Rumi's Masnavi - Never does he go round about (inspect) himself and say, “I have acted perversely, like the idolater in (turning away from’ the true) religion.”

Never does he go round about (inspect) himself and say, “I have acted perversely, like the idolater in (turning away from’ the true) religion.”

هیچ گرد خود نمی‌گردد که من ** کژروی کردم چو اندر دین شمن

How the wind blew perversely against Solomon, on whom be peace, because of his lapse.

کژ وزیدن باد بر سلیمان علیه‌السلام به سبب زلت او

The wind moved perversely against Solomon's throne. Then Solomon said, “O wind, do not creep (along) perversely.”

باد بر تخت سلیمان رفت کژ ** پس سلیمان گفت بادا کژ مغژ

The wind too said, “Do not move perversely (act wrongfully), O Solomon; and if thou move perversely, be not angry at my perverseness.

باد هم گفت ای سیلمان کژ مرو ** ور روی کژ از کژم خشمین مشو

God set up these scales for the purpose that justice might be done to us in eternity.

این ترازو بهر این بنهاد حق ** تا رود انصاف ما را در سبق

(If) thou give short measure, I will give short measure; so long as thou art honest with me, I am honest (with thee).” 1900

از ترازو کم کنی من کم کنم ** تا تو با من روشنی من روشنم

Likewise, Solomon's tiara swerved to one side and made the bright day (dark) as night to him.

هم‌چنین تاج سلیمان میل کرد ** روز روشن را برو چون لیل کرد

He said, “O tiara, do not become awry on my head: O sun, do not decline from my orient.”

گفت تا جا کژ مشو بر فرق من ** آفتابا کم مشو از شرق من

He was putting the tiara straight with his hand, (but) the tiara always became awry for him again, O youth.

راست می‌کرد او به دست آن تاج را ** باز کژ می‌شد برو تاج ای فتی

Eight times he straightened it, and (each time) it became awry. He said, “Why, what is the matter, O tiara? Do not sag crookedly.”

هشت بارش راست کرد و گشت کژ ** گفت تاجا چیست آخر کژ مغژ

It replied, “If thou put me straight a hundred times, (’tis useless): I go awry since thou goest awry, O trusted one.” 1905

گفت اگر صد ره کنی تو راست من ** کژ شوم چون کژ روی ای متمن

Then Solomon put straight his inward part: he made his heart cold to (caused it to renounce) the lust which it had.

پس سلیمان اندرونه راست کرد ** دل بر آن شهوت که بودش کرد سرد

Thereupon his tiara immediately became straight and such as he wished it to be.

بعد از آن تاجش همان دم راست شد ** آنچنان که تاج را می‌خواست شد

Afterwards he was purposely making it awry, (but) the tiara always returned purposely (deliberately), seeking (its correct position on) the crown of his head.

بعد از آنش کژ همی کرد او به قصد ** تاج او می‌گشت تارک‌جو به قصد

Eight times did that prince make it awry, and (as many times) did it become straight on the crown of his head.

هشت کرت کژ بکرد آن مهترش ** راست می‌شد تاج بر فرق سرش

The tiara began to speak, saying, “O king, (now) display pride (proud independence): since thou hast shaken thy wings free from the clay, take flight (soar aloft). 1910

تاج ناطق گشت کای شه ناز کن ** چون فشاندی پر ز گل پرواز کن

I have no permission to pass beyond this (point) and tear to pieces the veils of the mystery of this (matter).

نیست دستوری کزین من بگذرم ** پرده‌های غیب این برهم درم

Lay thy hand on my mouth: shut my mouth (so as to restrain me) from unacceptable speech.”

بر دهانم نه تو دست خود ببند ** مر دهانم را ز گفت ناپسند

Do not you, then, whatsoever grief befall you, resentfully accuse any one: turn upon yourself.

پس ترا هر غم که پیش آید ز درد ** بر کسی تهمت منه بر خویش گرد

Do not think evil of another, O you who gratify the desire of your friend: do not do that which that slave was meditating—

ظن مبر بر دیگری ای دوستکام ** آن مکن که می‌سگالید آن غلام

Now his quarrel (was) with the messenger and the steward, now his anger (was directed) against the generous emperor. 1915

گاه جنگش با رسول و مطبخی ** گاه خشمش با شهنشاه سخی

You are like Pharaoh, who had left Moses (alone) and was taking off the heads of the people's babes:

هم‌چو فرعونی که موسی هشته بود ** طفلکان خلق را سر می‌ربود

The enemy (Moses) was in the house of that blind-hearted man, (while) he (outside) was cutting the necks of the children.

آن عدو در خانه‌ی آن کور دل ** او شده اطفال را گردن گسل

You also are bad (malign) to others outside, while you have become complaisant to the grievous self (carnal soul) within.

تو هم از بیرون بدی با دیگران ** واندرون خوش گشته با نفس گران

It is your enemy indeed, (yet) you are giving it candy, while outside you are accusing every one.

خود عدوت اوست قندش می‌دهی ** وز برون تهمت به هر کس می‌نهی

You are like Pharaoh, blind and blind-hearted: complaisant to your enemy and treating the guiltless with ignominy. 1920

هم‌چو فرعونی تو کور و کوردل ** با عدو خوش بی‌گناهان را مذل

How long, O (imitator of) Pharaoh, will you slay the innocent and pamper your noxious body?

