Rumi's Masnavi - Say it forth, O royal falcon that dost catch the ‘Anqá, O thou that dost vanquish an army by thyself, not with (the aid of) an army.

Say it forth, O royal falcon that dost catch the ‘Anqá, O thou that dost vanquish an army by thyself, not with (the aid of) an army.

باز گو ای باز عنقا گیر شاه ** ای سپاه اشکن به خود نی با سپاه‌‌

Thou alone art the (whole) community, thou art one and a hundred thousand. Say it forth, O thou to whose falcon thy slave has fallen a prey. 3785

امت وحدی یکی و صد هزار ** باز گو ای بنده بازت را شکار

Wherefore this mercy in the place of vengeance? Whose way is it to give the hand to a dragon?”

در محل قهر این رحمت ز چیست ** اژدها را دست‌‌دادن راه کیست‌‌

How the Prince of the Faithful made answer (and explained) what was the reason of his dropping the sword from his hand on that occasion.

جواب گفتن امیر المؤمنین که سبب افکندن شمشیر از دست چه بود در آن حالت‌‌

He said, “I am wielding the sword for God's sake, I am the servant of God, I am not under the command of the body.

گفت من تیغ از پی حق می‌‌زنم ** بنده‌‌ی حقم نه مأمور تنم‌‌

I am the Lion of God, I am not the lion of passion: my deed bears witness to my religion.

شیر حقم نیستم شیر هوا ** فعل من بر دین من باشد گوا

In war I am (manifesting the truth of) thou didst not throw when thou threwest: I am (but) as the sword, and the wielder is the (Divine) Sun.

ما رمیت إذ رمیتم در حراب ** من چو تیغم و آن زننده آفتاب‌‌

I have removed the baggage of self out of the way, I have deemed (what is) other than God to be non-existence. 3790

رخت خود را من ز ره برداشتم ** غیر حق را من عدم انگاشتم‌‌

I am a shadow, the Sun is my lord; I am the chamberlain, I am not the curtain (which prevents approach) to Him.

سایه‌‌ام من کدخدایم آفتاب ** حاجبم من نیستم او را حجاب‌‌

I am filled with the pearls of union, like a (jewelled) sword: in battle I make (men) living, not slain.

من چو تیغم پر گهرهای وصال ** زنده گردانم نه کشته در قتال‌‌

Blood does not cover the sheen of my sword: how should the wind sweep away my clouds?

خون نپوشد گوهر تیغ مرا ** باد از جا کی برد میغ مرا

I am not a straw, I am a mountain of forbearance and patience and justice: how should the fierce wind carry off the mountain?”

که نیم کوهم ز حلم و صبر و داد ** کوه را کی در رباید تند باد

That which is removed from its place by a wind is rubbish, for indeed the contrary winds are many. 3795

آن که از بادی رود از جا خسی است ** ز آن که باد ناموافق خود بسی است‌‌

The wind of anger and the wind of lust and the wind of greed swept away him that performed not the (ritual) prayers.

باد خشم و باد شهوت باد آز ** برد او را که نبود اهل نماز

“I am a mountain, and my being is His building; and if I become like a straw, my wind (the wind that moves me) is recollection of Him.

کوهم و هستی من بنیاد اوست ** ور شود چون کاه بادم یاد اوست

My longing is not stirred save by His wind; my captain is naught but love of the One.

جز به باد او نجنبد میل من ** نیست جز عشق احد سر خیل من‌‌

Anger is king over kings, and to me it is a slave: even anger I have bound under the bridle.

خشم بر شاهان شه و ما را غلام ** خشم را هم بسته‌‌ام زیر لگام‌‌

The sword of my forbearance hath smitten the neck of my anger; the anger of God hath come on me like mercy. 3800

تیغ حلمم گردن خشمم زده ست ** خشم حق بر من چو رحمت آمده ست‌‌

I am plunged in light although my roof is ruined; I have become a garden although I am (styled) Bú Turáb (the father of dust).

غرق نورم گر چه سقفم شد خراب ** روضه گشتم گر چه هستم بو تراب‌‌

Since a motive (other than God) entered (my heart) in the (holy) war, I deemed it right to sheathe my sword,

چون در آمد علتی اندر غزا ** تیغ را دیدم نهان کردن سزا

That my name may be he loves for God's sake, that my desire may be he hates for God's sake,

تا احب لله آید نام من ** تا که ابغض لله آید کام من‌‌

That my generosity may be he gives for God's sake, that my being may be he withholds for God's sake.

تا که اعطا لله آید جود من ** تا که امسک لله آید بود من‌‌

My stinginess is for God's sake, my bounty is for God's sake alone: I belong entirely to God, I do not belong to any one (else); 3805

بخل من لله عطا لله و بس ** جمله لله‌‌ام نیم من آن کس‌‌

And that which I am doing for God's sake is not (done in) conformity, it is not fancy and opinion, it is naught but intuition.

و آن چه لله می‌‌کنم تقلید نیست ** نیست تخییل و گمان جز دید نیست‌‌

I have been freed from effort and search, I have tied my sleeve to the skirt of God.

