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).
شاعر: رومی
وزن: فاعلاتن فاعلاتن فاعلن (رمل مسدس محذوف یا وزن مثنوی)
صنف: مثنوی
Here listen to a story, O son, in order that you may not suffer affliction in (relying upon) talent.
As it happened, a Jew and a true believer and a Christian travelled together on a journey.
A true believer travelled along with two miscreants, like reason (associated) with a carnal soul and Devil.
In travel the man of Merv and the man of Rayy meet one another as companions on the road and at table.
Crow and owl and falcon come (as captives) into the (same) cage: the holy and the irreligious become mates in prison.
At night Easterners and Westerners and Transoxanians make their abode in the same caravanseray.
Small and great (folk) remain together for days in the caravanseray because of frost and snow.
As soon as the road is opened and the obstacle removed, they separate and every one goes in a (different) direction.
When sovereign Reason breaks the cage, all the birds fly away, each one to a (different) quarter.
Before this (deliverance) each one, full of longing and lament, spreads its wings towards its destination, in desire for its mate.
At every moment it spreads its wings with tears and sighs, but it has no room or way to fly.
(As soon as) way is made, each one flies like the wind towards that in remembrance of which it spread its wings.
Its way, when it gains the opportunity, is towards the region whither its tears and sighs were (directed).
Consider your own body: from what places were these corporeal parts (elements and faculties) collected in the body—
Watery and earthen and airy and fiery, celestial and terrestrial, (some) of Rúm and (some) of Kash.
In this (bodily) caravanseray one and all, from fear of the snow, have closed their eyes to the hope of returning (to their final destination).
The various snows are (symbolise) the congelation of every inanimate thing in the winter of farness from that Sun of justice.
(But) when the heat of the angry Sun flames (forth), the mountain becomes now (like) sand and now (like) wool.
The gross inanimate things dissolve, like the dissolution of the body at the hour of the spirit's departure.
When these three fellow-travellers arrived at a certain hostelry, a man of fortune brought them (some) halwá (sweetmeat) as a gift.
A benefactor brought to the three strangers (some) halwá from the kitchen of Lo, I am near.
One who had expectation of (earning) the (Divine) reward brought (to them) warm bread and a dish of halwá made with honey.
Intelligence and culture are characteristic of townsmen; hospitality and entertainment (of guests) are characteristic of tent-dwellers.
The Merciful (God) has implanted hospitality to strangers and entertainment (of guests) in the villagers (countryfolk).
Every day in the villages (countryside) there is a new guest who has none to help him except God.
Every night in the villages (countryside) are new-comers who have no refuge there save God.
The two aliens (the Jew and the Christian) were surfeited with food and suffering from indigestion; the true believer, as it happened, was fasting (all) day.
At the (time of) the evening prayer, when the halwá arrived, the true believer was reduced to extreme hunger.
The two (others) said, “We have eaten our fill: let us put it away to-night and eat it to-morrow.
To-night let us practise self-denial and refrain from food; let us hide (reserve) the dainty for to- morrow.”
The true believer said, “Let this (sweetmeat) be eaten to-night; let us put away self-denial till to-morrow.”
Then they said to him, “Your purpose in this wisdom-mongering is that you may eat it (all) by yourself.”
“O my friends,” said he, “are not we three persons? Since disagreement has occurred, let us share.
Let him who wishes take his own share to his heart (enjoy it); let him who wishes put his share in hiding.”
The two (others) said to him, “Abandon (the thought of) sharing: give ear to (the words) ‘The sharer is in Hell-fire’ from the Traditions (of the Prophet).”
He replied, “The sharer (referred to) is he that has shared himself between sensuality and God.”
Thou art God's property and His share entirely: (if) thou givest the share (of God) to another, thou art a dualist.
This lion would have prevailed over the curs, if it had not been the turn of those evil-natured ones (to prevail).
’Twas their intention that the Moslem should suffer pain and pass the night in want of food.
He was overpowered: he said, with resignation and acquiescence, “My friends, I hear and obey.”
So they slept (all) that night, and in the morning they rose and dressed themselves,
And washed their faces and mouths; and each one had a (different) method and practice in his devotions.
For a while each one applied himself to his devotions, seeking favour from God.
True believer and Christian, Jew and Guebre and Magian— the faces of them all are (turned) towards that mighty Sultan.
Nay, stone and earth and mountain and water have their invisible recourse to God.
This topic is infinite. At that time the three companions looked on one another friendlily,
And one (of them) said, “Let each (of us) relate what he dreamed last night.
Let him who had the best dream eat this (sweetmeat): let the most excellent carry off the share of every one that is excelled (by him).”
He who mounts highest in (the scale of) reason—his eating is (equivalent to) the eating of all (his inferiors).
His luminous spirit is supreme: ’tis enough for the rest of them to tend (cherish) him.
Since those endowed with (perfect) reason endure for ever, in reality this world is enduring for ever.
Then the Jew related his dream (and told them) whither his spirit had wandered during the night.
He said, “Moses met me on the way, (according to the adage) ‘the cat sees a fat sheep's tail in her dreams.’
I followed Moses to Mt Sinai: in the Light (of the Divine Epiphany) all three of us vanished.
All (our) three shadows disappeared in the Sun; after that, there came from the Light an opening of the door (revelation).
From the heart of that Light another Light sprang up, and then the second (Light) quickly sought to transcend it.
Both I and Moses and also Mt Sinai, we were lost, all three, in that effulgence of the (second) Light.
After that, I saw the mountain break into three pieces when the Light of God surged upon it.
When the Attribute of Majesty was revealed to it, it burst asunder in every direction.
One piece of the mountain fell towards the sea, and the water bitter as poison was made sweet.
One piece thereof sank into the earth, and a medicinal spring of running water gushed forth,
So that its water became a cure for all the sick by the blessedness of the goodly revelation.
The other (third) piece flew at once to the neighbourhood of the Ka‘ba where ‘Arafát was (situated).
When I came back to myself out of that swoon, Sinai was in its place, neither greater nor less (than before);
But under the foot of Moses it was (inwardly) melting like ice: no spur or peak of it remained.
The mountain was levelled to the earth by terror: it was turned upside down by that awful Majesty.
After that scattering (of my senses) I came to myself again and saw that Sinai and Moses were unchanged,
And that the desert skirting the mountain was filled from end to end with people resembling Moses in (the illumination of) their faces.
Their (staves and) mantles were like his staff and mantle: all (of them) were speeding joyously towards Sinai.
All had lifted their hands in prayer and struck up together the tune of let me see (Thee).
Again, as soon as the trance departed from me, the form of each one seemed to me to be diverse.
They were the prophets endowed with love (of God): (thus) the (spiritual) unity of the prophets was (clearly) apprehended by me.
Again, I beheld some mighty angels: their outward form was (composed) of bodies of snow;
And (I saw) another circle of angels asking help (of God): their outward form was wholly of fire.”
On this wise did the Jew tell (his dream): there is many a Jew whose end was praiseworthy.
Do not regard any infidel with contempt, for there may be hope of his dying a Moslem.
What knowledge have you of the close of his life that you should once (and for all) avert your face from him?
Afterwards the Christian began to speak, saying, “The Messiah appeared to me in my dream.
I went with him to the Fourth Heaven, (which is) the centre and abode of the sun of this world.
Verily, the marvels of the citadels of Heaven have no relation (cannot be compared) to the wonders of the (lower) world.
Every one knows, O pride of the sons (of Adam), that the artifice of the celestial sphere exceeds (that of) the earth.”
