Parable مثل
From Rumi’s Masnavi (مثنوی معنوی), Book 6, section 32 of 137: Parable مثل. Below, each of its 18 couplets is given in Persian, followed by R. A. Nicholson’s English translation.
آن‌چنان که کاروانی می‌رسید در دهی آمد دری را باز دید
Tis like (the tale of) the caravaneers (who) arrived and entered a village and found a certain door open.
آن یکی گفت اندرین برد العجوز تا بیندازیم اینجا چند روز
One (of them) said, “During this spell of cold weather let us unload (alight) here for a few days.”
بانگ آمد نه بینداز از برون وانگهانی اندر آ تو اندرون
A voice cried, “Nay, unload outside, and then come indoors!”
هم برون افکن هر آنچ افکندنیست در میا با آن کای ن مجلس سنیست
Drop outside everything that ought to be dropped: do not come in with it, for this assembly-place is of high dignity.”
بد هلال استاددل جان‌روشنی سایس و بنده‌ی امیری ممنی
Hilál was a spiritual adept and a man of illumined soul, (though he was) the groom and slave of a Moslem Amír.
سایسی کردی در آخر آن غلام لیک سلطان سلاطین بنده نام
The youth served as a groom in the stable, but (he was really) a king of kings and a slave (only) in name.
آن امیر از حال بنده بی‌خبر که نبودش جز بلیسانه نظر
The Amír was ignorant of his slave’s (real) condition, for he had no discernment but of the sort possessed by Iblís.
آب و گل می‌دید و در وی گنج نه پنج و شش می‌دید و اصل پنج نه
He saw the clay, but not the treasure (buried) in it: he saw the five (senses) and the six (directions), but not the source of the five.
رنگ طین پیدا و نور دین نهان هر پیمبر این چنین بد در جهان
The colour of clay is manifest, the light of religion is hidden: such was (the case of) every prophet in the world.
آن مناره دید و در وی مرغ نی بر مناره شاه‌بازی پر فنی
One (person) saw the minaret, but not the bird (perched) upon it, (though) upon the minaret (was) a fully accomplished royal falcon;
وان دوم می‌دید مرغی پرزنی لیک موی اندر دهان مرغ نی
And a second (observer) saw a bird flapping its wings, but not the hair in the bird’s mouth (beak);
وانک او ینظر به نور الله بود هم ز مرغ و هم ز مو آگاه بود
But that one who was seeing by the light of God was aware both of the bird and of the hair,
گفت آخر چشم سوی موی نه تا نبینی مو بنگشاید گره
And said (to the other), “Pray, direct thine eye towards the hair: till thou see the hair, the knot will not be untied.”
آن یکی گل دید نقشین دو وحل وآن دگر گل دید پر علم و عمل
The one saw in the mud (only) figured clay, while the other saw clay replete with knowledge and works.
تن مناره علم و طاعت هم‌چو مرغ خواه سیصد مرغ‌گیر و یا دو مرغ
The body is the minaret, knowledge and obedience (to God) are like the bird: suppose three hundred birds (to be perched on it) or (only) two birds, whichever you please.
مرد اوسط مرغ‌بینست او و بس غیر مرغی می‌نبیند پیش و پس
The middle man sees the bird only: neither before nor behind (him) does he see anything but a bird.
موی آن نور نیست پنهان آن مرغ هیچ عاریت نباشد کار او
The hair is the hidden light belonging to the bird, whereby the soul of the bird is enduring (for ever).
علم او از جان او جوشد مدام پیش او نه مستعار آمد نه وام
Its knowledge gushes perpetually from its soul: it (this bird) has nothing that is borrowed (from others) and (owes) no debt.
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by: Reza about (category: Masnavi, Persian Poetry)
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