Translations
Masnavi-ye Maʿnavi by Rumi, in translations by Reynold A. Nicholson
This page shows only poems with translations by Reynold A. Nicholson.
957Poems
Poems with translations
How Solomon, on whom be peace, sent a threatening message to Bilqis, saying, “Do not think to persist in polytheism and do not make delay.”
بخش 32تهدید فرستادن سلیمان علیهالسلام پیش بلقیس کی اصرار میندیش بر شرک و تاخیر مکن
EnglishAudio
How Solomon, on whom be peace, explained (to Bilqis), saying, “My labour in (bringing about) thy (conversion to the) Faith is purely for God’s sake: I have not one atom of self-interest, either as regards thy person or thy beauty or thy kingdom. Thou thyself wilt see (this) when the eye of thy spirit is opened by the light of God.”
بخش 33پیدا کردن سلیمان علیهالسلام کی مرا خالصا لامر الله جهدست در ایمان تو یک ذره غرضی نیست مرا نه در نفس تو و حسن تو و نه در ملک تو خود بینی چون چشم جان باز شود به نورالله
English
The remainder of the story of Ibrahim son of Adham, may God sanctify his spirit.
بخش 34باقی قصهٔ ابراهیم ادهم قدسالله سره
English
The rest of the story of the people of Saba, and of the admonition and guidance given by Solomon, on whom be peace, to the kinsfolk of Bilqis—to every one (the particular guidance) suitable to his religious and spiritual difficulties; and how he caught (decoyed) each sort of conceptional bird with the whistle and bait proper for that sort of bird.
بخش 35بقیهٔ قصهٔ اهل سبا و نصیحت و ارشاد سلیمان علیهالسلام آل بلقیس را هر یکی را اندر خور خود و مشکلات دین و دل او و صید کردن هر جنس مرغ ضمیری به صفیر آن جنس مرغ و طعمهٔ او
English
How Bilqis was freed from her kingdom and was intoxicated with longing for the Faith, and how at the moment of her (spiritual) emigration the regard of her desire became severed from the whole of her kingdom except from her throne.
بخش 36آزاد شدن بلقیس از ملک و مست شدن او از شوق ایمان و التفات همت او از همهٔ ملک منقطع شدن وقت هجرت الا از تخت
English
How Solomon, on whom be peace, devised a plan for bringing the throne of Bilqis from Saba.
بخش 37چاره کردن سلیمان علیهالسلام در احضار تخت بلقیس از سبا
English
Story of Halíma's asking help of the idols when she lost Mustafá (Mohammed)—on whom be peace—after he was weaned, and how the idols trembled and prostrated themselves and bore witness to the grandeur of Mohammed's estate—may God bless and save him!
بخش 38قصهٔ یاری خواستن حلیمه از بتان چون عقیب فطام مصطفی را علیهالسلام گم کرد و لرزیدن و سجدهٔ بتان و گواهی دادن ایشان بر عظمت کار مصطفی صلیالله علیه و سلم
English
Story of the old Arab who directed Halíma to seek help from the idols.
بخش 39حکایت آن پیر عرب کی دلالت کرد حلیمه را به استعانت به بتان
English
How ‘Abdu ’l-Muttalib, the grandfather of Mustafá (Mohammed), got news of Halíma's having lost Mohammed, on whom be peace, and searched for him round the city and made lamentation at the door of the Ka‘ba and besought God and found him (Mohammed), on whom be peace.
بخش 40خبر یافتن جد مصطفی عبدالمطلب از گم کردن حلیمه محمد را علیهالسلام و طالب شدن او گرد شهر و نالیدن او بر در کعبه و از حق درخواستن و یافتن او محمد را علیهالسلام
English
How ‘Abdu ’l-Muttalib asked for a clue to the place where Mohammed was—peace be upon him!—saying, “Where shall I find him?” and how he was answered from within the Ka‘ba and obtained the clue.
بخش 41نشان خواستن عبدالمطلب از موضع محمد علیهالسلام کی کجاش یابم و جواب آمدن از اندرون کعبه و نشان یافتن
English
The rest of the story of (the Divine) Mercy’s calling Bilqis.
بخش 42بقیهٔ قصهٔ دعوت رحمت بلقیس را
English
Parable of Man's being contented with (the goods of) this world, and his greed in seeking (them) and his indifference to the high and blessed estate of the spiritual who are his congeners (and are) crying, “Oh, would that my people might know!”
