این هنرها آب را هم شاهدست ** که اندرونش پر ز لطف ایزدست 235
These virtues possessed by the water bear witness likewise that its interior is filled with the grace of God.
گواهی فعل و قول بیرونی بر ضمیر و نور اندرونی
The testimony of external acts and words to the hidden mind and the inner light.
فعل و قول آمد گواهان ضمیر ** زین دو بر باطن تو استدلال گیر
Act and word are witnesses to the hidden mind: from these twain infer the inward state.
چون ندارد سیر سرت در درون ** بنگر اندر بول رنجور از برون
When your thought does not penetrate within, inspect the patient's urine from without.
فعل و قول آن بول رنجوران بود ** که طبیب جسم را برهان بود
Act and word are (as) the urine of the sick, which is clear evidence for the physician of the body.
وآن طبیب روح در جانش رود ** وز ره جان اندر ایمانش رود
But the spiritual physician enters into his (patient's) soul and by the spiritual way penetrates into his (inmost) belief.
حاجتش ناید به فعل و قول خوب ** احذروهم هم جواسیس القلوب 240
He hath no need of fine acts and words: “beware of them (the spiritual physicians), they are spies on (men's) hearts.”
این گواه فعل و قول از وی بجو ** کو به دریا نیست واصل هم‌چو جو
Demand this testimony of acts and words from him (only) who is not united with the Sea like a river.
در بیان آنک نور خود از اندرون شخص منور بی‌آنک فعلی و قولی بیان کند گواهی دهد بر نور وی در بیان آنک آن‌نور خود را از اندرون سر عارف ظاهر کند بر خلقان بی‌فعل عارف و بی‌قول عارف افزون از آنک به قول و فعل او ظاهر شود چنانک آفتاب بلند شود بانگ خروس و اعلام مذن و علامات دیگر حاجت نیاید
Explaining that the light itself from within the illumined person bears witness to his light, without any act or word declaring it.
لیک نور سالکی کز حد گذشت ** نور او پر شد بیابانها و دشت
But the (inner) light of the traveller (mystic) who has passed beyond the pale (of selfhood)—the deserts and plains are filled with his radiance.
شاهدی‌اش فارغ آمد از شهود ** وز تکلفها و جانبازی و جود
(The fact of) his being a witness (to God) is independent of witnesses and works of supererogation and of self-devotion and self-sacrifice.
نور آن گوهر چو بیرون تافتست ** زین تسلسها فراغت یافتست
Since the light of that (spiritual) substance has shone forth, he has gained independence of these hypocrisies.
پس مجو از وی گواه فعل و گفت ** که ازو هر دو جهان چون گل شکفت 245
Therefore do not demand of him the testimony of act and speech, for through him both the worlds have blossomed like a rose.
این گواهی چیست اظهار نهان ** خواه قول و خواه فعل و غیر آن
What is this testimony? The making manifest of that which is hidden, whether (by) word or act or something else;
که عرض اظهار سر جوهرست ** وصف باقی وین عرض بر معبرست
For its object is to make manifest the inward nature of the spiritual substance: the attributes (of that substance) are permanent, though these accidents (such as acts and words) are fleeting.
این نشان زر نماند بر محک ** زر بماند نیک نام و بی ز شک
The mark of the gold on the touchstone does not remain, (but) the gold (itself) remains—of good renown and undoubted.
این صلات و این جهاد و این صیام ** هم نماند جان بماند نیک‌نام
Similarly, (all) this ritual prayer and holy war and fasting does not remain, but the spirit remains in good renown (for ever).
جان چنین افعال و اقوالی نمود ** بر محک امر جوهر را بسود 250
The spirit produced certain acts and words of this kind (as proofs): it rubbed its substance on the touchstone of the (Divine) command,
As though to say, “My belief is perfect: here is the witness!” (Yes), but there is doubt as regards the witnesses.
تزکیه باید گواهان را بدان ** تزکیش صدقی که موقوفی بدان
Know that the probity of the witnesses must be established: the means of establishing it is a (great) sincerity: thou art dependent on that.
حفظ لفظ اندر گواه قولیست ** حفظ عهد اندر گواه فعلیست
In the case of the word-witness, ’tis keeping thy word (that is the test); in the case of the act-witness, ’tis keeping thy covenant (to perform these acts).