In the view of the intelligent, Man is indeed a hundred times more hidden than the peri who is concealed.
نزد عاقل زان پری که مضمرست ** آدمی صد بار خود پنهان‌ترست
Since, in the view of the intelligent, Man is hidden, how (hidden) must be the Adam who is pure (chosen of God) in the unseen world!
آدمی نزدیک عاقل چون خفیست ** چون بود آدم که در غیب او صفیست
Comparison of the form of the saints and the form of the speech of the saints to the form of the rod of Moses and to the form of the incantation of Jesus, peace be on them both!
تشبیه صورت اولیا و صورت کلام اولیا به صورت عصای موسی و صورت افسون عیسی علیهما السلام
Man is like the rod of Moses; Man is like the incantation of Jesus.
For the sake of justice and for the sake of decorum, the true believer's heart is in the hand of God, between (His) two fingers.
در کف حق بهر داد و بهر زین ** قلب مومن هست بین اصبعین
Its (the rod's) exterior (form) is a piece of wood, but (all created) existence is one mouthful to it when it opens its throat.4260
ظاهرش چوبی ولیکن پیش او ** کون یک لقمه چو بگشاید گلو
In the incantation of Jesus do not regard (merely) the letter and the sound: regard the fact that Death turned and fled from it.
تو مبین ز افسون عیسی حرف و صوت ** آن ببین کز وی گریزان گشت موت
In his incantation do not regard the petty words: consider that the dead sprang up and sat down.
تو مبین ز افسونش آن لهجات پست ** آن نگر که مرده بر جست و نشست
In (the case of) that rod, do not regard the easy getting (of it): regard the fact that it cleft the green sea.
تو مبین مر آن عصا را سهل یافت ** آن ببین که بحر خضرا را شکافت
You have seen from afar the black canopy: take a step forward and behold the army!
تو ز دوری دیده‌ای چتر سیاه ** یک قدم فا پیش نه بنگر سپاه
From afar you see nothing but the dust: advance a little and see the man in the dust.4265
تو ز دوری می‌نبینی جز که گرد ** اندکی پیش آ ببین در گرد مرد
His dust makes eyes bright; his manliness uproots mountains.
دیده‌ها را گرد او روشن کند ** کوهها را مردی او بر کند
When Moses came up from the remotest part of the desert, at his advent Mount Sinai began to dance.
چون بر آمد موسی از اقصای دشت ** کوه طور از مقدمش رقاص گشت
Commentary on (the text), O ye mountains, repeat (the praise of God) in accord with him, and the birds (likewise).
تفسیر یا جبال اوبی معه والطیر
The face of David shone with His glory: the mountains sang plaintively after him.
روی داود از فرش تابان شده ** کوهها اندر پیش نالان شده
The mountain became an accompanist to David: both the minstrels (were) drunken in love for a King.
کوه با داود گشته همرهی ** هردو مطرب مست در عشق شهی
Came the (Divine) command, “O ye mountains, repeat (the praise of God)”: both joined their voices and kept the tune together.4270
یا جبال اوبی امر آمده ** هر دو هم‌آواز و هم‌پرده شده
He (God) said, “O David, thou hast suffered separation: for My sake thou hast parted from thine intimates.”
گفت داودا تو هجرت دیده‌ای ** بهر من از همدمان ببریده‌ای
O lonely stranger who hast become friendless, from whose heart the fire of longing hath flamed up,
ای غریب فرد بی مونس شده ** آتش شوق از دلت شعله زده
Thou desirest minstrels and singers and boon-companions: the Eternal One brings the mountains unto thee.
مطربان خواهی و قوال و ندیم ** کوهها را پیشت آرد آن قدیم
He makes (them) minstrels and singers and pipers: He makes the mountain blow in measure before thee,
مطرب و قوال و سرنایی کند ** که به پیشت بادپیمایی کند
To the end that thou mayst know that, since the mountain is permitted to sing, the saint (likewise) hath plaintive songs (uttered) without lips or teeth.4275
تا بدانی ناله چون که را رواست ** بی لب و دندان ولی را ناله‌هاست
The melody of the particles of that pure-bodied one is reaching his sensuous ear every moment.
