چون نهای کامل دکان تنها مگیر ** دستخوش میباش تا گردی خمیر3455
Since you are not (spiritually) perfect, do not take a shop (by yourself) alone. Be pliant to the hand, in order that you may become leavened (like dough).
أنصتوا را گوش کن خاموش باش ** چون زبان حق نگشتی گوش باش
Give ear to (the Divine command), “Keep silence,” be mute; since you have not become the tongue (mouthpiece) of God, be an ear.
ور بگویی شکل استفسار گو ** با شهنشاهان تو مسکینوار گو
And if you speak, speak in the form of a request for explanation: speak to the (spiritual) emperors as a lowly beggar.
ابتدای کبر و کین از شهوت است ** راسخی شهوتت از عادت است
The beginning of pride and hatred is in (worldly) lust, and the rootedness of your lust is from habit.
چون ز عادت گشت محکم خوی بد ** خشم آید بر کسی کت واکشد
When an evil disposition becomes confirmed by habit, you are enraged with any one who restrains you.
چون که تو گل خوار گشتی هر که او ** واکشد از گل ترا باشد عدو3460
After you have become an eater of clay, any one who restrains you from (eating) clay is your enemy.
بت پرستان چون که خو با بت کنند ** مانعان راه بت را دشمنند
Since idolaters are devoted to the idol, they are foes to them that prevent their access (to it).
چون که کرد ابلیس خو با سروری ** دید آدم را حقیر او از خری
Since Iblís had become accustomed to being leader, he in his folly regarded Adam with contempt.
که به از من سروری دیگر بود ** تا که او مسجود چون من کس شود
Saying, “Is there another leader superior to me, so that he should be worshipped by one like me?”
سروری زهر است جز آن روح را ** کاو بود تریاق لانی ز ابتدا
Leadership is poison, except to the spirit that from the beginning hath (in himself) abundance of the antidote.
کوه اگر پر مار شد باکی مدار ** کاو بود در اندرون تریاقزار3465
If the mountain is full of snakes, have no fear, for it is a mine of antidote within.
سروری چون شد دماغت را ندیم ** هر که بشکستت شود خصم قدیم
When leadership has become a bosom-friend to your brain, any one who breaks (thwarts) you becomes (as) an ancient adversary.
چون خلاف خوی تو گوید کسی ** کینهها خیزد ترا با او بسی
When any one contradicts your disposition (habit of mind), many feelings of hatred against him arise in you.
که مرا از خوی من بر میکند ** خویش را بر من چو سرور میکند
“He is tearing me (you say) from my (engrained) disposition, he is making himself like a captain over me.”
چون نباشد خوی بد سرکش در او ** کی فروزد آن خلاف آتش در او
Unless the evil disposition has become headstrong in him, how should the fire (of passion) blaze up in him through being opposed?
با مخالف او مدارایی کند ** در دل او خویش را جایی کند3470
He may show some feigned courtesy to the opponent, he may make a place for himself in his heart,
ز انکه خوی بد بگشته ست استوار ** مور شهوت شد ز عادت همچو مار
(But he really hates him), because the evil disposition has waxed strong: the ant of (worldly) lust has through habit become as a snake.
مار شهوت را بکش در ابتدا ** ور نه اینک گشت مارت اژدها
Kill the snake of lust in tribulation; else, look you, your snake is become a dragon.
لیک هر کس مور بیند مار خویش ** تو ز صاحب دل کن استفسار خویش
But every one deems his own snake an ant: do you (then) seek the explanation of yourself (your real state) from him that is lord of the heart.
تا نشد زر مس نداند من مسم ** تا نشد شه دل نداند مفلسم
Until copper becomes gold, it does not know itself to be copper: until the heart becomes a king, it does not know itself to be an insolvent.
خدمت اکسیر کن مسوار تو ** جور میکش ای دل از دل دار تو3475
Do service to the elixir, like copper: endure oppression, O heart, from him that holds the heart in fee.
کیست دل دار اهل دل نیکو بدان ** که چو روز و شب جهانند از جهان
Who is it that holds the heart in fee? Know well, it is the lords of the heart who, like day and night, are recoiling from the world.
عیب کم گو بندهی الله را ** متهم کم کن به دزدی شاه را
Do not find fault with the Servant of God: do not suspect the King of being a thief.
کرامات آن درویش که در کشتی متهمش کردند
The miracles of the dervish who was suspected of theft in a ship.
بود درویشی درون کشتیی ** ساخته از رخت مردی پشتیی
A dervish was in a ship: he had made a bolster (for himself) from the goods of saintly fortitude.
یاوه شد همیان زر او خفته بود ** جمله را جستند و او را هم نمود
A purse of gold was lost. He was asleep (at the time). They searched all (in the ship) and brought him also to view