Created in the Best Form, Then Brought Low
From Rumi’s Masnavi (مثنوی معنوی), Book 5, section 43 of 175: Commentary on “We created Man in the best (physical and mental) proportion, then We reduced him to the lowest of the low” (تفسیر خلقنا الانسان فی احسن تقویم ثم رددناه اسفل سافلین و تفسیر و من نعمره ننکسه فی الخلق). Below, each of its 24 couplets is given in Persian, followed by R. A. Nicholson’s English translation.
Commentary on “We created Man in the best (physical and mental) proportion, then We reduced him to the lowest of the low”; and on “And to whomsoever We grant long life, We cause him to relapse in constitution.” تفسیر خلقنا الانسان فی احسن تقویم ثم رددناه اسفل سافلین و تفسیر و من نعمره ننکسه فی الخلق
آدم حسن و ملک ساجد شده
هم‌چو آدم باز معزول آمده
The beauty personified in Adam, to which the angels bow down, is afterwards deposed (from its former perfection), like Adam (when he fell from Paradise).
گفت آوه بعد هستی نیستی
گفت جرمت این که افزون زیستی
It cries, “Alas, after existence non-existence!” He (God) says, “Thy crime is this, that thou hast lived too long.”
جبرئیلش می‌کشاند مو کشان
که برو زین خلد و از جوق خوشان
Gabriel, dragging it by the hair, leads it away, saying, “Begone from thisParadise and from the company of the fair ones.”
گفت بعد از عز این اذلال چیست
گفت آن دادست و اینت داوریست
It says, “What is (the meaning of) this abasement after exaltation?” He (Gabriel) replies, “That (exaltation) is a gift (of God), and this (abasement) is (His) judgement on thee.”
جبرئیلا سجده می‌کردی به جان
چون کنون می‌رانیم تو از جنان
(It cries), “O Gabriel, thou didst (formerly) bow down (to me) with (all) thy soul: why art thou now driving me from Paradise?
حله می‌پرد ز من در امتحان
هم‌چو برگ از نخ در فصل خزان
My robes are flying from me in (this hour of) tribulation, like leaves from the date-palm in the season of autumn.”
آن رخی که تاب او بد ماه‌وار
شد به پیری هم‌چو پشت سوسمار
The countenance whose splendour was moon-like becomes with old age like the back of the Libyan lizard;
وان سر و فرق گش شعشع شده
وقت پیری ناخوش و اصلع شده
And the fair head and crown (of the head) that once were radiant become ugly and bald at the time of eld;
وان قد صف در نازان چون سنان
گشته در پیری دو تا هم‌چون کمان
And the tall proud figure, piercing the ranks like a spear-point, in old age is bent double like a bow.
رنگ لاله گشته رنگ زعفران
زور شیرش گشته چون زهره‌ی زنان
The colour of red anemone becomes the colour of saffron; his lion-like strength becomes as the courage of women.
آنک مردی در بغل کردی به فن
می‌بگیرندش بغل وقت شدن
He that used to grip a man in his arms by skill (in wrestling), (now) they take hold of his arms (to support him) at the time of departure.
این خود آثار غم و پژمردگیست
هر یکی زینها رسول مردگیست
Truly these are marks of pain and decay: every one of them is a messenger of death.
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by: Reza about (category: Masnavi, Persian Poetry)
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