تا که جنبشهای موزون سر کند ** جنبش مس را به دانش زر کند
Until regulated movements appear, and he by means of knowledge turns the motion of copper into gold.
ز آن مناسب آمدن افعال دست ** فهم آید مر ترا که عقل هست
From manual actions being conformable (to reason) you may perceive that there is intellect (behind them).
روح وحی از عقل پنهانتر بود ** ز انکه او غیب است او ز ان سر بود
The spirit (that partakes) of Divine inspiration is more concealed than the intellect, because it is of the Unseen: it belongs to that side.
عقل احمد از کسی پنهان نشد ** روح وحیش مدرک هر جان نشد
The intellect of Ahmad (Mohammed) was not hidden from any one; (but) his spirit of (prophetic) inspiration was not apprehended by every soul.
روح وحیی را مناسبهاست نیز ** در نیابد عقل کان آمد عزیز3260
The spirit of prophecy also has actions conformable (to reason), (but) the intellect does not apprehend (them), for that (spirit) is exalted (above intellectual apprehension).
گه جنون بیند گهی حیران شود ** ز انکه موقوف است تا او آن شود
Sometimes he (the man of intellect) regards (the actions of one endowed with the spirit) as madness, sometimes he is bewildered, since it (all) depends on his becoming that (other one);
چون مناسبهای افعال خضر ** عقل موسی بود در دیدش کدر
As (for example) the intellect of Moses was troubled by seeing the reasonable actions of Khadir.
نامناسب مینمود افعال او ** پیش موسی چون نبودش حال او
His actions seemed unreasonable to Moses, since he (Moses) had not his (Khadir's) state (of Divine inspiration).
عقل موسی چون شود در غیب بند ** عقل موشی خود کی است ای ارجمند
Inasmuch as the intellect of Moses becomes tied up (perplexed and helpless) in (the matter of) the mysterious (inspiration), who (what) is the intellect of a (mere) mouse, O excellent (reader)?
علم تقلیدی بود بهر فروخت ** چون بیابد مشتری خوش بر فروخت3265
Conventional knowledge is (only) for sale (self-advertisement): when it finds a purchaser, it glows with delight.
مشتری علم تحقیقی حق است ** دایما بازار او با رونق است
The purchaser of real knowledge is God: its market is always splendid.
لب ببسته مست در بیع و شری ** مشتری بیحد که الله اشتری
He (the owner of real knowledge) has closed his lips (and is) enraptured in (his) trading: the purchasers are without end, for God hath purchased.
درس آدم را فرشته مشتری ** محرم درسش نه دیو است و پری
The angels purchase Adam's teaching; the devils and Jinn are not privileged to receive it.
آدم أنبئهم بأسما درس گو ** شرح کن اسرار حق را مو به مو
Adam, inform them of the Names, give (them) teaching, explain the mysteries of God, hair by hair.
آن چنان کس را که کوته بین بود ** در تلون غرق و بیتمکین بود3270
Such a person as is short-sighted, plunged in variability and without steadfastness,
موش گفتم ز انکه در خاک است جاش ** خاک باشد موش را جای معاش
I called a “mouse,” because his place is in the earth (of the body): earth is the place of living for the mouse.
راهها داند ولی در زیر خاک ** هر طرف او خاک را کرده ست چاک
He knows (many) ways, but (only) underground: he has pierced the earth in every direction.
نفس موشی نیست الا لقمه رند ** قدر حاجت موش را عقلی دهند
The mouse-soul is naught but a nibbler: to the mouse is given a mind proportionate to its need,
ز انکه بیحاجت خداوند عزیز ** مینبخشد هیچ کس را هیچ چیز
Because without need the Almighty God does not give anything to any one.
گر نبودی حاجت عالم زمین ** نافریدی هیچ رب العالمین3275
If the earth had not been needed by the (inhabitants of the) world, the Lord of all beings would not have created any (earth);
وین زمین مضطرب محتاج کوه ** گر نبودی نافریدی پر شکوه
And if this quaking earth had not needed mountains, He would not have created them sublime (as they are);
ور نبودی حاجت افلاک هم ** هفت گردون نافریدی از عدم
And if there had not been need of the heavenly spheres also, He would not have created from non-existence the Seven Skies.
آفتاب و ماه و این استارگان ** جز به حاجت کی پدید آمد عیان
The sun and moon and these stars—how did they come plain into view except through need?
پس کمند هستها حاجت بود ** قدر حاجت مرد را آلت دهد
Need, then is the noose for (all) things that exsist: He (God) gives to Man instruments in proportion to his need.
پس بیفزا حاجت ای محتاج زود ** تا بجوشد در کرم دریای جود3280
Therefore quickly augment thy need, O needy one, in order that the Sea of Bounty may surge up in loving kindness.
