Rumi's Masnavi - He (the lover of God) is not less than the earth which at the zephyr’s blandishments puts on (a garment of) green and lifts up it head from death;

He (the lover of God) is not less than the earth which at the zephyr’s blandishments puts on (a garment of) green and lifts up it head from death;

نه کم از خاکست کز عشوه‌ی صبا ** سبز پوشد سر بر آرد از فنا

He is not less than the seminal water from which at the (Divine) bidding there are born Josephs with faces like the sun;

کم ز آب نطفه نبود کز خطاب ** یوسفان زایند رخ چون آفتاب

He is not less than a wind (from which) at the command “Be!” peacocks and sweet-voiced birds came to being in the (bird’s) womb 4690

کم ز بادی نیست شد از امر کن ** در رحم طاوس و مرغ خوش‌سخن

He is not less than the mountain of rock which by parturition brought forth the she-camel that brought forth a she-camel

کم ز کوه سنگ نبود کز ولاد ** ناقه‌ای کان ناقه ناقه زاد زاد

Leave all this behind. Did not the substance of non-existence bring forth, and will it not bring forth continually, a (whole) Universe?

زین همه بگذر نه آن مایه‌ی عدم ** عالمی زاد و بزاید دم بدم

He (the man of Bukhárá) sprang up and quivered and whirled once or twice (in dance) joyously, joyously; (then) fell to worship.

بر جهید و بر طپید و شاد شاد ** یک دو چرخی زد سجود اندر فتاد

How the senseless lover came to himself and turned his face in praise and thanksgiving to the Beloved.

با خویش آمدن عاشق بیهوش و روی آوردن به ثنا و شکر معشوق

He said, “O ‘Anqá of God, (thou who art) the place of the spirit’s circling flight, (I give) thanks that thou hast come back from yonder mountain of Qáf.

گفت ای عنقای حق جان را مطاف ** شکر که باز آمدی زان کوه قاف

O Siráfíl (Seraphiel) of Love’s resurrection place O Love of love and O Heart’s-desire of love, 4695

ای سرافیل قیامتگاه عشق ** ای تو عشق عشق و ای دلخواه عشق

I desire, as the first gift of honour thou wilt give me, that thou lay thine ear on my window.

اولین خلعت که خواهی دادنم ** گوش خواهم که نهی بر روزنم

Albeit through (thy) purity thou knowest my feelings, lend ear to my words, O cherisher of thy slave.

گرچه می‌دانی بصفوت حال من ** بنده‌پرور گوش کن اقوال من

Hundreds of thousands of times, O unique Prince, did my wits fly away in longing for thy ear—

صد هزاران بار ای صدر فرید ** ز آرزوی گوش تو هوشم پرید

That hearing of thine and that listening of thine, and those life-quickening smiles of thine;

آن سمیعی تو وان اصغای تو ** و آن تبسمهای جان‌افزای تو

That hearkening unto my lesser and greater (matters), (and unto) the beguilements of my evil-thinking (suspicious) soul. 4700

آن بنوشیدن کم و بیش مرا ** عشوه‌ی جان بداندیش مرا

Then my false coins, which are well-known to thee, thou didst accept as (though they were) genuine money;

قلبهای من که آن معلوم تست ** بس پذیرفتی تو چون نقد درست

For the sake of the boldness (importunity) of one (who was) impudent and deluded, O thou beside whose clemency (all) clemencies are (but) a mote!

بهر گستاخی شوخ غره‌ای ** حلمها در پیش حلمت ذره‌ای

Firstly, hear that when I abandoned (thy) net the first and the last {this world and the next) shot away (disappeared) from before me;

اولا بشنو که چون ماندم ز شست ** اول و آخر ز پیش من بجست

Secondly, hear, O loving Prince, that I sought long, (but) there was no second to thee;

ثانیا بشنو تو ای صدر ودود ** که بسی جستم ترا ثانی نبود

Thirdly, since I have gone away from thee, ‘tis as though I have said, ‘the third of three’; 4705

ثالثا تا از تو بیرون رفته‌ام ** گوییا ثالث ثلاثه گفته‌ام

Fourthly, forasmuch as my cornfield is burnt-up, I do not know the fifth (finger) from the fourth.

رابعا چون سوخت ما را مزرعه ** می ندانم خامسه از رابعه

Wherever thou findest blood on the sods, (if) thou investigate, it will certainly (prove to) be (blood) from mine eye.

هر کجا یابی تو خون بر خاکها ** پی بری باشد یقین از چشم ما

My words are (as) the thunder, and this noise and moaning demands of the cloud that it should rain upon the earth.

گفت من رعدست و این بانگ و حنین ** ز ابر خواهد تا ببارد بر زمین

Between words and tears I continue (in doubt) whether I should weep or speak: hew shall I do?

من میان گفت و گریه می‌تنم ** یا بگریم یا بگویم چون کنم

If I speak, the weeping will be lost; and if I weep, how shall I render thanks and praise? 4710

گر بگویم فوت می‌گردد بکا ** ور نگویم چون کنم شکر و ثنا

Heart’s blood is falling from mine eye, O King: see what has befallen me from mine eye!”

می‌فتد از دیده خون دل شها ** بین چه افتادست از دیده مرا

The emaciated man said this and began to weep (so violently) that both base and noble wept for him.

