Rumi's Masnavi - He has said, “Although I far transcend your commemoration (of Me), (and although) the pictorial ideas (of human speech) are not suitable to Me,

He has said, “Although I far transcend your commemoration (of Me), (and although) the pictorial ideas (of human speech) are not suitable to Me,

گفت اگر چه پاکم از ذکر شما ** نیست لایق مر مرا تصویرها

Yet he that is intoxicated with (pictorial) imagination and fancy will never apprehend My essence without (the help of) similitude.”

لیک هرگز مست تصویر و خیال ** در نیابد ذات ما را بی‏مثال‏

Bodily commemoration is an imperfect fancy: the Kingly attributes are remote from those (forms of speech).

ذکر جسمانه خیال ناقص است ** وصف شاهانه از آنها خالص است‏

If any one say of a king, “He is not a weaver,” what praise is this? He (that person) is surely ignorant.

شاه را گوید کسی جولاه نیست ** این چه مدح است این مگر آگاه نیست‏

How Moses, on whom be peace, took offence at the prayer of the shepherd.

انکار کردن موسی علیه السلام بر مناجات شبان‏

Moses saw a shepherd on the way, who was saying, “O God who choosest (whom Thou wilt), 1720

دید موسی یک شبانی را به راه ** کاو همی‏گفت ای خدا و ای اله‏

Where art Thou, that I may become Thy servant and sew Thy shoes and comb Thy head?

تو کجایی تا شوم من چاکرت ** چارقت دوزم کنم شانه سرت‏

That I may wash Thy clothes and kill Thy lice and bring milk to Thee, O worshipful One;

جامه‏ات شویم شپشهایت کشم ** شیر پیشت آورم ای محتشم‏

That I may kiss Thy little hand and rub Thy little foot, (and when) bedtime comes I may sweep Thy little room,

دستکت بوسم بمالم پایکت ** وقت خواب آید بروبم جایکت‏

O Thou to whom all my goats be a sacrifice, O Thou in remembrance of whom are my cries of ay and ah!”

ای فدای تو همه بزهای من ** ای به یادت هیهی و هیهای من‏

The shepherd was speaking foolish words in this wise. Moses said, “Man, to whom is this (addressed)?” 1725

این نمط بی‏هوده می‏گفت آن شبان ** گفت موسی با کی است این ای فلان‏

He answered, “To that One who created us; by whom this earth and sky were brought to sight.”

گفت با آن کس که ما را آفرید ** این زمین و چرخ از او آمد پدید

“Hark!” said Moses, “you have become very backsliding (depraved); indeed you have not become a Moslem, you have become an infidel.

گفت موسی های خیره‏سر شدی ** خود مسلمان ناشده کافر شدی‏

What babble is this? what blasphemy and raving? Stuff some cotton into your mouth!

این چه ژاژست و چه کفر است و فشار ** پنبه‏ای اندر دهان خود فشار

The stench of your blasphemy has made the (whole) world stinking: your blasphemy has turned the silk robe of religion into rags.

گند کفر تو جهان را گنده کرد ** کفر تو دیبای دین را ژنده کرد

Shoes and socks are fitting for you, (but) how are such things right for (One who is) a Sun? 1730

چارق و پا تابه لایق مر تراست ** آفتابی را چنینها کی رواست‏

If you do not stop your throat from (uttering) these words, a fire will come and burn up the people.

گر نبندی زین سخن تو حلق را ** آتشی آید بسوزد خلق را

If a fire has not come, (then) what is this smoke? Why has your soul become black and your spirit rejected (by God)?

آتشی گر نامده ست این دود چیست ** جان سیه گشته روان مردود چیست‏

If you know that God is the Judge, how is it right for you (to indulge in) this doting talk and familiarity?

گر همی‏دانی که یزدان داور است ** ژاژ و گستاخی ترا چون باور است‏

Truly, the friendship of a witless man is enmity: the high God is not in want of suchlike service.

دوستی بی‏خرد خود دشمنی است ** حق تعالی زین چنین خدمت غنی است‏

To whom are you saying this? To your paternal and maternal uncles? Are the body and (its) needs among the attributes of the Lord of glory? 1735

با که می‏گویی تو این با عم و خال ** جسم و حاجت در صفات ذو الجلال‏

(Only) he that is waxing and growing drinks milk: (only) he that has need of feet puts on shoes.

شیر او نوشد که در نشو و نماست ** چارق او پوشد که او محتاج پاست‏

And if these words of yours are (meant) for His servant, of whom God said, ‘He is I and I myself am he’;

ور برای بنده‏ش است این گفت‏وگو ** آن که حق گفت او من است و من خود او

(For him) of whom He (God) said, ‘Verily, I was sick and thou didst not visit Me,’ (that is), ‘I became ill, not he (the sick man) alone’;

آن که گفت انی مرضت لم تعد ** من شدم رنجور او تنها نشد

(For him) who has become seeing by Me and hearing by Me— this (talk of yours) is foolish nonsense even in regard to that servant.

