Hark, come speedily, O seeker of felicity, for now is (the time for) manifestations (of spiritual grace) and the opening of the door.
هین بیا ای طالب دولت شتاب ** که فتوحست این زمان و فتح باب
O thou who art not a seeker, come thou also, that thou mayst gain (the gift of) seeking (felicity) from this faithful Friend.725
ای که تو طالب نه‌ای تو هم بیا ** تا طلب یابی ازین یار وفا
The cause of the emigration of (Ibráhím son of) Adham, may God sanctify his spirit, and his abandoning the kingdom of Khurásán.
سبب هجرت ابراهیم ادهم قدس الله سره و ترک ملک خراسان
Quickly dash to pieces the kingdom (of this world), like (Ibráhím son of) Adham, that like him thou mayst gain the kingdom of everlasting life.
ملک برهم زن تو ادهم‌وار زود ** تا بیابی هم‌چو او ملک خلود
At night that king was asleep on his throne, (while) on the roof (of the palace) the guards were exercising authority.
خفته بود آن شه شبانه بر سریر ** حارسان بر بام اندر دار و گیر
The king's purpose in (having) the guards was not that he might thereby keep off robbers and ne’er-do-wells.
قصد شه از حارسان آن هم نبود ** که کند زان دفع دزدان و رنود
He knew that the man who is just is free from (fear of) attack and secure in his heart.
او همی دانست که آن کو عادلست ** فارغست از واقعه آمن دلست
Justice is the guardian of pleasures; not men who beat their rattles on the roofs at night.730
عدل باشد پاسبان گامها ** نه به شب چوبک‌زنان بر بامها
But his object in (listening to) the sound of the rebeck was, like (that of) ardent lovers (of God), (to bring into his mind) the phantasy of that (Divine) allocution;
لیک بد مقصودش از بانگ رباب ** هم‌چو مشتاقان خیال آن خطاب
(For) the shrill noise of the clarion and the menace of the drum somewhat resemble that universal trumpet.
ناله‌ی سرنا و تهدید دهل ** چیزکی ماند بدان ناقور کل
Hence philosophers have said that we received these harmonies from the revolution of the (celestial) sphere,
پس حکیمان گفته‌اند این لحنها ** از دوار چرخ بگرفتیم ما
(And that) this (melody) which people sing with pandore and throat is the sound of the revolutions of the sphere;
بانگ گردشهای چرخست این که خلق ** می‌سرایندش به طنبور و به حلق
(But) the true believers say that the influences of Paradise made every unpleasant sound to be beautiful.735
مومنان گویند که آثار بهشت ** نغز گردانید هر آواز زشت
We all have been parts of Adam, we have heard those melodies in Paradise.
ما همه اجزای آدم بوده‌ایم ** در بهشت آن لحنها بشنوده‌ایم
Although the water and earth (of our bodies) have caused a doubt to fall upon us, something of those (melodies) comes (back) to our memory;
گرچه بر ما ریخت آب و گل شکی ** یادمان آمد از آنها چیزکی
But since it is mingled with the earth of sorrow, how should this treble and bass give (us) the same delight?
لیک چون آمیخت با خاک کرب ** کی دهند این زیر و آن بم آن طرب
When water is mingled with urine and stalings, its temperament is made bitter and acid by the commixture.
آب چون آمیخت با بول و کمیز ** گشت ز آمیزش مزاجش تلخ و تیز
There is a small quantity of water in his (a man's) body: suppose it is urine, (yet) it will extinguish a fire.740
چیزکی از آب هستش در جسد ** بول گیرش آتشی را می‌کشد
If the water has been defiled, (still) this natural property of it remains, for by its nature it allays the fire of grief.
گر نجس شد آب این طبعش بماند ** که آتش غم را به طبع خود نشاند
Therefore samá‘ (music) is the food of lovers (of God), since therein is the phantasy of composure (tranquillity of mind).
پس غدای عاشقان آمد سماع ** که درو باشد خیال اجتماع
From (hearing) sounds and pipings the mental phantasies gather a (great) strength; nay, they become forms (in the imagination).
قوتی گیرد خیالات ضمیر ** بلک صورت گردد از بانگ و صفیر
The fire of love is made keen (inflamed) by melodies, just as the fire (ardour) of the man who dropped walnuts (into the water).
آتش عشق از نواها گشت تیز ** آن چنان که آتش آن جوزریز
Story of the thirsty man who dropped walnuts from the top of a walnut-tree into the water-brook that was in the hollow, without reaching the water (himself), in order that he might hear the sound made by the walnuts falling on the water, which thrilled him with joy as (though it were) sweet music.
حکایت آن مرد تشنه کی از سر جوز بن جوز می‌ریخت در جوی آب کی در گو بود و به آب نمی‌رسید تا به افتادن جوز بانگ آب# بشنود و او را چو سماع خوش بانگ آب اندر طرب می‌آورد
The water was in a deep place: the thirsty man went up the tree and scattered the walnuts one by one.745
در نغولی بود آب آن تشنه راند ** بر درخت جوز جوزی می‌فشاند
The walnuts were falling from the walnut-tree into the water: the sound was coming (to his ears), and he was seeing the bubbles.
