صد هزاران امتحانست ای پسر ** هر که گوید من شدم سرهنگ در
There are hundreds of thousands of trials, O son, for any one who says, “I am the captain of the Gate.”
گر نداند عامه او را ز امتحان ** پختگان راه جویندش نشان
If the vulgar do not know him by (putting him to) the trial, (yet) the adepts of the Way will demand from him the token (of his veracity).
چون کند دعوی خیاطی خسی ** افکند در پیش او شه اطلسی
When a churl pretends to be a tailor, the king will throw down a piece of satin in front of him,
که ببر این را بغلطاق فراخ ** ز امتحان پیدا شود او را دو شاخ685
Saying, “Cut this into a wide undervest (baghaltáq)”: from (as the result of) the trial there appear two horns on him.
گر نبودی امتحان هر بدی ** هر مخنث در وغا رستم بدی
Were there not a testing of every vicious person, every effeminate would be a Rustam in the fray.
خود مخنث را زره پوشیده گیر ** چون ببیند زخم گردد چون اسیر
Even suppose that the effeminate has put on a coat of mail: as soon as he feels the blow, he will become as a captive.
مست حق هشیار چون شد از دبور ** مست حق ناید به خود تا نفخ صور
How will he that is intoxicated with God be restored to his senses by (the soft breath of) the west-wind? The God-intoxicated man will not come to himself till the blast of the trumpet (of Resurrection).
باده‌ی حق راست باشد بی دروغ ** دوغ خوردی دوغ خوردی دوغ دوغ
The wine of God is true, not false: thou hast drunk buttermilk, thou hast drunk buttermilk, buttermilk, buttermilk!
ساختی خود را جنید و بایزید ** رو که نشناسم تبر را از کلید690
Thou hast made thyself out to be a Junayd or a Báyazíd, (saying), “Begone, for I do not know a hatchet from a key.”
بدرگی و منبلی و حرص و آز ** چون کنی پنهان بشید ای مکرساز
How by means of hypocrisy, O contriver of fraud, wilt thou conceal depravity of nature and (spiritual) sloth and greed and concupiscence?
خویش را منصور حلاجی کنی ** آتشی در پنبه‌ی یاران زنی
Thou makest thyself a Mansúr-i Halláj and settest fire to the cotton of thy friends,
که بنشناسم عمر از بولهب ** باد کره‌ی خود شناسم نیمشب
Saying, “I do not know ‘Umar from Bú Lahab, (but) I know the wind of my ass-colt at midnight.”
ای خری کین از تو خر باور کند ** خویش را بهر تو کور و کر کند
Oh, the ass that would believe this from an ass like thee, and would make himself blind and deaf for thy sake!
خویش را از ره‌روان کمتر شمر ** تو حریف ره‌ریانی گه مخور695
Do not count thyself one of the travellers on the Way; thou art a comrade of them that defile the Way: do not eat dung (do not talk rubbish)!
باز پر از شید سوی عقل تاز ** کی پرد بر آسمان پر مجاز
Fly back from hypocrisy, hasten towards Reason: how shall the wing of the phenomenal (unreal) soar to Heaven?
خویشتن را عاشق حق ساختی ** عشق با دیو سیاهی باختی
Thou hast feigned to be a lover of God, (but in truth) thou hast played the game of love with a black devil.
عاشق و معشوق را در رستخیز ** دو بدو بندند و پیش آرند تیز
At the Resurrection lover and beloved shall be tied in couples and quickly brought forward (to judgement).
تو چه خود را گیج و بی‌خود کرده‌ای ** خون رز کو خون ما را خورده‌ای
Why hast thou made thyself crazy and senseless? Where is the blood of the vine? Thou hast drunk our blood,
رو که نشناسم ترا از من بجه ** عارف بی‌خویشم و بهلول ده700
(Saying), “Begone, I do not know thee: spring away from me. I am a gnostic who is beside himself and (I am) the Buhlúl of the village.”
تو توهم می‌کنی از قرب حق ** که طبق‌گر دور نبود از طبق
Thou art conceiving a false opinion of thy nearness to God, thinking that the Tray-maker is not far from the tray;
این نمی‌بینی که قرب اولیا ** صد کرامت دارد و کار و کیا
(And) thou dost not see this, that the nearness of the saints (to God) hath a hundred miracles and pomps and powers.
آهن از داوود مومی می‌شود ** موم در دستت چو آهن می‌بود
By David iron is made (soft as) a piece of wax; in thy hand wax is (hard) as iron.
قرب خلق و رزق بر جمله‌ست عام ** قرب وحی عشق دارند این کرام
Nearness (to God) in respect of (His) creating and sustaining (us) is common to all, (but only) these noble ones possess the nearness (consisting) of the inspiration of Love.
قرب بر انواع باشد ای پدر ** می‌زند خورشید بر کهسار و زر705
Nearness is of various kinds, O father: the sun strikes (both) on the mountains and on the gold (in the mine);
لیک قربی هست با زر شید را ** که از آن آگه نباشد بید را
But between the sun and the gold there is a nearness (affinity) of which the bíd-tree hath no knowledge.