The Inner Light That Bears Its Own Witness
From Rumi’s Masnavi (مثنوی معنوی), Book 5, section 11 of 175: Explaining that the light itself from within the illumined person bears witness to his light, without any act or word declaring it (در بیان آنک نور خود از اندرون شخص منور بی‌آنک فعلی و قولی بیان کند گواهی دهد بر نور وی در). Below, each of its 38 couplets is given in Persian, followed by R. A. Nicholson’s English translation.
Explaining that the light itself from within the illumined person bears witness to his light, without any act or word declaring it. در بیان آنک نور خود از اندرون شخص منور بی‌آنک فعلی و قولی بیان کند گواهی دهد بر نور وی در بیان آنک آن‌نور خود را از اندرون سر عارف ظاهر کند بر خلقان بی‌فعل عارف و بی‌قول عارف افزون از آنک به قول و فعل او ظاهر شود چنانک آفتاب بلند شود بانگ خروس و اعلام مذن و علامات دیگر حاجت نیاید
لیک نور سالکی کز حد گذشت
نور او پر شد بیابانها و دشت
But the (inner) light of the traveller (mystic) who has passed beyond the pale (of selfhood) the deserts and plains are filled with his radiance.
شاهدی‌اش فارغ آمد از شهود
وز تکلفها و جانبازی و جود
(The fact of) his being a witness (to God) is independent of witnesses and works of supererogation and of self-devotion and self-sacrifice.
نور آن گوهر چو بیرون تافتست
زین تسلسها فراغت یافتست
Since the light of that (spiritual) substance has shone forth, he has gained independence of these hypocrisies.
پس مجو از وی گواه فعل و گفت
که ازو هر دو جهان چون گل شکفت
Therefore do not demand of him the testimony of act and speech, for through him both the worlds have blossomed like a rose.
این گواهی چیست اظهار نهان
خواه قول و خواه فعل و غیر آن
What is this testimony? The making manifest of that which is hidden, whether (by) word or act or something else;
که عرض اظهار سر جوهرست
وصف باقی وین عرض بر معبرست
For its object is to make manifest the inward nature of the spiritual substance: the attributes (of that substance) are permanent, though these accidents (such as acts and words) are fleeting.
این نشان زر نماند بر محک
زر بماند نیک نام و بی ز شک
The mark of the gold on the touchstone does not remain, (but) the gold (itself) remains of good renown and undoubted.
این صلات و این جهاد و این صیام
هم نماند جان بماند نیک‌نام
Similarly, (all) this ritual prayer and holy war and fasting does not remain, but the spirit remains in good renown (for ever).
جان چنین افعال و اقوالی نمود
بر محک امر جوهر را بسود
The spirit produced certain acts and words of this kind (as proofs): it rubbed its substance on the touchstone of the (Divine) command,
که اعتقادم راستست اینک گواه
لیک هست اندر گواهان اشتباه
As though to say, “My belief is perfect: here is the witness!” (Yes), but there is doubt as regards the witnesses.
تزکیه باید گواهان را بدان
تزکیش صدقی که موقوفی بدان
Know that the probity of the witnesses must be established: the means of establishing it is a (great) sincerity: thou art dependent on that.
حفظ لفظ اندر گواه قولیست
حفظ عهد اندر گواه فعلیست
In the case of the word-witness, ’tis keeping thy word (that is the test); in the case of the act-witness, ’tis keeping thy covenant (to perform these acts).
گر گواه قول کژ گوید ردست
ور گواه فعل کژ پوید ردست
The word-witness is rejected if it speaks falsely, and the act-witness is rejected if it does not run straight.
قول و فعل بی‌تناقض بایدت
تا قبول اندر زمان بیش آیدت
Thou must have words and acts that are not self-contradictory, in order that thou mayst meet with immediate acceptance.
سعیکم شتی تناقض اندرید
روز می‌دوزید شب بر می‌درید
Your efforts are diverse, ye are in contradiction: ye are sewing by day and tearing up (what ye have sewn) by night.
پس گواهی با تناقض کی شنود
یا مگر حلمی کند از لطف خود
Who, then, will hearken to testimony that contradicts itself, unless indeed He (the Judge) graciously show a (great) forbearance?
فعل و قول اظهار سرست و ضمیر
هر دو پیدا می‌کند سر ستیر
Act and word are (for) the manifestation of the inward thought and hidden mind: both are divulging the veiled secret.
چون گواهت تزکیه شد شد قبول
ورنه محبوس است اندر مول مول
When thy witness has been proved honest, it is accepted; otherwise, it is kept in detention as a prisoner.
تا تو بستیزی ستیزند ای حرون
فانتظرهم انهم منتظرون
O recalcitrant one, so long as thou contendest (with the holy saints) they will contend (with thee). Lie in wait for them, then! Verily, they are lying in wait (for thee).
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by: Reza about (category: Masnavi, Persian Poetry)
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