Noah Warns His People
From Rumi’s Masnavi (مثنوی معنوی), Book 1, section 145 of 171: How Noah, threatened his people, saying, “Do not struggle with me, for I am (only) a veil (تهدید کردن نوح علیه السلام مر قوم را که با من مپیچید که من رو پوشم در میان پس به حقیقت با). Below, each of its 52 couplets is given in Persian, followed by R. A. Nicholson’s English translation.
How Noah, on whom be peace, threatened his people, saying, “Do not struggle with me, for I am (only) a veil: ye are really struggling with God (who is) within this (veil), O God-forsaken men!” تهدید کردن نوح علیه السلام مر قوم را که با من مپیچید که من رو پوشم در میان پس به حقیقت با خدای می‌‌پیچید ای مخذولان
گفت نوح ای سرکشان من من نی‌‌ام
من ز جان مرده به جانان می‌‌زی‌‌ام
Noah said, “O ye headstrong ones, I am not I: I am dead to the (animal) soul, I am living through the Soul of souls.
چون بمردم از حواس بو البشر
حق مرا شد سمع و ادراک و بصر
Inasmuch as I am dead to the senses of the father of mankind (human sense perceptions), God has become my hearing and perception and sight.
چون که من من نیستم این دم ز هوست
پیش این دم هر که دم زد کافر اوست
Since I am not I, this breath (of mine) is from Him: in the presence of this breath if any one breathes (a word) he is an infidel.”
هست اندر نقش این روباه شیر
سوی این روبه نشاید شد دلیر
In the form of this fox there is the lion: ’tis not fitting to advance boldly towards this fox.
گر ز روی صورتش می‌‌نگروی
غره‌‌ی شیران از او می‌‌نشنوی
Unless thou believe in him from his exterior aspect (accept him in the form in which he appears), thou wilt not hear from him the lions’ roar.
گر نبودی نوح را از حق یدی
پس جهانی را چرا بر هم زدی
Unless Noah had had a hand (a powerful aid) from God, why should he have cast a whole world into confusion?
صد هزاران شیر بود او در تنی
او چو آتش بود و عالم خرمنی
He was hundreds of thousands of lions in a single body; he was like fire, and the world (like) a stack.
چون که خرمن پاس عشر او نداشت
او چنان شعله بر آن خرمن گماشت
Forasmuch as the stack neglected (to pay) the tithe due to him, he launched such a flame against that stack.
هر که او در پیش این شیر نهان
بی‌‌ادب چون گرگ بگشاید دهان
Whosoever in the presence of this hidden Lion opens his mouth disrespectfully, like the wolf,
همچو گرگ آن شیر بردراندش
فانتقمنا منهم بر خواندش
That Lion will tear him to pieces, as (he tore) the wolf, and will recite to him (the text) So we took vengeance upon them.
زخم یابد همچو گرگ از دست شیر
پیش شیر ابله بود کاو شد دلیر
He will suffer blows, like the wolf, from the Lion’s paw: foolish is he that waxed bold in the presence of the Lion.
کاشکی آن زخم بر تن آمدی
تا بدی کایمان و دل سالم بدی
Would that those blows fell upon the body, so that it might be that (the sinner’s) faith and heart would be safe!
قوتم بگسست چون اینجا رسید
چون توانم کرد این سر را پدید
My power is broken (fails me) on reaching this point: how can I declare this mystery?
همچو آن روبه کم اشکم کنید
پیش او روباه بازی کم کنید
Make little of your bellies, like that fox: do not play fox’s tricks in His presence.
جمله ما و من به پیش او نهید
ملک ملک اوست ملک او را دهید
Lay the whole of your “we” and “I” before Him: the kingdom is His kingdom: give the kingdom to Him.
چون فقیر آیید اندر راه راست
شیر و صید شیر خود آن شماست
When ye become poor (selfless) in the right Way, verily the Lion and the Lion’s prey are yours,
ز آنکه او پاک است و سبحان وصف اوست
بی‌‌نیاز است او ز نغز و مغز و پوست
Because He is holy, and Glory is His attribute: He hath no need of good things and kernel or rind.
هر شکار و هر کراماتی که هست
از برای بندگان آن شه است
Every prize and every gift of grace that exists is for the sake of the servants of that King (God).
نیست شه را طمع بهر خلق ساخت
این همه دولت خنک آن کاو شناخت
The King hath no desire (for anything): He hath made all this empire for His creatures. Happy is he that knew!
آن که دولت آفرید و دو سرا
ملک دولتها چه کار آید و را
Of what use should the possession of empires be to Him who created (all) empire and the two worlds?
پیش سبحان بس نگه دارید دل
تا نگردید از گمان بد خجل
In the presence of His Glory keep watch, then, over your hearts, lest ye be put to shame by thinking evil.
کاو ببیند سر و فکر و جستجو
همچو اندر شیر خالص تار مو
For He sees conscience and thought and quest (desire) as (plainly) as a thread of hair in pure milk.
آن که او بی‌‌نقش ساده سینه شد
نقشهای غیب را آیینه شد
He whose clear breast has become devoid of (any) image (impression) has become a mirror for the impressions of the Invisible.
سر ما را بی‌‌گمان موقن شود
ز آن که مومن آینه‌‌ی مومن شود
He becomes intuitively and undoubtingly aware of our inmost thought, because the true believer is the mirror of the true believer.
چون زند او نقد ما را بر محک
پس یقین را باز داند او ز شک
When he rubs our coin on the touchstone, then he knows the difference between faith and doubt.
چون شود جانش محک نقدها
پس ببیند قلب را و قلب را
When his soul becomes the touchstone of the coin, then he will see (distinguish) the (true) heart and the false money (of hypocrisy).
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