Rumi's Masnavi - Tell the truth, so that you may be delivered from my hand: cunning will not lay the dust of my war (will not induce me to leave you in peace).”

Tell the truth, so that you may be delivered from my hand: cunning will not lay the dust of my war (will not induce me to leave you in peace).”

راست گو تا وارهی از چنگ من ** مکر ننشاند غبار جنگ من‏

He (Iblís) said, “How do you know (the difference between) falsehood and truth, O thinker of vain fancies, (you that are) filled with (idle) thoughts (about me)?”

گفت چون دانی دروغ و راست را ** ای خیال‏اندیش پر اندیشه‏ها

He answered, “The Prophet has given an indication: he has laid down the touchstone (criterion) for (distinguishing) the base coin and the good.

گفت پیغمبر نشانی داده است ** قلب و نیکو را محک بنهاده است‏

He has said, ‘Falsehood is (the cause of) disquiet in (men's) hearts’; he has said, ‘Truth is (the cause of) a joyous tranquillity.’

گفته است الکذب ریب فی القلوب ** گفت الصدق طمانین طروب‏

The (troubled) heart is not comforted by lying words: water and oil kindle no light. 2735

دل نیارامد ز گفتار دروغ ** آب و روغن هیچ نفروزد فروغ‏

(Only) in truthful speech is there comfort for the heart: truths are the bait that entraps the heart.

در حدیث راست آرام دل است ** راستیها دانه‏ی دام دل است‏

Sick, surely, and ill-savoured is the heart that knows not (cannot distinguish) the taste of this and that.

دل مگر رنجور باشد بد دهان ** که نداند چاشنی این و آن‏

When the heart becomes whole (is healed) of pain and disease, it will recognize the flavour of falsehood and truth.

چون شود از رنج و علت دل سلیم ** طعم کذب و راست را باشد علیم‏

When Adam's greed for the wheat waxed great, it robbed Adam's heart of health.

حرص آدم چون سوی گندم فزود ** از دل آدم سلیمی را ربود

Then he gave ear to your lies and enticements: he was befooled and drank the killing poison. 2740

پس دروغ و عشوه‏ات را گوش کرد ** غره گشت و زهر قاتل نوش کرد

At that moment he knew not scorpion (kazhdum) from wheat (gandum): discernment flies from one that is drunken with vain desire.

کژدم از گندم ندانست آن نفس ** می‏پرد تمییز از مست هوس‏

The people are drunken with cupidity and desire: hence they are accepting your cheatery.

خلق مست آرزویند و هوا ** ز آن پذیرایند دستان ترا

Whoever has rid his nature of vain desire has (thereby) made his (spiritual) eye familiar with the secret.

هر که خود را از هوا خود باز کرد ** چشم خود را آشنای راز کرد

How a cadi complained of the calamity of (holding) the office of cadi, and how his deputy answered him.

شکایت قاضی از آفت قضا و جواب گفتن نایب او را

They installed a cadi, (and meanwhile) he wept. The deputy said, ‘O cadi, what are you weeping for?

قاضیی بنشاندند او می‏گریست ** گفت نایب قاضیا گریه ز چیست‏

This is not the time for you to weep and lament: it is the time for you to rejoice and receive felicitations.’ 2745

این نه وقت گریه و فریاد تست ** وقت شادی و مبارک باد تست‏

‘Ah,’ said he, ‘how shall a man without insight pronounce judgement—an ignorant man (decide) between two who know?

گفت اه چون حکم راند بی‏دلی ** در میان آن دو عالم جاهلی‏

Those two adversaries are acquainted with their own case: what should the poor cadi know of those two tangles?

آن دو خصم از واقعه‏ی خود واقفند ** قاضی مسکین چه داند ز آن دو بند

He is ignorant and unaware of their (real) state: how should he proceed (to give judgment) concerning their lives and property?’

جاهل است و غافل است از حالشان ** چون رود در خونشان و مالشان‏

He (the deputy) said, ‘The litigants know (the truth of their case) and (nevertheless) are unsound (prejudiced); you are ignorant (of the facts), but you are the luminary of the whole body (of Moslems),

گفت خصمان عالمند و علتی ** جاهلی تو لیک شمع ملتی‏

Because you have no prejudice to interfere (with your discernment), and that freedom (from prejudice) is light to the eyes; 2750

ز انکه تو علت نداری در میان ** آن فراغت هست نور دیده‏گان‏

While those two who know are blinded by their self-interest: prejudice has put their knowledge into the grave.

و آن دو عالم را غرضشان کور کرد ** علمشان را علت اندر گور کرد

Unprejudicedness makes ignorance wise; prejudice makes knowledge perverse and iniquitous.

جهل را بی‏علتی عالم کند ** علم را علت کژ و ظالم کند

So long as you accept no bribe, you are seeing; when you act covetously, you are blind and enslaved.’

تا تو رشوت نستدی بیننده‏ای ** چون طمع کردی ضریر و بنده‏ای‏

I have turned my nature away from vain desire: I have not eaten delicious morsels.

از هوا من خوی را واکرده‏ام ** لقمه‏های شهوتی کم خورده‏ام‏

My heart, which tastes (and distinguishes), has become bright (like a clear mirror): it really knows truth from falsehood. 2755

چاشنی گیر دلم شد با فروغ ** راست را داند حقیقت از دروغ‏

How Mu‘áwiya—may God be well-pleased with him!— induced Iblís to confess.

