Give the Mathnawí a free and open course, endow the outward form of its parables with the spirit (of life),
تا حروفش جمله عقل و جان شوند ** سوی خلدستان جان پران شوند 185
That all its words may become reason and soul and may fly towards the soul's everlasting abode.
هم به سعی تو ز ارواح آمدند ** سوی دام حرف و مستحقن شدند
(’Twas) through thy efforts (that) they came from the (world of) spirits into the trap of words and were confined (there).
باد عمرت در جهان هم‌چون خضر ** جان‌فزا و دستگیر و مستمر
May thy life in the world be like (that of) Khadir, soul-increasing and help giving and perpetual!
چون خضر و الیاس مانی در جهان ** تا زمین گردد ز لطفت آسمان
Like Khadir and Ilyás, mayst thou remain in the world (for ever), that by thy grace earth may become heaven!
گفتمی از لطف تو جزوی ز صد ** گر نبودی طمطراق چشم بد
I would declare a hundredth part of thy grace, were it not for the vainglory of the evil eye;
لیک از چشم بد زهراب دم ** زخمهای روح‌فرسا خورده‌ام 190
But from the evil venomous eye I have suffered spirit-crushing strokes.
جز به رمز ذکر حال دیگران ** شرح حالت می‌نیارم در بیان
(Therefore) I will not give an eloquent description of thy state except allusively, by telling of the state of others.
این بهانه هم ز دستان دلیست ** که ازو پاهای دل اندر گلیست
(Really, however) this pretext too is one of the lures of the heart whereby the feet of the heart are (caught) in a mire.
صد دل و جان عاشق صانع شده ** چشم بد یا گوش بد مانع شده
Hundreds of hearts and souls are in love with the Maker, (but) the evil eye or the evil ear has hindered (them from seeking union with Him).
خود یکی بوطالب آن عم رسول ** می‌نمودش شنعه‌ی عربان مهول
One (of them), indeed, (is) Bú Tálib, the Prophet's uncle: to him the revilement of the Arabs seemed terrible,
که چه گویندم عرب کز طفل خود ** او بگردانید دیدن معتمد 195
For (he thought), “What will the Arabs say of me? (They will say), ‘At the bidding of his nephew he has changed the (traditional) custom on which we rely.’”
گفتش ای عم یک شهادت تو بگو ** تا کنم با حق خصومت بهر تو
He (the Prophet) said to him, “O uncle, pronounce once the profession of faith, that I may plead with God for thee.”
گفت لیکن فاش گردد ازسماع ** کل سر جاوز الاثنین شاع
He (Bú Tálib) said, “But it will be spread abroad by hearsay: every secret that passes beyond the two (who share it) becomes common talk.
من بمانم در زبان این عرب ** پش ایشان خوار گردم زین سبب
I shall remain (a laughing-stock) on the tongues of these Arabs: because of this I shall become despicable in their sight.”
لیک گر بودیش لطف ما سبق ** کی بدی این بددلی با جذب حق
But if the predestined grace had been (granted) to him, how should this faintheartedness have existed (simultaneously) with God's pull (towards Himself)?
الغیاث ای تو غیاث المستغیث ** زین دو شاخه‌ی اختیارات خبیث 200
O Thou who art the Help of those who seek help, help (me to escape) from this pillory of wicked acts of free-will.
من ز دستان و ز مکر دل چنان ** مات گشتم که بماندم از فغان
By the heart's deceit and guile I have been so discomfited that I am left unable (even) to lament.
من که باشم چرخ با صد کار و بار ** زین کمین فریاد کرد از اختیار
Who am I? Heaven, with its hundred (mighty) businesses, cried out for help against this ambush of free-will,
که ای خداوند کریم و بردبار ** ده امانم زین دو شاخه‌ی اختیار
Saying, “Deliver me from this pillory of free-will, O gracious and long-suffering Lord!
جذب یک راهه‌ی صراط المستقیم ** به ز دو راه تردد ای کریم
The one-way pull on the straight Path is better than the two ways of perplexity, O gracious One.
زین دو ره گرچه همه مقصد توی ** لیک خود جان کندن آمد این دوی 205
Although Thou art the entire (only) goal of these two ways, yet indeed this duality is agonising to the spirit.
زین دو ره گرچه به جز تو عزم نیست ** لیک هرگز رزم هم‌چون بزم نیست
Although the destination of these two ways is unto Thee alone, yet the battle is never like the banquet.”
در نبی بشنو بیانش از خدا ** آیت اشفقن ان یحملنها
Hearken to the explanation thereof given by God in the Qur’án, (namely) the Verse they shrank from bearing it.
این تردد هست در دل چون وغا ** کین بود به یا که آن حال مرا
This perplexity in the heart is like war: (when a man is perplexed he says, “I wonder) whether this is better for my case or that.”