The participation of a word (in several meanings) is always obstructive (to the understanding): the participation of the infidel with the true believer is in the body (alone).
اشتراک لفظ دایم ره‌زنست ** اشتراک گبر و مؤمن در تنست
Bodies are like pots with the lids on: look and see what is in each pot.650
جسمها چون کوزه‌های بسته‌سر ** تا که در هر کوزه چه بود آن نگر
The pot of that body is filled with the Water of Life; the pot of this body is filled with the poison of death.
کوزه‌ی آن تن پر از آب حیات ** کوزه‌ی این تن پر از زهر ممات
If you keep your eye fixed on its contents, you are a (spiritual) king; but if you regard its vessel, you are misguided.
گر به مظروفش نظر داری شهی ** ور به ظرفش بنگری تو گم‌رهی
Know that words resemble this body and that their inward meaning resembles the soul.
لفظ را ماننده‌ی این جسم دان ** معنیش را در درون مانند جان
The bodily eye is always seeing the body; the spiritual eye sees the artful (elusive) soul.
دیده‌ی تن دایما تن‌بین بود ** دیده‌ی جان جان پر فن بین بود
Therefore the man of appearance is misled by the form of the expressions used in the Mathnawí, while they guide the man of reality (to the Truth).655
پس ز نقش لفظهای مثنوی ** صورتی ضالست و هادی معنوی
He (God) hath said in the Qur’án, “This Qur’án with all its heart leads some aright and others astray.”
در نبی فرمود کین قرآن ز دل ** هادی بعضی و بعضی را مضل
God, God! When the gnostic speaks of “wine,” how in the gnostic's eyes should the (materially) non-existent be a (material) thing?
الله الله چونک عارف گفت می ** پیش عارف کی بود معدوم شی
Since your understanding is (only of) the Devil's wine, how should you have any conception of the wine of the Merciful (God)?
فهم تو چون باده‌ی شیطان بود ** کی ترا وهم می رحمان بود
These twain—the minstrel and the wine—are partners: this one quickly leads to that, and that one to this.
این دو انبازند مطرب با شراب ** این بدان و آن بدین آرد شتاب
They that are full of crop-sickness feed on the song of the minstrel: the minstrels bring them to the tavern.660
پر خماران از دم مطرب چرند ** مطربانشان سوی میخانه برند
That one (the minstrel) is the beginning of the (lover's) course, and this (tavern) is the end thereof: the witless (lover) is like a ball in (the sway of) his polo-bat.
آن سر میدان و این پایان اوست ** دل شده چون گوی در چوگان اوست
The ear goes (inclines) to that which is in the head: if there is yellow bile in the head, it becomes black bile.
در سر آنچ هست گوش آنجا رود ** در سر ار صفراست آن سودا شود
Afterwards, these twain (the minstrel and the lover) pass into unconsciousness: there the begetter and the begotten become one.
بعد از آن این دو به بیهوشی روند ** والد و مولود آنجا یک شوند
When joy and sorrow made peace (with each other), our Turk awakened the minstrels.
چونک کردند آشتی شادی و درد ** مطربان را ترک ما بیدار کرد
The minstrel began (to sing) a slumberous verse—“Hand me the cup, O Thou whom I see not.665
مطرب آغازید بیتی خوابناک ** که انلنی الکاس یا من لا اراک
Thou art my face: no wonder that I see it not: extreme proximity is a mystifying veil.
انت وجهی لا عجب ان لا اراه ** غایة القرب حجاب الاشتباه
Thou art my reason: no wonder if I see Thee not, on account of the abundance of the intricate perplexities (of thought).
انت عقلی لا عجب ان لم ارک ** من وفور الالتباس المشتبک
Thou hast come nearer to me than my neck-artery: how long shall I say ‘Oh’? ‘Oh’ is a call to one who is far off.
جت اقرب انت من حبل الورید ** کم اقل یا یا نداء للبعید
Nay, but I dissemble with them when I call (to Him) in the deserts, in order that I may conceal Him who is beside me from those who excite my jealousy.”
بل اغالطهم انادی فی القفار ** کی اکتم من معی مومن اغار
How a blind man entered the house of Mustafá (Mohammed), on whom be peace, and how ‘Á’isha, may God be pleased with her, fled from the presence of the blind man, and how the Prophet, on whom be peace, asked, “Why art thou running away? He cannot see thee”; and the answer given by ‘Á’isha, may God be pleased with her, to the Prophet—God bless and save him!
در آمدن ضریر در خانه‌ی مصطفی علیه‌السلام و گریختن عایشه رضی الله عنها از پیش ضریر و گفتن رسول علیه‌السلام کی چه می‌گریزی او ترا نمی‌بیند و جواب دادن عایشه رضی الله عنها رسول را صلی الله علیه و سلم
A blind man came into the presence of the Prophet, saying, “O thou who suppliest fuel to every oven of dough,670
اندر آمد پیش پیغامبر ضریر ** کای نوابخش تنور هر خمیر
O thou who art the lord of the Water (of Life), while I am suffering from dropsy—help, help, O giver of drink to me!”
ای تو میر آب و من مستسقیم ** مستغاث المستغاث ای ساقیم
When the blind man came in hastily by the door, ‘Á’isha ran away to conceal herself (from him),
چون در آمد آن ضریر از در شتاب ** عایشه بگریخت بهر احتجاب
Because that chaste lady was aware of the resentfulness of the jealous Prophet.
