Rumi's Masnavi - In particular, I, who have a bad name, was not evil-natured (in regard to you): what you saw was nothing evil, it was (only) a magic spell;

In particular, I, who have a bad name, was not evil-natured (in regard to you): what you saw was nothing evil, it was (only) a magic spell;

خصاه من بدرگ نبودم زشت‌اسم ** آنک دیدی بد نبد بود آن طلسم

And if, hypothetically, that purpose (of mine) had been evil, (still) friends pardon such a fault.”

ور بدی بد آن سگالش قدرا ** عفو فرمایند یاران زان خطا

The world of imagination and the phantom of hope and fear is a great obstacle to the traveller (on the mystic Way).

عالم وهم و خیال طمع و بیم ** هست ره‌رو را یکی سدی عظیم

The pictures (illusions) of this picture-making phantasy were harmful (even) to one like Khalíl (Abraham), who was (firm as) a mountain.

نقشهای این خیال نقش‌بند ** چون خلیلی را که که بد شد گزند

The noble Abraham said, “This is my Lord,” when he fell into the world (fell under the sway) of imagination. 2650

گفت هذا ربی ابراهیم راد ** چونک اندر عالم وهم اوفتاد

That person who bored the pearl of interpretation, interpreted the mention of the star thus—

ذکر کوکب را چنین تاویل گفت ** آن کسی که گوهر تاویل سفت

(That) the world of imagination and blinding phantasy uprooted such a mountain (of wisdom) from its foundation,

عالم وهم و خیال چشم‌بند ** آنچنان که را ز جای خویش کند

So that the words, “This is my Lord,” were uttered by him: what, (then), must be the case with a goose or an ass?

تا که هذا ربی آمد قال او ** خربط و خر را چه باشد حال او

Understandings (strong) as mountains have been submerged in the seas of imagination and the whirlpools of phantasy.

غرق گشته عقلهای چون جبال ** در بحار وهم و گرداب خیال

Mountains are put to shame by this Flood: where is any safety (to be found) but in the Ship (Ark) of Noah? 2655

کوهها را هست زین طوفان فضوح ** کو امانی جز که در کشتی نوح

By this phantasy, which infests the road of Faith like a brigand, the followers of the (true) Religion have become (split into) two and seventy sects.

زین خیال ره‌زن راه یقین ** گشت هفتاد و دو ملت اهل دین

The man of sure faith is delivered from imagination and phantasy: he does not call a hair of the eyebrow the new moon,

مرد ایقان رست از وهم و خیال ** موی ابرو را نمی‌گوید هلال

While he that has not the (spiritual) light of ‘Umar as his support is waylaid (deceived) by a crooked hair of the eyebrow.

وآنک نور عمرش نبود سند ** موی ابروی کژی راهش زند

A hundred thousand awful and terrible ships have been shattered to pieces in the sea of imagination.

صد هزاران کشتی با هول و سهم ** تخته تخته گشته در دریای وهم

The least (of them is) the energetic and ingenious Pharaoh: his moon was eclipsed in the mansion of imagination. 2660

کمترین فرعون چست فیلسوف ** ماه او در برج وهمی در خسوف

Nobody knows who is the cuckold, and he that knows has no doubt concerning himself.

کس نداند روسپی‌زن کیست آن ** وانک داند نیستش بر خود گمان

Since thine own imagination keeps thee giddy-headed, wherefore shouldst thou revolve round the imagination of another?

چون ترا وهم تو دارد خیره‌سر ** از چه گردی گرد وهم آن دگر

I am helpless against my own egoism: why hast thou, full of egoism, sat down beside me?

عاجزم من از منی خویشتن ** چه نشستی پر منی تو پیش من

I am seeking with (all) my soul one who is free from egoism, that I may become the ball of that goodly bat.

بی‌من و مایی همی‌جویم به جان ** تا شوم من گوی آن خوش صولجان

In sooth any one who has become without ego is all egos: when he is not loved by himself he becomes loved by (them) all. 2665

هر که بی‌من شد همه من‌ها خود اوست ** دوست جمله شد چو خود را نیست دوست

(When) a mirror becomes devoid of images, it gains splendour because (then) it is the reporter (reflector) of all images.

آینه بی‌نقش شد یابد بها ** زانک شد حاکی جمله نقشها

Story of Shaykh Mohammed Sar-razí of Ghazna, may God sanctify his spirit!

حکایت شیخ محمد سررزی غزنوی قدس الله سره

In Ghazna there was an ascetic, abounding in knowledge (of divinity): his name was Mohammed and his title Sar-razí.

زاهدی در غزنی از دانش مزی ** بد محمد نام و کفیت سررزی

Every night he would break his fast with vine-tendrils (sar-i raz): during seven years he was continually (engaged) in one quest.

بود افطارش سر رز هر شبی ** هفت سال او دایم اندر مطلبی

He experienced many marvellous things from the King of existence, but his object was (to behold) the beauty of the King.

بس عجایب دید از شاه وجود ** لیک مقصودش جمال شاه بود

That man who was surfeited with himself went to the top of a mountain and said, “Appear, or I will fall (throw myself) to the bottom.” 2670

بر سر که رفت آن از خویش سیر ** گفت بنما یا فتادم من به زیر

He (God) said, “The time for that favour is not (yet) come, and if thou fall down, thou wilt not die: I will not kill thee.”