ز اجتهاد و از تحری رسته‌‌ام ** آستین بر دامن حق بسته‌‌ام‌‌

If I am flying, I behold the place to which I soar; and if I am circling, I behold the axis on which I revolve;

گر همی‌‌پرم همی‌‌بینم مطار ** ور همی‌‌گردم همی‌‌بینم مدار

And if I am dragging a burden, I know whither: I am the moon, and the Sun is in front of me as the guide.”

ور کشم باری بدانم تا کجا ** ماهم و خورشید پیشم پیشوا

There is no means (possibility) of communicating more than this to the people: in the river there is no room for the Sea. 3810

بیش از این با خلق گفتن روی نیست ** بحر را گنجایی اندر جوی نیست‌‌

I speak low according to the measure of (their) understandings: ’tis no fault, this is the practice of the Prophet.

پست می‌‌گویم به اندازه‌‌ی عقول ** عیب نبود این بود کار رسول‌‌

“I am free from self-interest: hear the testimony of a freeman, for the testimony of slaves is not worth two barleycorns.”

از غرض حرم گواهی حر شنو ** که گواهی بندگان نه ارزد دو جو

In the religious law the testimony of a slave has no value at the time of litigation and judgement.

در شریعت مر گواهی بنده را ** نیست قدری وقت دعوی و قضا

(Even) if thousands of slaves bear witness on thy behalf, the law does not assign to them the weight of a straw.

گر هزاران بنده باشندت گواه ** بر نسنجد شرع ایشان را به کاه‌‌

In God's sight the slave of lust is worse than menials and slaves brought into servitude, 3815

بنده‌‌ی شهوت بتر نزدیک حق ** از غلام و بندگان مسترق‌‌

For the latter becomes free at a single word from his master, while the former lives sweet but dies exceedingly bitter.

کاین به یک لفظی شود از خواجه حر ** و آن زید شیرین و میرد سخت مر

The slave of lust hath no (means of) release at all except through the grace of God and His special favour.

بنده‌‌ی شهوت ندارد خود خلاص ** جز به فضل ایزد و انعام خاص‌‌

He has fallen into a pit that has no bottom, and that is his (own) sin: it is not (Divine) compulsion and injustice.

در چهی افتاد کان را غور نیست ** و آن گناه اوست جبر و جور نیست‌‌

He has cast himself into such a pit that I find no rope capable of (reaching) its bottom.

در چهی انداخت او خود را که من ** در خور قعرش نمی‌‌یابم رسن‌‌

I will make an end. If this discourse go further, not only hearts but rocks will bleed. 3820

بس کنم گر این سخن افزون شود ** خود جگر چه بود که خارا خون شود

(If) these hearts have not bled, ’tis not because of (their) hardness, ’tis (because of) heedlessness and preoccupation and ill-fatedness.

این جگرها خون نشد نز سختی است ** غفلت و مشغولی و بد بختی است‌‌

They will bleed one day when blood is no use to them: do thou bleed at a time when (thy) blood is not rejected.

خون شود روزی که خونش سود نیست ** خون شو آن وقتی که خون مردود نیست‌‌

Inasmuch as the testimony of slaves is not accepted, the approved witness is he that is not the slave of the ghoul (of sensuality).

چون گواهی بندگان مقبول نیست ** عدل او باشد که بنده‌‌ی غول نیست‌‌

(The words) We have sent thee as a witness came in the Warning (the Qur’án), because he (the Prophet) was entirely free from (creaturely) existence.

گشت ارسلناک شاهد در نذر ** ز آن که بود از کون او حر ابن حر

“Since I am free, how should anger bind me? Nothing is here but Divine qualities. Come in! 3825

چون که حرم خشم کی بندد مرا ** نیست اینجا جز صفات حق در آ

Come in, for the grace of God hath made thee free, because His mercy had the precedence over His wrath.

اندر آ کازاد کردت فضل حق ** ز آن که رحمت داشت بر خشمش سبق‌‌

Come in now, for thou hast escaped from the peril: thou wert a (common) stone, the Elixir hath made thee a jewel.

اندر آ اکنون که رستی از خطر ** سنگ بودی کیمیا کردت گهر

Thou hast been delivered from unbelief and its thorn-thicket: blossom like a rose in the cypress-garden of Hú (God).

رسته‌‌ای از کفر و خارستان او ** چون گلی بشکفته در بستان هو

Thou art I and I am thou, O illustrious one: thou wert ‘Alí— how should I kill ‘Alí?

تو منی و من توام ای محتشم ** تو علی بودی علی را چون کشم‌‌

Thou hast committed a sin better than any act of piety, thou hast traversed Heaven in a single moment.” 3830

معصیت کردی به از هر طاعتی ** آسمان پیموده‌‌ای در ساعتی‌‌

Very fortunate (was) the sin which the man committed: do not rose-leaves spring from a thorn?

بس خجسته معصیت کان کرد مرد ** نی ز خاری بر دمد اوراق ورد

Was not the sin of ‘Umar and his attempt on (the life of) the Prophet leading him to the gate of acceptance?

نی گناه عمر و قصد رسول ** می‌‌کشیدش تا به درگاه قبول‌‌

Was not Pharaoh because of the magic of the magicians drawing them (to himself), and did not (spiritual) fortune come to their aid?

نی به سحر ساحران فرعونشان ** می‌‌کشید و گشت دولت عونشان‌‌