Rumi's Masnavi - (At) one step, (he moves) like the rook (straight) from top to bottom (of the chessboard); (at) one step he goes crossways, like the bishop;

(At) one step, (he moves) like the rook (straight) from top to bottom (of the chessboard); (at) one step he goes crossways, like the bishop; 1780

یک قدم چون رخ ز بالا تا نشیب ** یک قدم چون پیل رفته بر وریب‏

Now lifting his crest like a wave; now going on his belly like a fish;

گاه چون موجی بر افرازان علم ** گاه چون ماهی روانه بر شکم‏

Now writing (a description of) his state on some dust, like a geomancer who takes an omen by drawing lines (on earth or sand).

گاه بر خاکی نبشته حال خود ** همچو رمالی که رملی بر زند

At last he (Moses) overtook and beheld him; the giver of glad news said, “Permission has come (from God).

عاقبت دریافت او را و بدید ** گفت مژده ده که دستوری رسید

Do not seek any rules or method (of worship); say whatsoever your distressful heart desires.

هیچ آدابی و ترتیبی مجو ** هر چه می‏خواهد دل تنگت بگو

Your blasphemy is (the true) religion, and your religion is the light of the spirit: you are saved, and through you a (whole) world is in salvation. 1785

کفر تو دین است و دینت نور جان ** ایمنی و ز تو جهانی در امان‏

O you who are made secure by God doeth whatso He willeth, go, loose your tongue without regard (for what you say).”

ای معاف یفعل الله ما یشاء ** بی‏محابا رو زبان را بر گشا

He said, “O Moses, I have passed beyond that: I am now bathed in (my) heart's blood.

گفت ای موسی از آن بگذشته‏ام ** من کنون در خون دل آغشته‏ام‏

I have passed beyond the Lote-tree of the farthest bourn, I have gone a hundred thousand years' journey on the other side.

من ز سدره‏ی منتهی بگذشته‏ام ** صد هزاران ساله ز آن سو رفته‏ام‏

Thou didst ply the lash, and my horse shied, made a bound, and passed beyond the sky.

تازیانه بر زدی اسبم بگشت ** گنبدی کرد و ز گردون بر گذشت‏

May the Divine Nature be intimate with my human nature— blessings be on thy hand and on thine arm! 1790

محرم ناسوت ما لاهوت باد ** آفرین بر دست و بر بازوت باد

Now my state is beyond telling: this which I am telling is not my (real) state.”

حال من اکنون برون از گفتن است ** این چه می‏گویم نه احوال من است‏

You behold the image which is in a mirror: it is your (own) image, it is not the image of the mirror.

نقش می‏بینی که در آیینه‏ای است ** نقش تست آن نقش آن آیینه نیست‏

The breath which the flute-player puts into the flute—does it belong to the flute? No, it belongs to the man (the flute-player).

دم که مرد نایی اندر نای کرد ** در خور نای است نه در خورد مرد

Take good heed! Whether you speak praise (of God) or thanksgiving, know that it is even as the unseemly (words) of that shepherd.

هان و هان گر حمد گویی گر سپاس ** همچو نافرجام آن چوپان شناس‏

Though your praise is better in comparison with that, yet in relation to God it too is maimed (feeble). 1795

حمد تو نسبت بدان گر بهتر است ** لیک آن نسبت به حق هم ابتر است‏

How often will you say, when the lid has been raised, “This was not what they were thinking (it was)!”

چند گویی چون غطا برداشتند ** کاین نبوده ست آن که می‏پنداشتند

This acceptance (by God) of your praise is from (His) mercy: it is an indulgence (which He grants), like (the indulgence granted in the case of) the prayers of a woman suffering from menorrhagia.

این قبول ذکر تو از رحمت است ** چون نماز مستحاضه رخصت است‏

Her prayers are stained with blood; your praise is stained with assimilation and qualification.

با نماز او بیالوده ست خون ** ذکر تو آلوده‏ی تشبیه و چون‏

Blood is foul, and (yet) it goes (is washed away) by a (little) water; but the inward part (the inner man) hath impurities

خون پلید است و به آبی می‏رود ** لیک باطن را نجاستها بود

Which fail not (are not removed) from the interior (the heart) of the man of works except by the water of the grace of the Maker. 1800

کان به غیر آب لطف کردگار ** کم نگردد از درون مرد کار

Would that in your bowing low in prayer you would turn your face (to attentive consideration) and apprehend the meaning of “Glory to my Lord!”

در سجودت کاش رو گردانی‏ای ** معنی سبحان ربی دانی‏ای‏

Saying, “Oh, my prostration (in prayer), like my existence, is unworthy (of Thee): do Thou give good in return for evil!”

کای سجودم چون وجودم ناسزا ** مر بدی را تو نکویی ده جزا

This earth has the mark of God's clemency, in that it got filth and gave flowers as the produce;

این زمین از حلم حق دارد اثر ** تا نجاست برد و گلها داد بر

In that it covers our pollutions, (and that) buds grow up from it in exchange.

