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Seek A Friend of God (part three)

Mathnawi II: 56-80

56 The spirit¹ is a companion with (spiritual) knowledge and the
discerning intellect. The spirit has no occupation with (languages
such as) Arabic and Turkish.

Both the asserter of (Your Transcendent) unity² and the asserter of
(Your Immanent) similarity (to created qualities)³ are amazed by
You-- O (You⁴ who are) devoid of image⁵ and (yet manifesting)
with (so) many forms!

Sometimes He makes the asserter of similarity (to become) an
asserter of unity;⁶ sometimes the forms [reflecting Divine
Attributes] are highway-robbing the asserter of unity.

At times, Abu 'l-Hasan⁷ says to you out of drunkenness, "O
(beautiful one), young of teeth and fresh of body!"⁸

60 (And) at times, he is destroying his own image;⁹ he does that
for the sake of (asserting) the Transcendence of the Beloved.¹⁰

The eye of (the physical) sense is the doctrine of schism,¹¹ (but) the
eye of the discerning intellect¹² is the Sunnite (doctrine)¹³ in regard
to being united.¹⁴

Those who are compelled by (the view of) the (physical) senses are
the followers of schism¹⁵-- (even though) they present themselves,
due to confusion, as Sunnite.

Whoever stays (bound) to the (bodily) senses is a schismatic, even
if he says, "I am Sunnite"-- which is because of ignorance.¹⁶

Whoever has gone beyond the (bodily) senses is a Sunnite. The
one (who is) endowed with (spiritual) sight is (possessed of) the
eye of the fortunate-stepping intellect.¹⁷

65 If the "animal senses"¹⁸ could see the King [of the universe],
then the cow and the donkey could see God.

If, aside from the "animal senses," you didn't have other senses
beyond (worldly) desires,¹⁹

Then when would the children of Adam have been honored?²⁰
They would never have been confidants (of spiritual secrets)
possessed of the common senses (only).²¹

Your saying the words, "unformed" or "formed" is useless²²
without your escaping from form.²³

(The concepts) "unformed" or "formed" are (useless) before Him,
since He is entirely "kernel" and is beyond the husk.²⁴

70 If you are blind, "there is no fault in (the case of) the blind."²⁵
But otherwise, go (forward),²⁶ since "Patience is the key to joy."²⁷

The medicine of patience will burn (away) the veils upon the eyes²⁸
(and) also will prepare (the way for) the expansion of the heart [to
the love and knowledge of God].²⁹

If the mirror of (your) heart becomes untarnished and pure, you
will see images beyond (the physical world of) water and earth.³⁰

You will see both the picture as well as the Painter. (You will see)
both the carpet of good-fortune³¹ as well as the Spreader (of the
Carpet).³²

The (visionary) image of my beloved³³ became like Abraham: its
form (like) an idol (and) its inward reality an idol-breaker.³⁴

75 Gratitude (is) to God! For when he became visible, (my) soul
saw its own image³⁵ in his (visionary) image.

The dust of your doorway³⁶ has (so) charmed my heart (that), (may
there be) dust upon him who has endured without your dust!

I said, "If I am beautiful, I will receive this (dust) from him.³⁷ And
if not, he has certainly laughed at ugly-faced me.

"The remedy (for) that is that I should look at myself (first). And if
(I'm) not (suitable), he will laugh at me, (saying), 'I will never buy
(this)!'"³⁸

He is beautiful, and a lover of the beautiful.³⁹ A young man will
never choose a very old woman.

