Rumi's Masnavi - For man is like the water of the river: when it becomes turbid, thou canst not see its bottom.

For man is like the water of the river: when it becomes turbid, thou canst not see its bottom.

زانک مردم هست هم‌چون آب جو ** چون شود تیره نبینی قعر او

The bottom of the river is full of jewels and full of pearls: take heed, do not make (the water) turbid, for it is (originally) pure and free (from pollution).

قعر جو پر گوهرست و پر ز در ** هین مکن تیره که هست او صاف حر

The spirit of man resembles air: when it (air) is mixed with dust, it veils the sky,

جان مردم هست مانند هوا ** چون بگرد آمیخت شد پرده‌ی سما

And prevents (the eye) from seeing the sun; (but) when its dust is gone, it becomes pure and undefiled. 2485

مانع آید او ز دید آفتاب ** چونک گردش رفت شد صافی و ناب

Notwithstanding thy complete darkness, God was showing visions unto thee, that thou might’st wend the way of deliverance.

با کمال تیرگی حق واقعات ** می‌نمودت تا روی راه نجات

How Moses, on whom be peace, declared (by inspiration) from the Unseen the secret thoughts and visions of Pharaoh, in order that he might truly believe in the omniscience of God or (at least) hold that opinion.

باز گفتن موسی علیه‌السلام اسرار فرعون را و واقعات او را ظهر الغیب تابخبیری حق ایمان آورد یا گمان برد

From the dark iron (of thy nature) He, by His power, was showing forth the visions that should come to pass in the end,

ز آهن تیره بقدرت می‌نمود ** واقعاتی که در آخر خواست بود

In order that thou might’st lessen (refrain from) that injustice and wickedness: thou wert seeing those (visions) and becoming more wicked.

تا کنی کمتر تو آن ظلم و بدی ** آن همی‌دیدی و بتر می‌شدی

He was showing unto thee hideous forms in dream: thou wert shrinking back from them, and (in reality) they were thy (own) form;

نقشهای زشت خوابت می‌نمود ** می‌رمیدی زان و آن نقش تو بود

Like the Ethiopian (negro) who saw in the mirror that his face was ugly, et in speculum cacavit, [Like the Ethiopian (negro) who saw in the mirror that his face was ugly, and defecated upon the mirror,] 2490

هم‌چو آن زنگی که در آیینه دید ** روی خود را زشت و بر آیینه رید

Saying, ‘How ugly thou art! Thou art deserving only of this.’ (The mirror replies), ‘My ugliness belongs to thee, O vile blind one.

که چه زشتی لایق اینی و بس ** زشتیم آن تواست ای کور خس

Thou art putting this filth on thy ugly face: it is not on me, for I have splendour.’

این حدث بر روی زشتت می‌کنی ** نیست بر من زانک هستم روشنی

At one time thou wert seeing (in vision) thy raiment burnt; at another time thy mouth and eyes stitched up;

گاه می‌دیدی لباست سوخته ** گه دهان و چشم تو بر دوخته

Now a (rapacious) animal seeking thy blood; now thy head in the teeth of a wild beast;

گاه حیوان قاصد خونت شده ** گه سر خود را به دندان دده

Now (in thy dream thou wert) upside down in the midst of a latrine; now sunk in a fierce blood-dyed torrent; 2495

گه نگون اندر میان آبریز ** گه غریق سیل خون‌آمیز تیز

Now from this pure heaven came to thee a voice crying, ‘Thou art damned, thou art damned, damned’;

گه ندات آمد ازین چرخ نقی ** که شقیی و شقیی و شقی

Now from the mountains came to thee a voice, (saying) plainly, ‘Begone! Thou art one of the people of the left hand’;

گه ندات آمد صریحا از جبال ** که برو هستی ز اصحاب الشمال

Now from every inanimate thing was coming to thee a voice (which cried), ‘Pharaoh is fallen into Hell for evermore’;

گه ندا می‌آمدت از هر جماد ** تا ابد فرعون در دوزخ فتاد

(And thou sawest) worse things than these, which from shame I will not tell, lest thy perverted nature become hot (with anger).

زین بترها که نمی‌گویم ز شرم ** تا نگردد طبع معکوس تو گرم

I have told thee a little, O thou who wilt not accept (my warning): from a little thou mayst know that I am acquainted (with the whole). 2500

اندکی گفتم به تو ای ناپذیر ** ز اندکی دانی که هستم من خبیر

Thou wert making thyself blind and dead, that thou might’st not bethink thee of the dreams and visions.

خویشتن را کور می‌کردی و مات ** تا نیندیشی ز خواب و واقعات

How long wilt thou flee? Lo, it is come to thee in despite of thy guile-meditating perception.

چند بگریزی نک آمد پیش تو ** کوری ادراک مکراندیش تو

Explaining that the door of repentance is open.

بیان آنک در توبه بازست

Hark, do not act (so) henceforth, (but) take precaution, for through (God's) bounty the door of repentance is open.

هین مکن زین پس فراگیر احتراز ** که ز بخشایش در توبه‌ست باز

From the quarter of the West a door of repentance is open to mankind till the Resurrection.

توبه را از جانب مغرب دری ** باز باشد تا قیامت بر وری

Till the sun lifts up its head (rises) from the West, that door is open: do not avert thy face from it. 2505

تا ز مغرب بر زند سر آفتاب ** باز باشد آن در از وی رو متاب

By the mercy (of God) Paradise hath eight doors: one of those eight is the door of repentance, O son.

