Rumi's Masnavi - How should I bring (plead for) mercy to thee who art moved with anger, and point out the path of clemency to thee who art endued with knowledge?

How should I bring (plead for) mercy to thee who art moved with anger, and point out the path of clemency to thee who art endued with knowledge?

من کی آرم رحم خلم آلود را ** ره نمایم حلم علم‌اندود را

If thou subject me to the indignity of (receiving) cuffs, I am deserving of a hundred thousand cuffs.

صد هزاران صفع را ارزانیم ** گر زبون صفعها گردانیم

What should I say in thy presence? Should I give thee information or recall to thy mind the method of lovingkindness? 4155

من چه گویم پیشت اعلامت کنم ** یا که وا یادت دهم شرط کرم

What is that which is unknown to thee? And where in the world is that which thou dost not remember?

آنچ معلوم تو نبود چیست آن ** وآنچ یادت نیست کو اندر جهان

O thou who art free from ignorance and whose knowledge is free from (the possibility) that forgetfulness should cause (anything) to be hidden from it,

ای تو پاک از جهل و علمت پاک از آن ** که فراموشی کند بر وی نهان

Thou hast deemed a nobody to be somebody and hast exalted him, like the sun, with (thy) light.

هیچ کس را تو کسی انگاشتی ** هم‌چو خورشیدش به نور افراشتی

Since thou hast made me somebody, graciously hearken to my supplication if I supplicate (thee);

چون کسم کردی اگر لابه کنم ** مستمع شو لابه‌ام را از کرم

For, inasmuch as thou hast transported me from the form (of self-existence), ’tis (really) thou that hast made that intercession unto thyself. 4160

زانک از نقشم چو بیرون برده‌ای ** آن شفاعت هم تو خود را کرده‌ای

Since this home has been emptied of my furniture, nothing great or small in the house belongs to me.

چون ز رخت من تهی گشت این وطن ** تر و خشک خانه نبود آن من

Thou hast caused the prayer to flow forth from me like water: do thou accordingly give it reality and let it be granted.

هم دعا از من روان کردی چو آب ** هم نباتش بخش و دارش مستجاب

Thou wert the bringer (inspirer) of the prayer in the beginning: be thou accordingly the hope for its acceptance in the end,

هم تو بودی اول آرنده‌ی دعا ** هم تو باش آخر اجابت را رجا

In order that I may boast that the King of the world pardoned the sinners for his slave's sake.

تا زنم من لاف کان شاه جهان ** بهر بنده عفو کرد از مجرمان

(Formerly) I was a pain, entirely self-satisfied: the King made me the remedy for every sufferer from pain. 4165

درد بودم سر به سر من خودپسند ** کرد شاهم داروی هر دردمند

(Formerly) I was a Hell filled with woe and bale: the hand of his grace made me a Kawthar.

دوزخی بودم پر از شور و شری ** کرد دست فضل اویم کوثری

Whomsoever Hell has consumed in vengeance, I cause him to grow anew from his body.”

هر که را سوزید دوزخ در قود ** من برویانم دگر بار از جسد

What is the work of (that) Kawthar by which every one that has been burned (in Hell) is made to grow and becomes redintegrated?

کار کوثر چیست که هر سوخته ** گردد از وی نابت و اندوخته

Drop by drop it proclaims its bounty, saying, “I restore that which Hell has consumed.”

قطره قطره او منادی کرم ** کانچ دوزخ سوخت من باز آورم

Hell is like the cold of autumn; Kawthar is like the spring, O rose-garden. 4170

هست دوزخ هم‌چو سرمای خزان ** هست کوثر چون بهار ای گلستان

Hell is like death and the earth of the grave; Kawthar resembles the blast of the trumpet (of Resurrection).

هست دوزخ هم‌چو مرگ و خاک گور ** هست کوثر بر مثال نفخ صور

O ye whose bodies are consumed by Hell, the kindness (of God) is leading you towards Kawthar.

ای ز دوزخ سوخته اجسامتان ** سوی کوثر می‌کشد اکرامتان

Since Thy mercy, O Self-subsistent Living One, said, “I created the creatures that they might profit by Me,”

چون خلقت الخلق کی یربح علی ** لطف تو فرمود ای قیوم حی

(And since Thy saying) “Not that I might profit by them” is (the expression of) Thy munificence, by which all defective things are made whole,

لالان اربح علیهم جود تست ** که شود زو جمله ناقصها درست

Pardon these body-worshipping slaves: pardon from (Thee who art) the ocean of pardon is more worthy. 4175

عفو کن زین بندگان تن‌پرست ** عفو از دریای عفو اولیترست

Creaturely pardon is like a river and like a torrent: (all) the troop (of such pardons) run towards their ocean.

عفو خلقان هم‌چو جو و هم‌چو سیل ** هم بدان دریای خود تازند خیل

Every night from these individual hearts the pardons come to Thee, O King, like pigeons.

