Masnavi-ye Maʿnavi by Rumi, in translations by Reynold A. Nicholson

How the Cadi was incensed fry the slap of the poor (sick) man and how the Súfi taunted the Cadi.

بخش 48–طیره شدن قاضی از سیلی درویش و سرزنش کردن صوفی قاضی را

The Cadi’s reply to the Súfi.

بخش 49–جواب دادن قاضی صوفی را

How the Súfi questioned the Cadi.

بخش 50–سؤال کردن آن صوفی قاضی را

The Cadi’s reply to the Súfi.

بخش 51–جواب گفتن آن قاضی صوفی را

How the Súfi again questioned the Cadi.

بخش 52–باز سؤال کردن صوفی از آن قاضی

The Cadi's answer to the questions of the Súfí, and how he adduced the Story of the Turk and the Tailor as a parable.

بخش 53–جواب قاضی سؤال صوفی را و قصهٔ ترک و درزی را مثل آوردن

The Prophet, on whom be peace, said, ‘Verily God teaches wisdom by the tongues of the preachers according to the measure of the aspirations of those who hear them.’

بخش 54–قال النبی علیه السلام ان الله تعالی یلقن الحکمة علی لسان الواعظین بقدر همم المستمعین

بخش 55–دعوی کردن ترک و گرو بستن او کی درزی از من چیزی نتواند بردن

How the tailor told laughable jests, and how the narrow eyes of the Turk were closed by the violence of his laughter, and how the tailor found an opportunity (to steal).

بخش 56–مضاحک گفتن درزی و ترک را از قوت خنده بسته شدن دو چشم تنگ او و فرصت یافتن درزی

How the tailor said to the Turk, “Hey, hold your tongue: if I tell any more funny stories the coat will be (too) tight for you.”

بخش 57–گفتن درزی ترک را هی خاموش کی اگر مضاحک دگر گویم قبات تنگ آید

Explaining that the idle folk who wish (to hear) stories are like the Turk, and that the deluding and treacherous World is like the tailor, and that lusts and women are (like) this World's telling laughable jokes, and that Life resembles the piece of satin placed before this Tailor to be made into a coat of eternity and a garment of piety.

بخش 58–بیان آنک بی‌کاران و افسانه‌جویان مثل آن ترک‌اند و عالم غرار غدار هم‌چو آن درزی و شهوات و زبان مضاحک گفتن این دنیاست و عمر هم‌چون آن اطلس پیش این درزی جهت قبای بقا و لباس تقوی ساختن

Parable.

بخش 59–مثل

How the Súfí repeated his questions.

بخش 60–باز مکرر کردن صوفی سؤال را

The Cadi's reply to the Súfí.

بخش 61–جواب دادن قاضی صوفی را

A Story setting forth that patience in bearing worldly affliction is easier than patience in bearing separation from the Beloved.

بخش 62–حکایت در تقریر آنک صبر در رنج کار سهل‌تر از صبر در فراق یار بود

Parable.

بخش 63–مثل

The remainder of the Story of the fakir who desired (to receive) his daily bread without (having recourse to) work as a means (of earning it).

بخش 64–باقی قصهٔ فقیر روزی‌طلب بی‌واسطهٔ کسب

Story of the treasure-scroll (in which it was written), “Beside a certain domed building turn your face towards the qibla (Mecca) and put an arrow to the bow and shoot: the treasure is (buried) at the spot where it falls.”

بخش 65–قصهٔ آن گنج‌نامه کی پهلوی قبه‌ای روی به قبله کن و تیر در کمان نه بینداز آنجا کی افتد گنجست

Conclusion of the Story of the fakir and (a description of) the signs indicating the position of the treasure.

بخش 66–تمامی قصهٔ آن فقیر و نشان جای آن گنج

How the news of this treasure became known and reached the ears of the king.

بخش 67–فاش شدن خبر این گنج و رسیدن به گوش پادشاه

How the king despaired of finding the treasure and became weary of searching for it.

بخش 68–نومید شدن آن پادشاه از یافتن آن گنج و ملول شدن او از طلب آن

How the king gave back the treasure-scroll to the fakir, saying, “Take it: we are quit of it.”