نغمه‌ی اجزای آن صافی‌جسد ** هر دمی در گوش حسش می‌رسد
His companions hear it not, (but) he hears (it): oh, happy is the soul that believes in his hidden mystery.
همنشینان نشنوند او بشنود ** ای خنک جان کو به غیبش بگرود
He (the saint) beholds a hundred discourses in himself, while his companion has gotten no scent (perception thereof).
بنگرد در نفس خود صد گفت و گو ** همنشین او نبرده هیچ بو
Within thy heart a hundred questions and a hundred answers are coming from (the realm of) non-spatiality to thy dwelling-place.
صد سال و صد جواب اندر دلت ** می‌رسد از لامکان تا منزلت
Thou hearest (them); the ears (of another) do not hear (them), (even) if he bring his ear nigh to thee.4280
بشنوی تو نشنود زان گوشها ** گر به نزدیک تو آرد گوش را
O deaf man, I grant that truly thou hearest them not; (but) since thou hast seen their (external) emblem, how wilt not thou believe?
گیرم ای کر خود تو آن را نشنوی ** چون مثالش دیده‌ای چون نگروی
Reply to him who rails at the Mathnawí on account of his being deficient in understanding.
جواب طعنه‌زننده در مثنوی از قصور فهم خود
O railing cur, you are bow-wowing and practising evasion for the purpose of railing at the Qur’án.
ای سگ طاعن تو عو عو می‌کنی ** طعن قرآن را برون‌شو می‌کنی
This is not such a lion that you will save your life from it or carry off your faith (secure) from the claws of its vengeance.
این نه آن شیرست کز وی جان بری ** یا ز پنجه‌ی قهر او ایمان بری
The Qur’án is proclaiming till the Resurrection—“O people devoted to ignorance,
تا قیامت می‌زند قرآن ندی ** ای گروهی جهل را گشته فدی
Who were deeming me to be an idle tale and were sowing the seed of raillery and infidelity,4285
که مرا افسانه می‌پنداشتید ** تخم طعن و کافری می‌کاشتید
(Now) ye yourselves have seen (the truth of) what ye were scoffing at, (namely), that ye were perishable and idle tale.
خود بدیدیت آنک طعنه می‌زدیت ** که شما فانی و افسانه بدیت
I am the Word of God and subsistent through the (Divine) Essence; I am the Food of the soul of the soul. And (I am) the Jacinth of purity.
من کلام حقم و قایم به ذات ** قوت جان جان و یاقوت زکات
I am the Sunlight that hath fallen upon you, but I have not become separate from the Sun.
نور خورشیدم فتاده بر شما ** لیک از خورشید ناگشته جدا
Lo, I am the Fountain of the Water of Life, that I may deliver the lovers (of God) from death.
نک منم ینبوع آن آب حیات ** تا رهانم عاشقان را از ممات
If your greed had not raised such a stench, God would have poured a draught (of that Water) on your graves.”4290
گر چنان گند آزتان ننگیختی ** جرعه‌ای بر گورتان حق ریختی
Nay; I will accept the rede and counsel of the Sage (of Ghazna): I will not let my heart be sickened (wounded) by every taunt.
نه بگیرم گفت و پند آن حکیم ** دل نگردانم بهر طعنی سقیم
Parable of the foal's refusing to drink the water because of the bawling of the grooms.
مثل زدن در رمیدن کره‌ی اسپ از آب خوردن به سبب شخولیدن سایسان
As he has said in his discourse, the foal and its mother were drinking the water.
آنک فرمودست او اندر خطاب ** کره و مادر همی‌خوردند آب
Those persons (the grooms) were bawling incessantly at the horses, “Come on! Hey, drink!”
می‌شخولیدند هر دم آن نفر ** بهر اسپان که هلا هین آب خور
(The noise of) that bawling reached the foal: it was lifting its head and refusing to drink.
آن شخولیدن به کره می‌رسید ** سر همی بر داشت و از خور می‌رمید
Its mother asked, “O foal, why art thou always refusing to drink this water?”4295