The Guest Comes into the Mosque
From Rumi’s Masnavi (مثنوی معنوی), Book 3, section 170 of 185: How the guest came into the mosque (مهمان آمدن در آن مسجد). Below, each of its 7 couplets is given in Persian, followed by R. A. Nicholson’s English translation.
How the guest came into the mosque.مهمان آمدن در آن مسجد
تا یکی مهمان در آمد وقت شب کو شنیده بود آن صیت عجب
(So it continued) till a guest arrived at nightfall who had heard that marvellous rumour.
از برای آزمون می‌آزمود زانک بس مردانه و جان سیر بود
He was testing (it) in order to put (it) to the proof, for he was very valiant and surfeited with life.
گفت کم گیرم سر و اشکمبه‌ای رفته گیر از گنج جان یک حبه‌ای
He said (to himself), “I take little account of a (sheep’s) head and belly: suppose that one grain is gone from the spirit’s treasure, (what does it matter?)
صورت تن گو برو من کیستم نقش کم ناید چو من باقیستم
Let the bodily form go: who am I (in reality)? Is not the (bodily) figure of small account when I am enduring for ever?
چون نفخت بودم از لطف خدا نفخ حق باشم ز نای تن جدا
Since by the grace of God the (Divine) spirit was breathed into me, I am the breath of God (which is) kept apart from the windpipe of the body,
تا نیفتد بانگ نفخش این طرف تا رهد آن گوهر از تنگین صدف
To the end that the sound of His breathing should not fall in this direction, and that that (spiritual) pearl should escape from the narrow (bodily) shell.
چون تمنوا موت گفت ای صادقین صادقم جان را برافشانم برین
Since God said, ‘Desire death, O ye that are sincere,’ I am sincere: I will lavish my soul upon this (I will sacrifice my life for this object).”
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by: Reza about (category: Masnavi, Persian Poetry)
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