"Love hath naught to do with the five senses"

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Today, Sunlight offers a selection from the Mathnawi, from the
classic translation by Professor Nicholson, with a Persian
transliteration by Dr. Gamard, followed by a link to online mixed
media, courtesy of our friend Panevis, in Tehran:

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Mathnawi VI, 5-21

Love hath naught to do with the five (senses) and the six
(directions) : its goal is only (to experience) the attraction
exerted by the Beloved.
Afterwards, maybe, permission will come (from God): the secrets
that ought to be told will be told,
With an eloquence that is nearer (to the understanding) than these
subtle recondite allusions.
The secret is partner with none but the knower of the secret;
in the sceptic's ear the secret is no secret (at all).
But (the command) to call (the people to God) comes down from the
Maker: what has he (the prophet or saint) to do with (their)
acceptance or non-acceptance?
Noah continued to call (the people to God) for nine hundred years:
the unbelief of his folk was increasing from moment to moment.
Did he ever pull back the rein of speech? Did he ever creep into
the cave of silence?
He said (to himself), "Does a caravan ever turn back from a
journey on account of the noise and clamour of dogs?
Or on a night of moonlight is the running of the full-moon in its
course retarded by the dog's outcry?
The moon sheds light and the dog barks: every one proceeds
according to his nature.
(The Divine) Destiny hath allotted to every one a certain service,
suitable to his essential nature, (to be performed) in (the way of)
probation.
Since the dog will not leave off his pestilent howling, I (who)
am the moon, how should I abandon my course?"
Inasmuch as the vinegar increases acidity, therefore it is
necessary to increase the sugar.
Wrath is (like) vinegar, mercy like honey; and these twain are
the basis of every oxymel.
If the honey fail to withstand (be overpowered by) the vinegar,
the oxymel will be spoilt.
The people were pouring vinegar on him (Noah), and the Ocean
(of Divine Bounty) was pouring more sugar for Noah.
His sugar was replenished from the Sea of Bounty, therefore
it was exceeding the vinegar of (all) the inhabitants of the world.

-- "The Mathnawi of Jalalu'ddin Rumi"
Translation and Commentary by Reynold A. Nicholson
Published and Distributed by The Trustees of
The "E.J.W. Gibb Memorial"

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`ishq-râ bâ panj-o bâ shash kâr nêst
maqSad-é ô joz ke jaZb-é yâr nêst

bowk fî-mâ ba`d dastûrê ras-ad
râz-hâ-yé goftanî gofta shaw-ad

bâ bayânê ke bow-ad nazdêktar
zîn kinâyât-é daqîq-é mustatar

râz joz bâ râz-dân anbâz nêst
râz andar gôsh-é munkir râz nêst

lêk da`wat wârid-ast az kerdegâr
bâ qabûl-o nâ-qabûl ô-râ che kâr?

nûH nohSad sâl da`wat mê-namûd
dam ba-dam inkâr-é qawm-ash mê-fozûd

hêch az goftan `inân wâ pas kashîd
hêch andar ghâr-é khâmôshî khazîd?

goft az bâng-o `alâlâ-yé sag-ân
hêch wâ gard-ad ze râhê kârwân?

yâ shab-é mahtâb az ghawghâ-yé sag
sost gard-ad badr-râ dar sayr-tag?

mah fashân-ad nûr-o sag `aw`aw kon-ad
har kasê bar khilqat-é khwad mê-tan-ad

har kasê-râ khidmatê dâda qaZâ
dar khwar-é ân, gawhar-ash dar ibtilâ

chônke nag'Zâr-ad sag ân na`ra-yé saqam
man mah-am sayrân-é khwad-râ chôn hel-am?

chônke serka serkagî afzûn kon-ad
pas shakar-râ wâjib afzûnî bow-ad

qahr serka, luTf hamchûn angabîn
k-în dô bâsh-ad rukn-é har iskanjabîn

angabîn gar pâ-yé kam âr-ad ze khal
ây-ad ân iskanjabîn andar khalal

qawm bar way sarke-hâ mê-rêkht-and
nûH-râ daryâ fazûn mê-rêkht qand

qand-é ô-râ bod madad az baHr-é jûd
pas ze serka-yé ahl-é `âlam mê-fazûd

-- Mathnawi VI, 5-21
Transliteration (c) by Ibrahim Gamard

The media:
http://tinyurl.com/ysmctk

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"Love hath naught to do with the five senses"