Iblis’s Confession to Muawiya Concluded
From Rumi’s Masnavi (مثنوی معنوی), Book 2, section 73 of 113: Conclusion of the confession made by Iblís to Mu‘áwiya of his deceit (تتمهی اقرار ابلیس به معاویه مکر خود را). Below, each of its 26 couplets is given in Persian, followed by R. A. Nicholson’s English translation.
Conclusion of the confession made by Iblís to Mu‘áwiya of his deceit. تتمهی اقرار ابلیس به معاویه مکر خود را
پس عزازیلش به گفت ای میر راد
مکر خود اندر میان باید نهاد
Then ‘Azázíl said to him, “O noble Amír, I must lay my deceit before (you).
گر نمازت فوت میشد آن زمان
میزدی از درد دل آه و فغان
If you had missed the prayers, you would then from heartache have uttered sighs and lamentations,
آن تاسف و آن فغان و آن نیاز
در گذشتی از دو صد ذکر و نماز
And that regret and that lamentation and that (sorrowful) yearning would have exceeded (in value) two hundred litanies and prayers.
من ترا بیدار کردم از نهیب
تا بسوزاند چنان آهی حجاب
I awakened you in fear lest such a sigh might burn the veil (of formality),
تا چنان آهی نباشد مر ترا
تا بدان راهی نباشد مر ترا
In order that such a sigh should not be yours; in order that you should not have any way to it.
من حسودم از حسد کردم چنین
من عدویم کار من مکر است و کین
I am envious: from envy I acted thus. I am the enemy: my (proper) work is deceit and malice.”
گفت اکنون راست گفتی صادقی
از تو این آید تو این را لایقی
He (Mu‘áwiya) said, “Now you have told the truth, you are veracious. This (deceit) comes (naturally) from you: to this you are adapted.
عنکبوتی تو مگس داری شکار
من نیم ای سگ مگس زحمت میار
You are a spider, you have flies as your prey; O cur, I am not a fly, (so) do not worry.
باز اسپیدم شکارم شه کند
عنکبوتی کی بگرد ما تند
I am a white falcon: the King hunts me. How should a spider weave his web about me?
رو مگس میگیر تا تانی هلا
سوی دوغی زن مگسها را صلا
Go now, continue to catch flies as far as you can: invite the flies to (partake of) some buttermilk;
ور بخوانی تو به سوی انگبین
هم دروغ و دوغ باشد آن یقین
And if you call (them) to honey, that too will certainly be lies and buttermilk (fraud).
تو مرا بیدار کردی خواب بود
تو نمودی کشتی آن گرداب بود
You awakened me, (but) it (that awakenment) was (really) slumber: you showed (me) a ship, (but) that was (really) a whirlpool.
تو مرا در خیر ز آن میخواندی
تا مرا از خیر بهتر راندی
You were calling me to good for the purpose that you might drive me away from the better good.”
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