از پس هر پرده قومی را مقام ** صف صفاند این پردههاشان تا امام
Behind each veil a certain class (of saints) has its place of abode: these veils of theirs are (in ascending order), rank by rank, up to the Imám.
اهل صف آخرین از ضعف خویش ** چشمشان طاقت ندارد نور بیش
Those in the last (lowest) rank, through their weakness, (are such that) their eyes cannot endure the light in front (of them);
و آن صف پیش از ضعیفی بصر ** تاب نارد روشنایی بیشتر
And that front rank, from weakness of sight, cannot support the light that is more advanced.
روشنیی کاو حیات اول است ** رنج جان و فتنهی این احول است825
The light that is the life of the first (highest rank) is heartache and tribulation to this squinter;
احولیها اندک اندک کم شود ** چون ز هفصد بگذرد او یم شود
(But) the squintnesses, little by little, grow less, and when he passes beyond the seven hundred (veils), he becomes the Sea.
آتشی کاصلاح آهن یا زر است ** کی صلاح آبی و سیب تر است
The fire that does good to iron or gold—how is it good for fresh quinces and apples?
سیب و آبی خامیی دارد خفیف ** نه چو آهن تابشی خواهد لطیف
The apple and quince have (only) a slight crudity: unlike iron, they want a gentle heat;
لیک آهن را لطیف آن شعلههاست ** کاو جذوب تابش آن اژدهاست
But those flames are (too) gentle for the iron, for it is (eagerly) drawing to (itself) the heat of that (fiery) dragon.
هست آن آهن فقیر سخت کش ** زیر پتک و آتش است او سرخ و خوش830
That iron is the dervish who bears hardship (self-mortification): under the hammer and the fire he is red and happy.
حاجب آتش بود بیواسطه ** در دل آتش رود بیرابطه
He is the chamberlain of the fire (and) in immediate touch (with it): he goes into the heart of the fire without (any) link (between the fire and him).
بیحجاب آب و فرزندان آب ** پختگی ز آتش نیابند و خطاب
Without some screen, water and water's children get no cooking or conversation from the fire.
واسطه دیگی بود یا تابهای ** همچو پا را در روش پا تابهای
The medium is a pot or a pan—as (the medium) for the foot in walking (is) a sock (shoe)—
یا مکانی در میان تا آن هوا ** میشود سوزان و میآرد بما
Or a space between, so that the air becomes burning hot and brings (the fire) to the water.
پس فقیر آن است کاو بیواسطه ست ** شعلهها را با وجودش رابطه ست835
The dervish, then, is he that has no intermediary: the flames have (direct) connexion with his being.
پس دل عالم وی است ایرا که تن ** میرسد از واسطهی این دل به فن
Therefore he is the heart of the world, because by means of this heart the body attains to (its proper) art (function).
دل نباشد، تن چه داند گفتوگو ** دل نجوید، تن چه داند جستجو
(If) the heart be not there, how can the body talk and speak? (If) the heart seek not, how can the body seek and search?
پس نظرگاه شعاع آن آهن است ** پس نظرگاه خدا دل نی تن است
Therefore the theatre of the (Divine) rays is that iron; therefore the theatre of God is the heart, not the body.
باز این دلهای جزوی چون تن است ** با دل صاحب دلی کاو معدن است
Again, these partial (individual) hearts are as the body in relation to the heart of the man of heart (the perfect saint), which is the original source.
بس مثال و شرح خواهد این کلام ** لیک ترسم تا نلغزد وهم عام840
This argument wants much illustration and exposition, but I fear lest the opinion of the vulgar should stumble (and fall into error),
تا نگردد نیکویی ما بدی ** اینکه گفتم هم نبد جز بیخودی
(And) lest my goodness should be turned (by them) to badness;—even this that I have spoken was (from) naught but selflessness.
پای کج را کفش کج بهتر بود ** مر گدا را دستگه بر در بود
The crooked shoe is better for the crooked foot; the beggar's power reaches only as far as the door.
امتحان پادشاه به آن دو غلام که نو خریده بود
How the King made trial of the two slaves whom he had recently purchased.
پادشاهی دو غلام ارزان خرید ** با یکی ز آن دو سخن گفت و شنید
A King bought two slaves cheap, and conversed with one of the twain.
یافتش زیرک دل و شیرین جواب ** از لب شکر چه زاید شکر آب
He found him quick-witted and answering sweetly: what issues from the sugar-lip? Sugar-water.
آدمی مخفی است در زیر زبان ** این زبان پرده است بر درگاه جان845
Man is concealed underneath his tongue: this tongue is the curtain over the gate of the soul.
چون که بادی پرده را در هم کشید ** سر صحن خانه شد بر ما پدید
When a gust of wind has rolled up the curtain, the secret of the interior of the house is disclosed to us,