خافضست و رافعست این کردگار ** بی ازین دو بر نیاید هیچ کار
This (Divine) Maker is He who abaseth and exalteth: without these two (attributes) no work is accomplished.
خفض ارضی بین و رفع آسمان ** بی ازین دو نیست دورانش ای فلان
Consider the lowness of the earth and the loftiness of the sky: without these two (attributes) its (the sky's) revolution is not (possible), O such-and-such.
خفض و رفع این زمین نوعی دگر ** نیم سالی شوره نیمی سبز و تر
The lowness and loftiness of this earth are of another sort: for one half of the year it is barren and for (the other) half (it is) green and fresh.
خفض و رفع روزگار با کرب ** نوع دیگر نیم روز و نیم شب 1850
The lowness and loftiness of distressful Time are of another sort: one half day and (the other) half night.
خفض و رفع این مزاج ممترج ** گاه صحت گاه رنجوری مضج
The lowness and loftiness of this blended (bodily) temperament (of ours) are now health and now sickness that causes (us) to cry out (in pain).
هم‌چنین دان جمله احوال جهان ** قحط و جدب و صلح و جنگ از افتتان
Know that even so are all the changing conditions of the world—famine and drought and peace and war—(which arise) from (Divine) probation.
این جهان با این دو پر اندر هواست ** زین دو جانها موطن خوف و رجاست
By means of these two wings this world is (kept up like a bird) in the air; by means of these twain (all) souls are habitations of fear and hope,
تا جهان لرزان بود مانند برگ ** در شمال و در سموم بعث و مرگ
To the end that the world may be (always) trembling like a leaf in the north wind and simoom of resurrection and death,
تا خم یک‌رنگی عیسی ما ** بشکند نرخ خم صدرنگ را 1855
(And) that (ultimately) the vat of the unicolority of our Jesus may destroy the value of the vat containing a hundred dyes;
کان جهان هم‌چون نمکسار آمدست ** هر چه آنجا رفت بی‌تلوین شدست
For that world (of Unity) is like a salt-mine: whatever has gone thither has become exempt from coloration (dyeing with various colours).
خاک را بین خلق رنگارنگ را ** می‌کند یک رنگ اندر گورها
Look at earth: it makes many-coloured (diverse) humankind to be (all) of one colour in their graves.
این نمکسار جسوم ظاهرست ** خود نمکسار معانی دیگرست
This is the salt-mine for visible (material) bodies, (but) in sooth the salt-mine for ideal (supersensible) things is different.
آن نمکسار معانی معنویست ** از ازل آن تا ابد اندر نویست
The salt-mine for ideal things is ideal (spiritual and real): it remains new from eternity unto everlasting.
این نوی را کهنگی ضدش بود ** آن نوی بی ضد و بی ند و عدد 1860
This (earthly) newness has oldness as its opposite, but that newness (belonging to the world of Reality) is without opposite or like or number.
آنچنان که از صقل نور مصطفی ** صد هزاران نوع ظلمت شد ضیا
’Tis (even) as by the polishing action of the Light of Mustafá (Mohammed) a hundred thousand sorts of darkness became radiant.
از جهود و مشرک و ترسا و مغ ** جملگی یک‌رنگ شد زان الپ الغ
Jew and polytheist and Christian and Magian—all were made of one colour by that Alp Ulugh (great hero).
صد هزاران سایه کوتاه و دراز ** شد یکی در نور آن خورشید راز
A hundred thousand shadows short and long became one in the light of that Sun of mystery.
نه درازی ماند نه کوته نه پهن ** گونه گونه سایه در خورشید رهن
Neither a long (shadow) remained nor a short nor a wide: shadows of every kind were given in pawn to (absorbed in) the Sun.
لیک یک‌رنگی که اندر محشرست ** بر بد و بر نیک کشف و ظاهرست 1865
But the unicolority that is (everywhere) at the Resurrection is (then) revealed and (made) manifest to the evil and the good (alike);
که معانی آن جهان صورت شود ** نقشهامان در خور خصلت شود
For in that world ideas are endued with form, and our (visible) shapes become congruous with our (moral and spiritual) qualities.
گردد آنگه فکر نقش نامه‌ها ** این بطانه روی کار جامه‌ها
The (secret) thoughts will then become (materialised in) the form of the books (recording good and evil actions): this lining will become the working surface of the garments.
این زمان سرها مثال گاو پیس ** دوک نطق اندر ملل صد رنگ ریس
During this (present) time (men's) inward beliefs are (as variegated) as a piebald cow, and in the (different) religious sects the spindle of speech is spinning (threads of) a hundred colours.
نوبت صدرنگیست و صددلی ** عالم یک رنگ کی گردد جلی
’Tis the turn (reign) of many-colouredness and many-mindedness: how should the one-coloured world become unveiled?
نوبت زنگست رومی شد نهان ** این شبست و آفتاب اندر رهان 1870
’Tis the turn (reign) of the Ethiopian; the Greek is hidden (from view): this is night, and the sun is in pawn.
نوبت گرگست و یوسف زیر چاه ** نوبت قبطست و فرعونست شاه
’Tis the turn (reign) of the wolf, and Joseph is at the bottom of the well; ’tis the turn (reign) of the Egyptians, and Pharaoh is king.