Rumi's Masnavi - The returning one is he that comes back to his (native) city, and (fleeing) from the separation (plurality) of Time approaches the Unity.

The returning one is he that comes back to his (native) city, and (fleeing) from the separation (plurality) of Time approaches the Unity.

راجع آن باشد که باز آید به شهر ** سوی وحدت آید از تفریق دهر

How the stirrup-holder of ‘Alí, may God honour his person, came (to him), saying, “For God's sake, kill me and deliver me from this doom.”

افتادن رکابدار هر باری پیش علی کرم الله وجهه که ای امیر المؤمنین از بهر خدا مرا بکش و از این قضا برهان‌‌

“He came back, saying, ‘O‘ Alí, kill me quickly, that I may not see that bitter moment and hour.

باز آمد کای علی زودم بکش ** تا نبینم آن دم و وقت ترش‌‌

Shed my blood, I make it lawful to thee, so that my eye may not behold that resurrection’.

من حلالت می‌‌کنم خونم بریز ** تا نبیند چشم من آن رستخیز

I said, ‘If every atom should become a murderer and, dagger in hand, go to attack thee, 3940

گفتم ار هر ذره‌‌ای خونی شود ** خنجر اندر کف به قصد تو رود

None (of them) could cut from thee the tip of a single hair, since the Pen has written against thee such a line (of doom).

یک سر مو از تو نتواند برید ** چون قلم بر تو چنان خطی کشید

But do not grieve: I am intercessor for thee: I am the spirit's master, I am not the body's slave.

لیک بی‌‌غم شو شفیع تو منم ** خواجه‌‌ی روحم نه مملوک تنم‌‌

This body hath no value in my sight: without my body I am the noble (in spirit), the son of the noble.

پیش من این تن ندارد قیمتی ** بی‌‌تن خویشم فتی ابن الفتی‌‌

Dagger and sword have become my sweet basil: my death has become my banquet and narcissus-pot.’”

خنجر و شمشیر شد ریحان من ** مرگ من شد بزم و نرگسدان من‌‌

He that hamstrings (mortifies) his body in this fashion, how should he covet the Princedom and the Caliphate? 3945

آن که او تن را بدین سان پی کند ** حرص میری و خلافت کی کند

Outwardly he strives after power and authority, (but only) that he may show to princes the (right) way and judgement;

ز آن به ظاهر کوشد اندر جاه و حکم ** تا امیران را نماید راه و حکم‌‌

That he may give another spirit to the Princedom; that he may give fruit to the palm tree of the Caliphate.

تا امیری را دهد جانی دگر ** تا دهد نخل خلافت را ثمر

Explaining that the motive of the Prophet, on whom be peace, in seeking to conquer Mecca and other (places) than Mecca was not love of worldly dominion, inasmuch as he has said “This world is a carcase,” but that on the contrary it was by the command (of God).

بیان آن که فتح طلبیدن پیغامبر علیه السلام مکه را و غیر مکه را بجهت دوستی ملک دنیا نبود چون فرموده است که الدنیا جیفه بلکه به امر بود

Likewise the Prophet's struggle to conquer Mecca—how can he be suspected of (being inspired by) love of this world?

جهد پیغمبر به فتح مکه هم ** کی بود در حب دنیا متهم‌‌

He who on the day of trial shut his eyes and heart to the treasury of the Seven Heavens,

آن که او از مخزن هفت آسمان ** چشم و دل بر بست روز امتحان‌‌

(When) the horizons of all the Seven Heavens were full of houris and genies (who had come) to gaze upon him, 3950

از پی نظاره‌‌ی او حور و جان ** پر شده آفاق هر هفت آسمان‌‌

Having arrayed themselves for his sake—how indeed should he care for anything except the Beloved?

خویشتن آراسته از بهر او ** خود و را پروای غیر دوست کو

He had become so filled with magnification of God, that even those nearest to God would find no way (of intruding) there.

آن چنان پر گشته از اجلال حق ** که در او هم ره نیابد آل حق‌‌

“In Us (in Our unity) is no room for a prophet sent as an apostle, nor yet for the Angels or the Spirit. Do ye, therefore, understand!”

لا یسع فینا نبی مرسل ** و الملک و الروح ایضا فاعقلوا

He (also) said, “We are má zágh (that is, Our eye did not rove), we are not (looking for carrion) like crows (zágh); We are intoxicated with (enraptured by) the Dyer, we are not intoxicated with the garden (of flowers with their many dyes).”

گفت ما زاغیم همچون زاغ نه ** مست صباغیم مست باغ نه‌‌

Inasmuch as to the eye of the Prophet the treasuries of the celestial spheres and intelligences seemed (worthless) as a straw, 3955

چون که مخزنهای افلاک و عقول ** چون خسی آمد بر چشم رسول‌‌

What, then, would Mecca and Syria and ‘Iráq be (worth to him), that he should show fight and longing (to gain possession of them)?

پس چه باشد مکه و شام و عراق ** که نماید او نبرد و اشتیاق‌‌

(Only) the evil mind which judges by its own ignorance and cupidity will think that of him (impute that motive to him).

آن گمان بر وی ضمیر بد کند ** که قیاس از جهل و حرص خود کند

When you make yellow glass a veil (between your eyes and the sun), you see all the sunlight yellow.

آبگینه‌‌ی زرد چون سازی نقاب ** زرد بینی جمله نور آفتاب‌‌

Break those blue and yellow glasses, in order that you may know (distinguish) the dust and the man (who is concealed by it).

