Rumi's Masnavi - Nor is it granted to every heart to fall down in prayer: the wages of (Divine) mercy are not the (allotted) portion of every hireling.

Nor is it granted to every heart to fall down in prayer: the wages of (Divine) mercy are not the (allotted) portion of every hireling.

هر دلی را سجده هم دستور نیست ** مزد رحمت قسم هر مزدور نیست‏

Beware! Do not commit crime and sin in reliance on (the thought), “I will repent and come to (take) refuge (with God).”

هین بپشت آن مکن جرم و گناه ** که کنم توبه در آیم در پناه‏

For (true) repentance, there must needs be a glow (of inward feeling) and a flood (of tears): (such) lightning and clouds are the condition indispensable to repentance.

می‏بباید تاب و آبی توبه را ** شرط شد برق و سحابی توبه را

There must needs be fire and water (rain) for the fruit: clouds and lightning are necessary for this accomplishment.

آتش و آبی بباید میوه را ** واجب آید ابر و برق این شیوه را

Until there is the lightning of the heart and the rain-clouds of the two eyes, how shall the fire of (Divine) menace and wrath be allayed? 1655

تا نباشد برق دل و ابر دو چشم ** کی نشیند آتش تهدید و خشم‏

How shall the herbage grow, (the herbage) of the delight of union (with God)? How shall the fountains of clear water gush forth?

کی بروید سبزه‏ی ذوق وصال ** کی بجوشد چشمه‏ها ز آب زلال‏

How shall the rose-beds tell their secret to the garden? How shall the violet make an engagement with the jasmine?

کی گلستان راز گوید با چمن ** کی بنفشه عهد بندد با سمن‏

How shall a plane-tree open its hands (spread its leaves) in prayer? How shall any tree toss its head in the air (of love-desire)?

کی چناری کف گشاید در دعا ** کی درختی سر فشاند در هوا

How shall the blossoms begin to shake out their sleeves full of largesse in the days of Spring?

کی شکوفه آستین پر نثار ** بر فشاندن گیرد ایام بهار

How shall the cheeks of the anemone flame like blood? How shall the rose bring gold out of its purse? 1660

کی فروزد لاله را رخ همچو خون ** کی گل از کیسه بر آرد زر برون‏

How shall the nightingale come and smell the rose? How shall the dove say “coo, coo,” as one that seeks?

کی بیاید بلبل و گل بو کند ** کی چو طالب فاخته کوکو کند

How shall the stork utter with (all) its soul the cry lak, lak? What is (the meaning of) lak? (It means) “Thine is the kingdom, O Thou whose help is invoked.”

کی بگوید لکلک آن لک لک به جان ** لک چه باشد ملک تست ای مستعان‏

How shall the earth show forth the secrets of its inmost mind? How shall the garden become radiant without the sky?

کی نماید خاک اسرار ضمیر ** کی شود بی‏آسمان بستان منیر

Whence have they fetched those garments (fair qualities)? (They have derived) all of them from One who is Bounteous and Merciful.

از کجا آورده‏اند آن حله‏ها ** من کریم من رحیم کلها

Those graces are the signs of a Witness: they are the footprints of a man devoted to (God's) service. 1665

آن لطافتها نشان شاهدی است ** آن نشان پای مرد عابدی است‏

(None but) that person that has seen the King is gladdened by the sign; when one has not seen Him, there is no recognition.

آن شود شاد از نشان کاو دید شاه ** چون ندید او را نباشد انتباه‏

The spirit of that one who at the time of Am not I (your Lord)? saw his Lord and became beside himself and intoxicated—

روح آن کس کاو به هنگام أ لست ** دید رب خویش و شد بی‏خویش و مست‏

He (that spirit) knows the scent of the wine because he drank it (before); when he has not drunk it, how can he scent it?

او شناسد بوی می کاو می بخورد ** چون نخورد او می چه داند بوی کرد

For Wisdom is like a stray camel: like a go-between, it guides (those who find and recognise it) to (the presence of) kings.

ز انکه حکمت همچو ناقه‏ی ضاله است ** همچو دلاله شهان را داله است‏

You behold in dream a person of pleasing countenance, who gives you a promise and a sign 1670

تو ببینی خواب در یک خوش لقا ** کاو دهد وعده و نشانی مر ترا

That your desire will come to pass; here is the sign—such and such a person will meet you to-morrow.

که مراد تو شود اینک نشان ** که بپیش آید ترا فردا فلان‏

One sign is that he will be riding; one sign is that he will clasp you to his breast;

یک نشانی آن که او باشد سوار ** یک نشانی که ترا گیرد کنار

One sign is that he will smile before you; one sign is that he will fold his hands in your presence;

یک نشانی که بخندد پیش تو ** یک نشان که دست بندد پیش تو

One sign is that when the morrow comes you will not tell this dream to any one, though you would fain do so.