80 Know this: the Beautiful attracts a beautiful one.⁴⁰ Recite, in
regard to it, (the verse), "women of (spiritual) goodness (are) for
men of (spiritual) goodness."⁴¹

--From "The Mathnawî-yé Ma`nawî" [Rhymed Couplets of
Deep Spiritual Meaning] of Jalaluddin Rumi.
Translated from the Persian by Ibrahim Gamard (with
gratitude for R. A. Nicholson's 1926 British translation)
© Ibrahim Gamard (translation, footnotes, & transliteration)
First published on "Sunlight" (yahoogroups.com), 12/13/01

Notes on the text, with line number:

1. (56) the spirit: "i.e. the spirit of the Perfect Man [= the completed
saint, who reflects all the Attributes of God; a term in the mystical
philosophy of Ibnu 'l-`Arabi, died 1240], whose knowledge is
infinite and unconditioned by any forms of human speech."
(Nicholson, Commentary)

"(It means), 'The human spirit, which is the "Divine command"
[amr-é ilâhî], is the companion of (spiritual) knowledge and the
discerning intellect. And this spirit is the same as was blown by the
Sustaining Lord.'" [= when God breathed into Adam of His spirit--
Qur'an 15:29] (Anqaravi, the 17th century Turkish commentator,
translated here into English from a Persian translation)

2. (57) the asserter of (Your Transcendent) unity [muwaHHid]:
literally, "one who asserts oneness." Means, here, one who asserts
that there is nothing which resembles God. "Say: 'He is God, the
(Only) One, the Eternal. He does not beget, nor is He begotten.
And there is no one comparable to Him.'" Qur'an 112: 1-4) [qul
huwa 'llâhu aHad, allâhu 'S-Samad, lam yalid wa lam yûlad, wa
lam yakul-lahu kufuw-an aHad]. "there isn't anything like Him"
(Qur'an 42:11). This is the sufi teaching of Divine transcendence
[tanzíh, literally "keeping far away from"], meaning that God is
beyond comparison with anything in creation or conceived by the
human mind. Those of this view cite verses from the Qur'an
regarding the non-resemblance of God to anything that can be
conceived of by the human mind, and they view
"anthropomorphic" images in the Qur'an as metaphorical.

3. (57) the asserter of (Your Immanent) similarity (to created
qualities) [mushabbih]: literally, "one who asserts resemblance."
Means one who asserts that God is imminent, or within, the
creation in respect of Divine Omnipresence, and Whose Attributes
resemble qualities in the creation which reflect such Attributes.
"Wherever you turn, there is the Face of God" (Qur'an 2:115. "He
is the Outward [aZ-Zâhir] and the Inward [al-bâTin]" (Qur'an
57:3). This is the sufi teaching of Divine immanence [tashbîh,
literally "resembling"], meaning that natural beauty is a reflection
of God's Attribute of Beauty; human love is a reflection of God's
Attribute of Love, and so on. Thus the sufis view the Divine as
both transcendent and imminent at the same time. Among those
who assert resemblance are literalists who cite verses from the
Qur'an which contain anthropomorphic images of God (sitting on a
Throne, seeing, hearing, having a hand, etc.).

"Here muwahhid is contrasted with mushabbih (assimilator) and is
equivalent to munazzih, a term which in its theological sense
denotes 'one who excludes all human likeness from
pronouncements regarding the Godhead' (Muslim Creed, 207). The
orthodox hold that Allah is beyond comparison (tashbíh), that in
His absolute Unity He is remote (munazzah) and different
(mushkálif) from all created things, and that the qualities ascribed
to Him in the Qurán are not to be understood in the sense in which
they are applicable to any of His creatures. Pantheistic Súfís, while
accepting the doctrine of Divine transcendence (tanzíh), regard it
as only one half of the truth: the whole truth, they say, consists in
combining tanzíh with tashbíh, the doctrine of Divine immanence.
The former doctrine, by itself, leads to the duality of God and the
world; the latter, by itself, is polytheism; the true worshippers of
Allah are those who see Him as the One Real Being in all forms of
existence-- at once transcending all and immanent in all."

