O wicked fleshly soul with thy chill breath, thou hast acted disloyally to the King who answers every call for help.
کردی ای نفس بد بارد نفس ** بی‌حفاظی با شه فریادرس
In thy greed for a grain of wheat thou hast chosen (to enter) the trap, and every grain of its wheat has become a scorpion to (sting) thee.
دام بگزیدی ز حرص گندمی ** بر تو شد هر گندم او کزدمی
The vain fancy of egoism came into thy head: (now) behold a shackle weighing fifty mann on thy foot!”4790
در سرت آمد هوای ما و من ** قید بین بر پای خود پنجاه من
In this fashion was he mourning for his soul, saying, “Why did I become the antagonist of my sovereign?”
نوحه می‌کرد این نمط بر جان خویش ** که چرا گشتم ضد سلطان خویش
(Then) he came to himself and asked pardon of God, and with his repentance he combined something else.
آمد او با خویش و استغفار کرد ** با انابت چیز دیگر یار کرد
The pain that arises from dread of losing one's faith—take pity (on him who is thus afflicted), for that is the irremediable pain.
درد کان از وحشت ایمان بود ** رحم کن کان درد بی‌درمان بود
May no human being have a perfect (new and spotless) raiment! As soon as he is delivered from enduring (poverty) he at once seeks the seat of honour.
مر بشر را خود مبا جامه‌ی درست ** چون رهید از صبر در حین صدر جست
May no human being possess a fist and nails! (for) then he never thinks of devotion and righteousness.4795
مر بشر را پنجه و ناخن مباد ** که نه دین اندیشد آنگه نه سداد
’Tis best for a man to be killed (mortified) in tribulation: the carnal soul is an ingrate and one that has gone astray.
آدمی اندر بلا کشته بهست ** نفس کافر نعمتست و گمرهست
How God addressed Azrael, saying, “Of all these creatures whose souls thou hast seized, whom didst thou pity most?” and the answer given by Azrael to the Lord.
خطاب حق تعالی به عزرائیل علیه‌السلام کی ترا رحم بر کی بیشتر آمد ازین خلایق کی جانشان قبض کردی و جواب دادن عزرائیل حضرت را
God was saying to Azrael, “O marshal, whom of all the miserable ones didst thou pity (most)?”
حق به عزرائیل می‌گفت ای نقیب ** بر کی رحم آمد ترا از هر کیب
He replied, “My heart burns with grief for them all, but I am afraid to neglect the (Divine) command,
گفت بر جمله دلم سوزد به درد ** لیک ترسم امر را اهمال کرد
So that I should say, ‘Would that God might sacrifice me in exchange for the (generous) youth!’”
تا بگویم کاشکی یزدان مرا ** در عوض قربان کند بهر فتی
God asked, “For whom didst thou feel the greatest pity? On account of whom was thy heart most filled with flame and grilled?”4800
گفت بر کی بیشتر رحم آمدت ** از کی دل پر سوز و بریان‌تر شدت
“One day,” said he, “by (Thy) command I wrecked a ship on the fierce waves, so that it went to pieces.
گفت روزی کشتیی بر موج تیز ** من شکستم ز امر تا شد ریز ریز
Then Thou bad’st me take the souls of them all, except one woman and one child belonging to that company.
پس بگفتی قبض کن جان همه ** جز زنی و غیر طفلی زان رمه
The twain were left on a plank, and the plank was being driven on by the waves.
هر دو بر یک تخته‌ای در ماندند ** تخته را آن موج‌ها می‌راندند
Then Thou saidst, ‘Take the mother's soul and leave the child alone in obedience to the command Be!’
باز گفتی جان مادر قبض کن ** طفل را بگذار تنها ز امر کن
When I parted the child from its mother, Thou thyself knowest how bitter ’twas to me.4805
چون ز مادر بسکلیدم طفل را ** خود تو می‌دانی چه تلخ آمد مرا
Often have I seen sighs (heaved) in great mournings, (but) the bitter grief of that child has never gone from my recollection.”
بس بدیدم دود ماتم‌های زفت ** تلخی آن طفل از فکرم نرفت
God said, “Of My grace I bade the waves cast that child into a forest—
گفت حق آن طفل را از فضل خویش ** موج را گفتم فکن در بیشه‌ایش
A forest abounding in lilies and sweet basils and roses, full of trees laden with fruit good to eat,
بیشه‌ای پر سوسن و ریحان و گل ** پر درخت میوه‌دار خوش‌اکل
And fountains of sweet limpid water. I fostered the child with a hundred endearments.
چشمه‌های آب شیرین زلال ** پروریدم طفل را با صد دلال
Myriads of melodious singing-birds poured forth a hundred songs in that garden.4810
صد هزاران مرغ مطرب خوش‌صدا ** اندر آن روضه فکنده صد نوا
I made for him a couch of wild-rose leaves; I made him secure from the shock of afflictions.
پسترش کردم ز برگ نسترن ** کرده او را آمن از صدمه‌ی فتن
I told the sun not to scorch him; I told the wind to blow on him gently;
گفته من خورشید را کو را مگز ** باد را گفته برو آهسته وز
I told the clouds not to rain upon him; I told the lightning not to dart at him.