این بگفت و گریه در شد آن نحیف ** که برو بگریست هم دون هم شریف

So many ecstatic cries came up from his heart (that) the people of Bukhárá made a ring around him.

از دلش چندان بر آمد های هوی ** حلقه کرد اهل بخارا گرد اوی

(He was) speaking crazily, weeping crazily, laughing crazily: men and women, small and great were bewildered.

خیره گویان خیره گریان خیره‌خند ** مرد و زن خرد و کلان حیران شدند

The (whole) city, too, shed tears in conformity with him: men and women were gathered together as (at) the Resurrection. 4715

شهر هم هم‌رنگ او شد اشک ریز ** مرد و زن درهم شده چون رستخیز

At that moment the heaven was saying to the earth, “If thou hast never seen the Resurrection, behold it (now)!”

آسمان می‌گفت آن دم با زمین ** گر قیامت را ندیدستی ببین

The intellect (was) bewildered, saying, "What is love and what is ecstasy? (I know not) whether separation from Him or union with Him is the more marvellous."

عقل حیران که چه عشق است و چه حال ** تا فراق او عجب‌تر یا وصال

The sky read the letter (announcement) of Resurrection (and was so distraught that) it rent its garment up to the Milky Way.

چرخ بر خوانده قیامت‌نامه را ** تا مجره بر دریده جامه را

Love bath estrangement with (is a stranger to) the two worlds: in it are two-and-seventy madnesses.

با دو عالم عشق را بیگانگی ** اندرو هفتاد و دو دیوانگی

It is exceedingly hidden, and (only) its bewilderment is manifest the soul of the spiritual sultans is pining for it 4720

سخت پنهانست و پیدا حیرتش ** جان سلطانان جان در حسرتش

Its religion is other than (that of) the two-and-seventy sects: beside it the throne of Kings is (but) a splint-bandage.

غیر هفتاد و دو ملت کیش او ** تخت شاهان تخته‌بندی پیش او

At the time of the samá’ Love’s minstrel strikes up this (strain): “Servitude is chains and lordship headache.”

مطرب عشق این زند وقت سماع ** بندگی بند و خداوندی صداع

Then what is Love? The Sea of Not-being: there the foot of the intellect is shattered.

پس چه باشد عشق دریای عدم ** در شکسته عقل را آنجا قدم

Servitude and sovereignty are known: loverhood is concealed by these two veils.

بندگی و سلطنت معلوم شد ** زین دو پرده عاشقی مکتوم شد

Would that Being had a tongue; that it might remove the veils from existent beings! 4725

کاشکی هستی زبانی داشتی ** تا ز هستان پرده‌ها برداشتی

O breath of (phenomenal) existence, whatsoever words thou mayest utter, know that thereby thou hast bound another veil upon it (the mystery).

هر چه گویی ای دم هستی از آن ** پرده‌ی دیگر برو بستی بدان

That utterance and (that) state (of existence) are the bane of (spiritual) perception: to wash away blood with blood is absurd, absurd.

آفت ادراک آن قالست و حال ** خون بخون شستن محالست و محال

Since I am familiar with His frenzied ones, day and night I am breathing forth (the secrets of Love) in the cage (of phenomenal existence).

من چو با سوداییانش محرمم ** روز و شب اندر قفص در می‌دمم

Thou art mightily drunken and senseless and distraught: yesternight on which side hast thou slept, O (my) soul?

سخت مست و بی‌خود و آشفته‌ای ** دوش ای جان بر چه پهلو خفته‌ای

Beware, beware! Take heed lest thou utter a breath! First spring up and seek a trusted friend. 4730

هان و هان هش دار بر ناری دمی ** اولا بر جه طلب کن محرمی

Thou art a lover and intoxicated, and thy tongue (is) loosed! —God! God! thou art (like) the camel on the water-spout!

عاشق و مستی و بگشاده زبان ** الله الله اشتری بر ناودان

When the tongue tells of His mystery and coquetry, Heaven chants (the prayer), “O Thou that art goodly in covering!”

چون ز راز و ناز او گوید زبان ** یا جمیل الستر خواند آسمان

What covering (can there be)? The fire is in the wool cotton whilst thou art covering it up, it is (all the) more manifest.

ستر چه در پشم و پنبه آذرست ** تا همی‌پوشیش او پیداترست

When I endeavour to hide His (Love’s) secret, He lifts up His head, like a banner, saying, “Look, here am I!”

چون بکوشم تا سرش پنهان کنم ** سر بر آرد چون علم کاینک منم

In despite of me He seizes both my ears, saying, “O scatter-brain, how wilt thou cover it Cover it (if thou canst)!” 4735

رغم انفم گیردم او هر دو گوش ** کای مدمغ چونش می‌پوشی بپوش

I say to Him, “Begone! Though thou hast bubbled up (hast become fervid), (yet) thou art (both) manifest and concealed, like the soul.”

گویمش رو گرچه بر جوشیده‌ای ** همچو جان پیدایی و پوشیده‌ای

He says, “This body of mine is imprisoned in the jar, (but) like wine I am clapping hands (making a merry noise) at the banquet.”

گوید او محبوس خنبست این تنم ** چون می اندر بزم خنبک می‌زنم