Rumi's Masnavi - So with the false interpreter (of the Qur’án): like the fly, his imagination is (foul as) ass's urine and his conception (worthless as) a straw.

So with the false interpreter (of the Qur’án): like the fly, his imagination is (foul as) ass's urine and his conception (worthless as) a straw.

صاحب تاویل باطل چون مگس ** وهم او بول خر و تصویر خس‌‌

If the fly leave off interpreting by (following his own) opinion, Fortune will turn that fly into a humáy.

گر مگس تاویل بگذارد به رای ** آن مگس را بخت گرداند همای‌‌

One who possesses this (Divine) indication (of the true meaning) is not a fly: his spirit is not analogous to his (outward) form. 1090

آن مگس نبود کش این عبرت بود ** روح او نی در خور صورت بود

How the lion roared wrathfully because the hare was late in coming.

تولیدن شیر از دیر آمدن خرگوش‌‌

As (for example) the hare who struck against the lion: how was his spirit analogous to his stature?

همچو آن خرگوش کاو بر شیر زد ** روح او کی بود اندر خورد قد

The lion from fury and rage was saying, “By means of my ear the enemy has bound up my eye.

شیر می‌‌گفت از سر تیزی و خشم ** کز ره گوشم عدو بر بست چشم‌‌

The tricks of the necessitarians have bound me (in captivity); their wooden sword has wounded my body.

مکرهای جبریانم بسته کرد ** تیغ چوبینشان تنم را خسته کرد

After this I will not hearken to their palaver: all that is (only meant to deceive, like) the cry of demons and ghouls.

زین سپس من نشنوم آن دمدمه ** بانگ دیوان است و غولان آن همه‌‌

O my heart, tear them to pieces, do not lag; rend their skins, for they have naught but skin.” 1095

بردران ای دل تو ایشان را مه‌‌ایست ** پوستشان بر کن کشان جز پوست نیست‌‌

What is skin? Specious words, like ripples on water which have no continuance.

پوست چه بود گفتهای رنگ رنگ ** چون زره بر آب کش نبود درنگ‌‌

Know that these words are as the skin (rind), and the meaning is (as) the kernel; these words are as the form, and the meaning is like the spirit.

این سخن چون پوست و معنی مغز دان ** این سخن چون نقش و معنی همچو جان‌‌

The skin hides the defect of the bad kernel; it (also) hides jealously the secrets of the good kernel.

پوست باشد مغز بد را عیب پوش ** مغز نیکو را ز غیرت غیب پوش‌‌

When the pen is of wind and the scroll of water, whatever you write perishes speedily;

چون قلم از باد بد دفتر ز آب ** هر چه بنویسی فنا گردد شتاب‌‌

It is written on water: if you seek constancy from it, you will return biting your hands (in disappointment). 1100

نقش آب است ار وفا جویی از آن ** باز گردی دستهای خود گزان‌‌

The wind in men is vanity and desire; when you have abandoned vanity, (then) is (the time for) the message from Him (God).

باد در مردم هوا و آرزوست ** چون هوا بگذاشتی پیغام هوست‌‌

Sweet are the messages of the Maker, for it (that message) from head to foot (from first to last) is enduring.

خوش بود پیغامهای کردگار ** کاو ز سر تا پای باشد پایدار

The khutbas for kings change (and pass), and their empire; (all will pass) except the empire and khutbas (insignia) of the prophets,

خطبه‌‌ی شاهان بگردد و آن کیا ** جز کیا و خطبه‌‌های انبیا

Because the pomp of kings is from (earthly) vanity, (while) the glorious privilege of the prophets is from (Divine) Majesty.

ز آن که بوش پادشاهان از هواست ** بار نامه‌‌ی انبیا از کبریاست‌‌

The names of kings are removed from the dirhems, (but) the name of Ahmad (Mohammed) is stamped on them for ever. 1105

از درمها نام شاهان بر کنند ** نام احمد تا ابد بر می‌‌زنند

The name of Ahmad is the name of all the prophets: when the hundred comes (is counted), ninety is with us as well.

نام احمد نام جمله انبیاست ** چون که صد آمد نود هم پیش ماست‌‌

Further setting forth the stratagem of the hare.

هم در بیان مکر خرگوش‌‌

The hare made much delay in going; he rehearsed to himself the tricks (which he was about to play).

در شدن خرگوش بس تاخیر کرد ** مکر را با خویشتن تقریر کرد

After long delay he came on (took) the road, that he might say one or two secrets into the ear of the lion.

در ره آمد بعد تاخیر دراز ** تا به گوش شیر گوید یک دو راز

Think what words are in the core (inmost consciousness) of Reason.

تا چه عالمهاست در سودای عقل ** تا چه با پهناست این دریای عقل‌‌

In this sweet ocean our forms are moving fast, like cups on the surface of water: 1110

صورت ما اندر این بحر عذاب ** می‌‌دود چون کاسه‌‌ها بر روی آب‌‌

Until they become full, (they float) like bowls on the top of the sea, (but) when the bowl is filled it sinks therein.

تا نشد پر بر سر دریا چو طشت ** چون که پر شد طشت در وی غرق گشت‌‌

Reason is hidden, and (only) a world (of phenomena) is visible: our forms are the waves or a spray of it (of that hidden ocean).