گفت نامد مهلت آن مکرمت ** ور فرو افتی نمیری نکشمت

He, from love (of God), threw himself down: he fell into the depths of a (piece of) water.

او فرو افکند خود را از وداد ** در میان عمق آبی اوفتاد

When he (found that he) was not dead, on account of the shock (of disappointment) that man who was sick of life made lament over himself for having been parted from death;

چون نمرد از نکس آن جان‌سیر مرد ** از فراق مرگ بر خود نوحه کرد

For this (present) life seemed to him like a (state of) death: in his view the thing had become reversed.

کین حیات او را چو مرگی می‌نمود ** کار پیشش بازگونه گشته بود

He was begging death (as a gift) from the Unseen, he was crying, “Verily, my life is in my death.” 2675

موت را از غیب می‌کرد او کدی ** ان فی موتی حیاتی می‌زدی

He had embraced death as (other people embrace) life, he had become in full accord with the destruction of his life.

موت را چون زندگی قابل شده ** با هلاک جان خود یک دل شده

As (with) ‘Alí, the sword and dagger were his sweet basil, the narcissus and eglantine were his soul's enemies.

سیف و خنجر چون علی ریحان او ** نرگس و نسرین عدوی جان او

A Voice came (to his ear), “Go from the desert to the city”— a wondrous Voice transcending the occult and the manifest.

بانگ آمد رو ز صحرا سوی شهر ** بانگ طرفه از ورای سر و جهر

He cried, “O Thou that knowest my secret, hair by hair, tell me, what service am I to do in the city?”

گفت ای دانای رازم مو به مو ** چه کنم در شهر از خدمت بگو

It (the Voice) said, “The service is this, that for the purpose of self abasement thou shouldst make thyself (like) ‘Abbás (the seller) of date-syrup. 2680

گفت خدمت آنک بهر ذل نفس ** خویش را سازی تو چون عباس دبس

For a while take money from the rich and then deliver it to the lowly poor.

مدتی از اغنیا زر می‌ستان ** پس به درویشان مسکین می‌رسان

This is the service thou must do for some time.” He replied, “To hear is to obey, O Thou who art my soul's refuge.”

خدمتت اینست تا یک چند گاه ** گفت سمعا طاعة ای جان‌پناه

Many questions and answers and much conversation passed between the ascetic and the Lord of mankind,

بس سال و بس جواب و ماجرا ** بد میان زاهد و رب الوری

Whereby earth and heaven were filled with (spiritual) light: all that is recorded in the Maqálát;

که زمین و آسمان پر نور شد ** در مقالات آن همه مذکور شد

But I will cut short that dialogue, in order that every worthless person may not hear (such) mysteries. 2685

لیک کوته کردم آن گفتار را ** تا ننوشد هر خسی اسرار را

How after many years the Shaykh came from the desert to the city of Ghazna and carried round the basket (as a beggar) in obedience to the behest from the Unseen and distributed amongst the poor all (the money and food) that was collected. “When any one possesses the spirit of the glory of Labbayka (devoted service), letter on letter and messenger after messenger are (sent to him),” as (when) the window of a house is open, sunbeams and moonbeams and rain and letters and so forth never cease (from coming in).

آمدن شیخ بعد از چندین سال از بیابان به شهر غزنین و زنبیل گردانیدن به اشارت غیبی و تفرقه کردن آنچ جمع آید بر فقرا هر که را جان عز لبیکست نامه بر نامه پیک بر پیکست چنانک روزن خانه باز باشد آفتاب و ماهتاب و باران و نامه و غیره منقطع نباشد

That (Shaykh who was) obedient to the (Divine) command turned his face towards the city; the city of Ghazna became illumined by his face.

رو به شهر آورد آن فرمان‌پذیر ** شهر غزنین گشت از رویش منیر

A (great) multitude joyfully went out to meet him, (but) he entered (the city) in haste and furtively.

از فرح خلقی به استقبال رفت ** او در آمد از ره دزدیده تفت

All the notables and grandees rose up and made their palaces ready to receive him,

جمله اعیان و مهان بر خاستند ** قصرها از بهر او آراستند

(But) he said, “I do not come from (motives of) self-advertisement: I come not save in humility and beggary.

گفت من از خودنمایی نامدم ** جز به خواری و گدایی نامدم

I have no intention of talking and discoursing: I will go about from door to door with a basket in my hand. 2690

نیستم در عزم قال و قیل من ** در به در گردم به کف زنبیل من

I am devoted to the (Divine) edict, for ’tis commanded by God that I should be a beggar, a beggar, a beggar.

بنده فرمانم که امرست از خدا ** که گدا باشم گدا باشم گدا

I will not use choice expressions in begging: I will tread the way of none but the vile beggars,

در گدایی لفظ نادر ناورم ** جز طریق خس گدایان نسپرم

That I may be completely overwhelmed with abasement, and that I may hear abusive words from high and low.

تا شوم غرقه‌ی مذلت من تمام ** تا سقطها بشنوم از خاص و عام

God's command is my (very) soul, and I am its follower: He has commanded me to be covetous, (for) ‘base is he that covets.’

امر حق جانست و من آن را تبع ** او طمع فرمود ذل من طمع

Since the Sultan of the Judgement desires covetousness from me, dust on the head of contentment henceforth! 2695

چون طمع خواهد ز من سلطان دین ** خاک بر فرق قناعت بعد ازین