بارها از خوی خود خسته شدی ** حس نداری سخت بیحس آمدی
Many a time have you been wounded by your own (evil) habits—you have no sense, you are very senseless.
گر ز خسته گشتن دیگر کسان ** که ز خلق زشت تو هست آن رسان
If to the wounding of other persons, which comes to pass from your evil nature,
غافلی باری ز زخم خود نهای ** تو عذاب خویش و هر بیگانهای
You are indifferent, at any rate you are not (indifferent) to your own wounds: you are the torment of yourself and of every stranger.
یا تبر برگیر و مردانه بزن ** تو علیوار این در خیبر بکن
Either take up the axe and strike like a man—like ‘Alí, destroy this gate of Khaybar—
یا به گلبن وصل کن این خار را ** وصل کن با نار نور یار را1245
Or unite these thorns with the rosebush: unite the light of the friend (of God) with the (sensual) fire,
تا که نور او کشد نار تو را ** وصل او گلشن کند خار تو را
In order that his light may extinguish your fire, (and that) union with him may make your thorns roses.
تو مثال دوزخی او مومن است ** کشتن آتش به مومن ممکن است
You are like Hell, he is a true believer: the extinction of the fire (of Hell) by means of a true believer is possible.
مصطفی فرمود از گفت جحیم ** کاو به مومن لابه گر گردد ز بیم
Mustafá (Mohammed) said concerning the speech of Hell, that on account of fear it begins humbly to entreat the true believer,
گویدش بگذر ز من ای شاه زود ** هین که نورت سوز نارم را ربود
And says to him, “Pass quickly away from me, O king: hark, for thy light has taken away the burning of my fire.”
پس هلاک نار نور مومن است ** ز انکه بیضد دفع ضد لا یمکن است1250
Therefore the true believer's light is the death of the fire, because without an opposite the removal of the (other) opposite is impossible.
نار ضد نور باشد روز عدل ** کان ز قهر انگیخته شد این ز فضل
On the Day of Justice (Judgement) the fire will be the opponent of the light, since the former was aroused by (God's) wrath, the latter by (His) grace.
گر همیخواهی تو دفع شر نار ** آب رحمت بر دل آتش گمار
If you are wishing to remove the evil of the fire, direct the water of (Divine) mercy against the heart of the fire.
چشمهی آن آب رحمت مومن است ** آب حیوان روح پاک محسن است
The true believer is the fountain of that water of mercy: the pure spirit of the well-doer is the Water of Life.
بس گریزان است نفس تو از او ** ز انکه تو از آتشی او آب جو
Hence your fleshly soul is fleeing mightily from him, because you are of fire, (while) he (is) the water of the stream.
ز آب آتش ز آن گریزان میشود ** کاتشش از آب ویران میشود1255
Fire becomes fleeing from water for the reason that its fire (flame and heat) is ruined by water.
حس و فکر تو همه از آتش است ** حس شیخ و فکر او نور خوش است
Your sense and thought are wholly of the fire; the sense of the Shaykh (spiritual guide) and his thought are the beauteous Light.
آب نور او چو برآتش چکد ** چک چک از آتش بر آید بر جهد
When the water of his light trickles on the fire, chak chak (a gnashing sound) rises from the fire, and it leaps up (in fury).
چون کند چک چک تو گویش مرگ و درد ** تا شود این دوزخ نفس تو سرد
When it makes (the sound) chak chak, say you to it, “Death and woe (to thee),” in order that this hell, (which is) your fleshly soul, may become cold (quenched),
تا نسوزد او گلستان تو را ** تا نسوزد عدل و احسان تو را
So that it may not burn your rose-garden, so that it may not burn your justice and well doing.
بعد از آن چیزی که کاری بردهد ** لاله و نسرین و سیسنبردهد1260
After that, anything that you sow will yield fruit (or flowers); it will yield anemones and wild roses and thyme.
باز پهنا میرویم از راه راست ** باز گرد ای خواجه راه ما کجاست
Once more we are going wide of the straight way: turn back, O master—where is our way?
اندر آن تقریر بودیم ای حسود ** که خرت لنگ است و منزل دور زود
We were (engaged) in showing, O envious one, that your ass is lame and the place of alighting (journey's end) far off, (so you must be) quick.
سال بیگه گشت وقت کشت نی ** جز سیه رویی و فعل زشت نی
The year has turned late; it is not sowing-time, (and you have produced) nothing except black shame and foul deeds.
کرم در بیخ درخت تن فتاد ** بایدش بر کند و در آتش نهاد
The worm has entered the root of the body's tree: it must be dug up and put in the fire.
هین و هین ای راه رو بیگاه شد ** آفتاب عمر سوی چاه شد1265
Hark and hark (again), O wayfarer! ’Tis late, life's sun is gone towards the pit (is about to set).
