صبح کاذب را ز صادق واشناس ** رنگ می را باز دان از رنگ کاس755
Know the difference between the false dawn and the true, distinguish the colour of the wine from the colour of the cup,
تا بود کز دیدهگان هفت رنگ ** دیدهای پیدا کند صبر و درنگ
That, perchance, from the eyes which see the seven colours patience and waiting may produce a (spiritual) eye,
رنگها بینی بجز این رنگها ** گوهران بینی به جای سنگها
(With which) you may behold colours other than these, and may behold pearls instead of stones.
گوهر چه بلکه دریایی شوی ** آفتاب چرخ پیمایی شوی
What pearl? Nay, you will become an ocean, you will become a sun traversing the sky.
کار کن در کارگه باشد نهان ** تو برو در کارگه بینش عیان
The Worker is hidden in the workshop: go you and in the workshop see Him plain.
کار چون بر کار کن پرده تنید ** خارج آن کار نتوانیش دید760
Inasmuch as the work has woven a veil over the Worker, you cannot see Him outside of that work.
کارگه چون جای باش عامل است ** آن که بیرون است از وی غافل است
Since the workshop is the dwelling-place of the Worker, he that is outside is unaware of Him.
پس در آ در کارگه یعنی عدم ** تا ببینی صنع و صانع را بهم
Come, then, into the workshop, that is to say, non-existence, that you may see the work and the Worker together.
کارگه چون جای روشن دیدهگی است ** پس برون کارگه پوشیدگی است
As the workshop is the place of clairvoyance, then outside of the workshop there is (only) blindfold ness.
رو به هستی داشت فرعون عنود ** لاجرم از کارگاهش کور بود
The rebellious Pharaoh kept his face towards existence, consequently he was blind to His (God's) workshop.
لاجرم میخواست تبدیل قدر ** تا قضا را باز گرداند ز در765
Consequently he was wishing to alter the (Divine) predestination, that he might turn back the (Divine) destiny from his door.
خود قضا بر سبلت آن حیلهمند ** زیر لب میکرد هر دم ریشخند
Truly the (Divine) destiny every moment was laughing derisively under its lip at the moustache (arrogance) of that cunning plotter.
صد هزاران طفل کشت او بیگناه ** تا بگردد حکم و تقدیر اله
He killed hundreds of thousands of innocent babes, in order that the ordainment and predestination of God might be averted.
تا که موسای نبی ناید برون ** کرد در گردن هزاران ظلم و خون
In order that the prophet Moses might not come forth, he laid on his neck (made himself responsible for) thousands of iniquities and murders.
آن همه خون کرد و موسی زاده شد ** و ز برای قهر او آماده شد
He wrought all that bloodshed, and (yet) Moses was born and was made ready for his chastisement.
گر بدیدی کارگاه لا یزال ** دست و پایش خشک گشتی ز احتیال770
Had he seen the workshop of the Everlasting (God), he would have ceased to move hand or foot in plotting.
اندرون خانهاش موسی معاف ** و ز برون میکشت طفلان را گزاف
Moses (lay) safe within his (Pharaoh's) house, while outside he was killing the infants in vain,
همچو صاحب نفس کاو تن پرورد ** بر دگر کس ظن حقدی میبرد
Even as the sensual man who pampers his body and suspects some one else of a bitter hatred (against him),
کاین عدو و آن حسود و دشمن است ** خود حسود و دشمن او آن تن است
Saying, “This one is a foe, and that one is envious and an enemy,” (though) in truth his envier and enemy is that body (of his).
او چو موسی و تنش فرعون او ** او به بیرون میدود که کو عدو
He is like Moses, and his body is his Pharaoh: he keeps running (to and fro) outside, asking, “Where is my enemy?”
نفسش اندر خانهی تن نازنین ** بر دگر کس دست میخاید به کین775
His fleshly soul (is) luxuriating in the house, which is his body, (while) he gnaws his hand in rancour against some one else.
ملامت کردن مردم شخصی را که مادرش را کشت به تهمت
How men blamed a person who killed his mother because he suspected her (of adultery).