این گدایان بر ره و هر مبتلا ** حاجت خود مینماید خلق را
These beggars (are) on the (public) road, and every sufferer (among them) is displaying his need to the people—
کوری و شلی و بیماری و درد ** تا از این حاجت بجنبد رحم مرد
Blindness and palsy and sickness and pain—that men's pity may be aroused by this need.
هیچ گوید نان دهید ای مردمان ** که مرا مال است و انبار است و خوان
Does he (any one) ever say, “Give bread, O people, for I have riches and granaries and trays (of viands)?”
چشم ننهادهست حق در کور موش ** ز انکه حاجت نیست چشمش بهر نوش
God has not put eyes in the mole, because it does not need eyes for (getting) food.
میتواند زیست بیچشم و بصر ** فارغ است از چشم او در خاک تر3285
It is able to live without eyes and sight: in the dank earth it is independent of eyes.
جز به دزدی او برون ناید ز خاک ** تا کند خالق از آن دزدیش پاک
It never comes out from the earth but for theft, to the end that the Creator may purge it of that thievishness.
بعد از آن پر یابد و مرغی شود ** چون ملایک جانب گردون رود
After that (purification), it will get wings and become a bird, like the angels, it will go towards heaven.
هر زمان در گلشن شکر خدا ** او بر آرد همچو بلبل صد نوا
Every moment, in the rose-garden of thanksgiving to God, it will produce a hundred (sweet) notes, like the nightingale,
کای رهاننده مرا از وصف زشت ** ای کننده دوزخی را تو بهشت
Singing, “O Thou that deliverest me from evil qualities! O Thou that makest a hell Paradise!
در یکی پیهی نهی تو روشنی ** استخوانی را دهی سمع ای غنی3290
Thou puttest light in a piece of fat; Thou, O Self-sufficing One, givest (the sense of) hearing to a bone.”
چه تعلق آن معانی را به جسم ** چه تعلق فهم اشیا را به اسم
What connexion have those concepts (e.g. sight and hearing) with the body? What connexion has the apprehension of things with (their) names?
لفظ چون وکرست و معنی طایر است ** جسم جوی و روح آب سایر است
The word is like the nest, and the meaning is the bird: the body is the riverbed, and the spirit is the rolling water.
او روان است و تو گویی واقف است ** او دوان است و تو گویی عاکف است
It is moving, and you say it is standing: it is running, and you say it is keeping still.
گر نبینی سیر آب از خاکها ** چیست بر وی نو به نو خاشاکها
If you see not the movement of the water through the fissures (channels) of earth—(yet it is moving): what are the sticks and straws (ever appearing) anew on it?
هست خاشاک تو صورتهای فکر ** نو به نو در میرسد اشکال بکر3295
Your sticks and straws are the forms (ideas) of thought: (these) virgin forms are always coming on anew.
روی آب جوی فکر اندر روش ** نیست بیخاشاک محبوب و وحش
The surface of the water and stream of thought, as it rolls, is not without sticks and straws, (some) pleasing and (some) unsightly.
قشرها بر روی این آب روان ** از ثمار باغ غیبی شد دوان
The husks on the surface of this rolling water have sped along from the fruits of the Invisible Garden.
قشرها را مغز اندر باغ جو ** ز انکه آب از باغ میآید به جو
Seek the kernels of the husks (not on the water, but) in the Garden, because the water comes from the Garden into the river-bed.
گر نبینی رفتن آب حیات ** بنگر اندر جوی و این سیر نبات
If you see not the flow of the Water of Life, look at the stream and at this movement of the weeds (in it).
آب چون انبهتر آید در گذر ** زو کند قشر صور زوتر گذر3300
When the water begins to pass by in fuller volume, the husks, (which are) the ideas, pass along it more quickly.
چون به غایت تیز شد این جو روان ** غم نپاید در ضمیر عارفان
When this stream has become extremely rapid in its flow, no care lingers in the minds of the gnostics.
چون به غایت ممتلی بود و شتاب ** پس نگنجید اندر او الا که آب
Since it is (then) exceedingly full and swift, on that account there is no room in it for anything but the water.
طعنه زدن بیگانه ای در شیخ و جواب گفتن مرید شیخ او را
How a stranger reviled the Shaykh and how the Shaykh's disciple answered him.
آن یکی یک شیخ را تهمت نهاد ** کاو بد است و نیست بر راه رشاد
A certain man brought charges against a Shaykh, saying, “He is wicked and not on the path of righteousness;
شارب خمر است و سالوس و خبیث ** مر مریدان را کجا باشد مغیث
He is a wine-drinker and a hypocrite and a scoundrel: how should he be one to succour his disciples?”
آن یکی گفتش ادب را هوش دار ** خرد نبود این چنین ظن بر کبار3305
One (of the disciples) said to him, “Observe respect: ’tis no light matter to think so ill of the great.