یوسفان چنگال در دلوش زده ** رسته از چاه و شه مصری شده
The Josephs cling to his bucket, escape from the well, and become kings of Egypt.
دلوهای دیگر از چه آب‌جو ** دلو او فارغ ز آب اصحاب‌جو
The other buckets seek water from the well: his bucket has no concern with the water, it seeks (only) friends (in trouble).
دلوها غواص آب از بهر قوت ** دلو او قوت و حیات جان حوت
The (other) buckets plunge into the water for food: his bucket is the food and life of the soul of the fish.
دلوها وابسته‌ی چرخ بلند ** دلو او در اصبعین زورمند 4575
The (other) buckets are attached to the lofty wheel (of Fortune): his bucket is (held) in two Almighty fingers.
دلو چه و حبل چه و چرخ چی ** این مثال بس رکیکست ای اچی
What bucket and what cord and what wheel? This is a very weak comparison, O pasha.
از کجا آرم مثالی بی‌شکست ** کفو آن نه آید و نه آمدست
(But) whence shall I get a comparison that is without frailty? One to match him (the knower of God) will not come, and never has come, (to hand).
صد هزاران مرد پنهان در یکی ** صد کمان و تیر درج ناوکی
(He is) a hundred thousand men concealed in a single man, a hundred bows and arrows enclosed in a single blowpipe;
ما رمیت اذ رمیتی فتنه‌ای ** صد هزاران خرمن اندر حفنه‌ای
A (type of) thou didst not throw when thou threwest, a temptation (for the ignorant), a hundred thousand stacks (of grain) in a handful.
آفتابی در یکی ذره نهان ** ناگهان آن ذره بگشاید دهان 4580
(He is) a sun hidden in a mote: suddenly that mote opens its mouth (and reveals the sun).
ذره ذره گردد افلاک و زمین ** پیش آن خورشید چون جست از کمین
The heavens and the earth crumble to atoms before that Sun when he springs forth from ambush.
این چنین جانی چه درخورد تنست ** هین بشو ای تن ازین جان هر دو دست
How is a spirit like this meet for (confinement in) the body? Hark, O body, wash thy hands of this spirit!
ای تن گشته وثاق جان بسست ** چند تاند بحر درمشکی نشست
O body that hast become the spirit's dwelling-place, ’tis enough: how long can the Sea abide in a water-skin?
ای هزاران جبرئیل اندر بشر ** ای مسیحان نهان در جوف خر
O thou who art a thousand Gabriels in (the form of) man, O thou who art (many) Messiahs inside the ass (of Jesus),
ای هزاران کعبه پنهان در کنیس ** ای غلط‌انداز عفریت و بلیس 4585
O thou who art a thousand Ka‘bas concealed in a church, O thou who causest ‘ifrít and devil to fall into error,
سجده‌گاه لامکانی در مکان ** مر بلیسان را ز تو ویران دکان
Thou art the spaceless Object of worship in space: the devils have their shop destroyed by thee,
که چرا من خدمت این طین کنم ** صورتی را نم لقب چون دین کنم
(For they say), “How should I pay homage to this clay? How should I bestow on a (mere) form a title signifying (my) obedience (adoration)?”
نیست صورت چشم را نیکو به مال ** تا ببینی شعشعه‌ی نور جلال
He is not the form (in which he appears): rub thine eye well, that thou mayst behold (in him) the radiance of the light of (Divine) glory!
باز آمدن به شرح قصه‌ی شاه‌زاده و ملازمت او در حضرت شاه
Resuming the explanation of the Story of the (eldest) prince and his constant attendance at the court of the King.
شاه‌زاده پیش شه حیران این ** هفت گردون دیده در یک مشت طین
The prince in the presence of the King was bewildered by this (mystery): he beheld the Seven Heavens in a handful of clay.
هیچ ممکن نه ببحثی لب گشود ** لیک جان با جان دمی خامش نبود 4590
Nowise was it possible (for him) to open his lips in discussion, but never for a moment did soul cease to converse with soul.
آمده در خاطرش کین بس خفیست ** این همه معنیست پس صورت ز چیست
It came into his mind that ’twas exceedingly mysterious— “all this is reality: whence, then, comes the form (appearance)?”
صورتی از صورتت بیزار کن ** خفته‌ای هر خفته را بیدار کن
(’Tis) a form that frees thee from (the illusion of) form, a sleeper that awakens every one who is asleep (to the Truth).
آن کلامت می‌رهاند از کلام ** وان سقامت می‌جهاند از سقام
The words (spoken by him) deliver (thee) from words (of idle disputation), and the sickness (of love inspired by him) lets thee escape from the sickness (of sensuality).
پس سقام عشق جان صحتست ** رنجهااش حسرت هر راحتست
Therefore the sickness of love is the (very) soul of health: its pains are the envy of every pleasure.
ای تن اکنون دست خود زین جان بشو ** ور نمی‌شویی جز این جانی بجو 4595
O body, now wash thy hands of this (animal) soul, or if thou wilt not wash (thy hands of it), seek another soul than this!
حاصل آن شه نیک او را می‌نواخت ** او از آن خورشید چون مه می‌گداخت
In short, the King cherished him (the prince) fondly, and in (the beams of) that Sun he was melting away like the moon.