عفوها هر شب ازین دل‌پاره‌ها ** چون کبوتر سوی تو آید شها

At the hour of dawn Thou causest them to fly away again, and imprisonest them in these bodies till nightfall.

بازشان وقت سحر پران کنی ** تا به شب محبوس این ابدان کنی

Once more, at eventide, flapping their wings they fly off in passionate longing for that palace and roof.

پر زنان بار دگر در وقت شام ** می‌پرند از عشق آن ایوان و بام

In order that they may snap the thread that unites them with the body, they come before Thee, for by Thee they are endowed with fortune— 4180

تا که از تن تار وصلت بسکلند ** پیش تو آیند کز تو مقبلند

Flapping their wings, secure from falling back headlong, (soaring) in the (spiritual) air and saying, “Verily unto Him we are returning.”

پر زنان آمن ز رجع سرنگون ** در هوا که انا الیه راجعون

From that Bounty comes the call, “Come! After that returning (unto Me) desire and anxiety are no more.

بانگ می‌آید تعالوا زان کرم ** بعد از آن رجعت نماند از حرص و غم

As exiles in the world ye suffered many indignities: ye will have learned to value Me, O nobles.

بس غریبیها کشیدیت از جهان ** قدر من دانسته باشید ای مهان

Hark now, stretch your legs beneath the shade of this tree of Mine in the intoxication of delight,

زیر سایه‌ی این درختم مست ناز ** هین بیندازید پاها را دراز

(Stretch) your legs, (which are) fatigued by (travel on) the Way of Religion, resting for ever on the bosoms and hands of the houris, 4185

پایهای پر عنا از راه دین ** بر کنار و دست حوران خالدین

(While) the houris amorously and fondly say, ‘These Súfís have returned from their travels.

حوریان گشته مغمز مهربان ** کز سفر باز آمدند این صوفیان

The Súfís pure as the light of the sun, who for a long time had fallen into (the world of) earth and filth,

صوفیان صافیان چون نور خور ** مدتی افتاده بر خاک و قذر

Have (now) come back stainless and undefiled, as the sunlight to the lofty orb (of the sun).’”

بی‌اثر پاک از قذر باز آمدند ** هم‌چو نور خور سوی قرص بلند

(Ayáz said), “This company of sinners likewise, O glorious (King)—all their heads have come against a wall.

این گروه مجرمان هم ای مجید ** جمله سرهاشان به دیواری رسید

They have become aware of their fault and sin, although they were defeated by the King's two dice. 4190

بر خطا و جرم خود واقف شدند ** گرچه مات کعبتین شه بدند

Now they turn their faces towards thee, uttering cries of lamentation. O thou whose clemency is making way for sinners,

رو به تو کردند اکنون اه‌کنان ** ای که لطفت مجرمان را ره‌کنان

Speedily grant the defiled ones admission into the Euphrates of (thy) pardon and the fountain (which is) a (cool) washing-place,

راه ده آلودگان را العجل ** در فرات عفو و عین مغتسل

That they may wash themselves clean of that prolonged sin and join in prayer among the ranks of the purified—

تا که غسل آرند زان جرم دراز ** در صف پاکان روند اندر نماز

Among those innumerable ranks plunged in the light of ‘We are they that stand in line.’”

اندر آن صفها ز اندازه برون ** غرقگان نور نحن الصافون

When the discourse reached the description of this (exalted) state, at once the pen broke and the paper tore. 4195

چون سخن در وصف این حالت رسید ** هم قلم بشکست و هم کاغذ درید

Did any saucer measure the sea? Did a lamb ever carry off a lion?

بحر را پیمود هیچ اسکره‌ای ** شیر را برداشت هرگز بره‌ای

If you are veiled, go forth from enveilment, that you may behold the marvellous sovereignty (of God).

گر حجابستت برون رو ز احتجاب ** تا ببینی پادشاهی عجاب

Although the drunken fellows broke Thy cup, (yet) there is an excuse for him that is intoxicated by Thee.

گرچه بشکستند حامت قوم مست ** آنک مست از تو بود عذریش هست

Is not their intoxication with fortune and riches (the result) of Thy wine, O Thou whose actions are sweet?

مستی ایشان به اقبال و به مال ** نه ز باده‌ی تست ای شیرین فعال

O Emperor, they are intoxicated with Thy election (of them): pardon him that is intoxicated with Thee, O Pardoner! 4200

ای شهنشه مست تخصیص توند ** عفو کن از مست خود ای عفومند

The delight of being elected (singled out) by Thee at the moment of Thy addressing them has an effect that is not produced by a hundred jars of wine.

لذت تخصیص تو وقت خطاب ** آن کند که ناید از صد خم شراب

Since Thou hast intoxicated me, do not inflict a penalty: the Law does not see fit to inflict a penalty on the intoxicated.

چونک مستم کرده‌ای حدم مزن ** شرع مستان را نبیند حد زدن