این دو روزک را که زورت هست زود ** پیر افشانی بکن از راه جود
(During) these (one or) two brief days when you have (some) strength, (be) quick, devote the old man (your old age) generously (to serving God).
این قدر تخمی که مانده ستت بباز ** تا بروید زین دو دم عمر دراز
Devote this (small) amount of seed that you have remaining, in order that long life may grow from these (one or) two moments.
تا نمرده ست این چراغ با گهر ** هین فتیلهاش ساز و روغن زودتر
Whilst this jewelled lamp is not (yet) extinguished, see you trim its wick and (supply it with) oil immediately.
هین مگو فردا که فرداها گذشت ** تا به کلی نگذرد ایام کشت
Beware! Do not say “To-morrow”—for (many) to-morrows have passed. Let not the days of sowing pass away altogether.
پند من بشنو که تن بند قوی است ** کهنه بیرون کن گرت میل نوی است1270
Listen to my admonition that the body is a strong bond: put off the old, if you have desire for newness.
لب ببند و کف پر زر بر گشا ** بخل تن بگذار و پیش آور سخا
Shut the lips and open the palm filled with gold: leave off being a miser with the body, exhibit munificence.
ترک شهوتها و لذتها سخاست ** هر که در شهوت فرو شد بر نخاست
Munificence is the abandonment of lusts and pleasures; no one who is sunken in lust rises up (again).
این سخا شاخی است از سرو بهشت ** وای او کز کف چنین شاخی بهشت
This munificence is a branch of the cypress of Paradise: woe to him that lets such a branch go from his hand!
عروة الوثقی است این ترک هوا ** بر کشد این شاخ جان را بر سما
This abandonment of sensuality is the firmest handle: this branch draws the spirit up to Heaven.
تا برد شاخ سخا ای خوب کیش ** مر ترا بالا کشان تا اصل خویش1275
(So act) that the branch of munificence, O righteous man, drawing you aloft may bear you to its origin.
یوسف حسنی و این عالم چو چاه ** وین رسن صبر است بر امر اله
You are Joseph (full) of beauty, and this world is as the well, and this rope (to draw you forth) is patience with (submission to) the command of God.
یوسفا آمد رسن در زن دو دست ** از رسن غافل مشو بیگه شده ست
O Joseph, the rope is come: put your two hands upon it. Do not neglect the rope, (for) it has grown late.
حمد لله کین رسن آویختند ** فضل و رحمت را بهم آمیختند
Praise be to God, that this rope has been dangled, (and that) grace and mercy have been blended together,
تا ببینی عالم جان جدید ** عالم بس آشکار ناپدید
So that you may behold the world of the new spirit, a world very manifest, (though) invisible.
این جهان نیست چون هستان شده ** و آن جهان هست بس پنهان شده1280
This (phenomenal) world of non-existence has become like (real) existence, while that world of (real) existence has become very hidden.
خاک بر باد است و بازی میکند ** کژنمایی پرده سازی میکند
The dust is on the wind: it is playing, it is making a false show and forming a veil.
اینکه بر کار است بیکار است و پوست ** و انکه پنهان است مغز و اصل اوست
This, which is busy (in appearance), is (really) idle and (superficial, like) a husk; and that which is hidden is its core and origin.
خاک همچون آلتی در دست باد ** باد را دان عالی و عالی نژاد
The dust is as a tool in the hand of the wind: deem the wind high and of high descent.
چشم خاکی را به خاک افتد نظر ** باد بین چشمی بود نوعی دگر
The gaze of the eye of dust falls on the dust; an eye that sees the wind is of another sort.
اسب داند اسب را کاو هست یار ** هم سواری داند احوال سوار1285
A horse knows a horse, because it (one horse) is associated (homogeneous with other horses); likewise (only) a rider knows the things appertaining to a rider.
چشم حس اسب است و نور حق سوار ** بیسواره اسب خود ناید به کار
The sensuous eye is the horse, and the Light of God is the rider: without the rider the horse itself is useless.
پس ادب کن اسب را از خوی بد ** ور نه پیش شاه باشد اسب رد
Therefore train the horse (so as to cure it) of bad habits; else the horse will be rejected before the King.
چشم اسب از چشم شه رهبر بود ** چشم او بیچشم شه مضطر بود
The horse's eye finds the way from the King's eye: without the King's eye its eye is in desperate plight.
چشم اسبان جز گیاه و جز چرا ** هر کجا خوانی بگوید نه چرا
The eye of horses, whithersoever you call it except to grass and pasture, says, “Nay, why (should we go)?”
نور حق بر نور حس راکب شود ** آن گهی جان سوی حق راغب شود1290
The Light of God mounts (as a rider) on the sensuous eye, and then the soul yearns after God.