بخش 105 - روان شدن شه‌زادگان در ممالک پدر بعد از وداع کردن ایشان شاه را و اعادت کردن شاه وقت وداع وصیت را الی آخره

The (King's) three sons set out, in the fashion of (men equipped for) travel, to (visit) their father's (distant) possessions,

And to make a tour of his cities and fortresses for the purpose of regulating the administrative and economic conditions.

They kissed the King's hand and bade him farewell; then the King, (who is) obeyed (by all), said to them:

“Direct your course whithersoever your heart (inclination) may lead you, go (your way) under the protection of God, waving your hands (dancing joyously).

(Go anywhere) except to one fortress, the name of which is ‘the robber of reason’: it makes the coat tight for wearers of the tiara.

For God's sake, for God's sake, keep far away from that castle adorned with pictures, and beware of the peril!

The front and back of its towers and its roof and floor are all (covered with) images and decorations and pictures,

Like the chamber of Zalíkhá (which she made) full of pictures in order that Joseph should look upon her willy-nilly.

Since Joseph would not look at her, she cunningly filled the room with portraits of herself,

So that, wherever the fair-cheeked (youth) looked, he might see her face without having the power to choose.

The peerless God hath made (all) the six directions a theatre for the display of His signs to the clairvoyant,

In order that, whatever animal or plant they look upon, they may feed on the meadows of Divine Beauty.

Hence He said unto the company (of mystics), ‘Wheresoever ye turn, His Face is there.

If in thirst ye drink some water from a cup, ye are beholding God within the water.’

He that is not a lover (of God) sees in the water his own image, O man of insight;

(But) since the lover's image has disappeared in Him (the Beloved), whom now should he behold in the water? Tell (me that)!

Through the working of the Jealous One, they (the mystics) behold the beauty of God in the faces of the houris, like the moon (reflected) in water.

His jealousy is (directed) against a lover and sincere (adorer); His jealousy is not (directed) against a (human) devil and beast;

(But) if the devil become a lover (of God), he has carried off the palm: he has become a Gabriel and his devilish nature is dead.

(The meaning of) ‘the Devil became a true believer’ is made manifest on the occasion when by His (God's) grace a Yazíd becomes a Báyazíd.

This topic is endless. Beware, O company (of travellers), keep your faces (safe) from that fortress!

Oh, let not vain desire waylay you, or ye will fall into everlasting misery.

’Tis a bounden duty to abstain from peril: hear disinterested advice from me.

In seeking relief (from sorrow) ’tis better that one's wits should be sharp: ’tis better to abstain from (falling into) the ambuscade of tribulation.”

If their father had not spoken these words and had not warned them against that fortress,

Their party would never have approached the fortress, their desire would never have inclined towards it;

For it was not well-known: it was exceedingly remote and aloof from the (other) fortresses and the highways.

(But) when he (the King) uttered that prohibition, their hearts were thrown by his speech into vain desire and into the quarter of phantasy,

And, because of this prohibition, a craving arose in their hearts to investigate the secret of that (fortress).

Who is (to be found) that will refrain from the forbidden thing, since man longs eagerly for what is forbidden?

The veto causes the devout to hate (that which is vetoed); the veto incites the sensual to covet it.

Therefore He (God) leads many folk astray by this means, and by the same means He guides aright (many) a knowing heart.

How should the friendly dove be scared by the (fowler's) pipe? Nay, (only) the (wild) doves in the air are scared by that pipe.

Then they (the princes) said to him (the King), “We will perform the services (required of us), we will be intent on hearing and obeying (thy commands).

We will not turn aside from thy commands: ’twould be ingratitude to forget thy kindness”;

But, because of their reliance upon themselves, ’twas far from them to pronounce the saving clause and glorify God.

Mention of the saving clause and (of the need for) manifold precaution was made at the beginning of the Mathnawí.

If there are a hundred (religious) books, (yet) they are but one chapter: a hundred (different) regions seek but one place of worship.

(All) these roads end in one House: (all) these thousand ears of corn are from one Seed.

All the hundred thousand sorts of food and drink are (only) one thing in respect (of their final cause).

When you are entirely satiated with one (kind of food), fifty (other) foods become cold (displeasing) to your heart.

In hunger, then, you are seeing double, for you have regarded a single one as a hundred thousand.

We had (previously) told of the sickness of the handmaiden and (the story) of the physicians and also their lack of understanding—

How those physicians were like an unbridled horse, heedless of the rider and having no profit (of him).

(Though) their palates were covered with sores made by the impact of the bit, and their hooves wounded by (continually) changing step,

They had not become aware (of the truth and never said to themselves), “Lo, on our back is a nimble Trainer who displays masterly skill.

Our turning the head to and fro is not caused by this bit, but only by the control of a successful Rider.

We (are like those who) went into the gardens to gather roses: they seemed to be roses, but they were (really) thorns.”

It never occurred to them to ask, (prompted) by reason, “Who is kicking (bruising) our throats?”

Those (worldly-wise) physicians (are) so enthralled by the secondary cause (that) they have become blind to God's contrivance.

If you tether an ox in a stall and then find an ass in the place of the ox,

’Twould be asinine carelessness, like (that of) a man in slumber, not to inquire who is the secret agent (that has effected the substitution).

(Yet) you never said, “Let me see who this changer is: he is not visible; surely, he is a celestial being.”

You have shot an arrow to the right and have seen your arrow go to the left.

You have ridden in chase of a deer and have made yourself the prey of a hog.

You have run after some gain for the purpose of stuffing yourself: the gain has not reached (you) and you have been cast into prison.

You have dug pits for others and have seen yourself fall into them.

Since the Lord has disappointed you in regard to the means (of obtaining your desire), then why do not you become suspicious of the means?

Many a one has become an emperor by dint of toil, while (many) another has been made destitute by that (same) toil.

Many a one has been made (rich as) Qárún by marriage, and many a one has been made bankrupt by marriage.

The means, then, is turning about, like the tail of an ass: ’tis better not to rely upon it.

And if you take the means, you should not take it boldly, for beneath it there are many hidden banes.

This prudence and precaution is the gist of the saving clause, for this (Divine) decree (often) makes the ass appear to be a goat.

Although he whose eye it (the Divine decree) has bandaged is clever, (yet) because of his seeing double, in his eyes the ass is a goat.

Since God is the Turner of eyes, who (else) should turn the heart and the thoughts?

(Hence) you deem a pit to be a pleasant house, you deem a trap to be a dainty bait.

This is not sophistry (scepticism), it is God's turning: it shows where the realities are.

He who denies the realities is wholly involved in a phantasy.

He does not say (to himself), “Thy thinking (that all is) phantasy (illusion) is also a phantasy: rub an eye (and see)!”