زانک واقف بود آن خاتون پاک ** از غیوری رسول رشکناک
The more beautiful any one is, the greater his jealousy, for jealousy arises from (the possession of) loveliness, O sons.
هر که زیباتر بود رشکش فزون ** زانک رشک از ناز خیزد یا بنون
Since foul hags are aware of their ugliness and old age, they let their husbands take a concubine.675
گنده‌پیران شوی را قما دهند ** چونک از زشتی و پیری آگهند
When has there (ever) been in the two worlds a beauty like that of Ahmad (Mohammed)? Oh, may the Divine Glory aid him!
چون جمال احمدی در هر دو کون ** کی بدست ای فر یزدانیش عون
To him belong (all) the charms of both worlds: it beseems that hundredfold Sun to be jealous,
نازهای هر دو کون او را رسد ** غیرت آن خورشید صدتو را رسد
Saying, “I have thrown my (resplendent) orb over Saturn: beware, O stars, and cover your faces!
که در افکندم به کیوان گوی را ** در کشید ای اختران هم روی را
Be naughted in my incomparable radiance; else ye will be put to shame before my light.
در شعاع بی‌نظیرم لا شوید ** ورنه پیش نور نم رسوا شوید
For kindness' sake, I disappear every night; (but) how should I depart? I only make a show of departing,680
از کرم من هر شبی غایب شوم ** کی روم الا نمایم که روم
That for a night ye may fly without me like bats, flapping your wings, around this flying-place;
تا شما بی من شبی خفاش‌وار ** پر زنان پرید گرد این مطار
And that, like peacocks, ye may display a (gorgeous) wing, and then become intoxicated and haughty and self-conceited.
هم‌چو طاووسان پری عرضه کنید ** باز مست و سرکش و معجب شوید
Look at your uncouth feet, like the rustic shoon that were (as) a candle to Ayáz.
ننگرید آن پای خود را زشت‌ساز ** هم‌چو چارق کو بود شمع ایاز
At dawn I show my face to reprimand you, lest from egoism ye become (included) among the people of the left hand.”
رو نمایم صبح بهر گوشمال ** تا نگردید از منی ز اهل شمال
Leave that (topic), for that topic is lengthy: (he who is the final cause of) the command “Be!” hath forbidden lengthiness.685
ترک آن کن که درازست آن سخن ** نهی کردست از درازی امر کن
How Mustafá (Mohammed), on whom be peace, made trial of ‘Á’isha, may God be pleased with her, and said, “Why art thou hiding? Do not hide, for the blind man cannot see thee,” in order that it might appear whether ‘Á’isha was acquainted with the secret thoughts of Mustafá, on whom be peace, or whether she was (merely) one who would follow his expressed wishes.
امتحان کردن مصطفی علیه‌السلام عایشه را رضی الله عنها کی چه پنهان می‌شوی پنهان مشو که اعمی ترا نمی‌بیند تا پدید آید کی عایشه رضی الله عنها از ضمیر مصطفی علیه السلام واقف هست یا خود مقلد گفت ظاهرست
The Prophet said by way of trial, “He cannot see thee: do not hide.”
گفت پیغامبر برای امتحان ** او نمی‌بیند ترا کم شو نهان
‘Á’isha made a sign with her hands (as though to say), “(If) he does not see (me), yet I see him.”
کرد اشارت عایشه با دستها ** او نبیند من همی‌بینم ورا
Reason's jealousy of the beauty of the Spirit is (the cause of) this sincere admonition being full of similitudes and allegories.
غیرت عقل است بر خوبی روح ** پر ز تشبیهات و تمثیل این نصوح
Notwithstanding that this Spirit is so hidden, why is Reason so jealous of Him?
با چنین پنهانیی کین روح راست ** عقل بر وی این چنین رشکین چراست
O jealous one, from whom art thou hiding Him whose face is concealed by His light?690
از که پنهان می‌کنی ای رشک‌خو ** آنک پوشیدست نورش روی او
This Sun goes with face uncovered: His face is veiled by the excess of His light.
می‌رود بی‌روی‌پوش این آفتاب ** فرط نور اوست رویش را نقاب
From whom art thou hiding Him, O jealous one? The sun (itself) cannot see a trace of Him.
از که پنهان می‌کنی ای رشک‌ور ** که آفتاب از وی نمی‌بیند اثر
(Reason says), “The jealousy in my body is (all) the greater because I desire to hide Him even from myself.
رشک از آن افزون‌ترست اندر تنم ** کز خودش خواهم که هم پنهان کنم
On account of the fire of fell jealousy I am at war with my own eyes and ears.”
ز آتش رشک گران آهنگ من ** با دو چشم و گوش خود در جنگ من
Since thou hast such a (mighty) jealousy, O my soul and heart, close thy mouth and leave off speaking.695
چون چنین رشکیستت ای جان و دل ** پس دهان بر بند و گفتن را بهل
(Reason says), “If I keep silence, I fear that that Sun will rend the veil and (display Himself) from another quarter.”
ترسم ار خامش کنم آن آفتاب ** از سوی دیگر بدراند حجاب
In (keeping) silence our (inward) speaking (of Him) is (only) made more evident, since the desire (for manifestation) is increased by suppression.
در خموشی گفت ما اظهر شود ** که ز منع آن میل افزون‌تر شود
If the Sea roar, its roaring turns to foam and becomes the surge of “I desired to be known.”
گر بغرد بحر غره‌ش کف شود ** جوش احببت بان اعرف شود