ابر را گفته برو باران مریز ** برق را گفته برو مگرای تیز
I said, ‘O December, do not cut off the mild weather from this orchard; O November, do not let thy fist fall on this garden.’”
زین چمن ای دی مبران اعتدال ** پنجه ای بهمن برین روضه ممال
The miracles of Shaybán Rá‘í, may God sanctify his venerable spirit!
کرامات شیخ شیبان راعی قدس الله روحه العزیز
Just as Shaybán Rá‘í (the shepherd), because of the froward wolf, used to draw a line round his flock at the hour of the Friday prayers,4815
هم‌چو آن شیبان که از گرگ عنید ** وقت جمعه بر رعا خط می‌کشید
In order that no sheep should go beyond that line, and that no wolf or mischievous robber should come inside.
تا برون ناید از آن خط گوسفند ** نه در آید گرگ و دزد با گزند
’Twas on the model of Húd's circle of refuge, in which his followers were safe from the sarsar wind.
بر مثال دایره‌ی تعویذ هود ** که اندر آن صرصر امان آل بود
(Húd said to them), “Stay quietly within this line for eight days and view the terrible mutilation (which is being inflicted) outside.”
It (the wind) lifted (the unbelievers) into the air and flung them on the stones, so that flesh and bone were torn asunder.
بر هوا بردی فکندی بر حجر ** تا دریدی لحم و عظم از هم‌دگر
One party it hurled against each other in the air, so that their bones crumbled like poppy-seed.4820
یک گره را بر هوا درهم زدی ** تا چو خشخاش استخوان ریزان شدی
There is no room in the Mathnawí to describe fully that chastisement whereat Heaven trembled.
آن سیاست را که لرزید آسمان ** مثنوی اندر نگنجد شرح آن
If, O icy wind, thou art doing this by (thine own) nature, (then) try to invade the line and circle drawn by Húd!
گر به طبع این می‌کنی ای باد سرد ** گرد خط و دایره‌ی آن هود گرد
O natural philosopher, perceive that this kingdom (of God) is above Nature, or else come and (if thou canst) wipe out this (narrative) from the Holy Book!
ای طبیعی فوق طبع این ملک بین ** یا بیا و محو کن از مصحف این
Prohibit those who recite the Qur’án (professionally) and impose a ban (upon them), or punish the teacher and put terror into him!
مقریان را منع کن بندی بنه ** یا معلم را به مال و سهم ده
Thou art helpless and unable to understand the cause of this helplessness: thy helplessness is a reflexion (foretaste) of the Day of Retribution.4825
عاجزی و خیره کن عجز از کجاست ** عجز تو تابی از آن روز جزاست
O perverse man, thou hast many a helpless plight before thee: (when) the hour comes, lo, the hide-aways will emerge!
عجزها داری تو در پیش ای لجوج ** وقت شد پنهانیان را نک خروج
Happy is he whose (spiritual) food is this helplessness and bewilderment and who in both worlds is sleeping in the shadow (protection) of the Beloved.
خرم آن کین عجز و حیرت قوت اوست ** در دو عالم خفته اندر ظل دوست
He (such an one) is conscious of being helpless both in the stable (of the present life) and in the last (future) state: he is dead (to self), he has adopted “the old women's religion.”
هم در آخر عجز خود را او بدید ** مرده شد دین عجایز را گزید
(He is) like Zalíkhá, (who), when Joseph beamed upon her, found the way from decrepitude to youth.
چون زلیخا یوسفش بر وی بتافت ** از عجوزی در جوانی راه یافت
Life depends on dying (to self) and on suffering tribulation: the Water of Life is in the (Land of) Darkness.4830
زندگی در مردن و در محنتست ** آب حیوان در درون ظلمتست
Resuming the Story of the most High God's bringing up Nimrod in his childhood without the intervention of mother and nurse.
رجوع کردن به قصه‌ی پروردن حق تعالی نمرود را بی‌واسطه‌ی مادر و دایه در طفلی
“In short, that garden, like the (spiritual) orchard of gnostics, was secure from the simoom and the sarsar wind.
حاصل آن روضه چو باغ عارفان ** از سموم صرصر آمد در امان
A leopardess (there) had newly given birth to cubs: I bade her give milk to him (Nimrod), and she obeyed.
یک پلنگی طفلکان نو زاده بود ** گفتم او را شیر ده طاعت نمود
So she gave him milk and tended him till he grew up and became strong and valiant.
پس بدادش شیر و خدمتهاش کرد ** تا که بالغ گشت و زفت و شیرمرد
When he was weaned, I told the peris (Jinn) to teach him how to discourse and deal justice.
چون فطامش شد بگفتم با پری ** تا در آموزید نطق و داوری
I gave him nourishment from that garden: how should (the description of) My artfulness be contained in words.4835
پرورش دادم مر او را زان چمن ** کی بگفت اندر بگنجد فن من
I bestowed on Job a father's love in order that he might entertain the worms hospitably and do them no harm.
داده من ایوب را مهر پدر ** بهر مهمانی کرمان بی‌ضرر
I bestowed on the worms love for him like that of children for their father. Look, here is (a token of My) Power, here is (a token of My) Hand!
داده کرمان را برو مهر ولد ** بر پدر من اینت قدرت اینت ید