The Friend is the guide on the way during (his friend's) advance: hence Mustafá (Mohammed) said, “My Companions are (like) the stars.”
نجم اندر ریگ و دریا رهنماست ** چشم اندر نجم نه کو مقتداست
The star shows the way in (desert) sands and on the sea: fix thine eye on the (spiritual) Star, for he is the one to be followed.
چشم را با روی او می‌دار جفت ** گرد منگیزان ز راه بحث و گفت 2645
Keep thine eye always paired with (unseparated from) his face: do not stir up dust by way of discussion and argument,
زانک گردد نجم پنهان زان غبار ** چشم بهتر از زبان با عثار
Because the Star will be hidden by that dust: the eye is better than the stumbling tongue.
تا بگوید او که وحیستش شعار ** کان نشاند گرد و ننگیزد غبار
(Be silent) in order that he may speak whose innermost garment is (Divine) inspiration which lays the dust and does not stir up trouble.
چون شد آدم مظهر وحی و وداد ** ناطقه‌ی او علم الاسما گشاد
When Adam became the theatre of (Divine) inspiration and love, his rational soul revealed (to him) the knowledge of the Names.
نام هر چیزی چنانک هست آن ** از صحیفه‌ی دل روی گشتش زبان
His tongue, (reading) from the page of his heart, recited the name of everything as it (really) is.
فاش می‌گفتی زبان از ریتش ** جمله را خاصیت و ماهیتش 2650
Through his (inward) vision his tongue was divulging the properties and quiddities of all things.
آنچنان نامی که اشیا را سزد ** نه چنانک حیز را خواند اسد
(It was bestowing) such a name as fits the things (named), not so as to call a catamite a lion (hero).
نوح نهصد سال در راه سوی ** بود هر روزیش تذکیر نوی
Nine hundred years Noah (walked) in the straight way, and every day he had a new sermon to preach.
لعل او گویا ز یاقوت القلوب ** نه رساله خوانده نه قوت القلوب
His ruby (lip) drew its eloquence from the corundum (precious jewel) in the hearts (of prophets): he had not read (mystical books like) the Risála or the Qútu ’l-qulúb.
وعظ را ناموخته هیچ از شروح ** بلک ینبوع کشوف و شرح روح
He had never learned to preach from (studying) commentaries; nay, (he learned) from the fountain of revelations and from the exposition (set forth) by the spirit—
زان میی کان می چو نوشیده شود ** آب نطق از گنگ جوشیده شود 2655
From the wine that (is so potent that) when it is quaffed the water of speech gushes from (the mouth of) the dumb,
طفل نوزاده شود حبر فصیح ** حکمت بالغ بخواند چون مسیح
And the new-born child becomes an eloquent divine and, like the Messiah (Christ), recites (words of) mature wisdom.
از کهی که یافت زان می خوش‌لبی ** صد غزل آموخت داود نبی
The prophet David learned a hundred odes (melodies) from the mountain that gained from that wine (the gift of) sweet song.
جمله مرغان ترک کرده چیک چیک ** هم‌زبان و یار داود ملیک
All the birds left off chirping and joined their voices with King David as accompanists.
چه عجب که مرغ گردد مست او ** هم شنود آهن ندای دست او
What wonder that a bird should be enraptured by him, since (even) iron obeyed the call of his hand?
صرصری بر عاد قتالی شده ** مر سلیمان را چو حمالی شده 2660
A roaring wind became murderous to (the people of) ‘Ád, (but) to Solomon it became (serviceable) as a carrier.
صرصری می‌برد بر سر تخت شاه ** هر صباح و هر مسا یک ماهه راه
A roaring wind carried on its head the throne of the king (Solomon) a month's journey every morn and eve.
هم شده حمال و هم جاسوس او ** گفت غایب را کنان محسوس او
It became both a carrier and a spy for him, making the talk of the absent to be apprehended by him.
باد دم که گفت غایب یافتی ** سوی گوش آن ملک بشتافتی
The waft of air that caught the words of the absent would hasten to the ear of the king,
که فلانی این چنین گفت این زمان ** ای سلیمان مه صاحب‌قران
Saying, “Such-and-such an one said so-and-so just now, O mighty Solomon of auspicious fortune!”
تدبیر کردن موش به چغز کی من نمی‌توانم بر تو آمدن به وقت حاجت در آب میان ما وصلتی باید کی چون من بر لب جو آیم ترا توانم خبر کردن و تو چون بر سر سوراخ موش‌خانه آیی مرا توانی خبر کردن الی آخره
How the mouse made an arrangement with the frog, saying, “I cannot come to you in the water when I want (to see you). There must be some means of communication between us, so that when I come to the river-bank I may be able to let you know, and when you come to the mouse-hole you may be able to let me know, etc.”
این سخن پایان ندارد گفت موش ** چغز را روزی کای مصباح هوش 2665
This topic is endless. One day the mouse said to the frog, “O lamp of intelligence,
وقتها خواهم که گویم با تو راز ** تو درون آب داری ترک‌تاز
At times I wish to talk with you in secret, and you are gambolling in the water.