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
To thy hope (of gaining thy wish from that quarter) He attaches another advantage (beneficial result); but He grants thee thy wish from (the hands of) some one else.
در طمع فایده‌ی دیگر نهد ** وآن مرادت از کسی دیگر دهد
O thou who hast fixed thy hopes firmly on one quarter, saying, “The fruit will come to me from that lofty tree,”4190
ای طمع در بسته در یک جای سخت ** که آیدم میوه از آن عالی‌درخت
Thy hope will not be fulfilled from there; nay, the bounty will come from another place.
آن طمع زان جا نخواهد شد وفا ** بل ز جای دیگر آید آن عطا
Why, then, did He implant in thee that hope, since He would not give thee the (desired) thing from that quarter?
آن طمع را پس چرا در تو نهاد ** چون نخواستت زان طرف آن چیز داد
(’Tis) for a wise purpose and contrivance; and also in order that thy heart may be in a state of bewilderment.
از برای حکمتی و صنعتی ** نیز تا باشد دلت در حیرتی
(’Tis) that thy heart may be bewildered, O learner, (wondering) from where the object of thy desire will come (to thee).
تا دلت حیران بود ای مستفید ** که مرادم از کجا خواهد رسد
(’Tis) that thou mayst know thy weakness and thy ignorance and that consequently thy faith in the Unseen may be increased;4195
تا بدانی عجز خویش و جهل خویش ** تا شود ایقان تو در غیب بیش
And, moreover, that thy heart may be perplexed concerning the source whence the (expected) benefit will arrive, and what (result) the (Divine) Disposer will produce from this hope.
هم دلت حیران بود در منتجع ** که چه رویاند مصرف زین طمع
Thou hopest (to find) a means of livelihood in tailoring, so that by working as a tailor thou mayst earn money all thy life;
طمع داری روزیی در درزیی ** تا ز خیاطی بی زر تا زیی
(But) He causes thy daily bread to come to thee in the goldsmith's craft—a means of gain that was far from (entering) thy imagination.
رزق تو در زرگری آرد پدید ** که ز وهمت بود آن مکسب بعید
Wherefore, then, were thy hopes set on tailoring, when He did not intend to let thy daily bread reach thee from that side?
پس طمع در درزیی بهر چه بود ** چون نخواست آن رزق زان جانب گشود
(’Twas) by reason of a marvellous providence in the knowledge of God— an edict which He wrote in the (eternal) past;4200
بهر نادر حکمتی در علم حق ** که نبشت آن حکم را در ما سبق
And also to the end that thy thoughts should be bewildered, so that bewilderment should be thy whole occupation.
نیز تا حیران بود اندیشه‌ات ** تا که حیرانی بود کل پیشه‌ات
(The eldest prince said), “My union with the Beloved will be achieved either by this effort or by some means outside of bodily effort.
یا وصال یار زین سعیم رسد ** یا ز راهی خارج از سعی جسد
I do not assert that my object will be gained in this (particular) way: I am palpitating (restlessly seeking) to ascertain from what quarter it will appear.
من نگویم زین طریق آید مراد ** می‌طپم تا از کجا خواهد گشاد
The decapitated bird tumbles in every direction to see in what direction its (vital) spirit may escape from its body.
سربریده مرغ هر سو می‌فتد ** تا کدامین سو رهد جان از جسد
My desire will be attained either by this going forth (in quest of it) or through (the opening of) some other gateway by (the hand of) Heaven.”4205
یا مراد من برآید زین خروج ** یا ز برجی دیگر از ذات البروج
Story of the person who dreamed that his hopes of opulence would be fulfilled in Cairo, and that there was a treasure (buried) in a certain house in a certain quarter of that city. When he came to Cairo, some one said to him, “I have dreamed of a treasure in such and such a quarter and such and such a house in Baghdád”; and he named the quarter and house in which this person lived. The latter perceived, however, that the information concerning the treasure in Cairo had been given to him (in his dream) in order to make him realise that, (although) he must not seek anywhere but in his own house, this treasure would really and truly be gained only in Cairo.
حکایت آن شخص کی خواب دید کی آنچ می‌طلبی از یسار به مصر وفا شود آنجا گنجیست در فلان محله در فلان خانه چون به مصر آمد کسی گفت من خواب دیده‌ایم کی گنجیست به بغداد در فلان محله در فلان خانه نام محله و خانه‌ی این شخص بگفت آن شخص فهم کرد کی آن گنج در مصر گفتن جهت آن بود کی مرا یقین کنند کی در غیر خانه‌ی خود نمی‌باید جستن ولیکن این گنج یقین و محقق جز در مصر حاصل نشود
There was (once) a man who inherited money and estates: he squandered all and was left destitute and miserable.
بود یک میراثی مال و عقار ** جمله را خورد و بماند او عور و زار
Inherited wealth indeed does not remain constant (to its new owner), since it was parted against its will from the deceased one.
مال میراثی ندارد خود وفا ** چون بناکام از گذشته شد جدا
Just because he (the heir) got it easily, he does not know its value; for he never made haste to work and toil and earn it.
او نداند قدر هم کاسان بیافت ** کو بکد و رنج و کسبش کم شتاف
O such-and-such, you know not the value of your soul because God bountifully gave it to you for nothing.
قدر جان زان می‌ندانی ای فلان ** که بدادت حق به بخشش رایگان
His ready money went and his furniture and houses went: he was left (alone) like owls in the deserts.4210
نقد رفت و کاله رفته و خانه‌ها ** ماند چون چغدان در آن ویرانه‌ها
He cried, “O Lord, Thou gavest (me) provision: the provision is gone: either give (me) some provision or send death.”
گفت یا رب برگ دادی رفت برگ ** یا بده برگی و یا بفرست مرگ
When he became empty, he began to call unto God: he started the tune of “O Lord!” and “O Lord, protect me!”
چون تهی شد یاد حق آغاز کرد ** یا رب و یا رب اجرنی ساز کرد
Since the Prophet has said that the true believer is (like) a lute (mizhar), (which) makes music (only) at the time when it is empty—
چون پیمبر گفته مومن مزهرست ** در زمان خالیی ناله گرست
(For) as soon as it is filled, the minstrel lays it down—do not become full, for sweet is the touch of His hand.
چون شود پر مطربش بنهد ز دست ** پر مشو که آسیب دست او خوشست
Become empty and stay happily between (His) two fingers, for “where” is intoxicated with the wine of “nowhere.”4215
تی شو و خوش باش بین اصبعین ** کز می لا این سرمستست این
Frowardness departed (from him) and released the water (tears) from his eye: his tears watered (revived) the crops of devotion.
رفت طغیان آب از چشمش گشاد ** آب چشمش زرع دین را آب داد
The reason why the answer to the true believer's prayer is delayed.
سبب تاخیر اجابت دعای مومن
Oh, how many a sincere (worshipper) moans in prayer, so that the smoke of his sincerity ascends to Heaven,
ای بسا مخلص که نالد در دعا ** تا رود دود خلوصش بر سما