(But) the reason of the Abdál (exalted saints) is like the wings of Gabriel: it soars, mile by mile, up to the shade of the lote-tree (in Paradise).
عقل ابدالان چو پر جبرئیل ** می‌پرد تا ظل سدره میل میل
(It says), “I am a royal falcon, I am fair and auspicious, I have nothing to do with carrion: I am not a vulture.4140
باز سلطانم گشم نیکوپیم ** فارغ از مردارم و کرکس نیم
Abandon the vulture, for I will be thy helper: a wing of mine is better for thee than a hundred vultures.”
ترک کرکس کن که من باشم کست ** یک پر من بهتر از صد کرکست
How long wilt thou gallop blindly? For (learning) a trade and business one needs a master.
چند بر عمیا دوانی اسپ را ** باید استا پیشه را و کسپ را
Do not disgrace thyself in the capital of China: seek a sage and do not separate thyself from him.
خویشتن رسوا مکن در شهر چین ** عاقلی جو خویش از وی در مچین
Hark, whatever the Plato of the age bids thee do, give up thy self-will and act in accordance with that (counsel).
آن چه گوید آن فلاطون زمان ** هین هوا بگار و رو بر وفق آن
All (who dwell) in China are saying in zeal for (the glory of) their King, “He begetteth not.4145
جمله می‌گویند اندر چین به جد ** بهر شاه خویشتن که لم یلد
Never in sooth has our King begotten a child; nay, he has not allowed a woman to approach him.”
شاه ما خود هیچ فرزندی نزاد ** بلک سوی خویش زن را ره نداد
When any king says of him something of this sort, he weds his (traducer's) neck to the cutting scimitar.
هر که از شاهان ازین نوعش بگفت ** گردنش با تیغ بران کرد جفت
The King says (to such an one), “Since thou hast spoken these words, either prove that I have a wife and family—
شاه گوید چونک گفتی این مقال ** یا بکن ثابت که دارم من عیال
And if thou prove that I have a daughter, thou art safe from my keen sword—
مر مرا دختر اگر ثابت کنی ** یافتی از تیغ تیزم آمنی
Or else without any doubt I will cut thy throat: I will tear the mantle (thy body) off the Súfí, thy spirit.4150
ورنه بی شک من ببرم حلق تو ** بر کشم از صوفی جان دلق تو
Thou wilt never save thy head from the sword, O thou that hast spoken vain and lying words!
سر نخواهی برد هیچ از تیغ تو ** ای بگفته لاف کذب آمیغ تو
O thou that hast foolishly spoken an untruth, behold a moat full of severed heads!—
بنگر ای از جهل گفته ناحقی ** پر ز سرهای بریده خندقی
A moat filled from its bottom to its mouth with heads severed on account of this enormity.
خندقی از قعر خندق تا گلو ** پر ز سرهای بریده زین غلو
All have been sacrificed to this (false) assertion: they have beheaded themselves with this assertion.
جمله اندر کار این دعوی شدند ** گردن خود را بدین دعوی زدند
Beware! Regard this with a heedful eye: do not conceive or utter such an assertion!”4155
هان ببین این را به چشم اعتبار ** این چنین دعوی میندیش و میار
(The two princes said), “Thou wilt make our lives bitter to us: who is inducing thee to (act like) this, O brother?
تلخ خواهی کرد بر ما عمر ما ** کی برین می‌دارد ای دادر ترا
If one who is ignorant should journey a hundred years in blindness, that is not reckoned as a journey.
گر رود صد سال آنک آگاه نیست ** بر عما آن از حساب راه نیست
Do not go into battle unarmed, do not go recklessly into destruction.”
بی‌سلاحی در مرو در معرکه ** هم‌چو بی‌باکان مرو در تهلکه
They said all this (to him), but the impatient (prince) replied, “These words (of warning) inspire me with repugnance.
این همه گفتند و گفت آن ناصبور ** که مرا زین گفته‌ها آید نفور
My bosom is full of fire, like a brazier: the crop is ripe, ’tis time for the sickle.4160
سینه پر آتش مرا چون منقل است ** کشت کامل گشت وقت منجل است
There was a (great) fortitude in my breast, (but) now it is no more: Love has set fire to the dwelling-place of fortitude.
صدر را صبری بد اکنون آن نماد ** بر مقام صبر عشق آتش نشاند
My fortitude died on the night when Love was born: it has passed away—long live those who are present!
صبر من مرد آن شبی که عشق زاد ** درگذشت او حاضران را عمر باد
O thou that tellest (me) of (a stern) rebuke (from the King) and (terrible) punishments, I have passed beyond (all) that: do not beat a piece of cold iron!
ای محدث از خطاب و از خطوب ** زان گذشتم آهن سردی مکوب
I am (rushing) headlong: hey, let go my feet! Where in all my limbs is (any) understanding?
سرنگونم هی رها کن پای من ** فهم کو در جمله‌ی اجزای من
I am (like) a camel: I carry (my load) as long as I can, (but) when I fall down exhausted, I am glad to be killed.4165
اشترم من تا توانم می‌کشم ** چون فتادم زار با کشتن خوشم
If there are a hundred moats full of severed heads, ’tis an absolute pleasantry in comparison with my anguish.
پر سر مقطوع اگر صد خندق است ** پیش درد من مزاج مطلق است
Nevermore in fear and dread will I beat such a drum of passion under a blanket.
