The Seven Trees Become One
From Rumi’s Masnavi (مثنوی معنوی), Book 3, section 88 of 185: How the seven trees became one (یک درخت شدن آن هفت درخت). Below, each of its 8 couplets is given in Persian, followed by R. A. Nicholson’s English translation.
How the seven trees became one. یک درخت شدن آن هفت درخت
گفت راندم پیشتر من نیکبخت باز شد آن هفت جمله یک درخت
He (Daqúqí) said, “I, the fortunate one, pushed forward; again all the seven (trees) became one tree.
هفت می‌شد فرد می‌شد هر دمی من چه سان می‌گشتم ازحیرت همی
At every moment they were becoming seven and (also) a single one: (you may imagine) what I was becoming like, through bewilderment.
بعد از آن دیدم درختان در نماز صف کشیده چون جماعت کرده ساز
After that, I beheld the trees (engaged) in the ritual prayer, drawn up in line and (properly) arranged like the congregation (of Moslems):
یک درخت از پیش مانند امام دیگران اندر پس او در قیام
One tree (was) in front like the Imám, the others (were) standing behind it.
آن قیام و آن رکوع و آن سجود از درختان بس شگفتم می‌نمود
That standing and kneeling and bowing low on the part of the trees seemed to me very marvellous.
یاد کردم قول حق را آن زمان گفت النجم و شجر را یسجدان
Then I called to mind the word of God: He said, concerning the stalkless plants and the trees, ‘they bow down.’
این درختان را نه زانو نه میان این چه ترتیب نمازست آنچنان
Those trees had neither knee nor waist: what (a marvel) is such a regulation (regular performance) of the ritual prayer (in their case)!
آمد الهام خدا کای با فروز می عجب داری ز کار ما هنوز
The Divine inspiration came (upon me), saying, ‘O illustrious one, art thou still wondering at Our action?’
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by: Reza about (category: Masnavi, Persian Poetry)
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