1Cademy - دفتر چهارم - بخش ۱۱۱ - تفسیر این آیت کی و ما خلقنا السموات والارض و ما بینهما الا بالحق نیافریدمشان بهر همین کی شما می‌بینید بلک بهر معنی و حکمت باقیه کی شما نمی‌بینید آن را / Book Four - Section 111 - Commentary on the verse And We created not the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them, except with truth — I did not create them merely for what you see, but rather for an enduring meaning and wisdom that you do not see

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مثنوی معنوی: دفتر چهارم / Masnavi: Book Four
دفتر چهارم - بخش ۱۱۰ - جواب دهری کی منکر الوهیت است و عالم را قدیم می‌گوید / Book Four — Section 110 — Reply to the Dahrī Who Denies Divinity and Claims the World Is Eternal

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دفتر چهارم - بخش ۱۱۱ - تفسیر این آیت کی و ما خلقنا السموات والارض و ما بینهما الا بالحق نیافریدمشان بهر همین کی شما می‌بینید بلک بهر معنی و حکمت باقیه کی شما نمی‌بینید آن را / Book Four - Section 111 - Commentary on the verse 'And We created not the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them, except with truth' — I did not create them merely for what you see, but rather for an enduring meaning and wisdom that you do not see

Original content

هیچ نقاشی نگارد زین نقش
بی امید نفع بهر عین نقش

بلک بهر میهمانان و کهان
که به فرجه وارهند از اندهان

شادی بچگان و یاد دوستان
دوستان رفته را از نقش آن

هیچ کوزه گر کند کوزه شتاب
بهر عین کوزه نه بر بوی آب

هیچ کاسه گر کند کاسه تمام
بهر عین کاسه نه بهر طعام

هیچ خطاطی نویسد خط به فن
بهر عین خط نه بهر خواندن

نقش ظاهر بهر نقش غایبست
وان برای غایب دیگر ببست

تا سوم چارم دهم بر می شمر
این فواید را به مقدار نظر

هم چو بازیهای شطرنج ای پسر
فایدهٔ هر لعب در تالی نگر

این نهادند بهر آن لعب نهان
وان برای آن و آن بهر فلان

هم چنین دیده جهات اندر جهات
در پی هم تا رسی در برد و مات

اول از بهر دوم باشد چنان
که شدن بر پایه های نردبان

و آن دوم بهر سوم می دان تمام
تا رسی تو پایه پایه تا به بام

شهوت خوردن ز بهر آن منی
آن منی از بهر نسل و روشنی

کندبینش می نبیند غیر این
عقل او بی سیر چون نبت زمین

نبت را چه خوانده چه ناخوانده
هست پای او به گل در مانده

گر سرش جنبد پیر باد رو
تو به سر جنبانیش غره مشو

آن سرش گوید سمعنا ای صبا
پای او گوید عصینا خلنا

چون ندارد سیر می راند چون عام
بر توکل می نهد چون کور گام

بر توکل تا چه آید در نبرد
چون توکل کردن اصحاب نرد

وآن نظرهایی که آن افسرده نیست
جز رونده و جز درندهٔ پرده نیست

آنچ در ده سال خواهد آمدن
این زمان بیند به چشم خویشتن

هم چنین هر کس به اندازهٔ نظر
غیب و مستقبل ببیند خیر وشر

چونک سد پیش و سد پس نماند
شد گذاره چشم و لوح غیب خواند

چون نظر پس کرد تا بدو وجود
ماجرا و آغاز هستی رو نمود

بحث املاک زمین با کبریا
در خلیفه کردن بابای ما

چون نظر در پیش افکند او بدید
آنچ خواهد بود تا محشر پدید

پس ز پس می بیند او تا اصل اصل
پیش می بیند عیان تا روز فصل

هر کسی اندازهٔ روشن دلی
غیب را بیند به قدر صیقلی

هر که صیقل بیش کرد او بیش دید
بیشتر آمد برو صورت پدید

گر تو گویی کان صفا فضل خداست
نیز این توفیق صیقل زان عطاست

قدر همت باشد آن جهد و دعا
لیس للانسان الا ما سعی

واهب همت خداوندست و بس
همت شاهی ندارد هیچ خس

نیست تخصیص خدا کس را به کار
مانع طوع و مراد و اختیار

لیک چون رنجی دهد بدبخت را
او گریزاند به کفران رخت را

نیکبختی را چو حق رنجی دهد
رخت را نزدیکتر وا می نهد

بددلان از بیم جان در کارزار
کرده اسباب هزیمت اختیار

پردلان در جنگ هم از بیم جان
حمله کرده سوی صف دشمنان

رستمان را ترس و غم وا پیش برد
هم ز ترس آن بددل اندر خویش مرد

چون محک آمد بلا و بیم جان
زان پدید آید شجاع از هر جبان

English translation

No painter paints these images Without hope of benefit, for the image's own sake — But rather for guests and beholders, That through the spectacle they might be freed from sorrows: The joy of children and the remembrance of friends, Of friends departed — through those painted forms.

No potter makes a jug in haste For the jug's own sake, but for the promise of water. No bowl-maker completes a bowl For the bowl's own sake, but for food. No calligrapher writes script with skill For the script's own sake, but for reading.

