Rumi's Masnavi - In my folly I was ridiculing thee, (but) I myself was related to ridicule and deserving it.”

In my folly I was ridiculing thee, (but) I myself was related to ridicule and deserving it.”

من ترا افسوس می‌‌کردم ز جهل ** من بدم افسوس را منسوب و اهل‌‌

When God wishes to rend the veil of any one (expose him to shame), He turns his inclination towards reviling holy men. 815

چون خدا خواهد که پرده‌‌ی کس درد ** میلش اندر طعنه‌‌ی پاکان برد

And if God wishes to hide the blame of any one, he (that person) does not breathe a word of blame against the blameworthy.

چون خدا خواهد که پوشد عیب کس ** کم زند در عیب معیوبان نفس‌‌

When God wishes to help us, He turns our inclination towards humble lament.

چون خدا خواهد که‌‌مان یاری کند ** میل ما را جانب زاری کند

Oh, happy the eye that is weeping for His sake! Oh, fortunate the heart that is seared for His sake!

ای خنک چشمی که آن گریان اوست ** وی همایون دل که آن بریان اوست‌‌

The end of every weeping is laughter at last; the man who foresees the end is a blessed servant (of God).

آخر هر گریه آخر خنده‌‌ای است ** مرد آخر بین مبارک بنده‌‌ای است‌‌

Wherever is flowing water, there is greenery: wherever are running tears, (the Divine) mercy is shown. 820

هر کجا آب روان سبزه بود ** هر کجا اشک روان رحمت شود

Be moaning and moist-eyed like the water-wheel, that green herbs may spring up from the courtyard of your soul.

باش چون دولاب نالان چشم تر ** تا ز صحن جانت بر روید خضر

If you desire tears, have mercy on one who sheds tears; if you desire mercy, show mercy to the weak.

اشک خواهی رحم کن بر اشک بار ** رحم خواهی بر ضعیفان رحم آر

How the fire reproached the Jewish king.

عتاب کردن آتش را آن پادشاه جهود

The king turned his face to the fire, saying, “O fierce-tempered one, where is thy world-consuming natural disposition?

رو به آتش کرد شه کای تند خو ** آن جهان سوز طبیعی خوت کو

How art thou not burning? What has become of thy specific property? Or has thy intention changed because of our fortune?

چون نمی‌‌سوزی چه شد خاصیتت ** یا ز بخت ما دگر شد نیتت‌‌

Thou hast no pity (even) on the fire-worshipper: how (then) has he been saved who does not worship thee? 825

می‌‌نبخشایی تو بر آتش پرست ** آن که نپرستد ترا او چون برست‌‌

Never, O fire, art thou patient: how burnest thou not? What is it? Hast thou not the power?

هرگز ای آتش تو صابر نیستی ** چون نسوزی چیست قادر نیستی‌‌

Is this a spell, I wonder, that binds the eye or the mind? How does such a lofty flame not burn?

چشم بند است این عجب یا هوش بند ** چون نسوزاند چنین شعله‌‌ی بلند

Has some one bewitched thee? Or is it magic, or is thy unnatural behaviour from our fortune?”

جادویی کردت کسی یا سیمیاست ** یا خلاف طبع تو از بخت ماست‌‌

The fire said: “I am the same, O idolator: come in, that thou mayst feel my heat.

گفت آتش من همانم ای شمن ** اندر آ تو تا ببینی تاب من‌‌

My nature and element have not changed: I am the sword of God and by (His) leave I cut. 830

طبع من دیگر نگشت و عنصرم ** تیغ حقم هم به دستوری برم‌‌

The Turcoman dogs fawn at the tent-door before the guest,

بر در خرگه سگان ترکمان ** چاپلوسی کرده پیش میهمان‌‌

But if any one having the face of a stranger pass by the tent, he will see the dogs rushing at him like lions.

ور به خرگه بگذرد بیگانه رو ** حمله بیند از سگان شیرانه او

I am not less than a dog in devotion, nor is God less than a Turcoman in life (living power).”

من ز سگ کم نیستم در بندگی ** کم ز ترکی نیست حق در زندگی‌‌

If the fire of your nature make you suffer pain, it burns by command of the Lord of religion;

آتش طبعت اگر غمگین کند ** سوزش از امر ملیک دین کند

If the fire of your nature give you joy, (that is because) the Lord of the Judgment puts joy therein. 835

آتش طبعت اگر شادی دهد ** اندر او شادی ملیک دین نهد

When you feel pain, ask pardon of God: pain, by command of the Creator, is efficacious.

چون که غم بینی تو استغفار کن ** غم به امر خالق آمد کار کن‌‌

When He pleases, pain itself becomes joy; bondage itself becomes freedom.

چون بخواهد عین غم شادی شود ** عین بند پای، آزادی شود

Air and earth and water and fire are (His) slaves: with you and me they are dead, but with God they are alive.

باد و خاک و آب و آتش بنده‌‌اند ** با من و تو مرده با حق زنده‌‌اند

Before God, fire is always standing (ready to do His behest), writhing continually day and night, like a lover.

