Rumi's Masnavi - (We beseech thee by) the truth of thy having fostered us at first, so that our (young) shoot grew up from (the nurture given by) water and earth;

(We beseech thee by) the truth of thy having fostered us at first, so that our (young) shoot grew up from (the nurture given by) water and earth;

حق آن که دایگی کردی نخست ** تا نهال ما ز آب و خاک رست‏

By the truth of that King who created thee pure and displayed so many cressets in thee,

حق آن شه که ترا صاف آفرید ** کرد چندان مشعله در تو پدید

Who hath kept thee so flourishing and lasting that the materialist hath thought thee (existent) from eternity.

آن چنان معمور و باقی داشتت ** تا که دهری از ازل پنداشتت‏

Thanks (to God), we have come to know thy beginning: the prophets have told that secret of thine.

شکر دانستیم آغاز ترا ** انبیا گفتند آن راز ترا

A man knows that a house is made (at some time or other); the spider which plays idly in it (knows) not (this). 2320

آدمی داند که خانه حادث است ** عنکبوتی نه که در وی عابث است‏

How should the gnat know of what date this garden is?––for ‘twas born in spring, and its death is in the (following) winter.

پشه کی داند که این باغ از کی است ** کاو بهاران زاد و مرگش در دی است‏

The worm that is born miserably in (dry) wood––how should it know the wood at the time when it was a (sappy) shoot?

کرم کاندر چوب زاید سست حال ** کی بداند چوب را وقت نهال‏

And if the worm should know (this), it would be intellect in its essential substance; the worm would be (only) its (outward) form.

ور بداند کرم از ماهیتش ** عقل باشد کرم باشد صورتش‏

Intellect shows itself (in many) guises, (but) like the Jinn is leagues removed from them (in its real nature).

عقل خود را می‏نماید رنگها ** چون پری دور است از آن فرسنگ‏ها

It is above the angels––what occasion is there for (comparing it with) the Jinn? (But) you have the wings of a gnat, you are flying downwards. 2325

از ملک بالاست چه جای پری ** تو مگس پری به پستی می‏پری‏

Although your intellect is flying upward, the bird of your conventional notions is feeding below.

گر چه عقلت سوی بالا می‏پرد ** مرغ تقلیدت به پستی می‏چرد

Conventional knowledge is the bane of our souls; it is a borrowed thing, but we rest (at ease in the belief) that it is ours.

علم تقلیدی وبال جان ماست ** عاریه ست و ما نشسته کان ماست‏

It behoves us to become ignorant of this (worldly) wisdom; (rather) must we clutch at madness.

زین خرد جاهل همی باید شدن ** دست در دیوانگی باید زدن‏

Always flee from whatever you deem profitable to your (lower) self: drink poison and spill the water of life.

هر چه بینی سود خود ز آن می‏گریز ** زهر نوش و آب حیوان را بریز

Revile any one that praises you: lend (both) interest and capital to the destitute. 2330

هر که بستاند ترا دشنام ده ** سود و سرمایه به مفلس وام ده‏

Let safety go, and dwell in the place of fear (danger): leave reputation behind and be disgraced and notorious.

ایمنی بگذار و جای خوف باش ** بگذر از ناموس و رسوا باش و فاش‏

I have tried far-thinking (provident) intellect; henceforth I will make myself mad.

آزمودم عقل دور اندیش را ** بعد از این دیوانه سازم خویش را

How Dalqak excused himself to the Sayyid-i Ajall (who asked him) why he had married a harlot.

عذر گفتن دلقک با سید که چرا فاحشه را نکاح کرد

One night the Sayyid-i Ajall said to Dalqak, “You have married a harlot in haste.

گفت با دلقک شبی سید اجل ** قحبه‏ای را خواستی تو از عجل‏

You ought to have disclosed this (matter) to me, so that we might have made a chaste (woman) your wife.”

با من این را باز می‏بایست گفت ** تا یکی مستور کردیمیت جفت‏

Dalqak replied, “I have (already) married nine chaste and virtuous women: they became harlots, and I wasted away with grief. 2335

گفت نه مستور صالح خواستم ** قحبه گشتند و ز غم تن کاستم‏

I married this harlot without (previous) acquaintance (with her), in order to see how this one (also) would turn out in the end.

خواستم این قحبه را بی‏معرفت ** تا ببینم چون شود این عاقبت‏

Often have I tried (sound) intelligence; henceforth I will seek a nursery for insanity.”

عقل را من آزمودم هم بسی ** زین سپس جویم جنون را مغرسی‏

How an inquirer managed to draw into conversation an eminent (saintly) man who had feigned to be mad.

به حیلت در سخن آوردن سائل آن بزرگ را که خود را دیوانه ساخته بود

A certain man was saying, “I want some one of intelligence, (that) I may consult him about a difficulty.”

آن یکی می‏گفت خواهم عاقلی ** مشورت آرم بدو در مشکلی‏

One said to him, “In our city there is nobody of intelligence except yonder man who appears to be mad.