یک نشانی آن که این خواب از هوس ** چون شود فردا نگویی پیش کس‏

Concerning that (last-mentioned) sign, He (God) said to Zakariyyá (Zacharias), “Thou shalt not begin to speak at all till three days (have passed). 1675

ز ان نشان با والد یحیی بگفت ** که نیایی تا سه روز اصلا به گفت‏

For three nights keep silence as to thy good and ill: this will be the sign that Yahyá will come (be born) to thee.

تا سه شب خامش کن از نیک و بدت ** این نشان باشد که یحیی آیدت‏

During three days do not breathe a word, for this silence is the sign of (the fulfilment) of thy purpose.

دم مزن سه روز اندر گفت‏وگو ** کاین سکوت است آیت مقصود تو

Beware! do not thou speak of this sign, and keep this matter hidden in thy heart.”

هین میاور این نشان را تو به گفت ** وین سخن را دار اندر دل نهفت‏

He (the person dreamed of) will sweetly tell these signs to him (the dreamer). What are these signs (alone)? (He will tell him) a hundred signs besides.

این نشانها گویدش همچون شکر ** این چه باشد صد نشانی دگر

This (which follows) is the sign that you will gain from God the (spiritual) kingdom and power that you are seeking— 1680

این نشان آن بود کان ملک و جاه ** که همی‏جویی بیابی از اله‏

That you weep continually in the long nights, and that you are always ardent in supplication at the hour of dawn;

آن که می‏گریی به شبهای دراز ** و انکه می‏سوزی سحرگه در نیاز

That, in the absence of that (which you seek), your day has become dark; (that) your neck has become thin as a spindle;

آن که بی‏آن روز تو تاریک شد ** همچو دوکی گردنت باریک شد

And what you have given in alms (is) all that you possess, (so that) your belongings (are entirely bestowed in charity) like the alms of those who gamble all away;

و آن چه دادی هر چه داری در زکات ** چون زکات پاک بازان رختهات‏

(That) you have given up your belongings and sleep and the (healthy) colour of your face, and sacrificed your head (life) and become as (thin as) a hair;

رختها دادی و خواب و رنگ رو ** سر فدا کردی و گشتی همچو مو

(That) you have sat—how often!—in the fire, like aloes-wood; that you have gone—how often!—to meet the sword, like a helmet. 1685

چند در آتش نشستی همچو عود ** چند پیش تیغ رفتی همچو خود

A hundred thousand such acts of helplessness are habitual to lovers (of God), and (their number) cannot be reckoned.

زین چنین بی‏چارگیها صد هزار ** خوی عشاق است و ناید در شمار

After you have had this dream at night, the day breaks; through hope thereof your day becomes triumphant.

چون که شب این خواب دیدی روز شد ** از امیدش روز تو پیروز شد

You have turned your eye to left and right, (wondering) where is that sign and those tokens.

چشم گردان کرده‏ای بر چپ و راست ** کان نشان و آن علامتها کجاست‏

You are trembling like a leaf (and saying), “Alas, if the day depart and the sign come not to pass!”

بر مثال برگ می‏لرزی که وای ** گر رود روز و نشان ناید به جای‏

You are running in street and market and into houses, like one that should lose a calf. 1690

می‏دوی در کوی و بازار و سرا ** چون کسی کاو گم کند گوساله را

(Somebody asks), “Is it good (news), Sir? Why are you running to and fro? Who belonging to you is it that you have lost here?”

خواجه خیر است این دوادو چیستت ** گم شده اینجا که داری کیستت‏

“It is good (news),” you tell him, “but none may know my good (news) except myself.

گویی‏اش خیر است لیکن خیر من ** کس نشاید که بداند غیر من‏

If I tell it, lo, my sign is missed, and when the sign is missed, the hour of death is come.”

گر بگویم نک نشانم فوت شد ** چون نشان شد فوت وقت موت شد

You peer into the face of every rider: he says to you, “Do not look at me like a madman.”

بنگری در روی هر مرد سوار ** گویدت منگر مرا دیوانه‏وار

You say to him, “I have lost a friend; I have set out to seek him. 1695

گویی‏اش من صاحبی گم کرده‏ام ** رو به جستجوی او آورده‏ام‏

May thy fortune be lasting, O rider! Have pity on lovers and excuse (them).”

دولتت پاینده بادا ای سوار ** رحم کن بر عاشقان معذور دار

When you have made search (and your) looking has been in earnest—earnest endeavour does not fail: so the Tradition has come down (from the Prophet)—

چون طلب کردی به جد آمد نظر ** جد خطا نکند چنین آمد خبر

Suddenly comes a blessed rider; then he clasps you very closely to his breast.

ناگهان آمد سواری نیک بخت ** پس گرفت اندر کنارت سخت سخت‏

You become senseless and fall to vaunting (ecstatically); the ignorant (uninitiated) man says, “Here is fraud and hypocrisy.”

تو شدی بی‏هوش و افتادی به طاق ** بی‏خبر گفت اینت سالوس و نفاق‏

How does he see what this enthusiasm in him (the enraptured person) is? He knows not (who it is) with whom that is the sign of union. 1700

او چه می‏بیند در او این شور چیست ** او نداند کان نشان وصل کیست‏