من نخواهم زد دگر از خوف و بیم ** این چنین طبل هوا زیر گلیم
Now I will plant my banner in the open plain: (let my fate be) either to lose my head or (to behold) the face of my adored one!
من علم اکنون به صحرا می‌زنم ** یا سراندازی و یا روی صنم
The throat that is not worthy of that wine—’tis best it should be cut by blows of the sword;
حلق کو نبود سزای آن شراب ** آن بریده به به شمشیر و ضراب
The eye that is not (rejoiced) in abundance by union with her—such an eye is best white (with disease) and blind;4170
دیده کو نبود ز وصلش در فره ** آن چنان دیده سپید کور به
The ear that is not worthy of (hearing) her secret—tear it off, for it is no good on the head;
گوش کان نبود سزای راز او ** بر کنش که نبود آن بر سر نکو
The hand in which there is not the (requisite) amount (to win her favour)—’tis best that it should be chopped off by the butcher's knife;
اندر آن دستی که نبود آن نصاب ** آن شکسته به به ساطور قصاب
The foot by whose faring the spirit is not led into her narcissus-plot—
آنچنان پایی که از رفتار او ** جان نپیوندد به نرگس زار او
Such a foot is best in iron (chains), for such a foot is ultimately (the cause of) headache (affliction).
آنچنان پا در حدید اولیترست ** که آنچنان پا عاقبت درد سرست
[Setting forth (the case of) the earnest seeker who does not refrain from exerting himself to the utmost, although he knows that the amplitude of God's bounty may cause the object of his desire to reach him from a different quarter and by means of work of a different kind which he has never imagined; but since all his thoughts and hopes are fixed on this particular method (of attaining his object), he continues to knock at this same door, (knowing that) maybe God most High will cause his appointed portion to reach him through some other door which he has not foreseen, ‘and will provide for him from a quarter on which he does not reckon’—‘Man proposes but God disposes.’ And, (again), a slave (of God) may conceive, as beseems a slave, that although he keeps knocking at this (particular) door he will be supplied from another door; and (nevertheless) God most High may cause his portion to reach him through this very door (at which he is knocking). In short, all these (doors) are the doors of one Palace. And the exposition thereof.]
بیان مجاهد کی دست از مجاهده باز ندارد اگر چه داند بسطت عطاء حق را کی آن مقصود از طرف دیگر و به سبب نوع عمل دیگر بدو رساند کی در وهم او نبوده باشد او همه وهم و اومید درین طریق معین بسته باشد حلقه‌ی همین در می‌زند بوک حق تعالی آن روزی را از در دیگر بدو رساند کی او آن تدبیر نکرده باشد و یرزقه من حیث لا یحتسب العبد یدبر والله یقدر و بود کی بنده را وهم بندگی بود کی مرا از غیر این در برساند اگر چه من حلقه‌ی این در می‌زنم حق تعالی او را هم ازین در روزی رساند فی‌الجمله این همه درهای یکی سرایست مع تقریره
Either this desire of mine will be fulfilled on this journey or when I return home from the journey.4175
یا درین ره آیدم آن کام من ** یا چو باز آیم ز ره سوی وطن
It may be that (the fulfilment of) my desire depends on going abroad and that after I have gone abroad I shall attain (to it) at home.
بوک موقوفست کامم بر سفر ** چون سفر کردم بیابم در حضر
I will seek the Beloved with all my might and energy until I know whether I need not have sought (Him).
یار را چندین بجویم جد و چست ** که بدانم که نمی‌بایست جست
How should (the mystery of) His being with me enter my (spiritual) ear unless I wander round the world?
آن معیت کی رود در گوش من ** تا نگردم گرد دوران زمن
How should I apprehend the mystery of His being with me except after (making) long journeys?”
کی کنم من از معیت فهم راز ** جز که از بعد سفرهای دراز
God hath said that He is with us, but He hath sealed the heart in order that it (the real meaning) may enter the heart's ear contrariwise (indirectly), not directly.4180
حق معیت گفت و دل را مهر کرد ** تا که عکس آید به گوش دل نه طرد
When he (the seeker) has made (many) journeys and performed the duties of the Way, after that (and not before) the seal is removed from his heart.
چون سفرها کرد و داد راه داد ** بعد از آن مهر از دل او بر گشاد
As (in the arithmetical method of) “the two errors,” the excellent (successful) calculation (only) becomes clear to him after two mistakes.
چون خطایین آن حساب با صفا ** گرددش روشن ز بعد دو خطا
After that, he says (to himself), “If I had known (the real nature of) this being with God, how should I have searched for Him?
بعد از آن گوید اگر دانستمی ** این معیت را کی او را جستمی
(But) the knowledge thereof depended on journeying: that knowledge is not to be gained by keenness of thought.”
دانش آن بود موقوف سفر ** ناید آن دانش به تیزی فکر
’Tis just as the payment of the Shaykh's debts was contingent and dependent on the weeping of that (young) creature.4185
آنچنان که وجه وام شیخ بود ** بسته و موقوف گریه‌ی آن وجود
(When) the confectioner's boy wept bitterly, the debts of the venerable Shaykh were discharged.
کودک حلواییی بگریست زار ** توخته شد وام آن شیخ کبار
That spiritual tale has already been related in the course of the Mathnawí.
گفته شد آن داستان معنوی ** پیش ازین اندر خلال مثنوی
He (God) puts in thy heart the fear of (losing) a certain position, in order that no other (position) may be an object of hope to thee.
در دلت خوف افکند از موضعی ** تا نباشد غیر آنت مطمعی