If you want a basket, you can make it (a basket); you can also make its neck a hoop;
گر سبد خواهی توانی کردنش ** هم توانی کرد چنبر گردنش
(But) when it has been sucked dry by the draining of (the sap from) its root, it does not come (readily) in the direction to which (your) command is pulling it.
چون شد آن ناشف ز نشف بیخ خود ** ناید آن سویی که امرش میکشد
Recite, then, from the Qur’án (the words) they stand up languidly, when the bough gets no medicinal (curative) treatment from its root.
پس بخوان قاموا کسالی از نبی ** چون نیابد شاخ از بیخش طبی
This symbol (allegory) is fiery, (but) I will cut it short and resume (the story of) the fakir and the treasure and the circumstances connected with it.2235
آتشین است این نشان کوته کنم ** بر فقیر و گنج و احوالش زنم
You have seen the fire that burns every (dry) sapling; (now) see the fire of the Spirit by which phantasy is burnt.
آتشی دیدی که سوزد هر نهال ** آتش جان بین کزو سوزد خیال
Neither for phantasy nor for reality is there any protection against a fire like this which flamed forth from the Spirit.
نه خیال و نه حقیقت را امان ** زین چنین آتش که شعله زد ز جان
He is the adversary of every lion and every fox: everything is perishing except His Face.
خصم هر شیر آمد و هر روبه او ** کل شیء هالک الا وجهه
Go into His aspects (attributes) and Face (Essence), become spent (emptied of self): go in, become enveloped (suppressed), like the alif in bism.
در وجوه وجه او رو خرج شو ** چون الف در بسم در رو درج شو
In bism the alif has stayed hidden: it is in bism and also it is not in bism.2240
آن الف در بسم پنهان کرد ایست ** هست او در بسم و هم در بسم نیست
Such is the case with all the letters that disappear when they are elided for the purpose of (effecting) conjunctions.
همچنین جملهی حروف گشته مات ** وقت حذف حرف از بهر صلات
It (the suppressed alif in bism) is a sila (means of conjunction) and through it the b and the s have attained to union: the union of the b and the s could not bear the (external intervention of the) alif.
از صلهست و بی و سین زو وصل یافت ** وصل بی و سین الف را بر نتافت
Since this union cannot bear (the intervention of) a single letter, it behoves me to cut short the discourse.
چونک حرفی برنتابد این وصال ** واجب آید که کنم کوته مقال
Since a single letter is the cause of separation between the s and the b, here silence is a most urgent duty.
چون یکی حرفی فراق سین و بیست ** خامشی اینجا مهمتر واجبیست
When the alif has passed away from self(-existence), taking shelter (in self-abandonment), the b and the s say “alif” without it.2245
چون الف از خود فنا شد مکتنف ** بی و سین بی او همیگویند الف
(The words) thou didst not throw when thou threwest are (an utterance spoken) without him (the Prophet); likewise (the words) God said sprang from his silence.
ما رمیت اذ رمیت بی ویست ** همچنین قال الله از صمتش بجست
So long as a drug exists (independently), it has no effect; it removes diseases (only) when it has perished (has been dissolved and assimilated).
تا بود دارو ندارد او عمل ** چونک شد فانی کند دفع علل
(Even) if (all) the forest should become pens and (all) the ocean ink, (yet) there is no hope of bringing the Mathnawí to an end.
گر شود بیشه قلم دریا مداد ** مثنوی را نیست پایانی امید
So long as the Brick-maker's mould is (filled with) earth, the scansion of its (the Mathnawí's) poetry, too, will be kept up.
چارچوب خشتزن تا خاک هست ** میدهد تقطیع شعرش نیز دست
When earth remains no more and He (God) dries (withers and destroys) its existence, His sea when it foams will make (fresh) earth.2250
چون نماند خاک و بودش جف کند ** خاک سازد بحر او چون کف کند
When the forest remains no more and disappears (from existence), (other) forests will raise their heads from the essence of the Sea.
چون نماند بیشه و سر در کشد ** بیشهها از عین دریا سر کشد
Hence that Lord of relief (from sorrow) said, “Relate Traditions (drawn) from our Sea, since there is no harm (in doing so).”
بهر این گفت آن خداوند فرج ** حدثوا عن بحرنا اذ لا حرج
(Now) turn back from the Sea and set thy face towards dry land: talk only of the plaything, for it is better (more suitable) for the child,
باز گرد از بحر و رو در خشک نه ** هم ز لعبت گو که کودکراست به
So that in his boyhood, (advancing) little by little beyond the plaything, his spirit may become acquainted with the ocean of Reason.
تا ز لعبت اندک اندک در صبا ** جانش گردد با یم عقل آشنا
By means of that play the boy is (gradually) acquiring reason, though superficially it (his play) is repugnant (to reason).2255
عقل از آن بازی همییابد صبی ** گرچه با عقلست در ظاهر ابی
How can a demented child play? There must be (in the child) a part (of reason) in order that it (the part) may attain to the whole.