"The varying states of consciousness that make up the inner life of
the mystic swing him to and fro between these two ways of
contemplating Reality, so that he falls into bewilderment (hayrat).
Sometimes the multiplicity of phenomena throws a veil over the
One whom they manifest, while at other times an overwhelming
experience of the One blots out all the created forms of which He
is the Essence." (Nicholson, Commentary)

4. (57) are amazed by You-- O (You: "I think the pronouns of the
second person refer, as Fa [= Anqaravi, the famous 17th century
Mevlevi Turkish commentator] says, to the Real Beloved
(Mahhbúb-i haqíqí)." (Nicholson, Commentary) "The amazement
of the asserter of (Transcendent) unity is at the time when he
contemplates Absolute Beauty (reflected) in the 'fixed mirror' [= of
Creation]. An the amazement of the asserter of (Immanent)
similarity is the moment when his spirit becomes overwhelmed by
(Divine) Transcendence, Unity, Absolute Disengagement, and
Freedom from being bound (by anything)." (Anqaravi,
Commentary)

5. (57) O (You who are) devoid of image: Nicholson translated, "O
thou who, being without image (external appearance)..."

6. (58) Sometimes He makes the asserter of similarity (to become) an
asserter of unity: Nicholson later corrected his translation, based on
the earliest manuscript of the Mathnawi, to "Sometimes He causes
the mushabbih (who regards the forms in which God is immanent)
to become a muwahhid (who regards God under the aspect of pure
transcendence; sometimes (these) forms are waylaying the
muwahhid (so that he cannot gain access to God who transcends
all forms)" (from, "Sometimes the muwahhid (God regarded as the
only real Being) is destroying the mushabbih (who asserts that God
is immanent in forms): sometimes (these) forms are waylaying...").
And he explained this interpretation as follows: "Although the
text-reading (muwahhad mí-kanad) [= is highway-
robbing/waylaying the asserter of unity] is exactly parallel to
suwar rah mí-zanad [= "are highway robbing"] in the second
hemistich, it is better to keep muwahhid [= the asserter of unity] as
the correlate of mushabbih [= the asserter of similarity] ."
(Commentary)

7. (59) Abu 'l-Hasan: "a 'name of honour' given here to no person in
particular but to any God-intoxicated man.... Otherwise, the person
most likely to have suggested the use of 'Bú 'l-Hasan' as a typical
name for the `árif [= mystical knower] would be Abú 'l-Hasan `Alí
ibn Ahmad al-Kharraqání, a great saint of Khurásán [= died,
1034]." (Nicholson, Commentary) Anqaravi thought that "'Abu
'l-Hasan' is a name [kunya] of Mawlana (Jalaluddin Rumi) or of
Husamuddin Chelebi (Rumi's closest disciple and companion).
(Commentary)

8. (59) out of drunkenness, "O (beautiful one), young of teeth and
fresh of body: Nicholson translated more literally, "...in
drunkenness (ecstasy) says to thee, 'O thou whose teeth are small
(whose years are few), O thou whose body is tender!'" "This verse
illustrates the meaning of tashbíh [= comparison]. The second
hemistich [= half of the couplet] is quoted from an Arabic ghazal
[= ode] by Rúmí (Díwán, Tab. 273, 13, marg.)" [= Faruzanfar
edition, no. 2727, line 22495]

9. (60) (And) at times, he is destroying his own image: Nicholson
translated, "Sometimes he is laying waste (ruining and defacing)
his own image." And he explained: "When the `árif [= mystic
knower] dies to self, his phenomenal 'form' passes away and only
God remains. This verse, which describes the inward aspect (bátin)
of Reality, is complementary to the preceding one, which depicts
the outward aspect (záhir). It is the harmonious unification of these
aspects that constitutes perfect gnosis [= mystical-intuitive
knowledge]." (Nicholson, Commentary)

"(It means), 'Sometimes Abu 'l-Hasan is destroying his outward
image, qualities, and inward states for the sake of the
Transcendence and Pure Holiness of the Beloved.'" (Anqaravi,
Commentary)

