The Body Can Become a Mirror
From Rumi’s Masnavi (مثنوی معنوی), Book 4, section 92 of 137: Explaining that the earthen body of man (بیان آنک تن خاکی آدمی هم‌چون آهن نیکو جوهر قابل آینه شدن است تا درو هم در دنیا بهشت و). Below, each of its 36 couplets is given in Persian, followed by R. A. Nicholson’s English translation.
Explaining that the earthen body of man, like iron of fine substance, is capable of becoming a mirror, so that therein even in this world Paradise and Hell and the Resurrection et cetera are shown by immediate vision, not in the mode of phantasy. بیان آنک تن خاکی آدمی هم‌چون آهن نیکو جوهر قابل آینه شدن است تا درو هم در دنیا بهشت و دوزخ و قیامت و غیر آن معاینه بنماید نه بر طریق خیال
پس چو آهن گرچه تیره‌هیکلی
صیقلی کن صیقلی کن صیقلی
Then, though thou art dark-bodied like iron, make a practice of polishing, polishing, polishing,
تا دلت آیینه گردد پر صور
اندرو هر سو ملیحی سیمبر
That thy heart may become a mirror full of images, (with) a lovely silverbreasted (form reflected) therein on every side.
آهن ار چه تیره و بی‌نور بود
صیقلی آن تیرگی از وی زدود
Although the iron was dark and devoid of light, polishing cleared away the darkness from it.
صیقلی دید آهن و خوش کرد رو
تا که صورتها توان دید اندرو
The iron saw (suffered) the polishing and made its face fair, so that images could be seen therein.
گر تن خاکی غلیظ و تیره است
صیقلش کن زانک صیقل گیره است
If the earthen body is gross and dark, polish it for it is receptive to the polishing instrument.
تا درو اشکال غیبی رو دهد
عکس حوری و ملک در وی جهد
In order that the forms of the Unseen may appear in it, and that the reflexion of houri and angel may dart into it.
صیقل عقلت بدان دادست حق
که بدو روشن شود دل را ورق
God hath given thee the polishing instrument, Reason, to the end that thereby the leaf (surface) of the heart may be made resplendent.
صیقلی را بسته‌ای ای بی‌نماز
وآن هوا را کرده‌ای دو دست باز
Thou, O prayerless man, hast put the polisher (Reason) in bonds and hast loosed the two hands of sensuality.
گر هوا را بند بنهاده شود
صیقلی را دست بگشاده شود
If bonds be put on sensuality, the hand of the polisher (Reason) will be untied.
آهنی که آیینه غیبی بدی
جمله صورتها درو مرسل شدی
A piece of iron that became a mirror of the Unseen all the forms (of the Unseen) would be shot into it.
تیره کردی زنگ دادی در نهاد
این بود یسعون فی الارض الفساد
(But) thou madest (thy heart) dark and didst let the rust into thy nature: this is (the inner meaning of) they work evil on the earth.
تاکنون کردی چنین اکنون مکن
تیره کردی آب را افزون مکن
So hast thou done till now: now do it not. Thou hast made the water turbid: do not make it more (so).
بر مشوران تا شود این آب صاف
واندرو بین ماه و اختر در طواف
Do not stir it up (befoul it): let this water become clear, and (then) behold the moon and stars circling therein.
زانک مردم هست هم‌چون آب جو
چون شود تیره نبینی قعر او
For man is like the water of the river: when it becomes turbid, thou canst not see its bottom.
قعر جو پر گوهرست و پر ز در
هین مکن تیره که هست او صاف حر
The bottom of the river is full of jewels and full of pearls: take heed, do not make (the water) turbid, for it is (originally) pure and free (from pollution).
جان مردم هست مانند هوا
چون بگرد آمیخت شد پرده‌ی سما
The spirit of man resembles air: when it (air) is mixed with dust, it veils the sky,
مانع آید او ز دید آفتاب
چونک گردش رفت شد صافی و ناب
And prevents (the eye) from seeing the sun; (but) when its dust is gone, it becomes pure and undefiled.
با کمال تیرگی حق واقعات
می‌نمودت تا روی راه نجات
Notwithstanding thy complete darkness, God was showing visions unto thee, that thou might’st wend the way of deliverance.
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by: Reza about (category: Masnavi, Persian Poetry)
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