On Mute Eloquence
From Rumi’s Masnavi (مثنوی معنوی), Book 2, section 106 of 113: On mute eloquence and the understanding of it (سخن گفتن به زبان حال و فهم کردن آن). Below, each of its 22 couplets is given in Persian, followed by R. A. Nicholson’s English translation.
On mute eloquence and the understanding of it. سخن گفتن به زبان حال و فهم کردن آن
ماجرای شمع با پروانه نیز
بشنو و معنی گزین کن ای عزیز
Listen to what passes between the moth and the candle, and pick out the meaning from the tale.
گر چه گفتی نیست سر گفت هست
هین ببالا پر مپر چون جغد پست
Albeit there is no speech, there is the inmost soul of speech. Come, fly aloft, do not fly low, like the owl.
گفت در شطرنج کاین خانهی رخ است
گفت خانه از کجاش آمد بدست
He (the player) at chess said, “This is the house of the rook.” “By what way,” said he (the literalist), “did the house come into its hands?
خانه را بخرید یا میراث یافت
فرخ آن کس کاو سوی معنی شتافت
Did it buy the house, or inherit it?” Happy is he that sped towards the (real) meaning!
گفت نحوی زید عمرا قد ضرب
گفت چونش کرد بیجرمی ادب
A grammarian said, “Zayd has struck ‘Amr.” Said (the fool), “How did he chastise him without any offence (on his part)?
عمرو را جرمش چه بد کان زید خام
بیگنه او را بزد همچون غلام
What was ‘Amr’s offence, that that rude Zayd struck him, innocent (though he was), as (if he were) a slave?”
گفت این پیمانهی معنی بود
گندمی بستان که پیمانه است رد
He (the grammarian) replied, “This (form of words) is (only) the measure (container) of the meaning signified: take some wheat, for the measure is (to be) rejected.
زید و عمرو از بهر اعراب است و ساز
گر دروغ است آن تو با اعراب ساز
Zayd and ‘Amr are for the purpose of (showing) the declension and (grammatical) construction: if that (statement that Zayd struck ‘Amr) is untrue, make up with the declension.”
گفت نه من آن ندانم عمرو را
زید چون زد بیگناه و بیخطا
“Nay,” said he, “I don’t know about that. How did Zayd strike ‘Amr without (his committing any) crime or fault?”
گفت از ناچار و لاغی بر گشود
عمرو یک واو فزون دزدیده بود
He (the grammarian) in desperation started a joke and said, “‘Amr had stolen a superfluous wáw.
زید واقف گشت دزدش را بزد
چون که از حد برد او را حد سزد
Zayd became aware, and struck the stealer of it: since he (‘Amr) carried it beyond bounds (transgressed the law), the punishment serves him right.”
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