شهوت او را که دم آمد ز بن ** ای مبدل شهوت عقبیش کن
O changer, make its (carnal) lust, which is the tail, to be entirely lust for the world hereafter.
چون ببندی شهوتش را از رغیف ** سر کند آن شهوت از عقل شریف
When you bind its lust (and debar it) from the loaf, that lust puts forth its head from (is transformed into) noble reason.
هم‌چو شاخی که ببری از درخت ** سر کند قوت ز شاخ نیک‌بخت
As, when you lop off a (superfluous) branch from a tree, vigour is imparted to the well-conditioned branches.
چونک کردی دم او را آن طرف ** گر رود پس پس رود تا مکتنف 1125
When you have turned its (the carnal steed's) tail in that direction, if it goes backward, it goes to the place of shelter.
حبذا اسپان رام پیش‌رو ** نه سپس‌رو نه حرونی را گرو
How excellent are the docile horses which go forward, not backward, and are not given over to restiveness,
گرم‌رو چون جسم موسی کلیم ** تا به بحرینش چو پهنای گلیم
Going hot-foot, like the body of Moses the Kalím, to which (the distance) to the two seas (was) as the breadth of a blanket!
هست هفصدساله راه آن حقب ** که بکرد او عزم در سیران حب
Seven hundred years is the duration of the journey on which he set out in the path of Love, (the journey that lasted) for an age.
همت سیر تنش چون این بود ** سیر جانش تا به علیین بود
Since the aspiration (that carried him) on his journey in the body is (as immense as) this, his journey in the spirit must be (even) unto the highestParadise.
شهسواران در سباقت تاختند ** خربطان در پایگه انداختند 1130
The kingly cavaliers sped forward in advance (of all); the boobies unloaded (their beasts of burden) in the stable-yard.
مثل
Parable.
آن‌چنان که کاروانی می‌رسید ** در دهی آمد دری را باز دید
’Tis like (the tale of) the caravaneers (who) arrived and entered a village and found a certain door open.
آن یکی گفت اندرین برد العجوز ** تا بیندازیم اینجا چند روز
One (of them) said, “During this spell of cold weather let us unload (alight) here for a few days.”
بانگ آمد نه بینداز از برون ** وانگهانی اندر آ تو اندرون
A voice cried, “Nay, unload outside, and then come indoors!”
هم برون افکن هر آنچ افکندنیست ** در میا با آن کای ن مجلس سنیست
Drop outside everything that ought to be dropped: do not come in with it, for this assembly-place is of high dignity.”
بد هلال استاددل جان‌روشنی ** سایس و بنده‌ی امیری مومنی 1135
Hilál was a spiritual adept and a man of illumined soul, (though he was) the groom and slave of a Moslem Amír.
سایسی کردی در آخر آن غلام ** لیک سلطان سلاطین بنده نام
The youth served as a groom in the stable, but (he was really) a king of kings and a slave (only) in name.
آن امیر از حال بنده بی‌خبر ** که نبودش جز بلیسانه نظر
The Amír was ignorant of his slave's (real) condition, for he had no discernment but of the sort possessed by Iblís.
آب و گل می‌دید و در وی گنج نه ** پنج و شش می‌دید و اصل پنج نه
He saw the clay, but not the treasure (buried) in it: he saw the five (senses) and the six (directions), but not the source of the five.
رنگ طین پیدا و نور دین نهان ** هر پیمبر این چنین بد در جهان
The colour of clay is manifest, the light of religion is hidden: such was (the case of) every prophet in the world.
آن مناره دید و در وی مرغ نی ** بر مناره شاه‌بازی پر فنی 1140
One (person) saw the minaret, but not the bird (perched) upon it, (though) upon the minaret (was) a fully accomplished royal falcon;
وان دوم می‌دید مرغی پرزنی ** لیک موی اندر دهان مرغ نی
And a second (observer) saw a bird flapping its wings, but not the hair in the bird's mouth (beak);
وانک او ینظر به نور الله بود ** هم ز مرغ و هم ز مو آگاه بود
But that one who was seeing by the light of God was aware both of the bird and of the hair,
گفت آخر چشم سوی موی نه ** تا نبینی مو بنگشاید گره
And said (to the other), “Pray, direct thine eye towards the hair: till thou see the hair, the knot will not be untied.”
آن یکی گل دید نقشین دو وحل ** وآن دگر گل دید پر علم و عمل
The one saw in the mud (only) figured clay, while the other saw clay replete with knowledge and works.
تن مناره علم و طاعت هم‌چو مرغ ** خواه سیصد مرغ‌گیر و یا دو مرغ 1145
1145 The body is the minaret, knowledge and obedience (to God) are like the bird: suppose three hundred birds (to be perched on it) or (only) two birds, whichever you please.
مرد اوسط مرغ‌بینست او و بس ** غیر مرغی می‌نبیند پیش و پس
The middle man sees the bird only: neither before nor behind (him) does he see anything but a bird.