This world is maintained by means of this war: consider the elements, in order that it (the difficulty) may be solved.
این جهان زن جنگ قایم می‌بود ** در عناصر در نگر تا حل شود
The four elements are four strong pillars by which the roof of the present world is (kept) upright.
چار عنصر چار استون قویست ** که بدیشان سقف دنیا مستویست
Each pillar is a destroyer of the other: the pillar (known as) water is a destroyer of the flames (of fire).
هر ستونی اشکننده‌ی آن دگر ** استن آب اشکننده‌ی آن شرر
Hence the edifice of creation is (based) upon contraries; consequently we are at war for weal and woe.50
پس بنای خلق بر اضداد بود ** لاجرم ما جنگییم از ضر و سود
My states (of mind and body) are mutually opposed: each one is mutually opposite in its effect.
هست احوالم خلاف همدگر ** هر یکی با هم مخالف در اثر
Since I am incessantly waylaying (struggling with) myself, how should I act in harmony with another?
چونک هر دم راه خود را می‌زنم ** با دگر کس سازگاری چون کنم
Behold the surging armies of my “states,” each at war and strife with another.
موج لشکرهای احوالم ببین ** هر یکی با دیگری در جنگ و کین
Contemplate the same grievous war in thyself: why, then, art thou engaged in warring with others?
می‌نگر در خود چنین جنگ گران ** پس چه مشغولی به جنگ دیگران
Or (is it because thou hast no means of escape) unless God shall redeem thee from this war and bring thee into the unicoloured world of peace?55
یا مگر زین جنگ حقت وا خرد ** در جهان صلح یک رنگت برد
That world is naught but everlasting and flourishing, because it is not composed of contraries.
آن جهان جز باقی و آباد نیست ** زانک آن ترکیب از اضداد نیست
This reciprocal destruction is inflicted by (every) contrary on its contrary: when there is no contrary, there is naught but everlastingness.
این تفانی از ضد آید ضد را ** چون نباشد ضد نبود جز بقا
He (God) who hath no like banished contraries from Paradise, saying, “Neither sun nor its contrary, intense cold, shall be there.”
نفی ضد کرد از بهشت آن بی‌نظیر ** که نباشد شمس و ضدش زمهریر
Colourlessness is the origin of colours, peaces are the origins of wars.
هست بی‌رنگی اصول رنگها ** صلحها باشد اصول جنگها
That world is the origin of this dolorous abode, union is the origin of every parting and separation.60
آن جهانست اصل این پرغم وثاق ** وصل باشد اصل هر هجر و فراق
Wherefore, sire, are we thus in opposition, and wherefore does unity give birth to these numbers?
این مخالف از چه‌ایم ای خواجه ما ** واز چه زاید وحدت این اعداد را
Because we are the branch and the four elements are the stock: in the branch the stock has brought its own nature into existence.
زانک ما فرعیم و چار اضداد اصل ** خوی خود در فرع کرد ایجاد اصل
(But) since the substance, (which is) the spirit, is beyond ramifications, its nature is not this (plurality); it is the nature of (the Divine) Majesty.
گوهر جان چون ورای فصلهاست ** خوی او این نیست خوی کبریاست
Perceive that wars which are the origins of peaces are like (the war of) the Prophet whose war is for God's sake.
جنگها بین کان اصول صلحهاست ** چون نبی که جنگ او بهر خداست
He is victorious and mighty in both worlds: the description of this victor is not contained in the mouth.65
غالبست و چیر در هر دو جهان ** شرح این غالب نگنجد در دهان
Still, if it is impossible to drain (drink) the Oxus, one cannot deny one's self as much (water) as will slake thirst.
آب جیحون را اگر نتوان کشید ** هم ز قدر تشنگی نتوان برید
If you are thirsting for the spiritual Ocean, make a breach in the island of the Mathnawí.
گر شدی عطشان بحر معنوی ** فرجه‌ای کن در جزیره‌ی مثنوی
Make such a great breach that at every moment you will see the Mathnawi to be only spiritual.
فرجه کن چندانک اندر هر نفس ** مثنوی را معنوی بینی و بس
When the wind sweeps away the straw from the (surface of) the river-water, the water displays its unicolouredness.
باد که را ز آب جو چون وا کند ** آب یک‌رنگی خود پیدا کند
Behold the fresh branches of coral, behold the fruits grown from the water of the spirit!70
شاخهای تازه‌ی مرجان ببین ** میوه‌های رسته ز آب جان ببین
When it (the Mathnawí) is made single (and denuded) of words and sounds and breaths, it leaves all that (behind) and becomes the (spiritual) Ocean.
چون ز حرف و صوت و دم یکتا شود ** آن همه بگذارد و دریا شود
The speaker of the word and the hearer of the word and the words (themselves)—all three become spirit in the end.
