Against Those Who Deny the Afterlife
From Rumi’s Masnavi (مثنوی معنوی), Book 5, section 164 of 175: The argument of those who disbelieve in the after-life (حجت منکران آخرت و بیان ضعف آن حجت زیرا حجت ایشان به دین باز می‌گردد کی غیر این نمی‌بینیم). Below, each of its 12 couplets is given in Persian, followed by R. A. Nicholson’s English translation.
The argument of those who disbelieve in the after-life, and a demonstration of the weakness of that argument, since their argument amounts to “We do not see any other (world) than this.” حجت منکران آخرت و بیان ضعف آن حجت زیرا حجت ایشان به دین باز می‌گردد کی غیر این نمی‌بینیم
حجتش اینست گوید هر دمی گر بدی چیزی دگر هم دیدمی
This is his (the hypocrite’s) argument: he says at every moment, “If there were anything else, I should have seen it.”
گر نبیند کودکی احوال عقل عاقلی هرگز کند از عقل نقل
If a child does not see the various aspects of reason, will a rational person ever abandon reason?
ور نبیند عاقلی احوال عشق کم نگردد ماه نیکوفال عشق
And if a rational person does not see the various aspects of Love, (yet) the auspicious moon of Love does not wane.
حسن یوسف دیده‌ی اخوان ندید از دل یعقوب کی شد ناپدید
Joseph’s beauty was not seen by the eyes of his brethren, (but) when did it (ever) disappear from the heart of Jacob?
مر عصا را چشم موسی چوب دید چشم غیبی افعی و آشوب دید
The (physical) eye of Moses regarded the staff (rod) as wood; the eye of the Invisible beheld (in it) a serpent and (cause of) panic.
چشم سر با چشم سر در جنگ بود غالب آمد چشم سر حجت نمود
The eye of the head was in conflict with the eye of the heart: the eye of the heart prevailed (over the other) and displayed the proof.
چشم موسی دست خود را دست دید پیش چشم غیب نوری بد پدید
The (physical) eye of Moses regarded his hand as a hand, (but) to the eye of the Invisible it was a manifest light.
این سخن پایان ندارد در کمال پیش هر محروم باشد چون خیال
This matter hath no limit in perfection, (yet) it seems like a fancy to every one that is deprived (of the reality).
چون حقیقت پیش او فرج و گلوست کم بیان کن پیش او اسرار دوست
Since to him the reality is the pudendum and the gullet, do not expound the mysteries of the Beloved to him.
پیش ما فرج و گلو باشد خیال لاجرم هر دم نماید جان جمال
To us the pudendum and the gullet are a (mere) fancy; consequently the (Beloved) Soul displays His beauty (to us) at every moment. [To us the private parts and the gullet are a (mere) fancy; consequently the (Beloved) Soul displays His beauty (to us) at every moment.]
هر که را فرج و گلو آیین و خوست آن لکم دین ولی دین بهر اوست
Any one whose custom and habit is (addiction to) the pudendum and the gullet, for him (the fit answer) is “Unto you (your) religion and unto me (my) religion.”
با چنان انکار کوته کن سخن احمدا کم گوی با گبر کهن
Cut short thy talk with such (incarnate) scepticism: do not converse, O Ahmad, with the ancient infidel.
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by: Reza about (category: Masnavi, Persian Poetry)
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