ÜÇÜNCÜ FEN · BİRİNCİ BAB · İKİNCİ FASIL · Beşinci Madde
The Fifth Article
It declares that the world is a treacherous and sorcerous entity, skilled in deceiving people with its guile and schemes; that those deserving of felicity are content with a sufficient amount of worldly possessions, free from its deception, and find ease and safety.
O esteemed one! It must be known that the friends of God have said: The world is a female sorceress who constantly shows herself to be living with you. You imagine she will remain with you eternally. Yet, as night and day pass one after another, she flees from you. But because her departure is gradual, it goes unnoticed. You still believe that she will remain with you and not leave. The worldly life appears calm and stationary like a shadow on a wall; yet, it is in constant motion, walking and departing. Life itself seems stagnant like a wide river; but if one looks closely, it is seen to be flowing away every moment. Therefore, how can one permanently reside in the world?
Quatrain (Qīta)
1- O heart, who told you to settle in this world? Who commanded you to ensnare your precious soul?
2- The world is not a place of settlement; do not surrender your heart to it! Consider yourself a traveler and this world a way station.
This world is like a treacherous woman who displays affection and attachment until she binds you, presenting devotion and love. But when you incline towards her and show affection, she turns away from you with treachery, intending to kill you. The world resembles an old woman who dazzles people with her charms, yet does not trust guests in her own home, shows no gratitude, and intends harm.
Couplet (Bayt)
When a wise person examines the world, he understands it to be an enemy clothed in the garb of friendship.
This worldly order is like an old woman who adorns her exterior with faults and sins, concealing its calamities and hardships until ignorant people are deceived into rushing towards it. Those ignorant ones, when they understand the truth of the world, feel regret and sorrow. The world is like an elderly, ugly woman wearing a garment of brocade silk, covering her face with a beautiful veil and walking gracefully. Until those who see her from afar are amazed and incline toward her. When one of her admirers is deceived into approaching her and lifts her veil to see her face, her ugliness is revealed. The world-enthralled person then remains eternally in regret.
Verses (Nazm)
1- O you who desire the world! Abandon your desire so that you may be saved.
2- That which you desire deceives you; otherwise, a time of mourning is near.
As the inexhaustible fountain of grace, Imam Ghazali (may God have mercy on him), has said: “The person who forgets his soul and his Lord, inclining towards delicious foods and ostentatious garments, being deceived by such worldly pleasures, is like a pilgrim who, while traveling to Mecca, enjoys himself at some stops along the way. He feeds his camel at the stopover, beautifies it with various treatments, adorns it with colorful trappings, and nourishes it with diverse beneficial grasses. He cools or warms its water as needed. Until the pilgrimage caravan leaves him behind. But he is unaware that the caravan of Mecca has left him alone with his camel. He is oblivious to being abandoned in the desert to become prey for wild beasts. Similarly, the traveler on the path of the Hereafter, if he spends his life improving food and drink, beautifying clothing and home, forgetting why he was created, and distancing himself from worship and knowledge, then he too will remain far from the Kaba of tranquility. He is abandoned in this foreign world and remains deceived by his dark nature, overcome by the soul and Satan.”
[188/b]
Verses [Masnavi]
1- Upon the land of humankind, make a home; Make your own work the profit, and another’s the loss.
2- Who is a stranger? Your body of clay; And from this is your sorrow and pain.
3- As long as you give sweetness to your body; You do not see your own jewel, you do not polish it.
The wise and aware one is he who never grieves over his soul’s affairs or the world. He shortens his worldly ambitions, does not cling to tomorrow. He draws strength in his worship and suffices with enough of worldly possessions for him to walk the path of knowledge. The meaning of what has been said is this: The blessed (sa'id) one is he who knows why he was created and strives to be worthy of it. He turns away from things outside the purpose of creation and avoids them. He goes about worldly affairs only when necessary and as much as he needs. The wretched (shakī) one is he who is overcome by lusts and heedlessness, inclining towards his soul and worldly matters. He seeks pleasure with eating and drinking, strives for respect and esteem through clothing and adornment, abandons worship and turns to trade with desire. He acquires wealth with effort and care.
“There is no power nor recourse except in God, the Exalted, the Magnificent.”
"O Lord! Deliver me and my brethren from that which prevents us from Your path. Make me of your servants who find the right way and show it to others. Do not make me of those who strayed and seek to lead others astray."
Okay, here's the translation, striving for faithfulness and preserving meaning as requested:
1. O heart, awaken from heedlessness, be wary!
For guile weaves a snare, and this world is now your foe.
2. The inheritance of the heir is thy store of wealth and land;
Forsake the love of dominion and the gathering of possessions, hold them in no esteem.
3. Whoever knows only this world from existence,
To him the ocean of Love reveals but a shore.
4. With the clamor of nine spheres, the city of Love is vast,
This desert’s encampment is the throne's foundation.
5. Within the void of the nine spheres, there is no reverence for the four elements;
What grace and worth have these four elements within this sovereign’s domain?
6. From such humble dust, to become manifest in thy hand—
Thy decree shall not prevail, it transforms itself without volition.
7. Sometimes thou art the slave of the heavens, until fortune becomes the sun;
Sometimes thou art a captive of clouds, until drops of rain are thy lot.
8. This world is a house of trial, that world is a garden of delights;
This world is fraught with woe, that world is a place of sweet repose.
9. The toil of this world measures the bliss of the hereafter for thee;
As great as the harshness of exile, so shall be the sweetness of home and land.