in his boyhood, (advancing) little by little beyond the plaything, his spirit may become acquainted with the ocean of Reason.
تا ز لعبت اندک اندک در صبا ** جانش گردد با یم عقل آشنا
By means of that play the boy is (gradually) acquiring reason, though superficially it (his play) is repugnant (to reason).2255
عقل از آن بازی همی‌یابد صبی ** گرچه با عقلست در ظاهر ابی
How can a demented child play? There must be (in the child) a part (of reason) in order that it (the part) may attain to the whole.
کودک دیوانه بازی کی کند ** جزو باید تا که کل را فی کند
Returning to the Story of the dome and the treasure.
رجوع کردن به قصه‌ی قبه و گنج
Lo, the idea of that fakir with (his cries) “Come! come!” has rendered me unfeignedly (really) unable (to resist his appeal).
نک خیال آن فقیرم بی‌ریا ** عاجز آورد از بیا و از بیا
You do not hear his cry, (but) I hear it, because I am his confidant in my inmost thoughts.
بانگ او تو نشنوی من بشنوم ** زانک در اسرار همراز ویم