تا بپوشد او پلیدیهای ما ** در عوض بر روید از وی غنچه‏ها

Therefore, when the infidel saw that in giving and lavishing he was meaner and unwealthier than the earth, 1805

پس چو کافر دید کاو در داد و جود ** کمتر و بی‏مایه تر از خاک بود

(That) flowers and fruit did not grow from his being, (and that) he sought (and achieved) nothing but the corruption of all purities,

از وجود او گل و میوه نرست ** جز فساد جمله پاکیها نجست‏

He said, “I have gone backwards in (my) course. Alas! would that I had (still) been earth!

گفت واپس رفته‏ام من در ذهاب ** حسرتا یا لیتنی کنت تراب‏

Would that I had not chosen to travel away from earthiness, (and that) like a clod of earth I had gathered some grain!

کاش از خاکی سفر نگزیدمی ** همچو خاکی دانه‏ای می‏چیدمی‏

When I travelled, the Way tried me: what was the present I brought (home) from this travelling?”

چون سفر کردم مرا راه آزمود ** زین سفر کردن ره آوردم چه بود

’Tis from all that propensity of his towards earth that he sees before him no profit in the journey. 1810

ز آن همه میلش سوی خاک است کاو ** در سفر سودی نبیند پیش رو

His turning his face back is that greed and cupidity (of his); his turning his face to the Way is sincerity and supplication.

روی واپس کردنش آن حرص و آز ** روی در ره کردنش صدق و نیاز

Every herb that has a propensity for (moving) upwards is in (the state of) increase and life and growth;

هر گیا را کش بود میل علا ** در مزید است و حیات و در نما

When it has turned its head towards the earth, (it is) in (the state of) decrease and dryness and failure and disappointment.

چون که گردانید سر سوی زمین ** در کمی و خشکی و نقص و غبین‏

When the propensity of your spirit is upwards, (you are) in (the state of) increase, and that (lofty) place is the place to which you will return;

میل روحت چون سوی بالا بود ** در تزاید مرجعت آن جا بود

But if you are upside down, (with) your head towards the earth, (then) you are one that sinks: God loves not them that sink. 1815

ور نگون ساری سرت سوی زمین ** آفلی حق لا یحب الآفلین‏

How Moses, on whom be peace, asked the high God (to explain) the secret of the predominance of the unjust.

پرسیدن موسی علیه السلام از حق تعالی سر غلبه‏ی ظالمان‏

Moses said, “O Bounteous Disposer, O Thou whom to commemorate for one moment is (worth) a long life,

گفت موسی ای کریم کارساز ** ای که یک دم ذکر تو عمر دراز

I have seen the crooked, misshapen image in (the mould of) water and clay, and like the angels, my heart has raised an objection,

نقش کژمژ دیدم اندر آب و گل ** چون ملایک اعتراضی کرد دل‏

As to what is the purpose of making an image and casting therein the seed of corruption.

که چه مقصود است نقشی ساختن ** و اندر او تخم فساد انداختن‏

To kindle the fire of iniquity and corruption; to burn the mosque and those who bend low in prayer;

آتش ظلم و فساد افروختن ** مسجد و سجده کنان را سوختن‏

To set boiling the source of bloody tears for the sake of (receiving) humble entreaties (from the suffering and oppressed)— 1820

مایه‏ی خونابه و زردآبه را ** جوش دادن از برای لابه را

I know for certain that it is the essence of wisdom (on Thy part), but my aim is (to know this by) actual seeing and vision.

من یقین دانم که عین حکمت است ** لیک مقصودم عیان و رویت است‏

That certainty (of mine) says to me, ‘keep silence’; the craving for vision says to me, ‘Make a stir (and outcry).’

آن یقین می‏گویدم خاموش کن ** حرص رویت گویدم نه جوش کن‏

Thou hast shown Thy secret to the angels, (namely) that such honey as this is worth the sting.

مر ملایک را نمودی سر خویش ** کاین چنین نوشی همی‏ارزد به نیش‏

Thou hast displayed the Light of Adam manifestly to the angels, (so that all) the difficulties were explained.

عرضه کردی نور آدم را عیان ** بر ملایک گشت مشکلها بیان‏

Thy Resurrection declares what is the secret of death: the fruits declare what is the secret of the leaves.” 1825

حشر تو گوید که سر مرگ چیست ** میوه‏ها گویند سر برگ چیست‏

The secret of blood and seed is the excellence of Man; after all, inferiority is antecedent to every superiority.

سر خون و نطفه حسن آدمی است ** سابق هر بیشیی آخر کمی است‏

The ignorant (child) first washes the tablet, then he writes the letters upon it.

لوح را اول بشوید بی‏وقوف ** آن گهی بروی نویسد او حروف‏

(So) He (God) turns the heart into blood and abject tears, then He writes the (spiritual) mysteries upon it.

خون کند دل را و اشک مستهان ** بر نویسد بر وی اسرار آن گهان‏

At the time of washing the tablet (of the heart) one must recognise that it will be made into a book (of mysteries).

وقت شستن لوح را باید شناخت ** که مر آن را دفتری خواهند ساخت‏