به اقرار آوردن معاویه ابلیس را

Why did you awaken me? You are the enemy of wakefulness, O trickster.

تو چرا بیدار کردی مر مرا ** دشمن بیداریی تو ای دغا

You are like poppy-seeds: you put every one to sleep. You are like wine: you take away understanding and knowledge.

همچو خشخاشی همه خواب آوری ** همچو خمری عقل و دانش را بری‏

I have impaled you. Come, tell the truth, I know what is true: do not seek evasions.

چار میخت کرده‏ام هین راست گو ** راست را دانم تو حیلتها مجو

I expect from every person (only) that of which by nature and disposition he is the owner.

من ز هر کس آن طمع دارم که او ** صاحب آن باشد اندر طبع و خو

I do not look for any sugar from vinegar; I do not take the catamite for a soldier. 2760

من ز سرکه می‏نجویم شکری ** مر مخنث را نگیرم لشکری‏

I do not, like (idolatrous) infidels, seek (expect) from an idol that it should be God or even a sign from God.

همچو گبران من نجویم از بتی ** کاو بود حق یا خود از حق آیتی‏

I do not seek the smell of musk from dung; I do not seek dry bricks in river water.

من ز سرگین می‏نجویم بوی مشک ** من در آب جو نجویم خشت خشک‏

From Satan, who is other (than good), I do not look for this— that he should awaken me with good (intent).”

من ز شیطان این نجویم کاوست غیر ** که مرا بیدار گرداند به خیر

How Iblís told truly his hidden thought to Mu‘áwiya—may God be well-pleased with him!

راست گفتن ابلیس ضمیر خود را به معاویه‏

Iblís spoke many words of deceit and treachery, (but) the Amír hearkened not to him and strove (against him) and showed fortitude.

گفت بسیار آن بلیس از مکر و غدر ** میر از او نشنید کرد استیز و صبر

(At length), with the bitterest pangs he (Iblís) said: “O such-and-such, know that I awakened you for the purpose 2765

از بن دندان بگفتش بهر آن ** کردمت بیدار می‏دان ای فلان‏

That you might join the congregation (of Moslems) in praying after the Prophet of high estate.

تا رسی اندر جماعت در نماز ** از پی پیغمبر دولت فراز

If the time of prayers had passed, this world would have become dark to you and without a gleam of light;

گر نماز از وقت رفتی مر ترا ** این جهان تاریک گشتی بی‏ضیا

(And then) from disappointment and grief tears would have flowed from your two eyes in the fashion of (water from) water-skins,

از غبین و درد رفتی اشکها ** از دو چشم تو مثال مشکها

(Because) every one has delight in some act of devotion and consequently cannot bear to miss it (even) for a short while.

ذوق دارد هر کسی در طاعتی ** لاجرم نشکیبد از وی ساعتی‏

That disappointment and grief would have been (as) a hundred prayers: what is (ritual) prayer in comparison with the (spiritual) glow of humble supplication?” 2770

آن غبین و درد بودی صد نماز ** کو نماز و کو فروغ آن نیاز

The excellence of the remorse felt by one who was sincere (in his devotion) for having missed the congregational prayers.

فضیلت حسرت خوردن آن مخلص بر فوت نماز جماعت‏

A certain man was going into the mosque (when) the people were coming out of the mosque.

آن یکی می‏رفت در مسجد درون ** مردم از مسجد همی‏آمد برون‏

He began to ask (one of them), saying, “What ails the congregation that they are coming out of the mosque (so) soon?”

گفت پرسان که جماعت را چه بود ** که ز مسجد می‏برون آیند زود

That person said to him, “The Prophet has prayed with the congregation and finished (his) communion.

آن یکی گفتش که پیغمبر نماز ** با جماعت کرد و فارغ شد ز راز

How art thou going in, O foolish man, when the Prophet has given the blessing?”

تو کجا در می‏روی ای مرد خام ** چون که پیغمبر بداده ست السلام‏

He cried, “Ah!” and smoke issued from that (burning) sigh: his sigh was giving forth the smell of blood from his heart. 2775

گفت آه و دود از آن اه شد برون ** آه او می‏داد از دل بوی خون‏

A certain man said, “Give (me) that sigh and may this (ritual) prayer of mine be (bestowed) on thee as a gift!”

آن یکی از جمع گفت این آه را ** تو به من ده و آن نماز من ترا

He answered, “I give the sigh and accept the prayers.” He (the other) took that sigh with a hundred yearnings (towards God).

گفت دادم آه و پذرفتم نماز ** او ستد آن آه را با صد نیاز

At night, whilst (he was) asleep, a Voice said to him, “Thou hast bought the Water of Life and salvation.

شب به خواب اندر بگفتش هاتفی ** که خریدی آب حیوان و شفا

In honour of this choice and this appropriation the prayers of all the people have been accepted.”

حرمت این اختیار و این دخول ** شد نماز جمله‏ی خلقان قبول‏

Conclusion of the confession made by Iblís to Mu‘áwiya of his deceit.

تتمه‏ی اقرار ابلیس به معاویه مکر خود را

Then ‘Azázíl said to him, “O noble Amír, I must lay my deceit before (you). 2780

پس عزازیلش به گفت ای میر راد ** مکر خود اندر میان باید نهاد