Comparison of the sublime Qur’án to the rod of Moses, and the death of Mustafá (Mohammed), on whom be peace, to the sleep of Moses, and those who seek to alter the Qur’án to the two young magicians who attempted to carry off the rod of Moses when they found him asleep.
شاعر: رومی
وزن: فاعلاتن فاعلاتن فاعلن (رمل مسدس محذوف یا وزن مثنوی)
صنف: مثنوی
The lovingkindnesses of God made a promise to Mustafá (Mohammed), saying, “If thou shalt die, (yet) this Lesson (the Qur’án) shall not die.
I am exalting thy Book and Miracle, I am defending the Qur’án from those who would make it more or less.
I am exalting thee in both worlds, I am driving away the scoffers from thy Tidings.
None shall be able to make additions or omissions therein. Do not thou seek another protector better than Me.
Day by day I will increase thy splendour, I will strike thy name on gold and on silver.
For thy sake I will prepare pulpit and prayer-niche: in (My) love (for thee) thy vengeance hath become My vengeance.
They (thy followers), from fear, are uttering thy name covertly and hiding when they perform their prayers;
From terror and dread of the accursed infidels thy Religion is being hidden underground;
(But) I will fill the world, from end to end, with minarets; I will make blind the eyes of the recalcitrant.
Thy servants will occupy cities and (seize) power: thy Religion will extend from the Fish to the Moon.
We shall keep it living until the Resurrection: be not thou afraid of the annulment of the Religion, O Mustafá.
O My Messenger, thou art not a sorcerer: thou art truthful, thou wearest the mantle of Moses.
To thee the Qur’án is even as the rod (of Moses): it swallows up (all) infidelities, like a dragon.
If thou sleepest beneath a sod, (yet) deem as his rod that which thou hast spoken (My Word).
Assailants have no power over his rod. Do thou (then) sleep, O King, a blessed sleep!
(Whilst) thy body is asleep (in the tomb), thy Light in Heaven hath strung a bow for thy war (against the infidels).
The philosopher and that which his mouth doeth—the bow of thy Light is piercing him (and it) with arrows.”
Thus He did, and (even) more than He said: he (the Prophet) slept (the sleep of death), but his fortune and prosperity slumbered not.
“O soul of thy father, when a magician goes to sleep, his work becomes tarnished and dim.”
Both (the magician's sons) kissed his grave and went away to Egypt for the purpose of this mighty struggle.
When they came to Egypt for the sake of that enterprise, they sought after Moses and his house.
It chanced that on the day of their arrival Moses was asleep under a palm-tree,
So the folk gave them a clue to him, saying, “Go, seek yonder in the direction of the palm- grove.”
When he (the magician's son) came (thither), he espied amongst the date trees a sleeper who was the wake fullest man in the world.
For pleasure's sake he had shut the two eyes of his head, (but) all Heaven and Earth were under his gaze.
Oh, (there is) many a one whose eye is awake and whose heart is asleep: what, in truth, should be seen by the eyes of creatures of water and clay?
(But) he that keeps his heart awake—though the eye of his head may sleep, it (his heart) will open a hundred eyes.
If you are not one of (illumined) heart, be awake (keep vigil), be a seeker of the (illumined) heart, and be (always) in strife (with your fleshly soul);
But if your heart hath been awakened, sleep sound: thy (spiritual) eye is not absent from the seven (heavens) and the six (directions).
The Prophet said, “Mine eye slumbers, but when doth my heart slumber in drowsiness?”
The King is awake: suppose the guardsman is asleep, (what does it matter?). May (my) soul be sacrificed to the sleepers whose hearts are seeing!
The description of the heart's wakefulness, O spiritual man, would not be contained in thousands of rhymed couplets.
When they (the magicians) saw that he was sleeping outstretched, they made preparations for stealing the rod.
The magicians quickly approached the rod, saying, “We must go behind him and then snatch it (from him).”
When they prepared (to approach) a little nearer, the rod began to shake.
The rod quivered upon itself in such wise (that) both (magicians) on the spot became petrified by the shock (of terror).
After that, it turned into a dragon and made a rush (at them): both fled, and pale of countenance
Began to fall on their faces from affright, tumbling panic-stricken down every slope.
Then to them it became certain that he (Moses) was from Heaven, since they were seeing the limit of (the power of) magicians.
Afterwards diarrhoea and fever appeared in them, and their case reached the last gasp and the death-agony.
Then at once they sent a man to Moses to excuse that (which they had done),
Saying, “We have put (thee) to the test, and how should (the thought of) testing thee occur to us unless there be envy (as a motive)?
We are sinners against the King (God): do thou crave pardon for us, O thou that art the elect of the elect of the Court of God.”
He pardoned (them), and at once they became well; they were striking their heads upon the earth (prostrating themselves) in the presence of Moses.
Moses said, “I pardon (you), O nobles: your bodies and souls have become unlawful to (immune from) Hell.
Verily (’tis as though) I did not see you; O (my) two friends, make yourselves strangers to (refrain from) exculpation.
Come, even as ye are, alien in appearance (but) familiar (in reality), to combat for the King (God).”
Then they kissed the earth and departed: they were waiting in expectation of the time and opportunity.
