Rumi's Masnavi - Saying, “(Tell him), Thou hast said, ‘How many sins have I committed! And (still) God in His kindness hath not punished me for my trespasses.’

Saying, “(Tell him), Thou hast said, ‘How many sins have I committed! And (still) God in His kindness hath not punished me for my trespasses.’

که بگفتی چند کردم من گناه ** و ز کرم نگرفت در جرمم اله‏

Thou art saying the opposite and reverse (of the truth), O fool, O thou that hast abandoned the road and taken to the wilderness!

عکس می‏گویی و مقلوب ای سفیه ** ای رها کرده ره و بگرفته تیه‏

How oft, how oft do I chastise thee, and thou unaware! Thou art lying (bound) in chains from head to foot.

چند چندت گیرم و تو بی‏خبر ** در سلاسل مانده‏ای پا تا به سر

Thy rust, coat on coat, O black pot, hath marred the visage of thy heart. 3370

زنگ تو بر تویت ای دیگ سیاه ** کرد سیمای درونت را تباه‏

Layers of rust have collected upon thy heart, so that it hath become blind to (the spiritual) mysteries.”

بر دلت زنگار بر زنگارها ** جمع شد تا کور شد ز اسرارها

If that smoke should beat upon a new pot, the traces of it would show, though it were (only as much as) a barley-corn,

گر زند آن دود بر دیگ نوی ** آن اثر بنماید ار باشد جوی‏

Because everything is made manifest by (its) contrary: upon a white object the black becomes conspicuous;

ز انکه هر چیزی به ضد پیدا شود ** بر سپیدی آن سیه رسوا شود

(But) when the pot has been blackened, then after this who will at once perceive the effect of the smoke upon it?

چون سیه شد دیگ پس تاثیر دود ** بعد از این بروی که بیند زود زود

The ironsmith who is an Ethiopian—the smoke is of the same colour as his face; 3375

مرد آهنگر که او زنگی بود ** دود را با روش هم رنگی بود

The Greek who does the work of an ironsmith—his face, from gathering smoke, becomes piebald (spotted with black).

مرد رومی کاو کند آهنگری ** رویش ابلق گردد از دود آوری‏

Therefore he will quickly recognise the effect of sin, so that he will soon lament (and) say, “O God!”

پس بداند زود تاثیر گناه ** تا بنالد زود گوید ای اله‏

(But) when he persists (in sin) and makes a practice of evil, and puts dust in the eye of meditation,

چون کند اصرار و بد پیشه کند ** خاک اندر چشم اندیشه کند

He thinks of penitence no more: that sin becomes so sweet to his heart that (in the end) he comes to be without the Faith (he turns infidel).

توبه نندیشد دگر شیرین شود ** بر دلش آن جرم تا بی‏دین شود

That repenting and (crying) “O Lord!” are gone from him: fivefold rust has settled on the mirror (of his heart). 3380

آن پشیمانی و یا رب رفت از او ** شست بر آیینه زنگ پنج تو

The coats of rust have began to eat his iron (mirror): the rust has begun to lessen its sheen.

آهنش را زنگها خوردن گرفت ** گوهرش را زنگ کم کردن گرفت‏

When you write upon white paper, that writing may be read at sight.

چون نویسی کاغذ اسپید بر ** آن نبشته خوانده آید در نظر

When you write script over that which has been (already) written, it is not understood: the reading of it will be erroneous;

چون نویسی بر سر بنوشته خط ** فهم ناید خواندنش گردد غلط

For that (second) blackness has fallen (been made) upon blackness; (hence) both scripts have become obscure and have given no meaning.

کان سیاهی بر سیاهی اوفتاد ** هر دو خط شد کور و معنیی نداد

And if you write a third time on the top of it, then you make it black as a soul full of wickedness. 3385

ور سوم باره نویسی بر سرش ** پس سیه کردی چو جان کافرش‏

What help is there, then, but (to take) refuge with (God) the Helper? Despair is copper, and the elixir for it is (God's) regard.

پس چه چاره جز پناه چاره‏گر ** ناامیدی مس و اکسیرش نظر

Lay your despairs before Him, that ye may escape from irremediable pain.

ناامیدیها به پیش او نهید ** تا ز درد بی‏دوا بیرون جهید

When Shu‘ayb had told him these deep sayings, at that breath of the spirit roses blossomed in his heart.

چون شعیب این نکته‏ها با او بگفت ** ز آن دم جان در دل او گل شکفت‏

His soul hearkened to the inspiration from Heaven; he said, (however), “If He hath punished me, where is the sign?”

جان او بشنید وحی آسمان ** گفت اگر بگرفت ما را کو نشان‏

He (Shu‘ayb) cried, “O Lord, he rebuts me, he seeks the sign of that punishment.” 3390

گفت یا رب دفع من می‏گوید او ** آن گرفتن را نشان می‏جوید او

He (God) said, “I am the Coverer (of sins): I will not tell his secrets, (I will give) but one indication for the sake of trying him.

گفت ستارم نگویم رازهاش ** جز یکی رمز از برای ابتلاش‏

One sign of My punishing him is this, that he has (to his credit) pious acts of fasting and orison

یک نشان آن که می‏گیرم و را ** آن که طاعت دارد از صوم و دعا

And ritual prayer and almsgiving et cetera, but he has not one atom of spiritual savour.

