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
Thou disbelievest that the sun shall be folded up: in thy opinion the sun is of the highest degree.
منکری این را که شمس کورت ** شمس پیش تست اعلی‌مرتبت
Thou deemest change of weather to be caused by the stars: thou art displeased with (the text) when the star shall fall.
از ستاره دیده تصریف هوا ** ناخوشت آید اذا النجم هوی
Verily, the moon produces no greater effect than bread: O many a loaf of bread that severs the vein of life!
خود مثرتر نباشد مه ز نان ** ای بسا نان که ببرد عرق جان
Verily, (the planet) Venus produces no greater effect than water: O many a water that has destroyed the body!100
خود مثرتر نباشد زهره زآب ** ای بسا آبا که کرد او تن خراب
Love of those (stars) is (implanted) in thy soul, and the advice of thy friend strikes (only) on the outer skin of thy ear.
مهر آن در جان تست و پند دوست ** می‌زند بر گوش تو بیرون پوست
(If) our advice takes no hold of thee, O great man, know that neither does thy advice take any hold of us.
پند ما در تو نگیرد ای فلان ** پند تو در ما نگیرد هم بدان
(Thy ears are closed) unless, perchance, the special (sovereign) key (to open them) come from the Friend to whom belong the keys of the heavens.”
جز مگر مفتاح خاص آید ز دوست ** که مقالید السموات آن اوست
This discourse is like the stars and the moon (in splendour), but without the command of God it makes no impression.
این سخن هم‌چون ستاره‌ست و قمر ** لیک بی‌فرمان حق ندهد اثر
The impression made by this star (which is) beyond locality strikes (only) on ears that seek inspiration,105
این ستاره‌ی بی‌جهت تاثیر او ** می‌زند بر گوشهای وحی‌جو
Saying, “Come ye from (the world of) locality to the world without spatial relations, in order that the wolf may not tear you to pieces in checkmate (utter discomfiture).”
کی بیایید از جهت تا بی‌جهات ** تا ندراند شما را گرگ مات
Since its pearl-scattering radiance is such (as has been mentioned), the sun of the present world may be described as its bat.
آنچنان که لمعه‌ی درپاش اوست ** شمس دنیا در صفت خفاش اوست
The seven blue (celestial) spheres are in servitude to it; the courier moon is fevered and wasted away by it.
هفت چرخ ازرقی در رق اوست ** پیک ماه اندر تب و در دق اوست
Venus lays her hand upon it to beseech (its favour); Jupiter comes forward to offer to it the ready money of his soul.
زهره چنگ مسله در وی زده ** مشتری با نقد جان پیش آمده
Saturn is eager to kiss its hand, but he does not regard himself as worthy of that honour.110
در هوای دستبوس او زحل ** لیک خود را می‌نبیند از محل
On account of it, Mars has inflicted so many wounds on his hands and feet; and on account of it Mercury has broken a hundred pens.
دست و پا مریخ چندین خست ازو ** وآن عطارد صد قلم بشکست ازو
All these stars (planets) are at war with the astronomer, saying, “O thou who hast let the spirit go and hast preferred colour (vanity),
با منجم این همه انجم به جنگ ** کای رها کرده تو جان بگزیده رنگ
It is the spirit, and we all are (mere) colour and designs: the star (spark) of every thought in it is the soul of the (material) stars.”
جان ویست و ما همه رنگ و رقوم ** کوکب هر فکر او جان نجوم
Where is thought (in relation to it)? There all is pure light: this word “thought” is (used only) for thy sake, O thinker.
فکر کو آنجا همه نورست پاک ** بهر تست این لفظ فکر ای فکرناک
Every (material) star hath its house on high: our star is not contained in any house.115
هر ستاره خانه دارد در علا ** هیچ خانه در نگنجد نجم ما
How should that which burns (transcends) place (spatial relations) enter into space? How should there be a limit for the illimitable light?
جای سوز اندر مکان کی در رود ** نور نامحدود را حد کی بود