10. (60) he does that for the sake of (asserting) the transcendence of
the Beloved: Nicholson corrected his translation, on the basis of
the earliest manuscript of the Mathnawi, to: "he is doing that in
order to assert the transcendence of the Beloved (God)" (from, "he
is destroying (it) [= mê-kan-ad] in order to assert...").
(Commentary)

11. (61) The eye of (the physical) sense is the doctrine of schism
[i`tizâl]: Nicholson translated, "The doctrine held by the eye of
sense is Mu'tazilism." And he explained: "Here the poet resumes
the topic discussed in vv. 47-51. Having already contrasted the
'bat-like' eye of sense with the 'eye of the heart' (oculus cordis), he
now declares that those who are blind to spiritual things virtually
occupy the position of the Mu'tazilites, who denied that it is
possible for the Faithful to see God either in this world or the next.
One the other hand, those who possess spiritual vision are like
Sunnís who believe that the Faithful see God both in Paradise and
in this world. Fa [= Anqaravi, the Mevlevi Turkish commentator]
cites a saying attributed to `Umar, 'I saw my Lord with my heart'
[= ra'aytu rabb-î bi-qalb-î], and another of `Alí, 'I do not worship a
Lord whom I have not seen' [= lâ a`budu rabb-an lam uri-hu]"
(Nicholson, Commentary)

12. (61) the eye of the discerning intellect: "`Aql [= reason, intellect]
here is `aql-i ma`ád, the spiritual intelligence." (Nicholson,
Commentary)

13. (61) is the Sunnite (doctrine) [sunnî]: Nicholson translated, "is
Sunnite (orthodox)..." This refers to the creed and practice of the
majority of Muslims in the world. Rumi, himself, followed the
Hanafî school of Sunni Islam. The only orthodox Muslims other
than the Sunnite majority are who follow the Shi'ite doctrine and
practice (estimated at about 10% of Muslims).

14. (61) in regard to being united: means, being united with the
majority of Muslims, the Sunnis/Sunnites-- and not a schismatic,
separative, sect. Nicholson translated, "in respect of (its) union
(vision of God)."

15. (62) the followers of schism [i`tizâl]: Nicholson again translated,
"Mu'tazilite."

16. (63) which is because of ignorance: This (repetitious) line exists in
the earliest manuscript of the Mathnawi as a line added to the
margin. "Because the Sunnite creed that the vision and
contemplation of God Most High is prescribed and believed."
(Anqaravi, Commentary)

17. (64) the eye of the fortunate-stepping intellect: Nicholson
translated, "the eye of sweet-paced (harmonious) Reason."

18. (65) the "animal senses": means the five bodily senses which
human beings have in common with animals.

19. (66) beyond (worldly) desires: Nicholson translated, "outside of
(unconditioned by) the desires of the flesh..."

20. (67) Then when would the children of Adam have been honored:
means all the descendants of Adam. "Cf. Qur. XVII 72." [= Qur'an
17: 70, "And We have certainly honoured the children of Adam.
And We transport them [upon camels] on the land and [upon ships]
on the sea. And we provide them with good and pure (things). And
We have favored them over most of Our Creation." ("We" is the
"royal we," a plural tense indicative of the Awesome Grandeur of
the One God.)

21. (67) They would never have been confidants (of spiritual secrets)
possessed of the common senses (only): Nicholson translated,
"How by means of the common sense should they have become
privileged (to know these mysteries)?" And he explained: "I.e. the
senses which Man has in common with other animals." (Footnote)
"In this verse, the intended meaning of the common senses are the
senses which are shared between humanity and animals, not those
common senses which are special to human beings [= reason,
memory, etc.]." (Anqaravi, Commentary)

22. (68) Your saying the words, "unformed" or "formed" is useless:
Nicholson translated, "Your calling (God) 'formless' (transcending
forms) or 'formed' (immanent in forms)..." And he explained: "So
long as you are under the dominion of your senses and discursive
reason, it makes no difference whether you regard God as
transcendent or immanent, since you cannot possibly attain to true
knowledge of either aspect of His nature." (Commentary)

23. (68) without your escaping from form: Nicholson later corrected
his translation, based on the earliest manuscript of the Mathnawi,
to "your liberation from form (unless you yourself are freed from
sense-perception)" (from, "your liberation..." In the oldest
manuscript, the original wording was "your going" [raftan-at] and
this was corrected below the line to "your escaping" [rastan-at].