بخش 43مثل قانع شدن آدمی به دنیا و حرص او در طلب دنیا و غفلت او از دولت روحانیان کی ابنای جنس ویاند و نعرهزنان کی یا لَیْتَ قَوْمي یَعْلَمونَ
English
The rest of the story of Solomon, on whom be peace: how he built the Farther Mosque (the Temple of Solomon) by instruction and inspiration from God, (given to him) for wise purposes which He (only) knows; and how angels, demons, genies, and men lent visible aid.
بخش 44بقیهٔ عمارت کردن سلیمان علیهالسلام مسجد اقصی را به تعلیم و وحی خدا جهت حکمتهایی کی او داند و معاونت ملایکه و دیو و پری و آدمی آشکارا
English
Story of the poet and how the king gave him a reward and how the vizier, whose name was Bu ’l-Hasan, made it many times greater.
بخش 45قصهٔ شاعر و صله دادن شاه و مضاعف کردن آن وزیر بوالحسن نام
English
How after several years the poet came back in the hope of (receiving) the same reward, and how the king according to his custom ordered a thousand dinars to be given to him, and how the new vizier, who was also named Hasan, said to the king, “This is very much: we have (great) expenses and the treasury is empty, and I will satisfy him with a tenth of that (sum).”
بخش 46باز آمدن آن شاعر بعد چند سال به امید همان صله و هزار دینار فرمودن بر قاعدهٔ خویش و گفتن وزیر نو هم حسن نام شاه را کی این سخت بسیارست و ما را خرجهاست و خزینه خالیست و من او را بده یک آن خشنود کنم
English
The resemblance of the bad judgement of this base vizier in corrupting the king's generosity to (that of) the vizier of Pharaoh, namely, Hámán, in corrupting the readiness of Pharaoh to receive (the true Faith).
بخش 47مانستن بدرایی این وزیر دون در افساد مروت شاه به وزیر فرعون یعنی هامان در افساد قابلیت فرعون
English
How the Demon sat on the place (throne) of Solomon, on whom be peace, and imitated his actions; and concerning the manifest difference between the two Solomons, and how the Demon called himself Solomon son of David.
بخش 48نشستن دیو بر مقام سلیمان علیهالسلام و تشبه کردن او به کارهای سلیمان علیهالسلام و فرق ظاهر میان هر دو سلیمان و دیو خویشتن را سلیمان بن داود نام کردن
English
How Solomon, on whom be peace, entered the Farther Mosque daily, after its completion, for the purpose of worshipping and directing the worshippers and devotees; and how medicinal herbs grew in the Mosque.
بخش 49درآمدن سلیمان علیهالسلام هر روز در مسجد اقصی بعد از تمام شدن جهت عبادت و ارشاد عابدان و معتکفان و رستن عقاقیر در مسجد
English
How Qábíl (Cain) learned the trade of grave-digging from the crow (raven), before knowledge of grave-digging and graves existed in the world.
بخش 50آموختن پیشه گورکنی قابیل از زاغ پیش از آنک در عالم علم گورکنی و گور بود
English
Story of the Súfí who, head on knee, was engaged in (spiritual) meditation in the garden: his friends said to him, “Lift up thy head and enjoy the garden and the sweet herbs and the birds and the marks of the mercy of God most High.”
بخش 51قصهٔ صوفی کی در میان گلستان سر به زانو مراقب بود یارانش گفتند سر برآور تفرج کن بر گلستان و ریاحین و مرغان و آثار رحمةالله تعالی
English
Story of the growing of the carob in a nook of the Farther Mosque, and how Solomon, on whom be peace, was grieved thereat, when it began to talk with him and told its characteristic property and its name
بخش 52قصهٔ رستن خروب در گوشهٔ مسجد اقصی و غمگین شدن سلیمان علیهالسلام از آن چون به سخن آمد با او و خاصیت و نام خود بگفت
English
Explaining that the acquisition of knowledge and wealth and rank by men of evil nature is the (means of) exposing him (such a one) to shame and ü like a sword that has fallen into the hand of a brigand.
بخش 53بیان آنک حصول علم و مال و جاه بدگوهران را فضیحت اوست و چون شمشیریست کی افتادست به دست راهزن
English
Commentary on “O thou that wrappest thyself.”
