Rumi's Masnavi - To thy envier, though it be I, do not give life, (but let me alone) so that I may be suffering the agony of (spiritual) death even as he is.

To thy envier, though it be I, do not give life, (but let me alone) so that I may be suffering the agony of (spiritual) death even as he is.

مر حسودت را اگر چه آن منم ** جان مده تا همچنین جان می‏کنم‏

(I mean) him that is envious of the Sun and him that is fretting at the existence of the Sun.

آن که او باشد حسود آفتاب ** و انکه می‏رنجد ز بود آفتاب‏

Look you, this is the incurable disease which he has, alas; look you, this is one fallen for ever to the bottom of the pit.

اینت درد بی‏دوا کاو راست آه ** اینت افتاده ابد در قعر چاه‏

What he wants is the extinction of the Sun of eternity. Tell (me), how should this desire of his come to pass? 1130

نفی خورشید ازل بایست او ** کی بر آید این مراد او بگو

The falcon (seeker of God) is he that comes back to the King; he that has lost the way is the blind falcon.

باز آن باشد که باز آید به شاه ** باز کور است آن که شد گم کرده راه‏

It lost the way and fell into the wilderness; then in the wilderness it fell amongst owls.

راه را گم کرد و در ویران فتاد ** باز در ویران بر جغدان فتاد

It (the falcon) is wholly light (derived) from the Light of (Divine) approval, but the marshal, Fate, blinded it.

او همه نور است از نور رضا ** لیک کورش کرد سرهنگ قضا

He threw dust in its eyes and took it (far) away from the (right) road; he left it amidst owls and (in) the wilderness.

خاک در چشمش زد و از راه برد ** در میان جغد و ویرانش سپرد

To crown all, the owls attack it and tear its lovely wing-feathers and plumes. 1135

بر سری جغدانش بر سر می‏زنند ** پر و بال نازنینش می‏کنند

A clamour arose amongst the owls—“Ha! the falcon has come to seize our dwelling place.”

ولوله افتاد در جغدان که ها ** باز آمد تا بگیرد جای ما

(’Twas) as (when) the street-dogs, wrathful and terrible, have fallen upon the frock of a (dervish) stranger.

چون سگان کوی پر خشم و مهیب ** اندر افتادند در دلق غریب‏

“How am I fit,” says the falcon, “for (consorting with) owls? I give up to the owls a hundred wildernesses like this.

باز گوید من چه در خوردم به جغد ** صد چنین ویران فدا کردم به جغد

I do not wish to stay here, I am going, I will return to the King of kings.

من نخواهم بود اینجا می‏روم ** سوی شاهنشاه راجع می‏شوم‏

Do not kill yourselves (with agitation), O owls, for I am not settling (here): I am going home. 1140

خویشتن مکشید ای جغدان که من ** نه مقیمم می‏روم سوی وطن‏

This ruin is a thriving abode in your eyes; for me, however, the King's fore-arm is the place of delight.”

این خراب آباد در چشم شماست ** ور نه ما را ساعد شه باز جاست‏

The owl (that was warning the others) said, “The falcon is plotting to uproot you from house and home.

جغد گفتا باز حیلت می‏کند ** تا ز خان و مان شما را بر کند

He will seize our houses by cunning, he will tear us out of our nests by (his) hypocrisy.

خانه‏های ما بگیرد او به مکر ** بر کند ما را به سالوسی ز وکر

This devotee of guile pretends to be perfectly satisfied (with what he has); by God, he is worse than all the greedy together.

می‏نماید سیری این حیلت پرست ** و الله از جمله‏ی حریصان بدتر است‏

From greediness he eats clay as (if it were) date-syrup: O friends, do not entrust the sheep's tail to the bear. 1145

او خورد از حرص طین را همچو دبس ** دنبه مسپارید ای یاران به خرس‏

He is boasting of the King and the King's hand, in order that he may lead us astray, simple-minded as we are.

لاف از شه می‏زند وز دست شاه ** تا برد او ما سلیمان را ز راه‏

How, indeed, should a petty bird be the congener of the King? Do not listen to him, if you have (even) a little understanding.

خود چه جنس شاه باشد مرغکی ** مشنوش گر عقل داری اندکی‏

Is he the King's or the Vizier's congener? Is garlic at all suitable to sweetmeat made with walnut kernels?

جنس شاه است او و یا جنس وزیر ** هیچ باشد لایق لوزینه سیر

(As for) his saying, from deceit and feint and artifice, ‘The King with his retinue is searching after me,’

آن چه می‏گوید ز مکر و فعل و فن ** هست سلطان با حشم جویای من‏

Here's an absurd mad fancy for you, here's a vain boast and a snare to catch blockheads! 1150

اینت مالیخولیای ناپذیر ** اینت لاف خام و دام گول گیر

Any one who believes this—’tis because of (his) foolishness: how is a slender little bird fit for (friendship with) royalty?