بخش 69–باز دادن شاه گنج‌نامه را به آن فقیر کی بگیر ما از سر این برخاستیم

Story of the disciple of Shaykh (Abú) Hasan Kharraqání, may God sanctify his spirit!

بخش 70–حکایت مرید شیخ حسن خرقانی قدس الله سره

How the new-comer asked the Shaykh's wife, “Where is the Shaykh? Where shall I look for him?” and the rude answer given by the Shaykh's wife.

بخش 71–پرسیدن آن وارد از حرم شیخ کی شیخ کجاست کجا جوییم و جواب نافرجام گفتن حرم

How the disciple answered that railing woman and bade her refrain from her unbelief and idle talk.

بخش 72–جواب گفتن مرید و زجر کردن مرید آن طعانه را از کفر و بیهوده گفتن

How the disciple turned back from the Shaykh's house and questioned the people (in the neighbourhood), and how they directed him, saying, “The Shaykh has gone to such and such a forest.”

بخش 73–واگشتن مرید از وثاق شیخ و پرسیدن از مردم و نشان دادن ایشان کی شیخ به فلان بیشه رفته است

How the disciple gained his wish and met the Shaykh near the forest.

بخش 74–یافتن مرید مراد را و ملاقات او با شیخ نزدیک آن بیشه

The (Divine) purpose in (saying), “Lo, I will place a viceroy in the earth.”

بخش 75–حکمت در انی جاعل فی الارض خلیفة

The evidentiary miracle of Húd, on whom be peace, in the deliverance of the true believers of the community at the moment when the Wind descended.

بخش 76–معجزهٔ هود علیه‌السلام در تخلص مؤمنان امت به وقت نزول باد

Returning to the Story of the dome and the treasure.

بخش 77–رجوع کردن به قصهٔ قبه و گنج

How the seeker of the treasure, after having searched much and having been reduced to helplessness and despair, turned to God most High, saying, “O Thou to whom manifestation belongs, do. Thou make this hidden thing evident!”

بخش 78–انابت آن طالب گنج به حق تعالی بعد از طلب بسیار و عجز و اضطرار کی ای ولی الاظهار تو کن این پنهان را آشکار

How the Voice from heaven called to the seeker of the treasure and acquainted him with the truth of the mysteries thereof.

بخش 79–آواز دادن هاتف مر طالب گنج را و اعلام کردن از حقیقت اسرار آن

Story of the three travellers—a Moslem, a Christian, and a Jew— who obtained (a gift of) some food at a hostelry. The Christian and the Jew had already eaten their fill, so they said, “Let us eat this food to- morrow.” The Moslem was fasting, and he remained hungry because he was overpowered (by his companions).

بخش 80–حکایت آن سه مسافر مسلمان و ترسا و جهود و آن کی به منزل قوتی یافتند و ترسا و جهود سیر بودند گفتند این قوت را فردا خوریم مسلمان صایم بود گرسنه ماند از آنک مغلوب بود

Story of the camel and the ox and the ram who found a bunch of grass on the road, and each said, “I will eat it.”

بخش 81–حکایت اشتر و گاو و قج که در راه بند گیاه یافتند هر یکی می‌گفت من خورم

Parable.

بخش 82–مثل

How the Moslem in reply told his companions, the Jew and the Christian, what he had seen (in his dream), and how they were disappointed.

بخش 83–جواب گفتن مسلمان آنچ دید به یارانش جهود و ترسا و حسرت خوردن ایشان

How the Sayyid, the King of Tirmid, proclaimed that he would give robes of honour and horses and slave-boys and slave-girls and a large sum in gold to any one who would go on urgent business to Samarcand (and complete the journey) in three or four days; and how Dalqak, having heard the news of this proclamation in the country (where he then was), came post-haste to the king, saying, “I, at all events, cannot go.”

بخش 84–منادی کردن سید ملک ترمد کی هر کی در سه یا چهار روز به سمرقند رود به فلان مهم خلعت و اسپ و غلام و کنیزک و چندین زر دهم و شنیدن دلقک خبر این منادی در ده و آمدن به اولاقی نزد شاه کی من باری نتوانم رفتن

Story of the attachment between the mouse and the frog: how they tied their legs together with a long string, and how a raven carried off the mouse, and how the frog was suspended (in the air) and lamented and repented of having attached himself to an animal of a different species instead of sorting with one of his own kind.

