I too will drink the water as thy parasite; for a parasite, in following (his host), is relieved from anguish.”
من طفیل تو بنوشم آب هم ** که طفیلی در تبع به جهد ز غم
He (the Israelite) said, “O (thou who art to me as) soul and world, I will do (this) service (for thee); I will pay (thee) regard (in this matter), O (thou who art as) my two bright eyes!
گفت ای جان و جهان خدمت کنم ** پاس دارم ای دو چشم روشنم
I will do according to thy desire, I will rejoice (to serve thee); I will be thy slave, I will act (generously) as a freeman.” 3440
بر مراد تو روم شادی کنم ** بندهی تو باشم آزادی کنم
He filled the cup with water from the Nile, put it to his lips, and drank one half (of the water).
طاس را از نیل او پر آب کرد ** بر دهان بنهاد و نیمی را بخورد
(Then) he tilted the cup towards him who craved the water, saying, “Drink thou too!” That (water) became black blood.
طاس را کژ کرد سوی آبخواه ** که بخور تو هم شد آن خون سیاه
Again he tilted it on this side (towards himself): the blood became water (once more). The Egyptian was enraged and incensed.
باز ازین سو کرد کژ خون آب شد ** قبطی اندر خشم و اندر تاب شد
He sat down awhile till his anger departed; after that, he said to him, “O mighty sword (of the Faith),
ساعتی بنشست تا خشمش برفت ** بعد از آن گفتش کای صمصام زفت
O brother, what is the expedient for (loosing) this knot?” He (the Israelite) said, “(Only) he that is God-fearing drinks this (water).” 3445
ای برادر این گره را چاره چیست ** گفت این را او خورد کو متقیست
The God-fearing man is he that has become quit of (has renounced) the way of Pharaoh and has become like unto Moses.
متقی آنست کو بیزار شد ** از ره فرعون و موسیوار شد
Become (as) the people of Moses and drink this water; make peace with the Moon and behold the moonbeams.
قوم موسی شو بخور این آب را ** صلح کن با مه ببین مهتاب را
There are a hundred thousand darknesses in thine eye (which arise) from thy wrath against the servants of God.
صدهزاران ظلمتست از خشم تو ** بر عبادالله اندر چشم تو
Extinguish wrath, open the (spiritual) eye, rejoice, take a lesson from (true) friends, become a teacher (of the Truth).
خشم بنشان چشم بگشا شاد شو ** عبرت از یاران بگیر استاد شو
How wilt thou become my parasite (follower) in scooping up (the water) when thou hast an unbelief (as great) as Mount Qáf? 3450
کی طفیل من شوی در اغتراف ** چون ترا کفریست همچون کوه قاف
How should a mountain go into the cavity (eye) of a needle, unless indeed it become a single thread?
کوه در سوراخ سوزن کی رود ** جز مگر که آن رشتهی یکتا شود
By asking forgiveness (of God) make the mountain (like) a straw, and (then) take joyously the cup of the forgiven and drain (it) joyously!
کوه را که کن به استغفار و خوش ** جام مغفوران بگیر و خوش بکش
Inasmuch as God hath made it unlawful to the unbelievers, how wilt thou drink of it (whilst thou art endued) with this imposture?
تو بدین تزویر چون نوشی از آن ** چون حرامش کرد حق بر کافران
How should the Creator of imposture buy (accept) thy imposture, O fabricator of fiction?
خالق تزویر تزویر ترا ** کی خرد ای مفتری مفترا
Become (like) the kinsfolk of Moses, for deceit is useless: thy deceit is (like) measuring the empty wind. 3455
آل موسی شو که حیلت سود نیست ** حیلهات باد تهی پیمودنیست
Will the water dare to turn aside from the command of the Lord and bestow refreshment on the unbelievers?
زهره دارد آب کز امر صمد ** گردد او با کافران آبی کند
Or dost thou suppose that thou art eating bread? Thou art eating snake-venom and (that which causes) wasting away of the spirit.
یا تو پنداری که تو نان میخوری ** زهر مار و کاهش جان میخوری
How should bread restore to health the spirit that averts its heart from the command of the Beloved Spirit?
نان کجا اصلاح آن جانی کند ** کو دل از فرمان جانان بر کند
Or dost thou suppose that when thou readest the words of the Mathnawí thou hearest them gratis (without giving aught in return)?
یا تو پنداری که حرف مثنوی ** چون بخوانی رایگانش بشنوی
Or that the discourse of wisdom and the hidden mystery comes easily into thy ear and mouth? 3460
یا کلام حکمت و سر نهان ** اندر آید زغبه در گوش و دهان
It comes in, but, like fables, it shows (only) the husk, not the kernel of the berries,
اندر آید لیک چون افسانهها ** پوست بنماید نه مغز دانهها
(As) a sweetheart who has drawn a veil over her head and face and has hidden her face from thine eye.
