Dhul-Qarnayn and Mount Qaf
From Rumi’s Masnavi (مثنوی معنوی), Book 4, section 135 of 137: How Dhu ’l-Qarnayn went to Mount Qáf and made petition, saying, "O Mount Qáf, tell me of the majesty of the Attributes of God" (رفتن ذوالقرنین به کوه قاف و درخواست کردن کی ای کوه قاف از عظمت صفت حق ما را بگو و گفتن). Below, each of its 20 couplets is given in Persian, followed by R. A. Nicholson’s English translation.
How Dhu ’l-Qarnayn went to Mount Qáf and made petition, saying, “O Mount Qáf, tell me of the majesty of the Attributes of God”; and how Mount Qáf said that the description of His majesty is ineffable, since (all) perceptions vanish before it; and how Dhu ’l-Qarnayn made humble supplication, saying, “Tell of His works that thou hast in mind and of which it is more easy for thee to speak.” رفتن ذوالقرنین به کوه قاف و درخواست کردن کی ای کوه قاف از عظمت صفت حق ما را بگو و گفتن کوه قاف کی صفت عظمت او در گفت نیاید کی پیش آنها ادراکها فدا شود و لابه کردن ذوالقرنین کی از صنایعش کی در خاطر داری و بر تو گفتن آن آسان‌تر بود بگوی
رفت ذوالقرنین سوی کوه قاف
دید او را کز زمرد بود صاف
Dhu ’l-Qarnayn went towards Mount Qáf: he saw that it was (made) of pure emerald,
گرد عالم حلقه گشته او محیط
ماند حیران اندر آن خلق بسیط
And that it had become a ring surrounding the (whole) world. He was amazed at that immense creation (work of God).
گفت تو کوهی دگرها چیستند
که به پیش عظم تو بازیستند
He said, “Thou art the mountain (indeed): what are the others? for beside thy magnitude they are (but) playthings.”
گفت رگهای من‌اند آن کوهها
مثل من نبوند در حسن و بها
It replied, “Those (other) mountains are my veins: they are not like unto me in beauty and glory.
من به هر شهری رگی دارم نهان
بر عروقم بسته اطراف جهان
I have a hidden vein in every land: (all) the regions of the world are fastened to my veins.
حق چو خواهد زلزله‌ی شهری مرا
گوید او من بر جهانم عرق را
When God wills an earthquake in any land, He bids me and I cause the vein to throb.
پس بجنبانم من آن رگ را بقهر
که بدان رگ متصل گشتست شهر
Then I make to move mightily the vein with which the (particular) land is connected.
چون بگوید بس شود ساکن رگم
ساکنم وز روی فعل اندر تگم
When He says ‘Enough!’ my vein rests. I am (apparently) at rest, but actually I am in rapid motion.”
هم‌چو مرهم ساکن و بس کارکن
چون خرد ساکن وزو جنبان سخن
At rest, like the (medicinal) ointment, and very active (efficacious); at rest, like the intellect, while the speech (impelled) by it is moving.
نزد آنکس که نداند عقلش این
زلزله هست از بخارات زمین
In the opinion of him whose intelligence does not perceive this, earthquakes are caused by terrestrial vapours.
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by: Reza about (category: Masnavi, Persian Poetry)
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