Contentment with Infidelity and Destiny
From Rumi’s Masnavi (مثنوی معنوی), Book 3, section 48 of 185: Reconciliation of these two Traditions (توفیق میان این دو حدیث کی الرضا بالکفر کفر و حدیث دیگر من لم یرض بقضایی فلیطلب ربا سوای). Below, each of its 14 couplets is given in Persian, followed by R. A. Nicholson’s English translation.
Reconciliation of these two Traditions: “To be satisfied with infidelity is an act of infidelity,” and “If any one is not satisfied with My ordainment, let him seek a lord other than Me.” توفیق میان این دو حدیث کی الرضا بالکفر کفر و حدیث دیگر من لم یرض بقضایی فلیطلب ربا سوای
دی سالی کرد سایل مر مرا زانک عاشق بود او بر ماجرا
Yesterday an inquirer put a question to me, because he was fond of disputation.
گفت نکته‌ی الرضا بالکفر کفر این پیمبر گفت و گفت اوست مهر
He said, “This Prophet uttered the deep saying, ‘To be satisfied with infidelity is an act of infidelity’; his words are (conclusive like) a seal.
باز فرمود او که اندر هر قضا مر مسلمان را رضا باید رضا
Again, he said that the Moslem must be satisfied (acquiesce) in every ordainment, must be satisfied.
نه قضای حق بود کفر و نفاق گر بدین راضی شوم باشد شقاق
Is not infidelity and hypocrisy the ordainment of God? If I become satisfied with this (infidelity), ’twill be opposition (disobedience to God),
ور نیم راضی بود آن هم زیان پس چه چاره باشدم اندر میان
And if I am not satisfied, that too will be detrimental: between (these two alternatives), then, what means (of escape) is there for me?”
گفتمش این کفر مقضی نه قضاست هست آثار قضا این کفر راست
I said to him, “This infidelity is the thing ordained, it is not the ordainment; this infidelity is truly the effects of the ordainment.
پس قضا را خواجه از مقضی بدان تا شکالت دفع گردد در زمان
Therefore know (distinguish), sire, the ordainment from the thing ordained, so that thy difficulty may be removed at once.
راضیم در کفر زان رو که قضاست نه ازین رو که نزاع و خبث ماست
I acquiesce in infidelity in that respect that it is the ordainment (of God), not in this respect that it is our contentiousness and wickedness.
کفر از روی قضا خود کفر نیست حق را کافر مخوان اینجا مه‌ایست
In respect of the ordainment, infidelity indeed is not infidelity. Do not call God ‘infidel,’ do not stand here.
کفر جهلست و قضای کفر علم هر دو کی یک باشد آخر حلم و خلم
Infidelity is ignorance, and the ordainment of infidelity is knowledge: how, pray, should hilm (forbearance) and khilm (anger) both be one (and the same)?
زشتی خط زشتی نقاش نیست بلک از وی زشت را بنمودنیست
The ugliness of the script is not the ugliness of the artist; nay, ’tis an exhibition of the ugly by him.
قوت نقاش باشد آنک او هم تواند زشت کردن هم نکو
The power (skill) of the artist is that he can make both the ugly and the beautiful.”
گر کشانم بحث این را من بساز تا سال و تا جواب آید دراز
If I develop the investigation of this (subject) methodically, so that question and answer become lengthy,
ذوق نکته‌ی عشق از من می‌رود نقش خدمت نقش دیگر می‌شود
The savour of Love’s mystery will go from me, the form of piety will be deformed.
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by: Reza about (category: Masnavi, Persian Poetry)
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