حرف‌گو و حرف‌نوش و حرفها ** هر سه جان گردند اندر انتها
The bread-giver and the bread-receiver and the wholesome bread become single (denuded) of their forms and are turned into earth,
نان‌دهنده و نان‌ستان و نان‌پاک ** ساده گردند از صور گردند خاک
But their reality, in the three (above-mentioned) categories, is both differentiated in (these) grades and permanent.
لیک معنیشان بود در سه مقام ** در مراتب هم ممیز هم مدام
In appearance they have become earth, in reality they have not; if any one say that they have, say to him, “No, they have not.”75
خاک شد صورت ولی معنی نشد ** هر که گوید شد تو گویش نه نشد
In the spiritual world all three are waiting (for the Divine command), sometimes fleeing from form and sometimes taking abode (in it).
در جهان روح هر سه منتظر ** گه ز صورت هارب و گه مستقر
(When) the (Divine) command comes—“Enter into forms”— they enter (into them); likewise at His command they become divested (of form).
امر آید در صور رو در رود ** باز هم از امرش مجرد می‌شود
Know, therefore, that (in the text) to Him belongs the creation and to Him the command “the creation” is the form and “the command” is the spirit riding upon it.
پس له الخلق و له الامرش بدان ** خلق صورت امر جان راکب بر آن
(Both) the rider and the ridden are under the authority of the King: the body is at the portal and the spirit in the audience-chamber.
راکب و مرکوب در فرمان شاه ** جسم بر درگاه وجان در بارگاه
When the King desires the water to come into the pitcher, He says to the spirit-army, “Ride!”80
چونک خواهد که آب آید در سبو ** شاه گوید جیش جان را که ارکبوا
Again, when He calls the spirit aloft, there comes from the overseers the cry, “Dismount!”
باز جانها را چو خواند در علو ** بانگ آید از نقیبان که انزلوا
The discourse, (if continued) after this (point), will become subtle: diminish the fire, do not put more faggots on it,
بعد ازین باریک خواهد شد سخن ** کم کن آتش هیزمش افزون مکن
Lest the small pots boil (too) quickly: the pot of the perceptions is small and low.
تا نجوشد دیگهای خرد زود ** دیگ ادراکات خردست و فرود
The Holy Transcendent One who makes the apple-orchard conceals them (the apples) in a mist of words.
پاک سبحانی که سیبستان کند ** در غمام حرفشان پنهان کنند
From this mist of sound and words and talk (arises such) a screen that naught of the apple comes (into perception) save the scent.85
زین غمام بانگ و حرف و گفت و گوی ** پرده‌ای کز سیب ناید غیر بوی
At least draw (inhale) this scent in greater quantity with (the nostrils of) your intelligence, that taking you by the ear it may lead you towards your origin.
باری افزون کش تو این بو را به هوش ** تا سوی اصلت برد بگرفته گوش
Preserve the scent and beware of the rheum: protect your body from the cold wind (breath) and being of the vulgar,
بو نگه‌دار و بپرهیز از زکام ** تن بپوش از باد و بود سرد عام
Lest by the effect (thereof) it stop up your nose: oh, their air is colder than winter.
تا نینداید مشامت را ز اثر ** ای هواشان از زمستان سردتر
They are like lifeless matter and frozen and stout of body: their breaths issue from a snow-hill.
چون جمادند و فسرده و تن‌شگرف ** می‌جهد انفاسشان از تل برف
When the earth (of your being) is covered with a shroud of this snow, brandish the sunbeam-sword of Husámu’ddín.90
چون زمین زین برف در پوشد کفن ** تیغ خورشید حسام‌الدین بزن
Hark, lift up the sword of Allah from the east: with (the radiance of) that east make this portal hot.
هین بر آر از شرق سیف‌الله را ** گرم کن زان شرق این درگاه را
That Sun smites the snow with a dagger: it causes the torrents to pour from the mountains upon the (frozen) earth,
برف را خنجر زند آن آفتاب ** سیلها ریزد ز کهها بر تراب
For it is neither of the east nor of the west: by day and by night it is at war with the astronomer,
زانک لا شرقیست و لا غربیست او ** با منجم روز و شب حربیست او
Saying, “Why in thy baseness and blindness hast thou made a qibla other than me of stars that give no true guidance?
که چرا جز من نجوم بی‌هدی ** قبله کردی از لیمی و عمی
Displeasing to thee are the words of that trusty one in the Qur’án—‘I love not them that set.’95
تا خوشت ناید مقال آن امین ** در نبی که لا احب الا فلین
(Prompted) by Quzah, thou hast girt thyself (for service) before the moon: hence thou art vexed by (the sign announced in the Verse) and the moon shall be split asunder.
از قزح در پیش مه بستی کمر ** زان همی رنجی ز وانشق القمر