The Eagle, the Prophet’s Boot and a Snake
From Rumi’s Masnavi (مثنوی معنوی), Book 3, section 145 of 185: How an eagle seized the boot of the Prophet, and carried it into the air and turned it upside down, and how a black serpent dropped down from the boot (ربودن عقاب موزه‌ی مصطفی علیه السلام و بردن بر هوا و نگون کردن و از موزه مار سیاه فرو). Below, each of its 17 couplets is given in Persian, followed by R. A. Nicholson’s English translation.
How an eagle seized the boot of the Prophet, on whom be peace, and carried it into the air and turned it upside down, and how a black serpent dropped down from the boot. ربودن عقاب موزه‌ی مصطفی علیه السلام و بردن بر هوا و نگون کردن و از موزه مار سیاه فرو افتادن
اندرین بودند کواز صلا مصطفی بشنید از سوی علا
They were thus engaged, when Mustafá (Mohammed) heard from aloft the call to the ritual prayer.
خواست آبی و وضو را تازه کرد دست و رو را شست او زان آب سرد
He asked for water and renewed the ablution: he washed his hands and face with that cold water.
هر دو پا شست و به موزه کرد رای موزه را بربود یک موزه‌ربای
He washed both his feet and gave attention to (was about to take) his boot: a boot-snatcher carried off the boot.
دست سوی موزه برد آن خوش‌خطاب موزه را بربود از دستش عقاب
That man of sweet address moved his hand towards the boot: an eagle snatched the boot from his hand,
موزه را اندر هوا برد او چو باد پس نگون کرد و از آن ماری فتاد
And bore it away into the air, (swift) as the wind; then she turned it upside down, and a serpent dropped from it.
در فتاد از موزه یک مار سیاه زان عنایت شد عقابش نیکخواه
From the boot dropped a black serpent: on account of that (Divine) care (for the Prophet) the eagle became his benevolent friend.
پس عقاب آن موزه را آورد باز گفت هین بستان و رو سوی نماز
Then the eagle brought back the boot and said, “Come, take it and go to prayers.
از ضرورت کردم این گستاخیی من ز ادب دارم شکسته‌شاخیی
I did this presumptuous act from necessity: I am abashed by (my feeling of) reverence (for thee).
وای کو گستاخ پایی می‌نهد بی ضرورت کش هوا فتوی دهد
Woe to him that steps (behaves) presumptuously without necessity (and only) because vain desire authorises him!”
پس رسولش شکر کرد و گفت ما این جفا دیدیم و بود این خود وفا
Then the Prophet thanked her (the eagle) and said, “I deemed this (act of thine) rudeness, but it really was kindness.
موزه بربودی و من درهم شدم تو غمم بردی و من در غم شدم
Thou didst carry off the boot, and I was perturbed: thou took’st away my grief, and I was aggrieved.
گرچه هر غیبی خدا ما را نمود دل در آن لحظه به خود مشغول بود
Although God hath shown to me every unseen thing, at that moment my heart was occupied with myself.”
گفت دور از تو که غفلت در تو رست دیدنم آن غیب را هم عکس تست
She (the eagle) said, “Far be it from thee that forgetfulness grew up in thee: my seeing that invisible thing is (from) thy reflexion.
مار در موزه ببینم بر هوا نیست از من عکس تست ای مصطفی
(If) I, in the air, see the serpent in the boot, ’tis not of myself, ’tis thy reflexion, O Mustafá.”
عکس نورانی همه روشن بود عکس ظلمانی همه گلخن بود
The reflexion of the man of light is wholly resplendent; the reflexion of the man of darkness is wholly (like) a bath-stove (ash-heap).
عکس عبدالله همه نوری بود عکس بیگانه همه کوری بود
The reflexion of the servant of God is wholly luminous; the reflexion of the stranger (to God) is wholly blindness.
عکس هر کس را بدان ای جان ببین پهلوی جنسی که خواهی می‌نشین
Know every one’s reflexion: see (it plainly), O my soul. (Then) ever sit beside the congener whom thou desirest.
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by: Reza about (category: Masnavi, Persian Poetry)
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