What is there in the old woman that was not in them, so that she rapt thee away from those figures (and attracted thee) to herself?
در عجوزه چیست که ایشان را نبود ** که ترا زان نقشها با خود ربود
(If) thou wilt not say (what it is), I will tell (thee) plainly: ’tis reason and sense and perception and consideration and soul.145
تو نگویی من بگویم در بیان ** عقل و حس و درک و تدبیرست و جان
In the old woman there is a soul that mingles (with the body): the pictured forms in the hot-baths have no (rational) spirit.
در عجوزه جان آمیزش‌کنیست ** صورت گرمابه‌ها را روح نیست
If the pictured form in the hot-bath should move, it would at once separate thee from the old woman.
صورت گرمابه گر جنبش کند ** در زمان او از عجوزه بر کند
What is soul? (Soul is) conscious of good and evil, rejoicing on account of kindness, weeping on account of injury.
جان چه باشد با خبر از خیر و شر ** شاد با احسان و گریان از ضرر
Since consciousness is the inmost nature and essence of the soul, the more aware one is the more spiritual is he.
چون سر و ماهیت جان مخبرست ** هر که او آگاه‌تر با جان‌ترست
Awareness is the effect of the spirit: any one who has this in excess is a man of God.150
روح را تاثیر آگاهی بود ** هر که را این بیش اللهی بود
Since there are consciousnesses beyond this (bodily) nature, in that (spiritual) arena these (sensual) souls are (like) inanimate matter.
چون خبرها هست بیرون زین نهاد ** باشد این جانها در آن میدان جماد
The first soul is the theatre of the (Divine) court; the Soul of the soul is verily the theatre of God (Himself).
جان اول مظهر درگاه شد ** جان جان خود مظهر الله شد
The angels were entirely reason and spirit (till) there came a new Spirit of which they were the body.
آن ملایک جمله عقل و جان بدند ** جان نو آمد که جسم آن بدند
When, by happy fortune, they attached themselves to that Spirit, they became subservient to that Spirit, as the body (is subservient to the spirit dwelling in it).
از سعادت چون بر آن جان بر زدند ** هم‌چو تن آن روح را خادم شدند
Hence Iblís (Satan) had turned his head away from the Spirit: he did not become one with it because he was a dead limb.155
آن بلیس از جان از آن سر برده بود ** یک نشد با جان که عضو مرده بود
Since he had it not, he did not become devoted to it: the broken hand does not obey the spirit (which rules the body).
چون نبودش آن فدای آن نشد ** دست بشکسته مطیع جان نشد
(But) the Spirit is not impaired though its limb is broken, for that (limb) is in its power, and it can bring it to life.
جان نشد ناقص گر آن عضوش شکست ** کان بدست اوست تواند کرد هست
There is another mystery (to be told), (but) where is another ear? Where is a parrot capable of (eating) that sugar?
سر دیگر هست کو گوش دگر ** طوطیی کو مستعد آن شکر
For the elect parrots there is a profound (occult) candy: to that food the eyes of the vulgar parrots are closed.
طوطیان خاص را قندیست ژرف ** طوطیان عام از آن خور بسته طرف
How should one who has (only) the appearance of a dervish taste of that purity? It is spiritual reality, not (mere) fa‘úlun fá‘ilát (amphibrachs and cretics).160
کی چشد درویش صورت زان زکات ** معنیست آن نه فعولن فاعلات
Candy is not withheld from the ass of Jesus by him (Jesus), but the ass is naturally pleased with straw.
از خر عیسی دریغش نیست قند ** لیک خر آمد به خلقت که پسند
If candy had roused delight in the ass, he would have poured hundredweights of sugar in front of the ass.
قند خر را گر طرب انگیختی ** پیش خر قنطار شکر ریختی
Know that this is the (inner) meaning of We seal their mouths: this (knowledge) is important for the traveller on the Way,
معنی نختم علی افواههم ** این شناس اینست ره‌رو را مهم
That perchance, by (his following) the Way of the Seal of the prophets, the heavy seal may be lifted from his lips.
تا ز راه خاتم پیغامبران ** بوک بر خیزد ز لب ختم گران
The seals which the (former) prophets left were removed by the religion of Ahmad (Mohammed).165
ختمهایی که انبیا بگذاشتند ** آن بدین احمدی برداشتند
The unopened locks had remained (as they were): they were opened by the hand of Lo, We have opened (unto thee).
قفلهای ناگشاده مانده بود ** از کف انا فتحنا برگشود
He is the intercessor in this world and in yonder world—in this world (for guidance) to the (true) religion, and yonder (for entrance) to Paradise.
او شفیع است این جهان و آن جهان ** این جهان زی دین و آنجا زی جنان
In this world he says, “Do Thou show unto them the Way,” and in yonder world he says, “Do Thou show unto them the Moon.”
این جهان گوید که تو رهشان نما ** وآن جهان گوید که تو مهشان نما
It was his custom in public and in private (to say), “Guide my people: verily they know not.”
پیشه‌اش اندر ظهور و در کمون ** اهد قومی انهم لا یعلمون
By his breath (powerful intercession) both the Gates were opened: in both worlds his prayer is answered.170
باز گشته از دم او هر دو باب ** در دو عالم دعوت او مستجاب
He has become the Seal (of the prophets) for this reason that there never was any one like him in munificence nor ever shall be.