بخش 85–حکایت تعلق موش با چغز و بستن پای هر دو به رشته‌ای دراز و بر کشیدن زاغ موش را و معلق شدن چغز و نالیدن و پشیمانی او از تعلق با غیر جنس و با جنس خود ناساختن

How the mouse made an arrangement with the frog, saying, “I cannot come to you in the water when I want (to see you). There must be some means of communication between us, so that when I come to the river-bank I may be able to let you know, and when you come to the mouse-hole you may be able to let me know, etc.”

بخش 86–تدبیر کردن موش به چغز کی من نمی‌توانم بر تو آمدن به وقت حاجت در آب میان ما وصلتی باید کی چون من بر لب جو آیم ترا توانم خبر کردن و تو چون بر سر سوراخ موش‌خانه آیی مرا توانی خبر کردن الی آخره

How the mouse exerted himself to the utmost in supplication and humble entreaty and besought the water-frog to grant him access (at all times).

بخش 87–مبالغه کردن موش در لابه و زاری و وصلت جستن از چغز آبی

How the mouse humbly entreated the frog, saying, “Do not think of pretexts and do not defer the fulfilment of this request of mine, for ‘there are dangers in delay,’ and ‘the Súfí is the son of the moment.’” A son (child) does not withdraw his hand from the skirt of his father, and the Súfí's kind father, who is the “moment,” does not let him be reduced to the necessity of looking to the morrow (but) keeps him all the while absorbed, unlike the common folk, in (contemplation of) the garden of his (the father's) swift (immediate) reckoning. He (the Súfí) does not wait for the future. He is of the (timeless) River, not of Time, for “with God is neither morn nor eve”: there the past and the future and time without beginning and time without end do not exist: Adam is not prior nor is Dajjál (Antichrist) posterior. (All) these terms belong to the domain of the particular (discursive) reason and the animal soul: they are not (applicable) in the non-spatial and non-temporal world. Therefore he is the son of that “moment” by which is to be understood only a denial of the division of times (into several categories), just as (the statement) “God is One” is to be understood as a denial of duality, not as (expressing) the real nature of unity.

بخش 88–لابه کردن موش مر چغز را کی بهانه میندیش و در نسیه مینداز انجاح این حاجت مرا کی فی التاخیر آفات و الصوفی ابن الوقت و ابن دست از دامن پدر باز ندارد و اب مشفق صوفی کی وقتست او را بنگرش به فردا محتاج نگرداند چندانش مستغرق دارد در گلزار سریع الحسابی خویش نه چون عوام منتظر مستقبل نباشد نهری باشد نه دهری کی لا صباح عند الله و لا مساء ماضی و مستقبل و ازل و ابد آنجا نباشد آدم سابق و دجال مسبوق نباشد کی این رسوم در خطهٔ عقل جز وی است و روح حیوانی در عالم لا مکان و لا زمان این رسوم نباشد پس او ابن وقتیست کی لا یفهم منه الا نفی تفرقة الا زمنة چنانک از الله واحد فهم شود نفی دوی نی حقیقت واحدی

Story of the night-thieves with whom Sultan Mahmúd fell in during the night (and joined them), saying, “I am one of you”; and how he became acquainted with their affairs, etc.

بخش 89–حکایت شب دزدان کی سلطان محمود شب در میان ایشان افتاد کی من یکی‌ام از شما و بر احوال ایشان مطلع شدن الی آخره

Story of the sea-cow: how it brings up the royal pearl from the depths of the ocean and at night lays it on the seashore and feeds in the resplendence and lustre thereof; and how the trader comes forth from his hiding-place and, when the cow has gone some distance away from the pearl, covers the pearl with loam and black clay and runs off and climbs a tree; and so on to the end of the story and exposition.

بخش 90–قصهٔ آنک گاو بحری گوهر کاویان از قعر دریا بر آورد شب بر ساحل دریا نهد در درخش و تاب آن می‌چرد بازرگان از کمین برون آید چون گاو از گوهر دورتر رفته باشد بازرگان به لجم و گل تیره گوهر را بپوشاند و بر درخت گریزد الی آخر القصه و التقریب

Return to the Story of the mouse seeking the frog on the river-bank and pulling the string in order that the frog in the water might become aware of his seeking him.

