The Vizier Sows Doubt Among the Christians
From Rumi’s Masnavi (مثنوی معنوی), Book 1, section 14 of 171: How the vizier brought the Christians into doubt and perplexity (تلبیس وزیر با نصارا). Below, each of its 30 couplets is given in Persian, followed by R. A. Nicholson’s English translation.
How the vizier brought the Christians into doubt and perplexity تلبیس وزیر با نصارا
پس بگویم من به سر نصرانی‌‌ام
ای خدای راز دان می‌‌دانی‌‌ام
Then I will say (to them), ‘I am secretly a Christian. O God who knowest (all) things hidden, Thou knowest me.
شاه واقف گشت از ایمان من
وز تعصب کرد قصد جان من
The king was informed of my (Christian) faith and from bigotry sought to take my life.
خواستم تا دین ز شه پنهان کنم
آن که دین اوست ظاهر آن کنم
I wished to hide my religion from the king and profess his religion,
شاه بویی برد از اسرار من
متهم شد پیش شه گفتار من
(But) the king got a scent of my inmost beliefs, and my words were suspected (when I stood) before the king.
گفت گفت تو چو در نان سوزن است
از دل من تا دل تو روزن است
He said, “Your words are like a needle in bread (specious but pernicious); there is a window between my heart and yours.
من از آن روزن بدیدم حال تو
حال تو دیدم ننوشم قال تو
Through that window I have seen your (real) state: I see your state and will not heed your words.”
گر نبودی جان عیسی چاره‌‌ام
او جهودانه بکردی پاره‌‌ام
Had not the spirit of Jesus been my aid, he would in Jewish fashion have torn me to pieces.
بهر عیسی جان سپارم سر دهم
صد هزاران منتش بر خود نهم
For Jesus’ sake I would yield my life and give my head and lay on myself (confess) myriads of obligations to him.
جان دریغم نیست از عیسی و لیک
واقفم بر علم دینش نیک نیک
I do not grudge Jesus my life, but full well am I versed in the knowledge of his religion.
حیف می‌‌آمد مرا کان دین پاک
در میان جاهلان گردد هلاک
Grief was coming over me (it seemed to me a pity) that that holy religion should perish amongst those who are ignorant (of it).
شکر ایزد را و عیسی را که ما
گشته‌‌ایم آن کیش حق را رهنما
Thanks be to God and to Jesus that I have become a guide to the true faith.
از جهود و از جهودی رسته‌‌ام
تا به زناری میان را بسته‌‌ام
I have escaped from Jews and Judaism so (entirely) that I have bound my waist with a (Christian) girdle.
دور دور عیسی است ای مردمان
بشنوید اسرار کیش او به جان
The (present) epoch is the epoch of Jesus. O men, hearken with your souls unto the mysteries of his religion!’”
کرد با وی شاه آن کاری که گفت
خلق حیران مانده ز ان مکر نهفت
The king did to him that deed (mutilation) which he had proposed: the people remained in amazement at that hidden (mysterious) plot.
راند او را جانب نصرانیان
کرد در دعوت شروع او بعد از آن
He (the king) drove him away to the Christians. After that, he (the vizier) began to proselytise.
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