آن که بی‏یسمع و بی‏یبصر شده ست ** در حق آن بنده این هم بی‏هده ست‏

To speak irreverently to one chosen of God causes the heart (spirit) to perish and keeps the page (record) black. 1740

بی‏ادب گفتن سخن با خاص حق ** دل بمیراند سیه دارد ورق‏

If you should call a man ‘Fátima’—though men and women are all of one kind—

گر تو مردی را بخوانی فاطمه ** گر چه یک جنسند مرد و زن همه‏

He will seek to murder you, so far as it is possible (for him), albeit he is good-natured and forbearing and quiet.

قصد خون تو کند تا ممکن است ** گر چه خوش خو و حلیم و ساکن است‏

(The name) Fátima is (a term of) praise in regard to women, (but) if you address it to a man, ’tis (like) the blow of a spearhead.

فاطمه مدح است در حق زنان ** مرد را گویی بود زخم سنان‏

Hand and foot are (terms of) praise in relation to us; in relation to the holiness of God they are pollution.

دست و پا در حق ما استایش است ** در حق پاکی حق آلایش است‏

(The words) He begat not, He was not begotten are appropriate to Him: He is the Creator of begetter and begotten. 1745

لم یلد لم یولد او را لایق است ** والد و مولود را او خالق است‏

Birth is the attribute of everything that is (a) body: whatever is born is on this side of the river,

هر چه جسم آمد ولادت وصف اوست ** هر چه مولود است او زین سوی جوست‏

Because it is of (the world of) becoming and decay and (is) contemptible: it is originated and certainly requires an Originator.”

ز انکه از کون و فساد است و مهین ** حادث است و محدثی خواهد یقین‏

He (the shepherd) said, “O Moses, thou hast closed my mouth and thou hast burned my soul with repentance.”

گفت ای موسی دهانم دوختی ** و ز پشیمانی تو جانم سوختی‏

He rent his garment and heaved a sigh, and hastily turned his head towards a desert and went (his way).

جامه را بدرید و آهی کرد تفت ** سر نهاد اندر بیابانی و رفت‏

How the high God rebuked Moses, on whom be peace, on account of the shepherd.

عتاب کردن حق تعالی با موسی علیه السلام از بهر آن شبان‏

A revelation came to Moses from God—“Thou hast parted My servant from Me. 1750

وحی آمد سوی موسی از خدا ** بنده‏ی ما را ز ما کردی جدا

Didst thou come (as a prophet) to unite, or didst thou come to sever?

تو برای وصل کردن آمدی ** نی برای فصل کردن آمدی‏

So far as thou canst, do not set foot in separation: of (all) things the most hateful to Me is divorce.

تا توانی پا منه اندر فراق ** أبغض الأشیاء عندی الطلاق‏

I have bestowed on every one a (special) way of acting: I have given to every one a (peculiar) form of expression.

هر کسی را سیرتی بنهاده‏ام ** هر کسی را اصطلاحی داده‏ام‏

In regard to him it is (worthy of) praise, and in regard to thee it is (worthy of) blame: in regard to him honey, and in regard to thee poison.

در حق او مدح و در حق تو ذم ** در حق او شهد و در حق تو سم‏

I am independent of all purity and impurity, of all slothfulness and alacrity (in worshipping Me). 1755

ما بری از پاک و ناپاکی همه ** از گران جانی و چالاکی همه‏

I did not ordain (Divine worship) that I might make any profit; nay, but that I might do a kindness to (My) servants.

من نکردم امر تا سودی کنم ** بلکه تا بر بندگان جودی کنم‏

In the Hindoos the idiom of Hind (India) is praiseworthy; in the Sindians the idiom of Sind is praiseworthy.

هندوان را اصطلاح هند مدح ** سندیان را اصطلاح سند مدح‏

I am not sanctified by their glorification (of Me); ’tis they that become sanctified and pearl-scattering (pure and radiant).

من نگردم پاک از تسبیحشان ** پاک هم ایشان شوند و در فشان‏

I look not at the tongue and the speech; I look at the spirit and the state (of feeling).

ما زبان را ننگریم و قال را ** ما روان را بنگریم و حال را

I gaze into the heart (to see) whether it be lowly, though the words uttered be not lowly, 1760

ناظر قلبیم اگر خاشع بود ** گر چه گفت لفظ ناخاضع رود

Because the heart is the substance, speech (only) the accident; so the accident is subservient, the substance is the (real) object.

ز انکه دل جوهر بود گفتن عرض ** پس طفیل آمد عرض جوهر غرض‏

How much (more) of these phrases and conceptions and metaphors? I want burning, burning: become friendly with that burning!

چند ازین الفاظ و اضمار و مجاز ** سوز خواهم سوز با آن سوز ساز

Light up a fire of love in thy soul, burn thought and expression entirely (away)!

آتشی از عشق در جان بر فروز ** سربه‏سر فکر و عبارت را بسوز

O Moses, they that know the conventions are of one sort, they whose souls and spirits burn are of another sort.”

موسیا آداب دانان دیگرند ** سوخته جان و روانان دیگرند

To lovers there is a burning (which consumes them) at every moment: tax and tithe are not (imposed) on a ruined village. 1765

عاشقان را هر نفس سوزیدنی ست ** بر ده ویران خراج و عشر نیست‏