بخش 91–رجوع کردن به قصهٔ طلب کردن آن موش آن چغز را لب‌لب جو و کشیدن سر رشته تا چغز را در آب خبر شود از طلب او

Story of ‘Abdu ’l-Ghawth and his being carried off by the peris and staying among them for years, and how after (many) years he returned to his (native) town and his children, but could not endure to be parted from the peris, because he was really their congener and spiritually one with them.

بخش 92–قصهٔ عبدالغوث و ربودن پریان او را و سالها میان پریان ساکن شدن او و بعد از سالها آمدن او به شهر و فرزندان خویش را باز ناشکیفتن او از آن پریان به حکم جنسیت و همدلی او با ایشان

Story of the man who had an allowance from the Police Inspector of Tabríz and had incurred (large) debts in expectation of that allowance, since he was unaware of his (the Inspector's) death. The gist (of the story is that) his debts were paid, not by any living person, but by the deceased Inspector, (for) as has been said, “He that died and found peace is not dead: the (real) dead one is the man (spiritually) dead among the (materially) living.”

بخش 93–داستان آن مرد کی وظیفه داشت از محتسب تبریز و وامها کرده بود بر امید آن وظیفه و او را خبر نه از وفات او حاصل از هیچ زنده‌ای وام او گزارده نشد الا از محتسب متوفی گزارده شد چنانک گفته‌اند لیس من مات فاستراح بمیت انما المیت میت الاحیاء

How Ja‘far, may God be well-pleased with him, advanced alone to capture a fortress, and how the king of the fortress consulted (his vizier) as to the means of repelling him, and how the vizier said to the king, “Beware! Surrender (it) and do not be so foolhardy as to hurl thyself upon him; for this man is (Divinely) aided and possesses in his soul a great collectedness (derived) from God,” etc.

بخش 94–آمدن جعفر رضی الله عنه به گرفتن قلعه به تنهایی و مشورت کردن ملک آن قلعه در دفع او و گفتن آن وزیر ملک را کی زنهار تسلیم کن و از جهل تهور مکن کی این مرد میدست و از حق جمعیت عظیم دارد در جان خویش الی آخره

Return to the Story of the man who incurred (great) debts and his coming to Tabríz in hope of (enjoying) the favour of the Inspector of Police.

بخش 95–رجوع کردن به حکایت آن شخص وام کرده و آمدن او به امید عنایت آن محتسب سوی تبریز

How the poor stranger was informed of the Inspector's death and begged God to pardon him for having relied upon a created being and having rested his hopes upon the bounty of a created being; and how he remembered the blessings he had received from God, and turned to God and repented of his sin: “then those who disbelieve equal (Him with others).”

بخش 96–باخبر شدن آن غریب از وفات آن محتسب و استغفار او از اعتماد بر مخلوق و تعویل بر عطای مخلوق و یاد نعمتهای حق کردنش و انابت به حق از جرم خود ثُمَّ الَّذینَ کَفَروا بِرَبِّهِمْ یَعْدِلونَ

Parable of the man who sees double. (He is) like the stranger in the town of Kásh (Káshán), whose name was ‘Umar. Because of this (name) they (refused to serve him and) passed him on from one shop to another. He did not perceive that all the shops were one in this respect that they (the shopkeepers) would not sell bread to (a person named) ‘Umar; (so he did not say to himself), “Here (and now) I will repair my error (and say), ‘I made a mistake: my name is not ‘Umar.’ When I recant and repair my error in this shop, I shall get bread from all the shops in the town; but if, without repairing my error, I still keep the name ‘Umar and depart from this shop (to another), (then) I am deprived (of bread) and seeing double, for I (shall) have deemed (all) these shops to be separate from each other.”

بخش 97–مثل دوبین هم‌چو آن غریب شهر کاش عمر نام کی از یک دکانش به سبب این به آن دکان دیگر حواله کرد و او فهم نکرد کی همه دکان یکیست درین معنی کی به عمر نان نفروشند هم اینجا تدارک کنم من غلط کردم نامم عمر نیست چون بدین دکان توبه و تدارک کنم نان یابم از همه دکان‌های این شهر و اگر بی‌تدارک هم‌چنین عمر نام باشم ازین دکان در گذرم محرومم و احولم و این دکان‌ها را از هم جدا دانسته‌ام