آن یکی گفتش که اندر شهر ما ** نیست عاقل جز که آن مجنون‏نما

Look, there is (one named) so-and-so: mounted on a cane, he rides (it as a cock-horse) amongst the children. 2340

بر نیی گشته سواره نک فلان ** می‏دواند در میان کودکان‏

He is possessed of judgment and (keen as) a spark of fire; he is as the sky in dignity, and as the stars in high estate.

صاحب رای است و آتش پاره‏ای ** آسمان قدر است و اختر باره‏ای‏

His glory has become the (rational) soul of the Cherubim; he has become concealed in this (feigned) madness.”

فر او کروبیان را جان شده ست ** او در این دیوانگی پنهان شده ست‏

But you must not account every madman a (rational) soul: do not, like Sámirí, lay down your head (in worship) to a calf.

لیک هر دیوانه را جان نشمری ** سر منه گوساله را چون سامری‏

When a manifest saint has declared unto you hundreds of thousands of unseen things and hidden mysteries,

چون ولیی آشکارا با تو گفت ** صد هزاران غیب و اسرار نهفت‏

And you have not had the (proper) understanding and knowledge, (so that) you have not distinguished dung from aloes-wood— 2345

مر ترا آن فهم و آن دانش نبود ** واندانستی تو سرگین را ز عود

How, when the saint has made for himself a veil of madness, will you recognise him, O blind one?

از جنون خود را ولی چون پرده ساخت ** مر و را ای کور کی خواهی شناخت‏

If your eye of intuitive certainty is open, behold a (spiritual) captain under every stone.

گر ترا باز است آن دیده‏ی یقین ** زیر هر سنگی یکی سرهنگ بین‏

To the eye that is open and (as) a guide, every dervish-cloak hath a Moses in its embrace.

پیش آن چشمی که باز و رهبر است ** هر گلیمی را کلیمی در بر است‏

’Tis only the saint (himself) that makes the saint known and makes fortunate whomsoever he will.

مر ولی را هم ولی شهره کند ** هر که را او خواست با بهره کند

No one can recognise him by means of wisdom when he has feigned to be mad. 2350

کس نداند از خرد او را شناخت ** چون که او مر خویش را دیوانه ساخت‏

When a seeing thief steals from a blind man, can he at all detect (the identity of) the thief (who is) in the act of passing?

چون بدزدد دزد بینایی ز کور ** هیچ یابد دزد را او در عبور

The blind man does not know who it was that robbed him, even though the wicked thief may knock against him.

کور نشناسد که دزد او که بود ** گر چه خود بر وی زند دزد عنود

When a dog bites a blind ragged mendicant, how should he recognise that ferocious dog?

چون گزد سگ کور صاحب ژنده را ** کی شناسد آن سگ درنده را

How the dog attacked the mendicant who was blind.

حمله بردن سگ بر کور گدا

A dog was attacking, as (though it were) a warlike lion, a blind mendicant in a certain street.

یک سگی در کوی بر کور گدا ** حمله می‏آورد چون شیر وغا

The dog rushes angrily at dervishes; the moon smears her eyes with dust of (the feet of) dervishes. 2355

سگ کند آهنگ درویشان به خشم ** در کشد مه خاک درویشان به چشم‏

The blind man was made helpless by the dog's barking and by (his) fear of the dog; the blind man began to pay honour to the dog.

کور عاجز شد ز بانگ و بیم سگ ** اندر آمد کور در تعظیم سگ‏

Saying, “O prince of the chase, and O lion of the hunt, thine is the (upper) hand: refrain thy hand from me!”—

کای امیر صید و ای شیر شکار ** دست دست تست دست از من بدار

For, (moved) by necessity, that (renowned) philosopher paid honour to (one vile as) the tail of an ass, and gave him the title of “noble.”

کز ضرورت دم خر را آن حکیم ** کرد تعظیم و لقب دادش کریم‏

He (the blind man) too, of necessity, said, “O lion, what (good) will come to thee from such a meagre prey as I am?

گفت او هم از ضرورت کای اسد ** از چو من لاغر شکارت چه رسد

Thy friends are catching onagers in the desert; thou art catching a blind man in the street; this is bad. 2360

گور می‏گیرند یارانت به دشت ** کور می‏گیری تو در کوچه به گشت‏

Thy friends seek on agers by hunting (them); thou in (mere) malice seekest a blind man in the street.”

گور می‏جویند یارانت به صید ** کور می‏جویی تو در کوچه به کید

The knowing dog has made the onager his prey, while this worthless dog has attacked a blind man.

آن سگ عالم شکار گور کرد ** وین سگ بی‏مایه قصد کور کرد

When the dog has learned the knowledge (imparted to him), he has escaped from error: he hunts lawful prey in the jungles.

علم چون آموخت سگ رست از ضلال ** می‏کند در بیشه‏ها صید حلال‏

When the dog has become knowing (‘álim), he marches briskly; when the dog has become a knower of God (‘árif), he becomes (as) the Men of the Cave.

سگ چو عالم گشت شد چالاک زحف ** سگ چو عارف گشت شد ز اصحاب کهف‏

The dog has come to know who is the Master of the hunt. O God, what is that knowing light? 2365

سگ شناسا شد که میر صید کیست ** ای خدا آن نور اشناسنده چیست‏