هست جنت را ز رحمت هشت در ** یک در توبه‌ست زان هشت ای پسر

All the others are sometimes open, sometimes shut; and never is the door of repentance but open.

آن همه گه باز باشد گه فراز ** وآن در توبه نباشد جز که باز

Come, seize the opportunity: the door is open: carry thy baggage thither at once in despite of the envious (Devil).

هین غنیمت دار در بازست زود ** رخت آنجا کش به کوری حسود

How Moses, on whom be peace, said to Pharaoh, "Accept one counsel from me and take four excellent qualities as recompense."

گفتن موسی علیه‌السلام فرعون را کی از من یک پند قبول کن و چهار فضیلت عوض بستان

Come, accept from me one thing and bring (it into practice), and then take from me four as recompense for that.”

هین ز من بپذیر یک چیز و بیار ** پس ز من بستان عوض آن را چهار

He replied, “O Moses, what is that one thing? Explain to me a little about that one thing.” 2510

گفت ای موسی کدامست آن یکی ** شرح کن با من از آن یک اندکی

“That one thing,” said he, “is that thou shouldst say publicly that there is no god but the Maker,

گفت آن یک که بگویی آشکار ** که خدایی نیست غیر کردگار

The Creator of the heavenly spheres and of the stars on high and of man and devil and genie and bird,

خالق افلاک و انجم بر علا ** مردم و دیو و پری و مرغ را

The Creator of sea and plain and mountain and desert: His sovereignty is without limit and He is without like.”

خالق دریا و دشت و کوه و تیه ** ملکت او بی‌حد و او بی‌شبیه

He (Pharaoh) said, “O Moses, what are those four things that thou wilt give me in recompense? Declare (what they are) and bring (them before me),

گفت ای موسی کدامست آن چهار ** که عوض بدهی مرا بر گو بیار

That perchance, by the favour of that goodly promise, the crucifixion (torment) of my unbelief may be assuaged. 2515

تا بود کز لطف آن وعده‌ی حسن ** سست گردد چارمیخ کفر من

Perchance the lock of my hundred maunds' weight of unbelief may be opened by those fair and desirable promises.

بوک زان خوش وعده‌های مغتنم ** برگشاید قفل کفر صد منم

Perchance, by the effect of the river of honey, this poison of hatred may be turned into honey in my body;

بوک از تاثیر جوی انگبین ** شهد گردد در تنم این زهر کین

Or by the reflexion of the river of that pure milk, (my) captive intelligence may be nourished for a moment;

یا ز عکس جوی آن پاکیزه شیر ** پرورش یابد دمی عقل اسیر

Or perchance, by the reflexion of those rivers of wine, I may be intoxicated and obtain a scent of the delight of (obedience to) the (Divine) command;

یا بود کز عکس آن جوهای خمر ** مست گردم بو برم از ذوق امر

Or perchance, by the favour of those rivers of water, my barren devastated body may gain refreshment— 2520

یا بود کز لطف آن جوهای آب ** تازگی یابد تن شوره‌ی خراب

Some verdure may appear on my barren soil, my thorn-brake may become the Garden of (everlasting) abode;

شوره‌ام را سبزه‌ای پیدا شود ** خارزارم جنت ماوی شود

Perchance, by the reflexion of Paradise and the four rivers, my spirit, through God's befriending (it), may become a seeker of the Friend,

بوک از عکس بهشت و چار جو ** جان شود از یاری حق یارجو

In the same fashion as from the reflexion of Hell I have become fire and am steeped in the wrath of God.

آنچنان که از عکس دوزخ گشته‌ام ** آتش و در قهر حق آغشته‌ام

At one moment, from the reflexion of the snake of Hell I have become (engaged in) dropping poison, like a snake, on those who shall dwell in Paradise;

گه ز عکس مار دوزخ هم‌چو مار ** گشته‌ام بر اهل جنت زهربار

At another time, from the reflexion of the boiling of the hot water (of Hell), the water of my oppression has made the people (like) rotten bones. 2525

گه ز عکس جوشش آب حمیم ** آب ظلمم کرده خلقان را رمیم

From the reflexion of the zamharír (intense cold of Hell) I am (as) the zamharír; or from the reflexion of the sa‘ír (flames of Hell) I am as the sa‘ír.

من ز عکس زمهریرم زمهریر ** یا ز عکس آن سعیرم چون سعیر

I am now the Hell of the poor and oppressed: woe to him whom I suddenly find subject (to me)!”

دوزخ درویش و مظلومم کنون ** وای آنک یابمش ناگه زبون

How Moses, on whom be peace, explained those four excellent qualities (which should be bestowed) as a reward for Pharaoh's coming into the Faith.

شرح کردن موسی علیه‌السلام آن چهار فضیلت را جهت پای مزد ایمان فرعون

Moses said, "The first of those four will be constant health for thy body:

گفت موسی که اولین آن چهار ** صحتی باشد تنت را پایدار

These maladies that are described in (books of) Medicine will be far from thy body, O estimable one.

این علل‌هایی که در طب گفته‌اند ** دور باشد از تنت ای ارجمند

Secondly, thou wilt have a long life, for death will be cautious of (attacking) thy life; 2530

ثانیا باشد ترا عمر دراز ** که اجل دارد ز عمرت احتراز

And after a life uniform (in happiness) this will not be (the sequel, namely) that thou wilt go forth from the world against thy will;

وین نباشد بعد عمر مستوی ** که بناکام از جهان بیرون روی