رزقها را رزقها او می‌دهد ** زانک گندم بی غذایی چون زهد
He bestoweth gifts (of sustenance) on the gifts (which sustain life), for how should wheat spring forth without (receiving) any sustenance?
نیست شرح این سخن را منتهی ** پاره‌ای گفتم بدانی پاره‌ها
There is no end to the explanation of this matter. I have told a portion: you may know the (remaining) portions (by analogy).
جمله عالم آکل و ماکول دان ** باقیان را مقبل و مقبول دان30
Know that all the world is eating and eaten; know that those who have everlasting life (in God) are fortunate and accepted.
این جهان و ساکنانش منتشر ** وان جهان و سالکانش مستمر
This world and its inhabitants are (in the end) dispersed; that (other) world and its travellers are continuing (for ever).
این جهان و عاشقانش منقطع ** اهل آن عالم مخلد مجتمع
This world and its lovers are cut off; the people of that (other) world are eternalised and united.
پس کریم آنست کو خود را دهد ** آب حیوانی که ماند تا ابد
The (truly) noble, then, is he that gives to himself the Water of Life that remains unto everlasting.
باقیات الصالحات آمد کریم ** رسته از صد آفت و اخطار و بیم
The noble one is (the very essence of) the good works which endure: he has been freed from a hundred banes and perils and fears.
گر هزارانند یک کس بیش نیست ** چون خیالاتی عدد اندیش نیست35
If they (the noble) are thousands (externally), there is no more than one (in reality): ’tis not like the fancies of him that thinks of number.
آکل و ماکول را حلقست و نای ** غالب و مغلوب را عقلست و رای
(Both) the eater and the eaten have a throat and windpipe: (both) the victor and the vanquished have understanding and mental perception.
حلق بخشید او عصای عدل را ** خورد آن چندان عصا و حبل را
He (God) bestowed a throat on the rod of justice, (so that) it devoured all those many rods and ropes;
واندرو افزون نشد زان جمله اکل ** زانک حیوانی نبودش اکل و شکل
And in it was no increase from all that eating, because its eating and its form were not animal.
مر یقین را چون عصا هم حلق داد ** تا بخورد او هر خیالی را که زاد
To Faith also He gave a throat like (that of) the rod, so that it devoured every vain fancy that was born.
پس معانی را چو اعیان حلقهاست ** رازق حلق معانی هم خداست40
Hence the spiritual and intelligible things, like the concrete (sensible) things, have throats, and the giver of food to the throat of the spiritual and intelligible things is also (none but) God.
پس ز مه تا ماهی هیچ از خلق نیست ** که بجذب مایه او را حلق نیست
Therefore from the Moon to the Fish there is nothing in creation that hath not a throat in respect of its drawing sustenance (from God).
حلق جان از فکر تن خالی شود ** آنگهان روزیش اجلالی شود
(When) the spirit's throat is emptied of thought for the body, then its apportioned sustenance becomes Majestical.
شرط تبدیل مزاج آمد بدان ** کز مزاج بد بود مرگ بدان
Know that the necessary condition (for gaining this sustenance) is the transformation of the (sensual) nature, for the death of evil men is (arises) from (their) evil nature.
چون مزاج آدمی گل‌خوار شد ** زرد و بدرنگ و سقیم و خوار شد
When it has become natural to a human being to eat clay, he grows pale and ill-complexioned and sickly and miserable;
چون مزاج زشت او تبدیل یافت ** رفت زشتی از رخش چون شمع تافت45
(But) when his ugly nature has been transformed, the ugliness departs from his face, and he shines like a candle.
دایه‌ای کو طفل شیرآموز را ** تا بنعمت خوش کند پدفوز را
Where is a nurse for the suckling babe?—that with kindness she may sweeten the inner part of its mouth,
گر ببندد راه آن پستان برو ** برگشاید راه صد بستان برو
And, though she bar its way to her teat, may open up for it the way to a hundred gardens (of delight)?—
زانک پستان شد حجاب آن ضعیف ** از هزاران نعمت و خوان و رغیف
Because the teat has become to that feeble (infant) a barrier (separating it) from thousands of pleasures and dishes (of food) and loaves (of bread).
پس حیات ماست موقوف فطام ** اندک اندک جهد کن تم الکلام
Our life, then, depends on weaning. Endeavour (to wean yourself) little by little. The discourse is (now) complete.
ون جنین بد آدمی بد خون غذا ** از نجس پاکی برد مومن کذا 50
When man was an embryo his nourishment was blood: in like fashion the true believer draws purity from filth.
از فطام خون غذااش شیر شد ** وز فطام شیر لقمه‌گیر شد
Through (his) being weaned from blood, his nourishment became milk; and through (his) being weaned from milk, he became a taker of (solid) food.
وز فطام لقمه لقمانی شود ** طالب اشکار پنهانی شود
And through (his) being weaned from food he becomes (a sage) like Luqmán; he becomes a seeker (hunter) of the hidden game.