چند فرعونا کشی بی‌جرم را ** می‌نوازی مر تن پر غرم را

His understanding was superior to that of (other) kings: God's ordainment had made him without understanding and blind.

عقل او بر عقل شاهان می‌فزود ** حکم حق بی‌عقل و کورش کرده بود

God's seal upon the eye and ear of the intelligence makes him (the intelligent man) an animal, (even) if he is a Plato.

مهر حق بر چشم و بر گوش خرد ** گر فلاطونست حیوانش کند

God's ordainment comes into view on the tablet (of the heart) in such wise as Báyazíd's prediction of the hidden (future event).

حکم حق بر لوح می‌آید پدید ** آنچنان که حکم غیب بایزید

How Shaykh Abu ’l-Hasan, may God be well-pleased with him, heard Báyazíd's announcement of his coming into existence and of what should happen to him.

شنیدن شیخ ابوالحسن رضی الله عنه خبر دادن ابویزید را و بود او و احوال او

It came to pass just as he (Báyazíd) had said. Bu ’l-Hasan heard from the people that (prediction), 1925

هم‌چنان آمد که او فرموده بود ** بوالحسن از مردمان آن را شنود

(Namely), “Hasan will be my disciple and my true follower (umma), and will receive lessons from my tomb at every dawn.”

که حسن باشد مرید و امتم ** درس گیرد هر صباح از تربتم

He (Abu ’l-Hasan) said, “I have also seen him in a dream and have heard this from the spirit of the Shaykh.”

گفت من هم نیز خوابش دیده‌ام ** وز روان شیخ این بشنیده‌ام

Every dawn he would set his face towards the grave and stand (there) in attention till the forenoon,

هر صباحی رو نهادی سوی گور ** ایستادی تا ضحی اندر حضور

And either the apparition of the Shaykh would come to him, or without anything spoken his difficulty would be solved,

یا مثال شیخ پیشش آمدی ** یا که بی‌گفتی شکالش حل شدی

Till one day he came auspiciously (to visit the grave): the graves were covered with new-fallen snow. 1930

تا یکی روزی بیامد با سعود ** گورها را برف نو پوشیده بود

He saw the snows, wreath on wreath like flags, mound (piled) on mound; and his soul was grieved.

توی بر تو برفها هم‌چون علم ** قبه قبه دیده و شد جانش به غم

From the shrine of the (spiritually) living Shaykh came to him a cry, “Hark, I call thee that thou mayst run to me.

بانگش آمد از حظیره‌ی شیخ حی ** ها انا ادعوک کی تسعی الی

Hey, come quickly in this direction, towards my voice: if the world is (full of) snow, (yet) do not turn thy face away from me.”

هین بیا این سو بر آوازم شتاب ** عالم ار برفست روی از من متاب

From that day his (spiritual) state became excellent, and he saw (experienced) those wondrous things which at first he was (only) hearing (knowing by hearsay).

حال او زان روز شد خوب و بدید ** آن عجایب را که اول می‌شنید

How the slave wrote another letter to the king when he received no reply to the first letter.

رقعه‌ی دیگر نوشتن آن غلام پیش شاه چون جواب آن رقعه‌ی اول نیافت

That evil-thinking one wrote another letter, full of vituperation and clamour and loud complaint. 1935

نامه‌ی دیگر نوشت آن بدگمان ** پر ز تشنیع و نفیر و پر فغان

He said, “I wrote a letter to the king; oh, I wonder if it arrived there and found its way (to him).”

که یکی رقعه نبشتم پیش شه ** ای عجب آنجا رسید و یافت ره

The fair-cheeked (king) read that second one also, and as before he gave him no reply and kept silence.

آن دگر را خواند هم آن خوب‌خد ** هم نداد او را جواب و تن بزد

The king was withholding all favour from him: he (the slave) repeated the letter five times.

خشک می‌آورد او را شهریار ** او مکرر کرد رقعه پنج بار

“After all,” said the chamberlain, “he is your (Majesty’s) slave: if you write a reply to him, tis fitting.

گفت حاجب آخر او بنده‌ی شماست ** گر جوابش بر نویسی هم رواست

What diminution of your sovereignty will occur if you cast looks (of favour) on your slave and servant?” 1940

از شهی تو چه کم گردد اگر ** برغلام و بنده اندازی نظر

He (the king) said, “This is easy; but he is fool: a foolish man is foul and rejected of God.

گفت این سهلست اما احمقست ** مرد احمق زشت و مردود حقست

Though I pardon his sin and fault, his disease will infect me also.

گرچه آمرزم گناه و زلتش ** هم کند بر من سرایت علتش

From (contact with) an itchy person a whole hundred become itchy, especially (in the case of) this loathsome reprobate itch.

صد کس از گرگین همه گرگین شوند ** خاصه این گر خبیث ناپسند

May the itch, lack of intelligence, not befall (even) the infidel His (the fool’s) ill-starredness keeps the cloud rainless.

گر کم عقلی مبادا گبر را ** شوم او بی‌آب دارد ابر را

On account of his ill-starredness the cloud sheds no moisture: by his owlishness the city is made a desert. 1945

نم نبارد ابر از شومی او ** شهر شد ویرانه از بومی او