24. (69) (The concepts) "unformed" or "formed" are (useless) before
Him, since He is entirely "kernel" and is beyond the husk: the
meaning here is that all our concepts are like the "husk" and this
barrier of the mind prevents us from discerning the qualities of the
"kernel," meaning the Reality of God.

Nicholson interpreted this line differently: "(Whether God is)
"formless" or "formed," He is with him that is all kernel and has
gone forth from the husk." And he commented: "Cf. I 706 sqq. [=
"For the metaphor, cf. ... 'The walnut that possesses the kernel' is
the body of the true Unitarian (muwahhid). When the walnut-shell
is broken, its contents are revealed; similarly, when death shatters
the body of the muwahhid, his spirit is found to be pure and
immortal, since it is illumined with gnosis [= mystical knowledge],
faith, and love, and has realised its essential oneness with God;
otherwise the spirit is good-for-nothing."] (Commentary)

25. (70) "there is no fault in (the case of) the blind": "Qur. XLVII 17
[= Qur'an 48:17]: 'it is no crime in (the case of) the blind or the
lame or the sick (if they do not take part in the jihádu 'l-asghar, i.e.
war against the infidels)'" [jihádu 'l-asghar, the "Lesser Jihad," in
contrast to what the Prophet, peace be upon him, called the
"Greater Jihad (jihádu 'l-akbar), the struggle/effort/combat against
the nafs (= self-centered ego-cravings)] (Nicholson, Commentary)

Nicholson then quoted some verses from the Mathnawi which
quote the same Qur'anic verse: "These passages bring out quite
clearly the poet's purpose in quoting the text, 'it is no crime in the
blind'. Physical blindness is a misfortune involving disabilities
which excuse the sufferer from performing certain religious duties,
but spiritual blindness is 'a bad disease' and an accursed thing, and
neglect to seek a remedy for it is a heinous crime. The second
hemistich of the present verse indicates what that remedy is: the
via purgativa [= way of purification] of the Súfís. In the first
hemistich the poet says ironically to the sensualist: 'If you are
blind, i.e. unable to become a "traveller" (sálik) in the Súfí Path of
self-purification, then no doubt you are excusable.' From what
follows it seems evident that this means, 'Such an hypothesis is
absurd: you are not really incapacitated and therefore will not be
excused for holding back from the fight for spiritual perfection.'"
(Commentary)

"(It means), 'O you who have become captive to the (bodily)
senses! I you are blind from (being incapable of) witnessing the
Divine, (then) in accordance with (the verse), 'There is no fault in
(the case of) the blind'... And if you are not blind, then be patient,
for 'patience is the key to joy.'" (Anqaravi, Commentary)

26. (70) go (forward): Nicholson translated, "go (persevere in
purifying yourself)..."

27. (70) "Patience is the key to joy": an Arabic proverb which Rumi
often quotes in the Mathnawi.

28. (71) the veils upon the eyes: "Cf. VI 2870 sqq." (Nicholson,
Commentary) "In other words, "the veils over the eye of the heart,
the purpose of which is (to maintain) heedlessness, ignorance, love
of the world, and inclination to 'what is besides (God)." (Anqaravi,
Commentary)

29. (71) (and) also will prepare (the way for) the expansion of the heart
[to the love and knowledge of God]: Nicholson translated, "and
will also effect the opening of your breast (to Divine knowledge)."
And he explained: "Cf. Qur. XCIV I [= Qur'an 94:1, " Have We
not expanded your breast?"] and Math. V 1066 sqq., VI 2863 [=
Mathnawi lines which quote this from the Qur'an]." (Commentary)

30. (72) you will see images beyond (the physical world of) water and
earth: "It means, 'The images and forms in the Invisible World
[`âlam-é ghayb] will appear in the mirror of your heart and your
gaze will fall upon those (in contemplation).'" (Anqaravi,
Commentary)

31. (73) both the carpet of good-fortune: Nicholson translated, "the
carpet of (spiritual) empire."