The outward form exists for the sake of the hidden form, And that hidden one is bound to yet another hidden one. Count on to the third, fourth, tenth — Reckon these benefits according to the measure of vision.

Like the moves of chess, O son, See the benefit of each move in what follows. This move is made for the sake of that concealed move, And that for this, and that for such-and-such. Likewise, perceiving directions within directions, One upon another, until you reach victory and checkmate.

The first is for the sake of the second — just as Climbing the rungs of a ladder; And know the second to be entirely for the sake of the third, Until you ascend rung by rung to the rooftop.

The desire for eating is for the sake of that seed (manī), That seed is for the sake of progeny and illumination. The dim-sighted sees nothing beyond this — His intellect, without journeying, is like a plant of the earth. Whether the plant has read or not read, Its foot is stuck in the mud. If its head sways, it sways from the passing wind — Do not be deceived by its head-swaying.

Its head says, "We have heard, O morning breeze" (sam'nā), Its foot says, "We have disobeyed; leave us" ('asaynā, khallanā). Since it has no journeying, it moves along like the common herd, It sets its step on tawakkul like a blind man. With tawakkul, what will come in the contest? Like the tawakkul of the dice-players (aṣḥāb-i nard).

But those visions that are not frozen — They are nothing but moving and veil-rending. What will come in ten years, He sees right now with his own eyes. Likewise, everyone according to the measure of his sight Sees the unseen (ghayb) and the future — good and evil.

When no barrier remains before or behind, The eye passes through and reads the Tablet of the Unseen (Lawḥ-i Ghayb). When he cast his gaze backward to the two existences, The story and the origin of being became manifest: The debate of the angels of the earth with the Divine Majesty (Kibriyā) Concerning the making of our father Adam the vicegerent (khalīfa).

When he cast his gaze forward, he beheld All that will come until the Day of Resurrection (Maḥshar) made plain. So backward he sees to the origin of origins, Forward he sees clearly to the Day of Judgment (Rūz-i Faṣl).

Each person, according to the measure of his heart's illumination, Sees the unseen (ghayb) in proportion to his mirror's polishing (ṣayqalī). Whoever polished more, he saw more — More forms became manifest to him.

If you say that purity is the grace (faḍl) of God, Then also this tawfīq to polish is from that gift. That striving and prayer is in proportion to aspiration (himmat) — "Man has nothing but what he strives for" (laysa lil-insāni illā mā sa'ā).

The Bestower of aspiration (himmat) is God alone, A royal aspiration is held by no base man (khas). God's singling out of someone does not hinder His willing obedience (ṭaw'), desire (murād), and free choice (ikhtiyār).

But when He sends suffering to the wretched (bad-bakht), It drives him, his belongings fleeing toward ingratitude (kufrān). When the Truth (Ḥaqq) sends suffering to the fortunate (nīk-bakht), He draws his belongings ever nearer.

The cowardly (bad-dilān), from fear of their lives in battle, Have chosen the means of flight and rout. The courageous (por-dilān) in battle, also from fear of their lives, Have charged toward the enemy's ranks.

Fear and grief drove the heroes (Rustams) forward, While from that same fear, the coward died within himself. When affliction (balā) and fear of death come as the touchstone (muḥakk), Through it the brave (shujā') is distinguished from every coward (jabān).

Updated 2026-07-04

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