آنک سرها بشکند او از علو ** رحم حق و خلق ناید سوی او
He that haughtily breaks the heads (of people), the mercy of God and His creatures cometh not towards him.
این سخن آخر ندارد وان جوان ** از کمی اجرای نان شد ناتوان
This topic hath no end, and that youth (the slave) has been deprived of strength by the reduction of his bread-allowance.
شاد آن صوفی که رزقش کم شود ** آن شبه‌ش در گردد و اویم شود1860
Happy is the Súfí whose daily bread is reduced: his bead becomes a pearl, and he becomes the Sea.
زان جرای خاص هر که آگاه شد ** او سزای قرب و اجری‌گاه شد
Whosoever has become acquainted with that choice (spiritual) allowance, he has become worthy of approach (to the Presence) and of (Him who is) the Source of (every) allowance.
زان جرای روح چون نقصان شود ** جانش از نقصان آن لرزان شود
When there is a reduction of that spiritual allowance, his spirit trembles on account of its reduction;
پس بداند که خطایی رفته است ** که سمن‌زار رضا آشفته است
(For) then he knows that a fault has been committed (by him) which has ruffled the jasmine-bed of (Divine) approbation,
هم‌چنانک آن شخص از نقصان کشت ** رقعه سوی صاحب خرمن نبشت
Just as (happened when) that person (the slave), on account of the deficiency of his crop, wrote a letter to the owner of the harvest.
رقعه‌اش بردند پیش میر داد ** خواند او رقعه جوابی وا نداد1865
They brought his letter to the lord of justice: he read the letter and returned no answer.
گفت او را نیست الا درد لوت ** پس جواب احمق اولیتر سکوت
He said, “He hath no care but for (the loss of) viands: silence, then, is the best answer to a fool.
نیستش درد فراق و وصل هیچ ** بند فرعست او نجوید اصل هیچ
He hath no care at all for separation (from me) or union (with me): he is confined to the branch (the derivative); he does not seek the root (the fundamental) at all.
احمقست و مرده‌ی ما و منی ** کز غم فرعش فراغ اصل نی
He is a fool and (spiritually) dead in egoism, for because of his anxious care for the branch he hath no leisure for the root.”
آسمانها و زمین یک سیب دان ** کز درخت قدرت حق شد عیان
Deem the skies and the earth to be an apple that appeared from the tree of Divine Power.
تو چه کرمی در میان سیب در ** وز درخت و باغبانی بی‌خبر1870
Thou art as a worm in the midst of the apple and art ignorant of the tree and the gardener.
آن یکی کرمی دگر در سیب هم ** لیک جانش از برون صاحب‌علم
The other worm’ too is in the apple, but its spirit is outside, bearing the banner aloft.
جنبش او وا شکافد سیب را ** بر نتابد سیب آن آسیب را
Its (the worm’s) movement splits the apple asunder: the apple cannot endure that shock.
بر دریده جنبش او پرده‌ها ** صورتش کرمست و معنی اژدها
Its movement has rent (all) veils: its form is (that of) a worm, but its reality is a dragon.
آتش که اول ز آهن می‌جهد ** او قدم بس سست بیرون می‌نهد
The fire that first darts from (the impact of) the steel puts forth its foot very feebly.
دایه‌اش پنبه‌ست اول لیک اخیر ** می‌رساند شعله‌ها او تا اثیر1875
Cotton is its nurse at first, but in the end it carries its flames up to the aether.
مرد اول بسته‌ی خواب و خورست ** آخر الامر از ملایک برترست
At first, man is in bondage to sleep and food; ultimately he is higher than the angels.
در پناه پنبه و کبریتها ** شعله و نورش برآیدت بر سها
Under the protection of cotton and sulphur matches his flame and light rises above Suhá.
عالم تاریک روشن می‌کند ** کنده‌ی آهن به سوزن می‌کند
He illuminates the dark world: he tears the iron fetter (in pieces) with a needle.
گرچه آتش نیز هم جسمانی است ** نه ز روحست و نه از روحانی است
Though the fire too is connected with the body, is ‘it not derived from the spirit and the spiritual?
جسم را نبود از آن عز بهره‌ای ** جسم پیش بحر جان چون قطره‌ای1880
The body hath no share in that glory: the body is as a drop of water in comparison with the sea of the spirit.
جسم از جان روزافزون می‌شود ** چون رود جان جسم بین چون می‌شود
The days of the body are increased by the spirit: mark what becomes of the body when the spirit goes (from it).
حد جسمت یک دو گز خود بیش نیست ** جان تو تا آسمان جولان‌کنیست
The range of thy body is an ell or two, no more: thy spirit is a maker of swift flights to heaven.