Now carries it to the right, now to the left; now makes it roses, now thorns.
دست پنهان و قلم بین خط گزار ** اسب در جولان و ناپیدا سوار
See (how) the Hand (is) hidden, while the pen is writing; the horse careering, while the Rider is invisible.
تیر پران بین و ناپیدا کمان ** جانها پیدا و پنهان جان جان
See the arrow flying, and the Bow not in sight; the (individual) souls manifest, and the Soul of souls hidden.
تیر را مشکن که این تیر شهی است ** تیر پرتابی ز شصت آگهی است1305
Do not break the arrow, for it is the arrow of a King; it is not shot at long range (at random), it is from the thumb-stall of One who knows (how to hit the target).
ما رمیت إذ رمیت گفت حق ** کار حق بر کارها دارد سبق
God said, “Thou didst not throw when thou threwest”: the action of God has precedence over (our) actions.
خشم خود بشکن تو مشکن تیر را ** چشم خشمت خون شمارد شیر را
Break your own anger, do not break the arrow: the eye of your anger reckons milk (to be) blood.
بوسه ده بر تیر و پیش شاه بر ** تیر خون آلود از خون تو تر
Give the arrow a kiss and bring it to the King—the blood-stained arrow, wet with your blood.
آن چه پیدا عاجز و بسته و زبون ** و آن چه ناپیدا چنان تند و حرون
That which is seen is helpless and confined and feeble; and that which is unseen is so fierce and uncontrollable.
ما شکاریم این چنین دامی کراست ** گوی چوگانیم چوگانی کجاست1310
We are the (hunted) prey: to whom belongs such a (fearful) snare? We are the ball (for the blows) of the polo-bat—and where is the Batsman?
میدرد میدوزد این خیاط کو ** میدمد میسوزد این نفاط کو
He tears, He sews: where is this Tailor? He blows, He burns: where is this Fire-kindler?
ساعتی کافر کند صدیق را ** ساعتی زاهد کند زندیق را
At one hour He makes the true saint an unbeliever; at another hour He makes the (impious) deist an (orthodox) ascetic;
ز انکه مخلص در خطر باشد ز دام ** تا ز خود خالص نگردد او تمام
For the mukhlis (sincere worshipper) is in danger of the snare until he becomes entirely purged of self,
ز انکه در راهست و ره زن بیحد است ** آن رهد کاو در امان ایزد است
Because he is (still) on the Way, and the brigands are numberless: (only) he escapes who is under God's safeguard.
آینهی خالص نگشت او مخلص است ** مرغ را نگرفته است او مقنص است1315
(If) he has not become (selfless, like) a pure mirror, he is (no more than) mukhlis: (if) he has not caught the bird, he is (still) hunting;
چون که مخلص گشت مخلص باز رست ** در مقام امن رفت و برد دست
(But) when the mukhlis has become mukhlas, he is delivered: he has reached the place of safety and has won the victory.
هیچ آیینه دگر آهن نشد ** هیچ نانی گندم خرمن نشد
No mirror (ever) became iron again; no bread (ever) became the wheat in the stack.
هیچ انگوری دگر غوره نشد ** هیچ میوهی پخته با کوره نشد
No full-grown grape (ever) became a young grape; no mature fruit (ever) became premature fruit.