32. (73) the Spreader (pf the Carpet): "the farrásh [= Spreader of the
carpet] is God: cf. Qur. LI 48 [= " And We have spread out the
earth (like a carpet)"]. Fa [= the Mevlevi Turkish commentator,
Anqaravi] says that farsh-i dawlat [= the carpet of (spiritual)
empire"] signifies 'the earth of Paradise' or 'the earth of Reality',
i.e. the World of Ideas (`alamu 'l-mithál)." (Nicholson,
Commentary)

33. (74) The (visionary) image of my beloved: Refers to the mental
image of one's beloved, as seen in a dream or a vision. In sufism, it
refers to one's spiritual master or to a close spiritual friend-- as in
this case, Husâmuddîn Chelebî, Rumi's closest disciple. Nicholson
translated, "The phantom (seen in mystical vision) of my Friend."

And he explained: "With the exception of vv. 79-89 (addressed to
the reader), the whole of this passage down to 108 describes the
mystical relation between Rúmí and his bosom-friend
Husámu'ddín as a type of the soul's union with the Divine Beloved
who is mirrored in the Perfect Man. The poet, says WM [= Walí
Muhammad, who wrote a commentary on the Mathnawi, India,
1894], is explaining the experience of faná fí 'l-Shaykh [=
annihilation of ego-self in the consciousness of the spiritual
master], in which the muríd [= spiritual disciple] feels himself
identified with the Pír (`ayn-i Pír) [= essence of the spiritual
master] and the Pír with himself to such a degree that no
distinction between the Pír and himself is possible." (Nicholson,
Commentary)

34. (74) became like Abraham: its form (like) an idol (and) its inward
reality an idol-breaker: Nicholson translated, "my Friend seemed
(to me) like Khalíl (Abraham)-- its form an idol, its reality a
breaker of idols." And he explained: "alluding to Qur. XXI 52 sqq.
[= the story of how the Prophet Abraham destroyed the idols
worshipped by his people; he is called the "friend of God" (Khalîlu
'llâh) per Qur'an 4:125, "for God chose Abraham for a friend
(khalîl)] Rúmí means that although the image of his friend appears
to be other than God and therefore an 'idol', in reality it is (like
Abraham) a breaker of idols, i.e. it destroys the illusion of
'otherness' by self-effacement and absorption in the Divine Unity
which it reflects."

35. (75) its own image: Nicholson translated, "its own phantom
(reflected image)." And he explained: "The perfect saint is a mirror
in which every one sees himself as he really is; hence the poet
thanks God that in Husámu'ddín he beholds nothing but the image
of spiritual beauty and purity." (Nicholson, Commentary)

36. (76) The dust of your doorway: i.e. 'the holy influence emanating
from thee which inspires all who come into thy presence.'"
(Nicholson, Commentary)

37. (77) I will receive this (dust) from him: Nicholson translated, "I
shall receive this (dust of Divine grace and love) from him."

38. (78) he will laugh at me, (saying), 'I will never buy (this):
Nicholson later corrected his translation, to: "he will laugh at me
(and say), 'How should I buy (desire thee)?'" (from, "he will laugh
at me: how shall I buy (gain his love)?") (Commentary)

39. (79) He is beautiful, and a lover of the beautiful [ô jamîl-ast-o
muHibb-un li-l-jamâl]: "Cf. the Hadíth [= saying of the Prophet
Muhammad]: inna 'lláha jamíl-un yuhibbu 'l-jamál." [= "Truly,
God is Most Beautiful (and) He loves the beautiful."] (Nicholson,
Commentary)