کودک دیوانه بازی کی کند ** جزو باید تا که کل را فی کند
Returning to the Story of the dome and the treasure.
رجوع کردن به قصهی قبه و گنج
Lo, the idea of that fakir with (his cries) “Come! come!” has rendered me unfeignedly (really) unable (to resist his appeal).
نک خیال آن فقیرم بیریا ** عاجز آورد از بیا و از بیا
You do not hear his cry, (but) I hear it, because I am his confidant in my inmost thoughts.
بانگ او تو نشنوی من بشنوم ** زانک در اسرار همراز ویم
Do not regard him as a seeker of the treasure; he is the treasure himself, how should the lover in reality be other than the beloved?
طالب گنجش مبین خود گنج اوست ** دوست کی باشد به معنی غیر دوست
At even moment he is bowing down (in worship) to himself: the bowing is (performed) in front of the mirror for the sake of (beholding) the face.2260
سجده خود را میکند هر لحظه او ** سجده پیش آینهست از بهر رو
If he saw in the mirror a single mite without any phantasy, nothing would be left of him.
گر بدیدی ز آینه او یک پشیز ** بیخیالی زو نماندی هیچ چیز
Both his phantasies and he (himself) would vanish: his knowledge would be obliterated in nescience.
هم خیالاتش هم او فانی شدی ** دانش او محو نادانی شدی
From our nescience another knowledge would rise into clear view, saying, “Lo, I am (God.”
دانشی دیگر ز نادانی ما ** سر برآوردی عیان که انی انا
The (Divine) call was coming (to the angels)—”Bow down to Adam, for ye are (essentially) Adam, and for a moment see yourselves to be (identical with) him.”
اسجدوا لادم ندا آمد همی ** که آدمید و خویش بینیدش دمی
He (God) removed strabism from their eyes, so that the earth became identical with the azure heavens.2265
احولی از چشم ایشان دور کرد ** تا زمین شد عین چرخ لاژورد
He said, “There is no god,” and He said, “except God”: not (any god) became except God, and Unity blossomed forth (was revealed).
لا اله گفت و الا الله گفت ** گشت لا الا الله و وحدت شکفت
The time has come for that righteous beloved and dear friend (of God) to pull my ear (and lead me)
آن حبیب و آن خلیل با رشد ** وقت آن آمد که گوش ما کشد
Towards the fountain (of Unity), saying, “Wash thy mouth clean of these things: do not tell that which we have concealed from the people.
سوی چشمه که دهان زینها بشو ** آنچ پوشیدیم از خلقان مگو
And if thou tell (it), it will not become manifest, (yet) thou wilt be guilty of attempting to reveal it.
ور بگویی خود نگردد آشکار ** تو به قصد کشف گردی جرمدار
But, mark, I am compassing them about: I am at once the speaker and the hearer of this (mystery).2270
لیک من اینک بریشان میتنم ** قایل این سامع این هم منم
Tell (only) of the (outward) form of the dervish and the picture (external description) of the treasure. These folk are addicted to (worldly) trouble: tell (them) of trouble.
صورت درویش و نقش گنج گو ** رنج کیشاند این گروه از رنج گو
The fountain of Mercy has become unlawful to them: they are drinking cup after cup of deadly poison.
چشمهی راحت بریشان شد حرام ** میخورند از زهر قاتل جامجام
Having filled their skirts with clods, they are taking them along in order to make a dam for these fountains.
خاکها پر کرده دامن میکشند ** تا کنند این چشمهها را خشکبند
How should this fountain, which is replenished by the Sea, be stopped up by this good or bad folk’s handful of earth?
کی شود این چشمهی دریامدد ** مکتنس زین مشت خاک نیک و بد
But it (the fountain) says, ‘With you, I am closed; Without you, I continue (to flow) unto everlasting.’ ”2275
لیک گوید با شما من بستهام ** بیشما من تا ابد پیوستهام
The (worldly) folk are perverted in their appetites: (they are) eating earth and have left the water (untasted).
قوم معکوساند اندر مشتها ** خاکخوار و آب را کرده رها
The people (of the world) have a nature opposite to that of the prophets: the people deem the dragon (the world) an object of reliance.
ضد طبع انبیا دارند خلق ** اژدها را متکا دارند خلق
Inasmuch as you have known (from the Qur’an) the eye-bandage whereby God steals (the sight) do you know at all to what you have shut your eyes?
چشمبند ختم چون دانستهای ** هیچ دانی از چه دیده بستهای
To what instead have you opened these eyes (of yours)? (Whatever it be), know that in every respect it is a bad exchange for you.
بر چه بگشادی بدل این دیدهها ** یک به یک بس البدل دان آن ترا
But (nevertheless) the sun of (Divine) favour has shone (forth) and has graciously succoured them that despair.2280
لیک خورشید عنایت تافتهست ** آیسان را از کرم در یافتهست
He (God) in His mercy has played a very marvellous game of backgammon: He has made the essence of ingratitude to be a turning in repentance (towards Him).
نرد بس نادر ز رحمت باخته ** عین کفران را انابت ساخته