لفظ چون وکرست و معنی طایر است ** جسم جوی و روح آب سایر است
The word is like the nest, and the meaning is the bird: the body is the riverbed, and the spirit is the rolling water.
او روان است و تو گویی واقف است ** او دوان است و تو گویی عاکف است
It is moving, and you say it is standing: it is running, and you say it is keeping still.
گر نبینی سیر آب از خاکها ** چیست بر وی نو به نو خاشاکها
If you see not the movement of the water through the fissures (channels) of earth—(yet it is moving): what are the sticks and straws (ever appearing) anew on it?
هست خاشاک تو صورتهای فکر ** نو به نو در میرسد اشکال بکر3295
Your sticks and straws are the forms (ideas) of thought: (these) virgin forms are always coming on anew.
روی آب جوی فکر اندر روش ** نیست بیخاشاک محبوب و وحش
The surface of the water and stream of thought, as it rolls, is not without sticks and straws, (some) pleasing and (some) unsightly.
قشرها بر روی این آب روان ** از ثمار باغ غیبی شد دوان
The husks on the surface of this rolling water have sped along from the fruits of the Invisible Garden.
قشرها را مغز اندر باغ جو ** ز انکه آب از باغ میآید به جو
Seek the kernels of the husks (not on the water, but) in the Garden, because the water comes from the Garden into the river-bed.
گر نبینی رفتن آب حیات ** بنگر اندر جوی و این سیر نبات
If you see not the flow of the Water of Life, look at the stream and at this movement of the weeds (in it).
آب چون انبهتر آید در گذر ** زو کند قشر صور زوتر گذر3300
When the water begins to pass by in fuller volume, the husks, (which are) the ideas, pass along it more quickly.
چون به غایت تیز شد این جو روان ** غم نپاید در ضمیر عارفان
When this stream has become extremely rapid in its flow, no care lingers in the minds of the gnostics.
چون به غایت ممتلی بود و شتاب ** پس نگنجید اندر او الا که آب
Since it is (then) exceedingly full and swift, on that account there is no room in it for anything but the water.
طعنه زدن بیگانه ای در شیخ و جواب گفتن مرید شیخ او را
How a stranger reviled the Shaykh and how the Shaykh's disciple answered him.
آن یکی یک شیخ را تهمت نهاد ** کاو بد است و نیست بر راه رشاد
A certain man brought charges against a Shaykh, saying, “He is wicked and not on the path of righteousness;
شارب خمر است و سالوس و خبیث ** مر مریدان را کجا باشد مغیث
He is a wine-drinker and a hypocrite and a scoundrel: how should he be one to succour his disciples?”
آن یکی گفتش ادب را هوش دار ** خرد نبود این چنین ظن بر کبار3305
One (of the disciples) said to him, “Observe respect: ’tis no light matter to think so ill of the great.
دور از او و دور از آن اوصاف او ** که ز سیلی تیره گردد صاف او
Far is it from him and far from those (saintly) qualities of his that his clear (spirit) should be darkened by a flood (of sin).
این چنین بهتان منه بر اهل حق ** این خیال تست بر گردان ورق
Do not put such slander on the people of God! This is (mere) fancy on your part. Turn over (a new) leaf.
این نباشد ور بود ای مرغ خاک ** بحر قلزم را ز مرداری چه باک
This (which you say) is not (true); and (even) if it should be, O land-fowl, what harm (comes) to the Red Sea from a carcase?
نیست دون القلتین و حوض خرد ** کی تواند قطرهایش از کار برد
He (the Shaykh) is not less than the (statutory) two jugfuls or the small tank, so that a single drop (of impurity) should be able to disqualify him (for religious purposes).
آتش ابراهیم را نبود زیان ** هر که نمرودی است گو میترس از آن3310
The fire is no damage to Abraham, (but) let any one who is a Nimrod beware of it!”
نفس نمرود است و عقل و جان خلیل ** روح در عین است و نفس اندر دلیل
The fleshly soul is Nimrod, and the intellect and spirit are the Friend of God (Abraham): the spirit is concerned with reality itself, and the fleshly soul with the proofs.
این دلیل راه رهرو را بود ** کاو به هر دم در بیابان گم شود
These indications of the way are for the traveller who at every moment becomes lost in the desert.
واصلان را نیست جز چشم و چراغ ** از دلیل و راهشان باشد فراغ
For them that have attained (to union with God) there is nothing (necessary) except the eye (of the spirit) and the lamp (of intuitive faith): they have no concern with indications (to guide them) or with a road (to travel by).
گر دلیلی گفت آن مرد وصال ** گفت بهر فهم اصحاب جدال
If the man that is united (with God) has mentioned some indication, he has mentioned (it) in order that the dialecticians may understand (his meaning).
بهر طفل نو پدر تیتی کند ** گر چه عقلش هندسهی گیتی کند3315
For a new-born child the father makes babbling sounds, though his intellect may make a survey of the (whole) world.
کم نگردد فضل استاد از علو ** گر الف چیزی ندارد گوید او
The dignity of the master's learning is not diminished if he say that (the letter) alif has nothing (has no diacritical mark).