40. (80) the Beautiful attracts a beautiful one: Nicholson translated
differently, "The Beautiful attracts the beautiful (to itself)." And he
explained, in regard to his translation of "the beautiful," "literally,
'beauty' or 'a beautiful one.'" (Footnote)

41. (80) (the verse), "women of (spiritual) goodness (are) for men of
(spiritual) goodness": "Vile and corrupt women (are) for vile and
corrupt men, and vile and corrupt men (are) for vile and corrupt
women-- just as pure and good women (are) for pure and good
men, and pure and good men (are) for pure and good women."
(Qur'an 24:26)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

56 rûH bâ `ilm-ast-o bâ `aql-ast yâr
rûH-râ bâ tâzi-wo torkî che kâr?

az tô ay bê-naqsh bâ-chand-în Suwar
ham mushabbih ham muwaHHid khîra-sar

gah mushabbih-râ muwaHHid mê-kon-ad
gah muwaHHid-râ Suwar rah mê-zan-ad

gah to-râ gôy-ad ze-mastî bû 'l-Hasan
yâ Saghîra 's-sinn yâ raTba 'l-badan

60 gâh naqsh-é khwêsh wêrân mê-kon-ad
ân pay-é tanzîh-é jânân mê-kon-ad

chashm-é His-râ hast maZhab-é i`tizâl
dîda-yé `aql-ast sunnî dar wiSâl

sukhra-yé Hiss-and ahl-é i`tizâl
khwêsh-râ sunnî nomây-and az Zalâl

har-ke dar His mân-ad ô mu`tazzilî-st
gar-che gôy-ad sunnîy-am az jâhilî-st

har ke bêrûn shod ze-His, sunnî way-ast
ahl-é bînesh chashm-é `aql-é khwash-pay-ast

65 gar be-dîdy Hiss-é Haywân shâh-râ
pas be-dîdy gâw-o khar allâh-râ

gar na-bûdy Hiss-é dêgar mar to-râ
joz His-é Haywân ze-bêrûn-é hawâ

pas banî âdam mukarram kay body
kay ba-Hiss-é mushtarik maHram shody?

nâ-muSawwar yâ muSawwar goftan-at
bâTil âmad bê ze-sûrat rastan-at

nâ-muSawwar yâ muSawwar pêsh-é ô-st
k-ô hama maghz-ast-o bêrûn shod ze-pôst

70 gar tô kôr-î, nêst bar a`mà Haraj
w-ar-na raw, k-aS-Sabru miftâHu 'l-faraj

parda-hây-é dîda-râ dârûy-é Sabr
ham be-sôz-ad, ham be-sâz-ad sharH-é Sadr

âyena-yé del chûn shaw-ad Sâfî-wo pâk
naqsh-hâ bîn-î berûn az âb-o khâk

ham be-bîn-î naqsh-o ham naqqâsh-râ
farsh-é dawlat-râ-wo ham farrâsh-râ

chûn khalîl âmad kheyâl-é yâr-é man
Sûrat-ash bot, ma`niy-é ô bot-shekan

75 shukr-é yazdân-râ ke chûn ô shod padîd
dar kheyâl-ash jân kheyâl-é khwad be-dîd

khâk-é dar-gâh-at del-am-râ mê-ferêft
khâk bar way k-ô ze-khâk-at mê-shekêft

goft-am ar khûb-am paZîr-am în az-ô
w-ar-na khwad khandîd bar man zesht-rô

châra ân bâsh-ad ke khwad-râ be-n'gar-am
w-ar-na ô khand-ad ma-râ man kay khar-am?

ô jamîl-ast-o muHibb-un li-l-jamâl
kay jawân-é naw gozîn-ad pîr-é zâl?

80 khwûb khûbê-râ kon-ad jaZb în be-dân
Tayyibât wa Tayyibîn bar way be-khwân

(mathnawi meter: XoXX XoXX XoX)