بهر این خاتم شدست او که به جود ** مثل او نه بود و نه خواهند بود
When a master surpasses (all others) in his craft, don't you say (to him), “The craft is sealed on thee”?
چونک در صنعت برد استاد دست ** نه تو گویی ختم صنعت بر توست
In the opening of seals thou (O Mohammed) art the Seal: in the world of the givers of spiritual life thou art the Hátim.
در گشاد ختمها تو خاتمی ** در جهان روح‌بخشان حاتمی
The purport (is this, that) the indications (esoteric teachings) of Mohammed are wholly revelation within revelation within revelation.
هست اشارات محمدالمراد ** کل گشاد اندر گشاد اندر گشاد
A hundred thousand blessings on his spirit and on the advent and cycle of his sons!175
صد هزاران آفرین بر جان او ** بر قدوم و دور فرزندان او
Those fortunate Caliph-born sons of his are born of the substance of his soul and heart.
آن خلیفه‌زادگان مقبلش ** زاده‌اند از عنصر جان و دلش
Whether they be of Baghdád or Herát or Rayy, they are his progeny without admixture of water and earth.
گر ز بغداد و هری یا از ری‌اند ** بی‌مزاج آب و گل نسل وی‌اند
Wherever the rose-bough blossoms, ’tis still the (same) rose; wherever the wine-jar bubbles, ’tis still the (same) wine.
شاخ گل هر جا که روید هم گلست ** خم مل هر جا که جوشد هم ملست
If the sun uplift its head (rise) from the west, ’tis the same sun, not anything else.
گر ز مغرب بر زند خورشید سر ** عین خورشیدست نه چیز دگر
O Maker, by means of Thy veiling grace keep the fault-pickers blind to this (mystic) utterance.180
عیب چینان را ازین دم کور دار ** هم بستاری خود ای کردگار
God said (in answer to my prayer), “I have blindfolded the eyes of the evil-natured bat (so as to prevent it) from (seeing) the peerless Sun.
گفت حق چشم خفاش بدخصال ** بسته‌ام من ز آفتاب بی‌مثال
From the glances of the infirm and feeble bat even the stars of that Sun are concealed.”
از نظرهای خفاش کم و کاست ** انجم آن شمس نیز اندر خفاست
In blame of the rotten (worthless) reputations which prevent spiritual experience of the Faith and point to insincerity and stand in the way of hundreds of thousands of fools; as (for example) the (flock of) sheep stood in the way of a certain effeminate person, and he durst not pass, so he asked the shepherd, “Will these sheep of yours bite me, I wonder?” “If you are a man,” he replied, “and the root of manhood is in you, they all are devoted to you; but if you are effeminate, each one of them is a dragon to (destroy) you.” There is another (kind of) effeminate person who, when he sees the sheep, immediately turns back and does not dare to ask (the shepherd); for he is afraid that, if he asks, the sheep will fall upon him and bite him.
نکوهیدن ناموسهای پوسیده را کی مانع ذوق ایمان و دلیل ضعف صدق‌اند و راه‌زن صد هزار ابله چنانک راه‌زن آن مخنث شده بودند گوسفندان و نمی‌یارست گذشتن و پرسیدن مخنث از چوپان کی این گوسفندان تو مرا عجب گزند گفت ای مردی و در تو رگ مردی هست همه فدای تو اند و اگر مخنثی هر یکی ترا اژدرهاست مخنثی دیگر هست کی چون گوسفندان را بیند در حال از راه باز گردد نیارد پرسیدن ترسد کی اگر بپرسم گوسفندان در من افتند و مرا بگزند
Come, O Radiance of God, Husámu’ddín, O polisher of the spirit and sovereign of the Way to salvation,
ای ضیاء الحق حسام‌الدین بیا ** ای صقال روح و سلطان الهدی
Give the Mathnawí a free and open course, endow the outward form of its parables with the spirit (of life),
مثنوی را مسرح مشروح ده ** صورت امثال او را روح ده
That all its words may become reason and soul and may fly towards the soul's everlasting abode.185
تا حروفش جمله عقل و جان شوند ** سوی خلدستان جان پران شوند
(’Twas) through thy efforts (that) they came from the (world of) spirits into the trap of words and were confined (there).
هم به سعی تو ز ارواح آمدند ** سوی دام حرف و مستحقن شدند
May thy life in the world be like (that of) Khadir, soul-increasing and help giving and perpetual!
باد عمرت در جهان هم‌چون خضر ** جان‌فزا و دستگیر و مستمر
Like Khadir and Ilyás, mayst thou remain in the world (for ever), that by thy grace earth may become heaven!
چون خضر و الیاس مانی در جهان ** تا زمین گردد ز لطفت آسمان
I would declare a hundredth part of thy grace, were it not for the vainglory of the evil eye;
گفتمی از لطف تو جزوی ز صد ** گر نبودی طمطراق چشم بد
But from the evil venomous eye I have suffered spirit-crushing strokes.190
لیک از چشم بد زهراب دم ** زخمهای روح‌فرسا خورده‌ام
(Therefore) I will not give an eloquent description of thy state except allusively, by telling of the state of others.
جز به رمز ذکر حال دیگران ** شرح حالت می‌نیارم در بیان
(Really, however) this pretext too is one of the lures of the heart whereby the feet of the heart are (caught) in a mire.
این بهانه هم ز دستان دلیست ** که ازو پاهای دل اندر گلیست