هر که این باور کند از ابلهی است ** مرغک لاغر چه در خورد شهی است‏

If the smallest owl should strike at his brain, where is succour for him from the King?”

کمترین جغد ار زند بر مغز او ** مر و را یاری‏گری از شاه کو

The falcon said, “If a single feather of mine be broken, the King of kings will uproot the (whole) owlery.

گفت باز ار یک پر من بشکند ** بیخ جغدستان شهنشه بر کند

What is an owl? Even if a falcon vex my heart and maltreat me,

جغد چه بود خود اگر بازی مرا ** دل برنجاند کند با من جفا

The King will heap up in every lowland and highland hundreds of thousands of stacks of falcons' heads. 1155

شه کند توده به هر شیب و فراز ** صد هزاران خرمن از سرهای باز

His favours keep watch over me; wherever I go, the King is (following) behind.

پاسبان من عنایات وی است ** هر کجا که من روم شه در پی است‏

The phantasy of me is abiding in the King's heart: sick (would be) the King's heart without the phantasy of me.

در دل سلطان خیال من مقیم ** بی‏خیال من دل سلطان سقیم‏

When the King bids me fly in His Way I fly up to the heart's zenith, like His beams.

چون بپراند مرا شه در روش ** می‏پرم بر اوج دل چون پرتوش‏

I fly as a moon and sun, I rend the curtains of the skies.

همچو ماه و آفتابی می‏پرم ** پرده‏های آسمانها می‏درم‏

The light of intellects is from my thought; the bursting forth of heaven (into existence) is from my original nature. 1160

روشنی عقلها از فکرتم ** انفطار آسمان از فطرتم‏

I am a falcon, and (yet) the humá becomes lost in amazement at me: who is an owl, that it should know my secret?

بازم و حیران شود در من هما ** جغد که بود تا بداند سر ما

For my sake the King bethought him of the prison (this world), and set free hundreds of thousands of those in bondage.

شه برای من ز زندان یاد کرد ** صد هزاران بسته را آزاد کرد

He made me familiar with the owls for a moment, and by means of my breath (words) he made the owls (to be) falcons.

یک دمم با جغدها دمساز کرد ** از دم من جغدها را باز کرد

Oh, happy (is) the owl that in my (soaring) flight (towards God) had the good fortune to apprehend my mystery.

ای خنک جغدی که در پرواز من ** فهم کرد از نیک بختی راز من‏

Cling to me, that ye may become exultant (enjoying bliss), (and that) ye may become royal falcons, although ye are owls. 1165

در من آویزید تا نازان شوید ** گر چه جغدانید شهبازان شوید

He that is dear to such a King—wheresoever he light, why should he be a stranger?

آن که باشد با چنان شاهی حبیب ** هر کجا افتد چرا باشد غریب‏

Any one for whose pain the King is the remedy—though he wail like the reed (flute), he is not without plenty.

هر که باشد شاه دردش را دوا ** گر چو نی نالد نباشد بی‏نوا

I am the owner of the (spiritual) kingdom, I am not a lickspittle: the King is beating the falcon-drum for me from the shore.

مالک ملکم نیم من طبل خوار ** طبل بازم می‏زند شه از کنار

My falcon-drum is the call, ‘Return!’ God is my witness in despite of adversary.

طبل باز من ندای ارجعی ** حق گواه من به رغم مدعی‏

I am not a congener of the King of kings—far be it from Him!—but I have light from Him in (His) self-manifestation. 1170

من نیم جنس شهنشه دور از او ** لیک دارم در تجلی نور از او

Homogeneity is not in respect of form and essence: water becomes homogeneous with earth in the plant.

نیست جنسیت ز روی شکل و ذات ** آب جنس خاک آمد در نبات‏

Wind (air) becomes homogeneous with fire in consistency; wine at last becomes homogeneous with the constitution (of the body).

باد جنس آتش آمد در قوام ** طبع را جنس آمده ست آخر مدام‏

Since my genus is not the genus of my King, my ego has passed away (faná) for the sake of His ego.

جنس ما چون نیست جنس شاه ما ** مای ما شد بهر مای او فنا

Inasmuch as my ego passed away, He remained alone: I roll at the feet of His horse, like dust.

چون فنا شد مای ما او ماند فرد ** پیش پای اسب او گردم چو گرد

The (individual) soul (self) became dust, and the (only) signs of it are the mark of His feet on its dust. 1175

خاک شد جان و نشانیهای او ** هست بر خاکش نشان پای او

Become dust at His feet for the sake of this mark, in order that you may become the crown on the head of the lofty.

خاک پایش شو برای این نشان ** تا شوی تاج سر گردن کشان‏