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
Hundreds of hearts and souls are in love with the Maker, (but) the evil eye or the evil ear has hindered (them from seeking union with Him).
صد دل و جان عاشق صانع شده ** چشم بد یا گوش بد مانع شده
One (of them), indeed, (is) Bú Tálib, the Prophet's uncle: to him the revilement of the Arabs seemed terrible,
خود یکی بوطالب آن عم رسول ** می‌نمودش شنعه‌ی عربان مهول
For (he thought), “What will the Arabs say of me? (They will say), ‘At the bidding of his nephew he has changed the (traditional) custom on which we rely.’”195
که چه گویندم عرب کز طفل خود ** او بگردانید دیدن معتمد
He (the Prophet) said to him, “O uncle, pronounce once the profession of faith, that I may plead with God for thee.”
گفتش ای عم یک شهادت تو بگو ** تا کنم با حق خصومت بهر تو
He (Bú Tálib) said, “But it will be spread abroad by hearsay: every secret that passes beyond the two (who share it) becomes common talk.
گفت لیکن فاش گردد ازسماع ** کل سر جاوز الاثنین شاع
I shall remain (a laughing-stock) on the tongues of these Arabs: because of this I shall become despicable in their sight.”
من بمانم در زبان این عرب ** پش ایشان خوار گردم زین سبب
But if the predestined grace had been (granted) to him, how should this faintheartedness have existed (simultaneously) with God's pull (towards Himself)?
لیک گر بودیش لطف ما سبق ** کی بدی این بددلی با جذب حق
O Thou who art the Help of those who seek help, help (me to escape) from this pillory of wicked acts of free-will.200
الغیاث ای تو غیاث المستغیث ** زین دو شاخه‌ی اختیارات خبیث
By the heart's deceit and guile I have been so discomfited that I am left unable (even) to lament.
من ز دستان و ز مکر دل چنان ** مات گشتم که بماندم از فغان
Who am I? Heaven, with its hundred (mighty) businesses, cried out for help against this ambush of free-will,
من که باشم چرخ با صد کار و بار ** زین کمین فریاد کرد از اختیار
Saying, “Deliver me from this pillory of free-will, O gracious and long-suffering Lord!
که ای خداوند کریم و بردبار ** ده امانم زین دو شاخه‌ی اختیار
The one-way pull on the straight Path is better than the two ways of perplexity, O gracious One.
جذب یک راهه‌ی صراط المستقیم ** به ز دو راه تردد ای کریم
Although Thou art the entire (only) goal of these two ways, yet indeed this duality is agonising to the spirit.205
زین دو ره گرچه همه مقصد توی ** لیک خود جان کندن آمد این دوی
Although the destination of these two ways is unto Thee alone, yet the battle is never like the banquet.”
زین دو ره گرچه به جز تو عزم نیست ** لیک هرگز رزم هم‌چون بزم نیست
Hearken to the explanation thereof given by God in the Qur’án, (namely) the Verse they shrank from bearing it.