عقل پنهان است و ظاهر عالمی ** صورت ما موج یا از وی نمی‌‌

Whatsoever (thing) the form makes (uses as) a means of approach to It (to Reason), by that (same) means the ocean (of Reason) casts it (the form) far away.

هر چه صورت می وسیلت سازدش ** ز آن وسیلت بحر دور اندازدش‌‌

So long as the heart does not see the Giver of (its) conscience, so long as the arrow does not see the far-shooting Archer,

تا نبیند دل دهنده‌‌ی راز را ** تا نبیند تیر دور انداز را

He (who is thus blind) thinks his horse is lost, though (all the while) he is obstinately speeding his horse on the road. 1115

اسب خود را یاوه داند وز ستیز ** می‌‌دواند اسب خود در راه تیز

That fine fellow thinks his horse is lost, while the horse in truth is sweeping him onward like the wind.

اسب خود را یاوه داند آن جواد ** و اسب خود او را کشان کرده چو باد

In lamentation and inquiry that scatterbrain (runs) from door to door in every direction, asking and searching:

در فغان و جستجو آن خیره‌‌سر ** هر طرف پرسان و جویان دربدر

“Where and who is he that stole my horse?” What is this (animal) under thy thigh, O master?

کان که دزدید اسب ما را کو و کیست ** این که زیر ران تست ای خواجه چیست‌‌

“Yes, this is the horse, but where is this horse?” O dexterous rider in search of thy horse, come to thyself!

آری این اسب است لیک این اسب کو ** با خود آ ای شهسوار اسب جو

The Spirit is lost (to view) because of its being so manifest and near: how, having thy belly full of water, art thou dry-lipped like a jar? 1120

جان ز پیدایی و نزدیکی است گم ** چون شکم پر آب و لب خشکی چو خم‌‌

How wilt thou see red and green and russet, unless before (seeing) these three (colours) thou see the light?

کی ببینی سرخ و سبز و فور را ** تا نبینی پیش از این سه نور را

But since thy mind was lost (absorbed) in (perception of) the colour, those colours became to thee a veil from (debarred thee from contemplating) the light.

لیک چون در رنگ گم شد هوش تو ** شد ز نور آن رنگها رو پوش تو

Inasmuch as at night those colours were hidden, thou sawest that thy vision of the colour was (derived) from the light.

چون که شب آن رنگها مستور بود ** پس بدیدی دید رنگ از نور بود

There is no vision of colour without the external light: even so it is with the colour of inward phantasy.

نیست دید رنگ بی‌‌نور برون ** همچنین رنگ خیال اندرون‌‌

This outward (light) is (derived) from the sun and from Suhá, while the inward (light) is from the reflexion of the beams of (Divine) Glory. 1125

این برون از آفتاب و از سها ** و اندرون از عکس انوار علی‌‌

The light which gives light to the eye is in truth the light of the heart: the light of the eye is produced by the light of hearts.

نور نور چشم خود نور دل است ** نور چشم از نور دلها حاصل است‌‌

Again, the light which gives light to the heart is the Light of God, which is pure and separate from the light of intellect and sense.

باز نور نور دل نور خداست ** کاو ز نور عقل و حس پاک و جداست‌‌

At night there was no light and thou didst not see the colours; then it (the light) was made manifest by the opposite of light (by darkness).

شب نبد نوری ندیدی رنگها ** پس به ضد نور پیدا شد ترا

(First) comes the seeing of light, then the seeing of colour; and this thou knowest immediately by the opposite of light (darkness).

دیدن نور است آن گه دید رنگ ** وین به ضد نور دانی بی‌‌درنگ‌‌

God created pain and sorrow for the purpose that happiness might be made manifest by means of this opposite. 1130

رنج و غم را حق پی آن آفرید ** تا بدین ضد خوش دلی آید پدید

Hidden things, then, are manifested by means of their opposite; since God hath no opposite, He is hidden;

پس نهانیها به ضد پیدا شود ** چون که حق را نیست ضد پنهان بود

For the sight fell (first) on the light, then on the colour: opposite is made manifest by opposite, like Greeks and Ethiopians.

که نظر بر نور بود آن گه به رنگ ** ضد به ضد پیدا بود چون روم و زنگ‌‌

Therefore thou knewest light by its opposite: opposite reveals opposite in (the process of) coming forth.

پس به ضد نور دانستی تو نور ** ضد ضد را می‌‌نماید در صدور

The Light of God hath no opposite in (all) existence, that by means of that opposite it should be possible to make Him manifest:

نور حق را نیست ضدی در وجود ** تا به ضد او را توان پیدا نمود

Necessarily (therefore) our eyes do not perceive Him, though He perceives (us): see this (fact) from (the case of) Moses and the mountain (Sinai). 1135

لاجرم أبصارنا لا تدرکه ** و هو یدرک بین تو از موسی و که‌‌

Know that form springs from spirit (reality) as the lion from the jungle, or as voice and speech from thought.

صورت از معنی چو شیر از بیشه دان ** یا چو آواز و سخن ز اندیشه دان‌‌

This speech and voice arose from thought; thou knowest not where is the sea of thought,

این سخن و آواز از اندیشه خاست ** تو ندانی بحر اندیشه کجاست‌‌