بخش 54تفسیر یا ایها المزمل
English
Showing that (the proverb), “Omission to reply is a reply,” confirms the saying that silence is the (proper) reply to the fool. The explanation of both these (sayings) is (contained) in the story which will now be related.
بخش 55در بیان آنک ترک الجواب جواب مقرر این سخن کی جواب الاحمق سکوت شرح این هر دو درین قصه است کی گفته میآید
English
In exposition of the following Hadíth of Mustafá (Mohammed), on whom be peace: “Verily, the most High God created the angels and set reason in them, and He created the beasts and set lust in them, and He created the sons of Adam and set in them reason and lust; and he whose reason prevails over his lust is higher than the angels, and he whose lust prevails over his reason is lower than the beasts.”
بخش 56در تفسیر این حدیث مصطفی علیهالسلام کی ان الله تعالی خلق الملائکة و رکب فیهم العقل و خلق البهائم و رکب فیها الشهوة و خلق بنی آدم و رکب فیهم العقل و الشهوة فمن غلب عقله شهوته فهو اعلی من الملائکة و من غلب شهوته عقله فهو ادنی من البهائم
English
In exposition of the following Verse: “and as for those in whose hearts is a disease, it (each new Súra of the Qur’án) added unto their uncleanness (wicked unbelief)”; and of His Word: “thereby He letteth many be led astray, and thereby He letteth many be guided aright.”
بخش 57در تفسیر این آیت کی و اما الذین فی قلوبهم مرض فزادتهم رجسا و قوله یضل به کثیرا و یهدی به کثیرا
English
The battle of the reason against the flesh is like the contention of Majnún with his she camel: Majnún's inclination is towards the noble woman (Laylá), while the she camel's inclination is (to go) back towards her foal, as Majnún said (in verse): “My she-camel's love is behind me, while my love is in front of me; and verily I and she are discordant.”
بخش 58چالیش عقل با نفس هم چون تنازع مجنون با ناقه میل مجنون سوی حره میل ناقه واپس سوی کره چنانک گفت مجنون هوا ناقتی خلفی و قدامی الهوی و انی و ایاها لمختلفان
English
How the slave wrote to the King a statement complaining of the reduction of his allowance
بخش 59نوشتن آن غلام قصهٔ شکایت نقصان اجری سوی پادشاه
English
Story of the divine with a big turban and the man who carried it off, and how he (the divine) shouted, “Undo it and see what you are taking: then take it (if you wish)!”
بخش 60حکایت آن فقیه با دستار بزرگ و آنک بربود دستارش و بانگ میزد کی باز کن ببین کی چه میبری آنگه ببر
English
The World's mute admonition to worldlings, and how it displays its faithlessness to those who have hope of its keeping faith (with them).
بخش 61نصیحت دنیا اهل دنیا را به زبان حال و بیوفایی خود را نمودن به وفا طمع دارندگان ازو
English
Explaining that the gnostic hath a nutriment (consisting) of the Light of God, for (the Prophet said), “I pass the night with my Lord: He giveth me meat and drink”; and “Hunger is God's food whereby He revives the bodies of the siddíqs,” that is, “in hunger God's food reaches (them).”
بخش 62بیان آنک عارف را غذاییست از نور حق کی ابیت عند ربی یطعمنی و یسقینی و قوله الجوع طعام الله یحیی به ابدان الصدیقین ای فی الجوع یصل طعامالله
English
Commentary on “Moses conceived a fear in his heart: We said, ‘Fear not, verily thou wilt be the superior.’”
بخش 63تفسیر اوجس فی نفسه خیفة موسی قلنا لا تخف انک انت الاعلی
English
Warning the pretender to shun pretension and enjoining him to follow (the true guide).
بخش 64زجر مدعی از دعوی و امر کردن او را به متابعت
English
The rest of the story of the slave’s writing a petition for his allowance.
بخش 65بقیهٔ نوشتن آن غلام رقعه به طلب اجری
English
Story of the encomiast who from regard for reputation was thanking the object of his praise, while the scent (signs) of his inward grief and pain and the shabbiness of his outward garb showed that those expressions of gratitude were vain and false.