می‌فتاد از جوزبن جوز اندر آب ** بانگ می‌آمد همی دید او حباب
A sensible person said to him, “Leave off, O youth: truly the (loss of the) walnuts will bring thirst (regret) to you.
عاقلی گفتش که بگذار ای فتی ** جوزها خود تشنگی آرد ترا
The more the fruit falls into the water—(since) the water is below at a (great) distance from you,
بیشتر در آب می‌افتد ثمر ** آب در پستیست از تو دور در
The river-water will have carried it (the fruit) far away before you with effort come down from the top (of the tree).”
تا تو از بالا فرو آیی به زور ** آب جویش برده باشد تا به دور
He replied, “My purpose in this scattering is not (to obtain possession of) the walnuts: look more keenly, do not stop at this superficial (view).750
My purpose is that the sound of the water should come (to my ears); also, that I should see these bubbles on the surface of the water.”
قصد من آنست که آید بانگ آب ** هم ببینم بر سر آب این حباب
What, indeed, is the thirsty man's business in the world? To circle for ever round the base of the tank,
تشنه را خود شغل چه بود در جهان ** گرد پای حوض گشتن جاودان
Round the channel and round the Water and the sound of the Water, like a pilgrim circumambulating the Ka‘ba of Truth.
گرد جو و گرد آب و بانگ آب ** هم‌چو حاجی طایف کعبه‌ی صواب
Even so, in (composing) this Mathnawí thou, O Ziyá’u ’l-Haqq (Radiance of God) Husámu’ddín, art my object.
هم‌چنان مقصود من زین مثنوی ** ای ضیاء الحق حسام‌الدین توی
The whole Mathnawí in its branches and roots is thine: thou hast accepted (it).755
مثنوی اندر فروع و در اصول ** جمله آن تست کردستی قبول
Kings accept (both) good and bad: when they accept (anything), it is reprobate no more.
در قبول آرند شاهان نیک و بد ** چون قبول آرند نبود بیش رد
Since thou hast planted the sapling, give it water. Since thou hast given it freedom (to grow), untie the knots.
چون نهالی کاشتی آبش بده ** چون گشادش داده‌ای بگشا گره
In (all) its expressions my object is (to reveal) thy mystery; in composing it my object is (to hear) thy voice.
قصدم از الفاظ او راز توست ** قصدم از انشایش آواز توست
To me thy voice is the voice of God: Heaven forfend that (I should say) the lover is separate from the Beloved.
پیش من آوازت آواز خداست ** عاشق از معشوق حاشا که جداست
There is a union beyond description or analogy between the Lord of Man and the spirit of Man.760
اتصالی بی‌تکیف بی‌قیاس ** هست رب‌الناس را با جان ناس
But I said nás (Man), not nasnás; nás is none but the spirit that knows the (Divine) Spirit.
لیک گفتم ناس من نسناس نی ** ناس غیر جان جان‌اشناس نی
Nás is Man, and where is Manhood? You have never beheld the head (spiritual principle) of Man: you are a tail.
ناس مردم باشد و کو مردمی ** تو سر مردم ندیدستی دمی
You have recited (the text) thou didst not throw when thou threwest, but you are a (mere) body: you have remained in division.
ما رمیت اذ رمیت خوانده‌ای ** لیک جسمی در تجزی مانده‌ای
Like Bilqís, O foolish one, abandon the kingdom of your body for the sake of the prophet Solomon.
ملک جسمت را چو بلقیس ای غبی ** ترک کن بهر سلیمان نبی
I am crying “lá hawl,” not on account of my own words, nay, but on account of the false suggestions of the person accustomed to think (evil),765
می‌کنم لا حول نه از گفت خویش ** بلک از وسواس آن اندیشه کیش
Who is conceiving in his heart a vain fancy about my words, (a fancy arising) from the false suggestions and incredulities of (evil) thought.
کو خیالی می‌کند در گفت من ** در دل از وسواس و انکارات ظن
I am crying “lá hawl,” that is, “there is no help,” because in your heart there is a contradiction of me.
می‌کنم لا حول یعنی چاره نیست ** چون ترا در دل بضدم گفتنیست
Since my words have stuck in your throat, I am silent: do you speak your own (words).
چونک گفت من گرفتت در گلو ** من خمش کردم تو آن خود بگو
A sweet flute-player was playing the flute subito e podice ejus erupit ventus. [A sweet flute-player was playing the flute: suddenly, some wind escaped from his ass.]
آن یکی نایی خوش نی می‌زدست ** ناگهان از مقعدش بادی بجست
Fistulam in podice posuit, saying, “If you play better than I, take it (the flute) and play!” [He placed the flute on his anus, saying, “If you play better than I, take it (the flute) and play!”]770
نای را بر کون نهاد او که ز من ** گر تو بهتر می‌زنی بستان بزن
O Musalmán, (whilst you are still engaged) in the quest, good manners are indeed nothing but forbearance with every one that is unmannerly.
ای مسلمان خود ادب اندر طلب ** نیست الا حمل از هر بی‌ادب
When you see any one complaining of such and such a person's ill-nature and bad temper,
هر که را بینی شکایت می‌کند ** که فلان کس راست طبع و خوی بد
Know that the complainant is bad-tempered, forasmuch as he speaks ill of that bad-tempered person,
این شکایت‌گر بدان که بدخو است ** که مر آن بدخوی را او بدگو است