پیش حق آتش همیشه در قیام ** همچو عاشق روز و شب پیچان مدام‌‌

If you strike stone on iron, it (the fire) leaps out: ’tis by God's command that it puts forth its foot. 840

سنگ بر آهن زنی بیرون جهد ** هم به امر حق قدم بیرون نهد

Do not strike together the iron and stone of injustice, for these two generate like man and woman.

آهن و سنگ ستم بر هم مزن ** کاین دو می‌‌زایند همچون مرد و زن‌‌

The stone and the iron are indeed causes, but look higher, O good man!

سنگ و آهن خود سبب آمد و لیک ** تو به بالاتر نگر ای مرد نیک‌‌

For this (external) cause was produced by that (spiritual) cause: when did a cause ever proceed from itself without a cause?

کاین سبب را آن سبب آورد پیش ** بی‌‌سبب کی شد سبب هرگز ز خویش‌‌

And those causes which guide the prophets on their way are higher than these (external) causes.

و آن سببها کانبیا را رهبر است ** آن سببها زین سببها برتر است‌‌

That (spiritual) cause makes this (external) cause operative; sometimes, again, it makes it fruitless and ineffectual. 845

این سبب را آن سبب عامل کند ** باز گاهی بی‌‌بر و عاطل کند

(Ordinary) minds are familiar with this (external) cause, but the prophets are familiar with those (spiritual) causes.

این سبب را محرم آمد عقلها ** و آن سببها راست محرم انبیا

What is (the meaning of) this (word) “cause” (sabab) in Arabic? Say: “cord” (rasan). This cord came into this well (the world) by (Divine) artifice.

این سبب چه بود به تازی گو رسن ** اندر این چه این رسن آمد به فن‌‌

The revolution of the water-wheel causes the cord (to move), (but) not to see the mover of the water-wheel is an error.

گردش چرخه رسن را علت است ** چرخه گردان را ندیدن زلت است‌‌

Beware, beware! Do not regard these cords of causation in the world as (deriving their movement) from the giddy wheel (of heaven),

این رسنهای سببها در جهان ** هان و هان زین چرخ سر گردان مدان‌‌

Lest you remain empty and giddy like the (celestial) wheel, lest through brainlessness you burn like markh wood. 850

تا نمانی صفر و سر گردان چو چرخ ** تا نسوزی تو ز بی‌‌مغزی چو مرخ‌‌

By the command of God the wind devours (extinguishes) fire: both are drunken with the wine of God.

باد آتش می‌‌خورد از امر حق ** هر دو سر مست آمدند از خمر حق‌‌

O son, when you open your eyes you will see that from God too are the water of clemency and the fire of anger.

آب حلم و آتش خشم ای پسر ** هم ز حق بینی چو بگشایی بصر

Had not the soul of the wind been informed by God, how would it have distinguished (the believers and unbelievers) amongst the people of ‘Ád?

گر نبودی واقف از حق جان باد ** فرق کی کردی میان قوم عاد

The story of the wind which destroyed the people of ‘Ád in the time of (the prophet) Húd, on whom be peace.

قصه‌‌ی باد که در عهد هود علیه السلام قوم عاد را هلاک کرد

Húd drew a line round the believers: the wind would become soft (subside) when it reached that place,

هود گرد مومنان خطی کشید ** نرم می‌‌شد باد کانجا می‌‌رسید

(Although) it was dashing to pieces in the air all who were outside of the line. 855

هر که بیرون بود ز آن خط جمله را ** پاره پاره می‌‌گسست اندر هوا

Likewise Shaybán the shepherd used to draw a visible line round his flock

همچنین شیبان راعی می‌‌کشید ** گرد بر گرد رمه خطی پدید

Whenever he went to the Friday service at prayer-time, in order that the wolf might not raid and ravage there:

چون به جمعه می‌‌شد او وقت نماز ** تا نیارد گرگ آن جا ترک تاز

No wolf would go into that (circle), nor would any sheep stray beyond that mark;

هیچ گرگی در نرفتی اندر آن ** گوسفندی هم نگشتی ز آن نشان‌‌

The wind of the wolf's and sheeps' concupiscence was barred because of (by) the circle of the man of God.

باد حرص گرگ و حرص گوسفند ** دایره‌‌ی مرد خدا را بود بند

Even so, to those who know God (‘árifán) the wind of Death is soft and pleasant as the breeze (that wafts the scent) of (loved) ones like Joseph. 860

همچنین باد اجل با عارفان ** نرم و خوش همچون نسیم یوسفان‌‌

The fire did not set its teeth in Abraham: how should it bite him, since he is the chosen of God?

آتش ابراهیم را دندان نزد ** چون گزیده‌‌ی حق بود چونش گزد

The religious are not burned by the fire of lust which bore all the rest down to the bottom of the earth.

ز آتش شهوت نسوزد اهل دین ** باقیان را برده تا قعر زمین‌‌

The waves of the sea, when they charged on by God's command, discriminated the people of Moses from the Egyptians.

موج دریا چون به امر حق بتاخت ** اهل موسی را ز قبطی واشناخت‌‌