بخش 66حکایت آن مداح کی از جهت ناموس شکر ممدوح میکرد و بوی اندوه و غم اندرون او و خلاقت دلق ظاهر او مینمود کی آن شکرها لافست و دروغ
English
How the divine physicians detect diseases, religious and spiritual, in the countenance of friend or stranger and in the tones of his speech and the colour of his eyes, and even without all these (indications), by the way of the heart; for “verily, they are spies on the hearts (of men); therefore behave with sincerity when ye sit with them.”
بخش 67دریافتن طبیبان الهی امراض دین و دل را در سیمای مرید و بیگانه و لحن گفتار او و رنگ چشم او و بی این همه نیز از راه دل کی انهم جواسیس القلوب فجالسوهم بالصدق
English
How Abú Yazíd (Bistámí) announced the birth of Abu ’l-Hasan Kharraqání—may God sanctify the spirit of them both—(many) years before it took place, and gave a detailed description of his outer and inner characteristics; and how the chronologers wrote it down for the purpose of observation.
بخش 68مژده دادن ابویزید از زادن ابوالحسن خرقانی قدس الله روحهما پیش از سالها و نشان صورت او سیرت او یک به یک و نوشتن تاریخنویسان آن در جهت رصد
EnglishAudio
The words of the Prophet, may God bless and save him, “Verily, I feel the Breath of the Merciful (God) from the direction of Yemen.”
بخش 69قول رسول صلی الله علیه و سلم انی لاجد نفس الرحمن من قبل الیمن
EnglishAudio
The reduction of the allowance of God’s food for the soul and heart of the Súfí .
بخش 70نقصان اجرای جان و دل صوفی از طعام الله
EnglishAudio
How the slave was indignant because no reply to his letter arrived from the king.
بخش 71آشفتن آن غلام از نارسیدن جواب رقعه از قبل پادشاه
EnglishAudio
How the wind blew perversely against Solomon, on whom be peace, because of his lapse.
بخش 72کژ وزیدن باد بر سلیمان علیهالسلام به سبب زلت او
EnglishAudio
How Shaykh Abu ’l-Hasan, may God be well-pleased with him, heard Báyazíd's announcement of his coming into existence and of what should happen to him.
بخش 73شنیدن شیخ ابوالحسن رضی الله عنه خبر دادن ابویزید را و بود او و احوال او
EnglishAudio
How the slave wrote another letter to the king when he received no reply to the first letter.
بخش 74رقعهٔ دیگر نوشتن آن غلام پیش شاه چون جواب آن رقعهٔ اوّل نیافت
English
Story that some one was consulting another, who said, “Consult some one else, for I am your enemy.”
بخش 75قصهٔ آنک کسی به کسی مشورت میکرد گفتش مشورت با دیگری کن کی من عدوی توم
English
How the Prophet, on whom be peace, appointed a youth of Hudhayl to be commander of an expeditionary force in which there were elders and veteran warriors.
بخش 76امیر کردن رسول علیهالسلام جوان هذیلی را بر سریهای کی در آن پیران و جنگ آزمودگان بودند
English
How an objector objected to the Prophet's—on whom be peace— appointing the man of Hudhayl to be commander.
بخش 77اعتراض کردن معترضی بر رسول علیهالسلام بر امیر کردن آن هذیلی
English
How Mustafá, on whom be peace, answered the objector.
بخش 78جواب گفتن مصطفی علیهالسلام اعتراض کننده را
English
Story of Báyazíd's—may God sanctify his spirit—saying, “Glory to me! How grand is my estate!” and the objection raised by his disciples, and how he gave them an answer to this, not by the way of speech but by the way of vision (immediate experience).
بخش 79قصهٔ «سُبْحانی، ما اَعْظَمَ شَأْنی» گفتن ابویزید قدّس الله سرّه و اعتراض مریدان و جواب این مر ایشان را نه به طریق گفت زبان بلک از راه عیان
English
Explaining the cause of the eloquence and loquacity of that impertinent man in the presence of the Prophet, on whom be peace.
بخش 80بیان سبب فصاحت و بسیارگویی آن فضول به خدمت رسول علیهالسلام
English
How the Prophet, on whom be peace, explained the cause of his preferring and choosing the (young) man of Hudhayl as commander and chief of the army over the heads of the elders and veterans.
بخش 81بیان رسول علیه السلام سبب تفضیل و اختیار کردن او آن هذیلی را به امیری و سرلشکری بر پیران و کاردیدگان
English