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
Because he (alone) is good-tempered who is quietly forbearing towards the bad-tempered and ill-natured.
زانک خوش‌خو آن بود کو در خمول ** باشد از بدخو و بدطبعان حمول
But in (the case of) the Shaykh, the complaint is (made) by the command of God; it is not (made) in consequence of anger and contentiousness and vain desire.775
لیک در شیخ آن گله ز آمر خداست ** نه پی خشم و ممارات و هواست
It is not a complaint, it is spiritual correction, like the complaints made by the prophets.
آن شکایت نیست هست اصلاح جان ** چون شکایت کردن پیغامبران
Know that the intolerance of the prophets is by command (of God); otherwise, their clemency is exceedingly tolerant of evil.
ناحمولی انبیا از امر دان ** ورنه حمالست بد را حلمشان
They mortified their (carnal) nature in toleration of evil; if there be intolerance (on their part), it is Divine.
طبع را کشتند در حمل بدی ** ناحمولی گر بود هست ایزدی
O Solomon (of the age), amidst the crows and falcons be thou (a manifestation of) the clemency of God: sort with (adapt thyself to) all the birds.
ای سلیمان در میان زاغ و باز ** حلم حق شو با همه مرغان بساز
Oh, two hundred (like) Bilqís are abased before thy clemency, for (thou sayest in the words of the Prophet), “(O God), guide my people, verily they know not.”780
ای دو صد بلقیس حلمت را زبون ** که اهد قومی انهم لا یعلمون
How Solomon, on whom be peace, sent a threatening message to Bilqís, saying, "Do not think to persist in polytheism and do not make delay."
تهدید فرستادن سلیمان علیه‌السلام پیش بلقیس کی اصرار میندیش بر شرک و تاخیر مکن
“Hark, Bilqís, come! Else, it will be bad (for thee): thy army will become thine enemy and will revolt.
هین بیا بلقیس ورنه بد شود ** لشکرت خصمت شود مرتد شود
Thy chamberlain will destroy thy door: thy soul with (all) its soul will act as an enemy towards thee.”
پرده‌دار تو درت را بر کند ** جان تو با تو به جان خصمی کند
All the atoms of earth and heaven are God’s army, (as you will find out) on putting it to the test.
جمله ذرات زمین و آسمان ** لشکر حق‌اند گاه امتحان
You have seen what the wind did to the people of ‘Ád, you have seen what the water did at the Deluge;
باد را دیدی که با عادان چه کرد ** آب را دیدی که در طوفان چه کرد
How that vengeful Sea dashed on Pharaoh, and how this Earth behaved to Qárún (Korah);785
آنچ بر فرعون زد آن بحر کین ** وآنچ با قارون نمودست این زمین
And what those bábíl (swifts) did to the Elephant, and how the gnat devoured the skull of Nimrod;
وآنچ آن بابیل با آن پیل کرد ** وآنچ پشه کله‌ی نمرود خورد
And how a David hurled with his hand a stone (which) became six hundred pieces and shattered an army.