بشکن آن شیشه‌‌ی کبود و زرد را ** تا شناسی گرد را و مرد را

The dust (of the body) has lifted up its head (risen) around the (spiritual) horseman: you have fancied the dust to be the man of God. 3960

گرد فارس گرد سر افراشته ** گرد را تو مرد حق پنداشته‌‌

Iblís saw (only) the dust, and said, “How should this offspring of clay (Adam) be superior to me of the fiery brow?”

گرد دید ابلیس و گفت این فرع طین ** چون فزاید بر من آتش جبین‌‌

So long as thou art regarding the holy (prophets and saints) as men, know that that view is an inheritance from Iblís.

تا تو می‌‌بینی عزیزان را بشر ** دان که میراث بلیس است آن نظر

If thou art not the child of Iblís, O contumacious one, then how has the inheritance of that cur come to thee?

گر نه فرزند بلیسی ای عنید ** پس به تو میراث آن سگ چون رسید

“I am not a cur, I am the Lion of God, a worshipper of God: the lion of God is he that has escaped from (phenomenal) form.

من نیم سگ شیر حقم حق پرست ** شیر حق آن است کز صورت برست‌‌

The lion of this world seeks a prey and provision; the lion of the Lord seeks freedom and death. 3965

شیر دنیا جوید اشکاری و برگ ** شیر مولی جوید آزادی و مرگ‌‌

Inasmuch as in death he sees a hundred existences, like the moth he burns away (his own) existence.”

چون که اندر مرگ بیند صد وجود ** همچو پروانه بسوزاند وجود

Desire for death became the badge of the sincere, for this word (declaration) was (made) a test for the Jews.

شد هوای مرگ طوق صادقان ** که جهودان را بد این دم امتحان‌‌

He (God) said in the Qur‘án, “O people of the Jews, death is treasure and gain to the sincere.

در نبی فرمود کای قوم یهود ** صادقان را مرگ باشد گنج و سود

Even as there is desire for profit (in the hearts of the worldly), the desire to win death is better than that (in the eyes of the sincere).

همچنان که آرزوی سود هست ** آرزوی مرگ بردن ز آن به است‌‌

O Jews, for the sake of (being held in) honour by men of worth, let this wish be uttered on your tongues.” 3970

ای جهودان بهر ناموس کسان ** بگذرانید این تمنا بر زبان‌‌

Not a single Jew had so much courage (as to respond), when Mohammed raised this banner (gave this challenge).

یک جهودی این قدر زهره نداشت ** چون محمد این علم را بر فراشت‌‌

He said, “If ye utter this on your tongues, truly not one Jew will be left in the world.”

گفت اگر رانید این را بر زبان ** یک یهودی خود نماند در جهان‌‌

Then the Jews brought the property (tribute in kind) and land-tax, saying, “Do not put us to shame, O Lamp (of the world).”

پس یهودان مال بردند و خراج ** که مکن رسوا تو ما را ای سراج‌‌

“There is no end in sight to this discourse: give me thy hand, since thine eye hath seen the Friend.”

این سخن را نیست پایانی پدید ** دست با من ده چو چشمت دوست دید

How the Prince of the Faithful, ‘Ali—may God honour his person! said to his antagonist, " When thou didst spit in my face, my fleshly self was aroused and I could no longer act with entire sincerity (towards God): that hindered me from slaying thee."

گفتن امیر المؤمنین علی کرم الله وجهه با قرین خود که چون خدو انداختی در روی من نفس من جنبید و اخلاص عمل نماند، مانع کشتن تو آن شد

The Prince of the Faithful said to that youth, “In the hour of battle, O knight, 3975

گفت امیر المؤمنین با آن جوان ** که به هنگام نبرد ای پهلوان‌‌

When thou didst spit in my face, my fleshly self was aroused and my good disposition was corrupted.

چون خدو انداختی در روی من ** نفس جنبید و تبه شد خوی من‌‌

Half (of my fighting) came to be for God's sake, and half (for) idle passion: in God’s affair partnership’ is not allowable.

نیم بهر حق شد و نیمی هوا ** شرکت اندر کار حق نبود روا

Thou art limned by the hand of the Lord: thou art God's (work), thou art not made by me.

تو نگاریده‌‌ی کف مولاستی ** آن حقی کرده‌‌ی من نیستی‌‌

Break God’s image, (but only) by God’s command; cast (a stone) at the Beloved’s glass, (but only) the Beloved’s stone.”

نقش حق را هم به امر حق شکن ** بر زجاجه‌‌ی دوست سنگ دوست زن‌‌

The fire-worshipper heard this, and a light appeared in his heart, so that he cut a girdle. 3980

گبر این بشنید و نوری شد پدید ** در دل او تا که زناری برید

He said, “I was sowing the seed of wrong: I fancied thee (to be) otherwise (than thou art).

گفت من تخم جفا می‌‌کاشتم ** من ترا نوعی دگر پنداشتم‌‌

Thou hast (really) been the balance (endued) with the (just) nature of the One (God); nay, thou hast been the tongue of every balance.

تو ترازوی احد خو بوده‌‌ای ** بل زبانه‌‌ی هر ترازو بوده‌‌ای‌‌

Thou hast been my race and stock and kin, thou hast been the radiance of the candle of my religion.

تو تبار و اصل و خویشم بوده‌‌ای ** تو فروغ شمع کیشم بوده‌‌ای‌‌

I am the (devoted) slave of that eye-seeking Lamp from which thy lamp received splendour.

من غلام آن چراغ چشم جو ** که چراغت روشنی پذرفت از او

I am the slave of the the billow of that Sea of Light which brings a pearl like this into view. 3985

من غلام موج آن دریای نور ** که چنین گوهر بر آرد در ظهور

Offer me the profession of the (Moslem) Faith, for I regard you as the exalted one of the time.”

عرضه کن بر من شهادت را که من ** مر ترا دیدم سرافراز زمن‌‌