How to Know People’s Hidden Thoughts
From Rumi’s Masnavi (مثنوی معنوی), Book 5, section 117 of 175: The means of knowing people's hidden thoughts (سبب دانستن ضمیرهای خلق). Below, each of its 5 couplets is given in Persian, followed by R. A. Nicholson’s English translation.
The means of knowing people’s hidden thoughts. سبب دانستن ضمیرهای خلق
چون دل آن آب زینها خالیست عکس روها از برون در آب جست
(Only) when the heart of that water is void of these (defilements), does the reflexion of the (inward) aspects (of all things) dart into the water.
پس ترا باطن مصفا ناشده خانه پر از دیو و نسناس و دده
Therefore, unless your interior has been purified, (and while) the (heart’s) house is full of demons and monsters and wild beasts,
ای خری ز استیزه ماند در خری کی ز ارواح مسیحی بو بری
O ass who have obstinately remained in asininity, how will you get scent of (apprehend) the (life-giving) breaths which resemble those of the Messiah?
کی شناسی گر خیالی سر کند کز کدامین مکمنی سر بر کند
If a phantasy appear (in your heart), how will you know from what hiding-place it springs forth?
چون خیالی می‌شود در زهد تن تا خیالات از درونه روفتن
Ere (all) phantasies are swept from the inward part, the body will become (insubstantial) as a phantasy in (consequence of) renunciation.
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by: Reza about (category: Masnavi, Persian Poetry)
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