سخت درماند امیر سست ریش ** چون نه پس بیند نه پیش از احمقیش
The prince that hath no strength in his beard is left sorely in the lurch when by reason of his folly he looks neither backwards nor forwards.
راه هموار است و زیرش دامها ** قحط معنی در میان نامها1060
The road is smooth, and under it are pitfalls: amidst the names there is a dearth of meaning.
لفظها و نامها چون دامهاست ** لفظ شیرین ریگ آب عمر ماست
Words and names are like pitfalls: the sweet (flattering) word is the sand for (the sand that sucks up) the water of our life.
آن یکی ریگی که جوشد آب ازو ** سخت کمیاب است رو آن را بجو
The one sand whence water gushes is seldom to be found: go, seek it.
منبع حکمت شود حکمت طلب ** فارغ آید او ز تحصیل و سبب
He that searches after wisdom becomes a fountain of wisdom; he becomes independent of acquisition and (ways and) means.
لوح حافظ لوح محفوظی شود ** عقل او از روح محظوظی شود
The guarding tablet becomes a Guarded Tablet; his understanding becomes enriched by the Spirit.
چون معلم بود عقلش ز ابتدا ** بعد از این شد عقل شاگردی و را1065
When his understanding has been his teacher at the beginning, after this the understanding becomes his pupil.
عقل چون جبریل گوید احمدا ** گر یکی گامی نهم سوزد مرا
The understanding says, like Gabriel, “O Ahmad (Mohammed), if I take one (more) step, it will burn me;
تو مرا بگذار زین پس پیش ران ** حد من این بود ای سلطان جان
Do thou leave me, henceforth advance (alone): this is my limit, O sultan of the soul!”
هر که ماند از کاهلی بیشکر و صبر ** او همین داند که گیرد پای جبر
Whoever, through heedlessness, remains without thanksgiving and patience (selfcontrol), knows (no resource) but this, that he should follow in the heels of necessity (jabr).
هر که جبر آورد خود رنجور کرد ** تا همان رنجوریاش در گور کرد
Any one who pleads necessity (as an excuse) feigns himself to be ill, with the result that the (feigned) illness brings him to the grave.
گفت پیغمبر که رنجوری به لاغ ** رنج آرد تا بمیرد چون چراغ1070
The Prophet said, “Illness (assumed) in jest brings (real) disease, so that he (the jester) dies like a lamp.”
جبر چه بود بستن اشکسته را ** یا بپیوستن رگی بگسسته را
What is (the meaning of) jabr? To bind up a broken (limb) or tie a severed vein.
چون در این ره پای خود نشکستهای ** بر که میخندی چه پا را بستهای
Inasmuch as you have not broken your foot in this path, whom are you mocking? Why have you bandaged your foot?
و آن که پایش در ره کوشش شکست ** در رسید او را براق و بر نشست
But as for him who broke his foot in the path of exertion, Buráq came up to him, and he mounted (and rode).
حامل دین بود او محمول شد ** قابل فرمان بد او مقبول شد
He was a bearer of the (true) religion, and he became one who is borne; he was an accepter of the (Divine) command, and he became accepted.
تا کنون فرمان پذیرفتی ز شاه ** بعد از این فرمان رساند بر سپاه1075
Until now, he was receiving commands from the King; henceforth he delivers the (King's) commands to the people.
تا کنون اختر اثر کردی در او ** بعد از این باشد امیر اختر او
Until now, the stars were influencing him; henceforth he is the ruler of the stars.
گر ترا اشکال آید در نظر ** پس تو شک داری در انشق القمر
If (on this account) perplexity arise in thy sight (mind), then thou wilt have doubts concerning The moon was cloven asunder.
تازه کن ایمان نه از گفت زبان ** ای هوا را تازه کرده در نهان
Refresh thy faith, (but) not with talk of the tongue, O thou who hast secretly refreshed thy (evil) desire.
تا هوا تازه ست ایمان تازه نیست ** کاین هوا جز قفل آن دروازه نیست
So long as desire is fresh, faith is not fresh, for ’tis this desire that locks (against thee) that gate.
کردهای تاویل حرف بکر را ** خویش را تاویل کن نی ذکر را1080
Thou hast interpreted (and altered the meaning of) the virgin (uncorrupted) Word: interpret (alter) thyself, not the (Divine) Book.
بر هوا تاویل قرآن میکنی ** پست و کژ شد از تو معنی سنی
Thou interpretest the Qur’án according to thy desire: by thee the sublime meaning is degraded and perverted.
زیافت تاویل رکیک مگس
The baseness of the foul interpretation given by the fly.
آن مگس بر برگ کاه و بول خر ** همچو کشتیبان همیافراشت سر
The fly was lifting up his head, like a pilot, on a blade of straw and (a pool of) ass's urine.
گفت من دریا و کشتی خواندهام ** مدتی در فکر آن میماندهام
“I have called (them) sea and ship,” said he; “I have been pondering over that (interpretation) for a long while.