Ghazal · 13th century

O You Who Have Gone on Pilgrimage

Rumiمولانا

ای قوم به حج رفته کجایید؟ کجایید؟

O people gone on pilgrimage, where are you, where are you?

معشوق همین جاست، بیایید بیایید

The Beloved is right here: come, come.

معشوق تو همسایه و دیوار به دیوار

Your Beloved is your neighbour, wall to wall with you;

در بادیه سرگشته شما در چه هوایید؟

what are you after, wandering lost in the desert?

گر صورت بی‌صورت معشوق ببینید

If you saw the formless form of the Beloved,

هم خواجه و هم خانه و هم کعبه شمایید

you yourselves are the master, the house and the Kaaba.

ده بار از آن راه بدان خانه برفتید

Ten times you have gone by that road to that house;

یک بار از این خانه بر این بام برآیید

for once, from this house, climb up onto this roof.

آن خانه لطیفست نشان‌هاش بگفتید

That house is lovely; you have told us its signs;

از خواجه آن خانه نشانی بنمایید

now show us some sign of the master of that house.

یک دسته گل کو اگر آن باغ بدیدید؟

Where is a bunch of flowers, if you have seen that garden?

یک گوهر جان کو اگر از بحر خدایید؟

Where is one pearl of the soul, if you are of God’s sea?

با این همه آن رنج شما گنج شما باد

For all that, may your hardship become your treasure;

افسوس که بر گنج شما، پرده شمایید

alas that over your treasure, the veil is you.

From: The Divan of Shams
Translation: Persiahaus Editors
Source: Draft translation from the Ganjoor text
Persian text: Ganjoor

A note for readers

A complete ghazal from the Divan of Shams, addressed to pilgrims on the road to Mecca. The poem turns the outward journey inward: the house of God, the Kaaba, is to be found in the pilgrims themselves, and their own selves are the veil over the treasure they seek.