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
Inflict it (only) at the time when I become sober; for indeed I shall never become sober (again).
چون شوم هشیار آنگاهم بزن ** که نخواهم گشت خود هشیار من
Whoso has drunk of Thy cup, O Gracious One, is for ever delivered from self consciousness and from the infliction of penalties.
هرکه از جام تو خورد ای ذوالمنن ** تا ابد رست از هش و از حد زدن
Their intoxication consists in a state of unconsciousness of self (faná), (in which they are) abiding for ever: he that passes away from self in love for Thee will not arise.4205
خالدین فی فناء سکرهم ** من تفانی فی هواکم لم یقم
Thy grace saith to our heart, “Go, O thou who hast become in pawn to the buttermilk of My love.
فضل تو گوید دل ما را که رو ** ای شده در دوغ عشق ما گرو
Thou hast fallen, like a gnat, into My buttermilk: O gnat, thou art not intoxicated, thou art the wine (itself).
چون مگس در دوغ ما افتاده‌ای ** تو نه‌ای مست ای مگس تو باده‌ای
O gnat, the vultures become intoxicated by thee, when thou ridest on the ocean of honey.
کرگسان مست از تو گردند ای مگس ** چونک بر بحر عسل رانی فرس
The mountains are tipsy with thee (and dance) like motes; the point and the compass and the line are in thy hand (control).
کوهها چون ذره‌ها سرمست تو ** نقطه و پرگار و خط در دست تو
The torment at which they tremble is trembling at thee: every costly pearl is cheap to thee.”4210
فتنه که لرزند ازو لرزان تست ** هر گران‌قیمت گهر ارزان تست
If God gave me five hundred mouths, I would sing in description (praise) of thee, O (my) soul and world;
گر خدا دادی مرا پانصد دهان ** گفتمی شرح تو ای جان و جهان
(But) I have (only) one mouth, and even that one is crushed with shame before thee, O knower of the mystery.
یک دهان دارم من آن هم منکسر ** در خجالت از تو ای دانای سر
In sooth I am not more crushed than non-existence, from the mouth of which (all) these peoples have come (forth).
منکسرتر خود نباشم از عدم ** کز دهانش آمدستند این امم
A hundred thousand impressions of the Unseen World are waiting to spring forth graciously and kindly from non-existence.
صد هزار آثار غیبی منتظر ** کز عدم بیرون جهد با لطف و بر
Because of thy urgency my head is reeling: oh, I am dead in the presence of that bounty.4215
از تقاضای تو می‌گردد سرم ** ای ببرده من به پیش آن کرم
Our desire (for thee) arises from thy urgency: wherever there is a wayfarer, ’tis the pull of God (that draws him on).
رغبت ما از تقاضای توست ** جذبه‌ی حقست هر جا ره‌روست
Does the dust leap upward without a wind? Does a ship voyage without the sea?
خاک بی‌بادی به بالا بر جهد ** کشتی بی‌بحر پا در ره نهد
None (ever) died in the presence of the Water of Life: compared with thy water the Water of Life is (mere) dregs.
پیش آب زندگانی کس نمرد ** پیش آبت آب حیوانست درد
The Water of Life is the goal of those to whom life is dear: by water the garden is (made) verdant and smiling.
آب حیوان قبله‌ی جان دوستان ** ز آب باشد سبز و خندان بوستان
(But) those who quaff the cup of death are living through His love: they have torn their hearts away from life and the Water of Life.4220
مرگ آشامان ز عشقش زنده‌اند ** دل ز جان و آب جان بر کنده‌اند
When the water of Thy love gave us its hand (was gained by us), the Water of Life became worthless in our sight.
آب عشق تو چو ما را دست داد ** آب حیوان شد به پیش ما کساد
Every soul derives freshness from the Water of Life, but Thou art the Water (Source) of the Water of Life.
ز آب حیوان هست هر جان را نوی ** لیک آب آب حیوانی توی
Thou didst bestow on me a (spiritual) death and a resurrection continually, that I might experience the conquering power of that bounty (of Thine).
هر دمی مرگی و حشری دادیم ** تا بدیدم دست برد آن کرم
This (bodily) dying became (as unformidable) to me as sleeping, from my confidence that Thou, O God, wouldst raise me from the dead.
هم‌چو خفتن گشت این مردن مرا ** ز اعتماد بعث کردن ای خدا
If the Seven Seas become a mirage at every moment, Thou wilt take it (the water) by the ear and bring it (back), O Water (Source) of the water.4225
هفت دریا هر دم ار گردد سراب ** گوش گیری آوریش ای آب آب
Reason is trembling with fear of death, but Love is bold: how should the stone be afraid of rain as the clod (is)?
عقل لرزان از اجل وان عشق شوخ ** سنگ کی ترسد ز باران چون کلوخ
This is the Fifth of the Scrolls (Books) of the Mathnawí: it is like the stars in the zodiacal signs of the spiritual sky.
از صحاف مثنوی این پنجمست ** بر بروج چرخ جان چون انجمست
Not every sense can find its way by the star: (none can do so) except the mariner acquainted with the star.
ره نیابد از ستاره هر حواس ** جز که کشتیبان استاره‌شناس
The lot of the others is naught but looking (at it): they are ignorant of its auspiciousness and (fortunate) conjunction.
جز نظاره نیست قسم دیگران ** از سعودش غافلند و از قران
During the nights till daybreak make thyself familiar with devil-burning stars like these,4230
آشنایی گیر شبها تا به روز ** با چنین استارهای دیوسوز
Every one (of which) is hurling naphtha from the fortress of Heaven to drive away the evil-thinking devil.
هر یکی در دفع دیو بدگمان ** هست نفط‌انداز قلعه‌ی آسمان
To the devil the stars are (noxious) as a scorpion, (but) to the buyer (of Truth) it (the star) is the next of kin (the nearest and dearest).
اختر ار با دیو هم‌چون عقربست ** مشتری را او ولی الاقربست
If the Bow (Sagittarius) pierce the devil with an arrow, (yet) the Bucket (Aquarius) is full of water for the crops and fruit.
قوس اگر از تیر دوزد دیو را ** دلو پر آبست زرع و میو را
Though the Fish (Pisces) wreck the ship of error, (yet) for the friend (of Truth) it is (ploughing and) sowing like the bull.
حوت اگرچه کشتی غی بشکند ** دوست را چون ثور کشتی می‌کند
If the Sun rend Night to pieces, like a lion, (yet) there comes from it a satin robe of honour for the ruby.4235
شمس اگر شب را بدرد چون اسد ** لعل را زو خلعت اطلس رسد
Every existence that emerged from non-existence is poison to one and sugar to another.
هر وجودی کز عدم بنمود سر ** بر یکی زهرست و بر دیگر شکر
Be a friend (of Truth) and become quit of unsweet qualities, so that you may eat sugar even from a jar of poison.
دوست شو وز خوی ناخوش شو بری ** تا ز خمره‌ی زهر هم شکر خوری
A (deadly) poison did no harm to Fárúq (‘Umar) because to him the antidote, discrimination (fárúqí), was (sweet as) candy.
زان نشد فاروق را زهری گزند ** که بد آن تریاق فاروقیش قند