Burst thy bonds and be free (1)

Arise, O son! Burst thy bonds and be free!
bangkitlah, wahai anak! rungkai belenggu tuan dan merdekalah!

How long wilt thou be captive to silver and gold?
berapa lama tuan mau jadi tawanan perak dan emas?

Though thou pour the ocean into thy pitcher,
walau dicurahkan lautan ke kendi tuan,

It can hold no more than one day’s store.
ia tidak mengisi melainkan keperluan sehari.

The pitcher of the desire of the covetous never fills,
kendi keinginan dan kemahuan tidak pernah penuh,

The oyster-shell fills not with pearls till it is content;
cengkerang tiram tidak mengisi mutiara sehingga ia puas;

Only he whose garment is rent by the violence of love,
hanya dia yang jubahnya rabak dek amukan cinta,

Is wholly pure from covetousness and sin.
terlepas bebas daripada kemahuan dan dosa.

* * *

Love desire that this secret should be revealed,
cinta mahukan rahsia ini didedah,

For if a mirror reflects not, of what use is it?
jika cermin tidak membalik, lalu guna apakah ia?

Knowest thou why thy mirror reflects not?
tahu kenapa cermin tuan tidak membalik?

Because the rust has not been scoured from its face.
kerana karat tidak dikikis dari mukanya.

If it were purified from all rust and defilement,
bila ia suci daripada karat dan kotoran,

It would reflect the shinning of the Sun of God.
ia akan membalikkan terang sinar matahari tuhan.

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(1) Masnavi-i-Ma’nawi, op.cit., Book 1, pgs., 4-6