How the Prince of the Faithful, ‘Ali—may God honour his person! —said to his antagonist, “When you did spit in my face, my fleshly self was aroused and I could no longer act with entire sincerity: that hindered me from slaying you.”
3975-The Prince of the Faithful said to that youth, “In the hour of battle, O knight,
When you didst spit in my face, my fleshly self was aroused and my disposition was corrupted.
Half came to be for God’s sake, and half idle passion: in God’s affair partnership’ is not allowable.
You are limned by the hand of the Lord: you are God’s, you are not made by me.
Break God’s image, by God’s command; cast at the Beloved’s glass, the Beloved’s stone.”
3980-The fire-worshipper heard this, and a light appeared in his heart, so that he cut a girdle.
He said, “I was sowing the seed of wrong: I fancied you otherwise.
You have been the balance with the nature of the One; no, you have been the tongue of every balance.
You have been my race and stock and kin, you have been the radiance of the candle of my religion.
I am the slave of that eye-seeking Lamp from which your lamp received splendour.
3985--I am the surrendered to the surge of that Sea of Light which brings a pearl like this into view.
Offer me the profession of the Faith, for I regard you as the exalted one of the time.”
Near fifty persons of his kindred and tribe lovingly turned their faces towards the Religion.
By the sword of clemency he redeemed so many throats of such a multitude from the sword.
The sword of clemency is sharper than the sword of iron; no, it is more productive of victory than a hundred armies.
گفتن امیر المؤمنین علی کرم الله وجهه با قرین خود کی چون خدو انداختی در روی من نفس من جنبید و اخلاص عمل نماند مانع کشتن تو آن شد
گفت امیر المؤمنین با آن جوان
که به هنگام نبرد ای پهلوان
چون خدو انداختی در روی من
نفس جنبید و تبه شد خوی من
نیم بهر حق شد و نیمی هوا
شرکت اندر کار حق نبود روا
تو نگاریدهٔ کف مولیستی
آن حقی کردهٔ من نیستی
نقش حق را هم به امر حق شکن
بر زجاجهٔ دوست سنگ دوست زن
گبر این بشنید و نوری شد پدید
در دل او تا که زناری برید
گفت من تخم جفا میکاشتم
من ترا نوعی دگر پنداشتم
تو ترازوی احدخو بودهای
بل زبانهٔ هر ترازو بودهای
تو تبار و اصل و خویشم بودهای
تو فروغ شمع کیشم بودهای
من غلام آن چراغ چشمجو
که چراغت روشنی پذرفت ازو
من غلام موج آن دریای نور
که چنین گوهر بر آرد در ظهور
عرضه کن بر من شهادت را که من
مر ترا دیدم سرافراز زمن
قرب پنجه کس ز خویش و قوم او
عاشقانه سوی دین کردند رو
او به تیغ حلم چندین حلق را
وا خرید از تیغ و چندین خلق را
تیغ حلم از تیغ آهن تیزتر
بل ز صد لشکر ظفر انگیزتر
Poet: Maulana Rumi
Translation: Reynold A. Nicholson
Edited by:
