چون بلال از ضعف شد همچون هلال ** رنگ مرگ افتاد بر روی بلال
When Bilál from weakness became (thin) as the new-moon, the hue of death fell upon Bilál's face.
جفت او دیدش بگفتا وا حرب ** پس بلالش گفت نه نه وا طرب
His wife saw him (in this state) and cried, “Oh, sorrow!” Then Bilál said to her, “Nay, nay! (Say), ‘Oh, joy!’
تا کنون اندر حرب بودم ز زیست ** تو چه دانی مرگ چون عیشست و چیست
Until now I have been in sorrow from living: how shouldst thou know how delightful death is, and what it is (in reality)?”
این همی گفت و رخش در عین گفت ** نرگس و گلبرگ و لاله می‌شکفت3520
He was saying this, and at the very moment of saying it his countenance was blooming with narcissi, rose-leaves, and red anemones.
تاب رو و چشم پر انوار او ** می گواهی داد بر گفتار او
The glow of his face and his eye full of radiance were giving testimony to (the truth of) his words.
هر سیه دل می سیه دیدی ورا ** مردم دیده سیاه آمد چرا
Every black-hearted one was regarding him as black (and despising him); (but) why is the man (pupil) of the eye black?
مردم نادیده باشد رو سیاه ** مردم دیده بود مرآت ماه
The man (spiritually) blind is black-faced, (but) the Man of the (inward) eye (the Seer) is the mirror for the Moon.
خود کی بیند مردم دیده‌ی ترا ** در جهان جز مردم دیده‌فزا
Who in the world, indeed, sees the man of your (inward) eye except the Man of piercing sight?
چون به غیر مردم دیده‌ش ندید ** پس به غیر او کی در رنگش رسید3525
Since none but the Man of the eye beheld it, who, then, but he attained to (knowledge of) its (essential) colour?
پس جز او جمله مقلد آمدند ** در صفات مردم دیده بلند
Therefore all except him (the Seer) are imitators (without immediate knowledge) in regard to the attributes of the sublime man of the eye.
گفت جفتش الفراق ای خوش‌خصال ** گفت نه نه الوصالست الوصال
His (Bilál's) wife said to him, “(This is) the parting, O man of goodly qualities.” “Nay, nay,” said he, “’tis the union, the union (with God).”
گفت جفت امشب غریبی می‌روی ** از تبار و خویش غایب می‌شوی
The wife said, “To-night thou wilt go to a strange country, thou wilt become absent from thy family and kindred.”
گفت نه نه بلک امشب جان من ** می‌رسد خود از غریبی در وطن
“Nay, nay,” he replied; “contrariwise, to-night in sooth from a strange country my spirit is coming home.”
گفت رویت را کجا بینیم ما ** گفت اندر حلقه‌ی خاص خدا3530
She said, “Where shall we behold thy face?” He answered, “In God's chosen circle.”
حلقه‌ی خاصش به تو پیوسته است ** گر نظر بالا کنی نه سوی پست
His chosen circle adjoins you, if you look upward, not downward.
اندر آن حلقه ز رب العالمین ** نور می‌تابد چو در حلقه نگین
In that circle the Light from the Lord of created beings is gleaming like the bezel in the circle (of the seal-ring).
گفت ویران گشت این خانه دریغ ** گفت اندر مه نگر منگر به میغ
“Alas,” she said, “this house has been ruined.” “Look on the moon,” said he, “do not look on the cloud.
کرد ویران تا کند معمورتر ** قومم انبه بود و خانه مختصر
He has ruined it in order that He may make it more flourishing: my kinsfolk were numerous and the house was (too) small.
حکمت ویران شدن تن به مرگ
The (Divine) wisdom in ruining the body by death.
من چو آدم بودم اول حبس کرب ** پر شد اکنون نسل جانم شرق و غرب3535
Formerly, like Adam, I was imprisoned in grief; now East and West are filled with my spirit's progeny.
من گدا بودم درین خانه چو چاه ** شاه گشتم قصر باید بهر شاه
I was a beggar in this dungeon-like house; (now) I have become a king: a palace is needed for a king.”
قصرها خود مر شهان را مانسست ** مرده را خانه و مکان گوری بسست
Truly, palaces are the place for (spiritual) kings to take their pleasure in; for him that is (spiritually) dead a grave is a sufficient house and dwelling.
انبیا را تنگ آمد این جهان ** چون شهان رفتند اندر لامکان
To the prophets this world seemed narrow: like kings, they went into (the world of) spacelessness.
مردگان را این جهان بنمود فر ** ظاهرش زفت و به معنی تنگ بر
To the (spiritually) dead this world appears splendid: its external (aspect) is large, but in reality it is narrow.
گر نبودی تنگ این افغان ز چیست ** چون دو تا شد هر که در وی بیش زیست3540
If it were not narrow, for what reason is this lamentation? Why has every one become (more) doubled (bowed with affliction) the more he lived in it?
در زمان خواب چون آزاد شد ** زان مکان بنگر که جان چون شاد شد
When during the time of sleep the spirit is freed (from this world), behold how it rejoices in that place (to which it goes)!