Weep Little, Lest You Go Blind
From Rumi’s Masnavi (مثنوی معنوی), Book 2, section 10 of 113: How a certain person frightened an ascetic, saying, “Weep little, lest thou become blind.” (ترسانیدن شخصی زاهد را که کم گری تا کور نشوی). Below, each of its 24 couplets is given in Persian, followed by R. A. Nicholson’s English translation.
How a certain person frightened an ascetic, saying, “Weep little, lest thou become blind.” ترسانیدن شخصی زاهد را که کم گری تا کور نشوی
زاهدی را گفت یاری در عمل
کم گری تا چشم را ناید خلل
A comrade in the work (of religion) said to an ascetic, “Weep little, lest thine eye come to harm.”
گفت زاهد از دو بیرون نیست حال
چشم بیند یا نبیند آن جمال
The ascetic said, “The case is not outside of (admits only) two (alternatives): the eye will see, or it will not see, that (Divine) Beauty.
گر ببیند نور حق خود چه غم است
در وصال حق دو دیده چه کم است
If it see the Light of God, what is there to grieve about? How little are two eyes (to him that is) in union with God!
ور نخواهد دید حق را گو برو
این چنین چشم شقی گو کور شو
And if it shall not see God, let it go! Let such a miserable eye become blind!”
غم مخور از دیده کان عیسی تراست
چپ مرو تا بخشدت دو چشم راست
Do not grieve for your eye when that Jesus is yours; do not go to the left (but to the right), that he may give you two right (sound) eyes.
عیسی روح تو با تو حاضر است
نصرت از وی خواه کاو خوش ناصر است
The Jesus of your spirit is present with you: beg aid from him, for he is a goodly aider;
لیک بیگار تن پر استخوان
بر دل عیسی منه تو هر زمان
But do not every moment lay on the heart of (that) Jesus the unprofitable work of (providing for) a body full of bones,
همچو آن ابله که اندر داستان
ذکر او کردیم بهر راستان
Like the fool whom we mentioned in the story for the sake of the righteous.
زندگی تن مجو از عیسیات
کام فرعونی مخواه از موسیات
Seek not you from your Jesus the life of the body, ask not from your Moses the wish of a Pharaoh.
بر دل خود کم نه اندیشهی معاش
عیش کم ناید تو بر درگاه باش
Burden not your heart with thoughts of livelihood; livelihood will not fail: be (constant in attendance) at the (Divine) Court.
این بدن خرگاه آمد روح را
یا مثال کشتیی مر نوح را
This body is a tent for the spirit, or like an ark for Noah.
ترک چون باشد بیابد خرگهی
خاصه چون باشد عزیز درگهی
When the Turcoman is there, he will find a tent, especially when he is one held in honour at the Court (of God).
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