و ز نماز و از زکات و غیر آن ** لیک یک ذره ندارد ذوق جان‏

He performs high acts and deeds of devotion, but he has not one atom of (spiritual) relish.

می‏کند طاعات و افعال سنی ** لیک یک ذره ندارد چاشنی‏

His devotions are good (in form), but the spirit is not good: the walnuts are many, but there is no kernel therein.” 3395

طاعتش نغز است و معنی نغز نی ** جوزها بسیار و در وی مغز نی‏

Spiritual savour is required, in order that devotions may yield fruit: a kernel is required, in order that the berry may produce a tree.

ذوق باید تا دهد طاعات بر ** مغز باید تا دهد دانه شجر

How shall a berry without kernel become a sapling? The soulless form is naught but phantasy.

دانه‏ی بی‏مغز کی گردد نهال ** صورت بی‏جان نباشد جز خیال‏

Remainder of the story of the stranger’s reviling the Shaykh.

بقیه‏ی قصه‏ی طعنه زدن آن مرد بیگانه در شیخ‏

That malign wretch was gabbling silly nonsense about the Shaykh: the perverted intellect is always squinting (envious).

آن خبیث از شیخ می‏لایید ژاژ ** کژنگر باشد همیشه عقل کاژ

(He said), “I saw him amidst a company (of revellers): he is one denuded and destitute of piety.

که منش دیدم میان مجلسی ** او ز تقوی عاری است و مفلسی‏

And if you do not believe it, arise (and go) to-night, that you may see plainly your Shaykh’s depravity.” 3400

ور که باور نیستت خیز امشبان ** تا ببینی فسق شیخت را عیان‏

At night he took him to a window and said, “Behold a (fine) debauch and merry-making!

شب ببردش بر سر یک روزنی ** گفت بنگر فسق و عشرت کردنی‏

Behold such hypocrisy by day and profligacy by night!––in the daytime (he is) like Mustafá (Mohammed), at night (like) Bú Lahab.

بنگر آن سالوس روز و فسق شب ** روز همچون مصطفی شب بو لهب‏

By day his name has become ‘Abdullah (the servant of God); by night––God save us! And (see), the wine-cup in his hand!”

روز عبد الله او را گشته نام ** شب نعوذ بالله و در دست جام‏

He (the disciple) saw a full glass in the Shaykh’s hand. “O Shaykh,” said he, “is there a tumour even in thee?

دید شیشه در کف آن پیر پر ** گفت شیخا مر ترا هم هست غر

Nonne dicebas?— ‘In vini poculo mingit Diabolus festinans lente’.” [Did you not say, ‘The Devil pees into the wine cup quickly (but) without hurry?’] 3405

تو نمی‏گفتی که در جام شراب ** دیو می‏میزد شتابان ناشتاب‏

He (the Shaykh) replied, “They have made my cup so full that there is not room in it for a single rue-seed.

گفت جامم را چنان پر کرده‏اند ** کاندر او اندر نگنجد یک سپند

Look, is there any room here for a single mote? A deluded man has wrongly apprehended this matter.”

بنگر اینجا هیچ گنجد ذره‏ای ** این سخن را کژ شنیده غره‏ای‏

This is not the apparent cup (or) the apparent wine: deem this (allegation) far from (far below the dignity of) the Shaykh who sees the Unseen.

جام ظاهر خمر ظاهر نیست این ** دور دار این را ز شیخ غیب بین‏

The wine-cup, O fool, is the being of the Shaykh, in qua (essentia) urina Diaboli non continetur.” [The wine cup, O fool, is the being of the Shaykh, in which the Devil’s urine is not contained.]

جام می هستی شیخ است ای فلیو ** کاندر او اندر نگنجد بول دیو

He is full and brimming with the Light of God: he has shattered the bodily cup, he is the Absolute Light. 3410

پر و مالامال از نور حق است ** جام تن بشکست نور مطلق است‏

If sunlight fall upon filth, it is the same light (still): it suffers no defilement.

نور خورشید ار بیفتد بر حدث ** او همان نور است نپذیرد خبث‏

The Shaykh said, “Indeed this is not a cup, nor (is this) wine. Hey, unbeliever, come down and look at it!”

شیخ گفت این خود نه جام است و نه می ** هین به زیر آن منکرا بنگر به وی‏

He came, and saw it was fine honey. That miserable enemy (of God) became blind (with shame and confusion).

آمد و دید انگبین خاص بود ** کور شد آن دشمن کور و کبود

Thereupon the Pír said to his disciple, “Go, seek wine for me, O noble sir;

گفت پیر آن دم مرید خویش را ** رو برای من بجو می ای کیا

For I have a pain; I am reduced to necessity: because of the pain, I have passed beyond starvation. 3415

که مرا رنجی است مضطر گشته‏ام ** من ز رنج از مخمصه بگذشته‏ام‏

In sore need any carcase is clean (lawful to eat)––may curses fall like dust on the head of him that denies it!”

در ضرورت هست هر مردار پاک ** بر سر منکر ز لعنت باد خاک‏