Know that when the whole of a thing is unattainable the whole of it is not (therefore to be) relinquished.
گر نتانی خورد طوفان سحاب ** کی توان کردن بترک خورد آب
If you cannot drink (all) the flood-rain of the clouds, (yet) how can you give up water-drinking?
راز را گر می‌نیاری در میان ** درکها را تازه کن از قشر آن
If thou wilt not communicate the mystery, (at least) refresh (our) apprehensions with the husk thereof.
نطقها نسبت به تو قشرست لیک ** پیش دیگر فهمها مغزست نیک 20
(My) spoken words are (only) a husk in relation to thee, but they are a good kernel for other understandings.
آسمان نسبت به عرش آمد فرود ** ورنه بس عالیست سوی خاک‌تود
The sky is low in relation to the empyrean; else, in respect of the earth-mound, it is exceedingly high.
من بگویم وصف تو تا ره برند ** پیش از آن کز فوت آن حسرت خورند
I will tell thy description in order that they (my hearers) may take their way (towards thee) ere they grieve at the loss of that (opportunity).
نور حقی و به حق جذاب جان ** خلق در ظلمات وهم‌اند و گمان
Thou art the Light of God and a mighty drawer of the soul to God. His creatures are in the darkness of vain imagination and opinion.
شرط تعظیمست تا این نور خوش ** گردد این بی‌دیدگان را سرمه‌کش
Reverence is the necessary condition for this goodly Light to bestow a salve on these sightless ones.
نور یابد مستعد تیزگوش ** کو نباشد عاشق ظلمت چو موش 25
The ready sharp-eared man gains the Light—he who is not in love with darkness like a mouse.
سست‌چشمانی که شب جولان کنند ** کی طواف مشعله‌ی ایمان کنند
The weak-eyed (bat-like) ones that go about at night, how shall they make a circuit round the Cresset of the Faith?
نکته‌های مشکل باریک شد ** بند طبعی که ز دین تاریک شد
Difficult subtle points of disputation are the chains of (hold in bondage) the nature that has become dark (blind) to the (true) Religion.
تا بر آراید هنر را تار و پود ** چشم در خورشید نتواند گشود
So long as he (such an one) decks out the warp and woof of (his own) cleverness, he cannot open his eyes to the Sun.
هم‌چو نخلی برنیارد شاخها ** کرده موشانه زمین سوراخها
He does not lift up branches (to the sky) like a date-palm: he has bored holes in the earth after the fashion of mice.
چار وصفست این بشر را دل‌فشار ** چارمیخ عقل گشته این چهار 30
This humankind have four heart-oppressing qualities: these four have become the gibbet of Reason.
تفسیر خذ اربعة من الطیر فصرهن الیک
Commenting on “Take four birds and turn them towards thee.”
تو خلیل وقتی ای خورشیدهش ** این چهار اطیار ره‌زن را بکش
O thou whose intelligence is (resplendent) as the Sun, thou art the Khalíl (Abraham) of the time: kill these four birds that infest the Way,
زانک هر مرغی ازینها زاغ‌وش ** هست عقل عاقلان را دیده‌کش
Because each of them, crow-like, is plucking the eye from the intellect of the intelligent.
چار وصف تن چو مرغان خلیل ** بسمل ایشان دهد جان را سبیل
The four bodily qualities resemble the birds of Khalíl: their slaughter makes way for the soul (to ascend).
ای خلیل اندر خلاص نیک و بد ** سر ببرشان تا رهد پاها ز سد
O Khalíl, in (accomplishing) the deliverance of good and bad (alike), cut off their heads that the feet (of the people) may escape from the barrier (which confines them).
کل توی و جملگان اجزای تو ** بر گشا که هست پاشان پای تو 35
Thou art all, and they all are parts of thee: open (the prison), for their feet are thy feet.
از تو عالم روح زاری می‌شود ** پشت صد لشکر سواری می‌شود
By thee the (whole) world is made a place abounding in spirit: a single cavalier becomes the support of a hundred armies.
زانک این تن شد مقام چار خو ** نامشان شد چار مرغ فتنه‌جو
Inasmuch as this body is the abode (nest) of (these) four dispositions, they are named the four mischief-seeking birds.
خلق را گر زندگی خواهی ابد ** سر ببر زین چار مرغ شوم بد
If thou wish the people to have everlasting life, cut off the heads of these four foul and evil birds,
بازشان زنده کن از نوعی دگر ** که نباشد بعد از آن زیشان ضرر
(And then) revive them again in another sort, so that afterwards no harm will be done by them.