در سر و رو در کشیده چادری ** رو نهان کرده ز چشمت دلبری
By reason of contumacy the Sháhnáma or Kalíla seems to thee just like the Qur’án.
شاهنامه یا کلیله پیش تو ** همچنان باشد که قرآن از عتو
The difference between truth and falsehood is (visible) at the moment when the collyrium of (Divine) favour opens the eye;
فرق آنگه باشد از حق و مجاز ** که کند کحل عنایت چشم باز
Otherwise, dung and musk are both the same to one whose nose is obstructed (by disease), since (in him) there is no sense of smell. 3465
ورنه پشک و مشک پیش اخشمی ** هر دو یکسانست چون نبود شمی
His aim is to divert himself from ennui (by reading such books), and neglect the Word of the Almighty,
خویشتن مشغول کردن از ملال ** باشدش قصد از کلام ذوالجلال
That by means of that (entertaining) discourse he may quench the fire of distress and anxiety and provide a cure (for his malady).
کاتش وسواس را و غصه را ** زان سخن بنشاند و سازد دوا
For the purpose of quenching this amount of fire, pure water and urine are alike in skill (are equally serviceable).
بهر این مقدار آتش شاندن ** آب پاک و بول یکسان شدن به فن
Both this urine and (this) water will quench the fire of distress, just as (it is quenched) during sleep.
آتش وسواس را این بول و آب ** هر دو بنشانند همچون وقت خواب
But if thou become (really) acquainted with this pure water, which is the Word of God and spiritual, 3470
لیک گر واقف شوی زین آب پاک ** که کلام ایزدست و روحناک
All distress will vanish from the soul, and the heart will find its way to the Rose-garden,
نیست گردد وسوسه کلی ز جان ** دل بیابد ره به سوی گلستان
Because every one who catches a scent of the mystery of the (Divine) scriptures flies into an orchard with a running brook.
زانک در باغی و در جویی پرد ** هر که از سر صحف بویی برد
Or dost thou suppose that we see the face of the Saints as it is (in reality)?
یا تو پنداری که روی اولیا ** آنچنان که هست میبینیم ما
Hence the Prophet remained in astonishment, saying, “How are the true believers not seeing my face?
در تعجب مانده پیغامبر از آن ** چون نمیبینند رویم مومنان
How are the people not seeing the light of my face, which has borne away the prize from the orient sun? 3475
چون نمیبینند نور روم خلق ** که سبق بردست بر خورشید شرق
And if they are seeing (it), wherefore is this perplexity?”— until a revelation came (to him from God), saying, “That face is in concealment.
ور همیبینند این حیرت چراست ** تا که وحی آمد که آن رو در خفاست
In relation to thee it is the moon, and in relation to the people it is the cloud, in order that the infidel may not see thy face for nothing.
سوی تو ماهست و سوی خلق ابر ** تا نبیند رایگان روی تو گبر
In relation to thee it is the bait, and in relation to the people it is the trap, in order that the vulgar may not drink of this chosen wine.”
سوی تو دانهست و سوی خلق دام ** تا ننوشد زین شراب خاص عام
God said, “Thou seest them looking,” (but) they are (like) the pictures in a bathhouse: they do not see.
گفت یزدان که تراهم ینظرون ** نقش حمامند هم لا یبصرون
The form appears, O worshipper of form, as though its two dead eyes were looking. 3480
مینماید صورت ای صورتپرست ** که آن دو چشم مردهی او ناظرست
Thou art showing reverence before the eye of the image, saying, “I wonder why it pays no regard to me.
پیش چشم نقش میآری ادب ** کو چرا پاسم نمیدارد عجب
Wherefore is this goodly image (so) very irresponsive that it does not say ‘alayk (on thee be peace!) in reply to my salaam?
از چه پس بیپاسخست این نقش نیک ** که نمیگوید سلامم را علیک
It does not nod its head and moustache generously in regard for my having made a hundred prostrations before it.”
مینجنباند سر و سبلت ز جود ** پاس آنک کردمش من صد سجود
God, though He does not nod the head outwardly, (yet) in regard for that (worship of Him) bestows an inward delight,
حق اگر چه سر نجنباند برون ** پاس آن ذوقی دهد در اندرون
Which is worth two hundred noddings of the head: in this fashion, after all, do Intellect and Spirit nod the head. 3485
که دو صد جنبیدن سر ارزد آن ** سر چنین جنباند آخر عقل و جان
(If) thou serve Intellect in earnest, the regard of Intellect (for thee) is (shown by this), that it increases (thy) righteousness.
عقل را خدمت کنی در اجتهاد ** پاس عقل آنست که افزاید رشاد
God does not nod the head to thee outwardly, but He makes thee a prince over the princes (of the world).
حق نجنباند به ظاهر سر ترا ** لیک سازد بر سران سرور ترا