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For the Peace of Your Soul

Mathnawi IV: 1976-198

1976 Whoever is sitting together² with friends -- (even if) he is
(as) in a furnace, (he is as) in the midst of a (beautiful) garden.

(But) whoever is seated with an enemy, due to (bad) fortune,² --
(even if) he is in a garden, (he is) in a furnace.

Don't torment (your) friend by means of your egotism,³ so that
(your) friend doesn't become your enemy and opponent.

Do good deeds for the people for the sake of your God -- (at least)
for the sake of the peace of your soul,

1980 So that you may always see (them as) friendly in (your) sight
(and so that) unpleasant forms (of thought) due to hatred will not
appear in your heart.

--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 1930 British translation)
© Ibrahim Gamard (translation, footnotes, & transliteration)
First published on "Sunlight" (yahoogroups.com), 6/06/02

Notes on the text, with line number:

¹(1976) sitting together: means keeping company and enjoying
conversation.

²(1977) due to (bad) fortune [dar zaman]: Nicholson translated, "in
the world."

³(1978) your egotism [mâ-wo man-at]: literally, "your we and me."
Means self-centered talking about "me and us," "mine and our."

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1976 har ke bâsh-ad ham-neshîn-é dôst-ân
hast dar golkhan meyân-é bôstân

har ke bâ-doshman neshîn-ad dar zaman
hast ô dar bôstân dar gôlkhan

dôst-râ m-âzâr az mâ-wo man-at
tâ na-gard-ad dôst khaSm-o doshman-at

khayr kon bâ khalq bahr-é îzad-at
yâ barây-é râHat-é jân-é khwad-at

1980 tâ hamâra dôst bîn-î dar naZar
dar del-at n-ây-ad ze-kîn nâ-khwash Suwar

(mathnawi meter: XoXX XoXX XoX)