زآنک چون مرده بود تن بی‌لهب ** پیش او نه روز بنماید نه شب
For when the body is dead (and) without the (vital) flame, neither day nor night appears to it;
ور نباشد آن چو این باشد تمام ** بی‌شب و بی روز دارد انتظام3060
But though it (the flame) be not (there), (yet) when this (spiritual Sun) is (present) in perfection, it (the Sun) maintains itself intact without night and day,
هم‌چنانک چشم می‌بیند به خواب ** بی‌مه و خورشید ماه و آفتاب
Just as the eye, without moon and sun, sees moon and sun in dream.
نوم ما چون شد اخ الموت ای فلان ** زین برادر آن برادر را بدان
Since our sleep is the brother of death, O such and such, know (the difference of) that brother from this brother.
ور بگویندت که هست آن فرع این ** مشنو آن را ای مقلد بی‌یقین
And if they tell thee that that is the branch (derivative) of this, do not hear (believe) it, O follower of authority, without (having) certain knowledge.
می‌بیند خواب جانت وصف حال ** که به بیداری نبینی بیست سال
During sleep thy spirit is beholding the representation of a state (of things) which thou wilt not behold, whilst thou art awake, in twenty years,
در پی تعبیر آن تو عمرها ** می‌دوی سوی شهان با دها3065
And thou art running, for (whole) lifetimes, to the sagacious (spiritual) kings in quest of the interpretation thereof,
که بگو آن خواب را تعبیر چیست ** فرع گفتن این چنین سر را سگیست
Saying, “Tell (me), what is the interpretation of that dream?” To call such a mystery a “branch” is currishness.
خواب عامست این و خود خواب خواص ** باشد اصل اجتبا و اختصاص
This is the sleep of the vulgar; but truly the sleep of the elect is the root of (their) privilege and election.
پیل باید تا چو خسپد او ستان ** خواب بیند خطه‌ی هندوستان
There must needs be the elephant, in order that, when he sleeps supinely, he may dream of the land of Hindustán.
خر نبیند هیچ هندستان به خواب ** خر ز هندستان نکردست اغتراب
The ass does not dream of Hindustán at all: the ass has never journeyed from Hindustán to a foreign country.
جان هم‌چون پیل باید نیک زفت ** تا به خواب او هند داند رفت تفت3070
There is need of the elephant-like and very robust spirit, that in sleep it may be able to go speedily to Hindustán.
ذکر هندستان کند پیل از طلب ** پس مصور گردد آن ذکرش به شب
Because of desire the elephant remembers Hindustán; then by night that remembrance of his takes form.
اذکروا الله کار هر اوباش نیست ** ارجعی بر پای هر قلاش نیست
(The worship commanded in the text) Remember ye Allah is not a (devotional) work (that is within the reach) of every rascal; (the command) Return thou is not (a fetter) on the foot of every reprobate.
لیک تو آیس مشو هم پیل باش ** ور نه پیلی در پی تبدیل باش
But still do not thou despair, be an elephant; and if thou art not an elephant, be in quest of transmutation.
کیمیاسازان گردون را ببین ** بشنو از میناگران هر دم طنین
Behold the alchemists of Heaven; hear at every moment the sound (of the words that come) from the (spiritual) makers of the philosophers' stone.
نقش‌بندانند در جو فلک ** کارسازانند بهر لی و لک3075
They are designers in the celestial atmosphere; they are workers for me and thee.
گر نبینی خلق مشکین جیب را ** بنگر ای شب‌کور این آسیب را
If thou dost not see the musky-bosomed people, behold this touch (laid upon thee), O night-blind (purblind) one.
هر دم آسیبست بر ادراک تو ** نبت نو نو رسته بین از خاک تو
At every moment the touch is (laid) upon thy apprehension: behold the plants ever springing up anew from thy earth!
زین بد ابراهیم ادهم دیده خواب ** بسط هندستان دل را بی‌حجاب
Of this (sort) was Ibráhím son of Adham, who beheld in sleep, without veil, the unfolding of the spiritual Hindustán.
لاجرم زنجیرها را بر درید ** مملکت بر هم زد و شد ناپدید
(Therefore), of necessity, he burst the (worldly) chains asunder and dashed his kingdom to pieces and disappeared.
آن نشان دید هندستان بود ** که جهد از خواب و دیوانه شود3080
The sign of beholding Hindustán is that he (who beholds it) starts up from sleep and becomes mad.
می‌فشاند خاک بر تدبیرها ** می‌دراند حلقه‌ی زنجیرها
He will scatter dust upon (worldly) plans and will burst the links of the chains (that bind him),
آنچنان که گفت پیغامبر ز نور ** که نشانش آن بود اندر صدور
Even as the Prophet said of the (Divine) light, that the sign thereof in (men's) breasts
که تجافی آرد از دار الغرور ** هم انابت آرد از دار السرور
Is that he (who hath the light) withdraws from the abode of delusion and also turns back from the abode of joy.