آن یکی از خشم مادر را بکشت ** هم به زخم خنجر و هم زخم مشت
A certain man killed his mother in wrath, with blows of a dagger and also with blows of his fist.
آن یکی گفتش که از بد گوهری ** یاد ناوردی تو حق مادری
Some one said to him, “From evil nature you have not borne in mind what is due to motherhood.
هی تو مادر را چرا کشتی بگو ** او چه کرد آخر بگو ای زشت خو
Hey, tell (me) why you killed your mother. What did she do? Pray, tell (me), O foul villain!”
گفت کاری کرد کان عار وی است ** کشتمش کان خاک ستار وی است
He said, “She did a deed that is a disgrace to her; I killed her because that earth (her grave) is her coverer (hides her shame).”
گفت آن کس را بکش ای محتشم ** گفت پس هر روز مردی را کشم780
The other said, “O honoured sir, kill that one (who was her partner in guilt).” “Then,” he replied, “I should kill a man every day.
کشتم او را رستم از خونهای خلق ** نای او برم به است از نای خلق
I killed her, I was saved from shedding the blood of a multitude: ’tis better that I cut her throat than the throats of (so many) people.”
نفس تست آن مادر بد خاصیت ** که فساد اوست در هر ناحیت
That mother of bad character, whose wickedness is in every quarter, is your fleshly soul.
هین بکش او را که بهر آن دنی ** هر دمی قصد عزیزی میکنی
Come, kill it, for on account of that vile (creature) you are every moment assailing one who is venerable.
از وی این دنیای خوش بر تست تنگ ** از پی او با حق و با خلق جنگ
Through it this fair world is narrow (distressful) to you, for its sake (you are at) war with God and man.
نفس کشتی باز رستی ز اعتذار ** کس ترا دشمن نماند در دیار785
(If) you have killed the fleshly soul, you are delivered from (the necessity of) excusing yourself: nobody in the world remains your enemy.
گر شکال آرد کسی بر گفت ما ** از برای انبیا و اولیا
If any one should raise a difficulty about my words in regard to the prophets and saints,
کانبیا را نه که نفس کشته بود ** پس چراشان دشمنان بود و حسود
(And should say), “Had not the prophets a killed (mortified) fleshly soul? Why, then, had they enemies and enviers?”—
گوش کن تو ای طلبکار صواب ** بشنو این اشکال و شبهت را جواب
Give ear, O seeker of truth, and hear the answer to this difficulty and doubt.
دشمن خود بودهاند آن منکران ** زخم بر خود میزدند ایشان چنان
Those unbelievers were (really) enemies to themselves: they were striking at themselves such blows (as they struck).
دشمن آن باشد که قصد جان کند ** دشمن آن نبود که خود جان میکند790
An enemy is one who attempts (another's) life; he that is himself destroying his own life is not an enemy (to others).
نیست خفاشک عدوی آفتاب ** او عدوی خویش آمد در حجاب
The little bat is not an enemy to the sun: it is an enemy to itself in the veil (of its own blindness).
تابش خورشید او را میکشد ** رنج او خورشید هرگز کی کشد
The glow of the sun kills it; how should the sun ever suffer annoyance from it?
دشمن آن باشد کز او آید عذاب ** مانع آید لعل را از آفتاب
An enemy is one from whom torment proceeds, (one who) hinders the ruby from (receiving the rays of) the sun.
مانع خویشند جملهی کافران ** از شعاع جوهر پیغمبران
All the infidels hinder themselves from (receiving) the rays of the prophets' (spiritual) jewel.
کی حجاب چشم آن فردند خلق ** چشم خود را کور و کژ کردند خلق795
How should (unbelieving) people veil the eyes of that peerless one (the prophet or saint)? The people have (only) blinded and distorted their own eyes.
چون غلام هندویی کاو کین کشد ** از ستیزهی خواجه خود را میکشد
(They are) like the Indian slave who bears a grudge and kills himself to spite his master:
سر نگون میافتد از بام سرا ** تا زیانی کرده باشد خواجه را
He falls headlong from the roof of the house (in the hope) that he may have done some harm to his master.
گر شود بیمار دشمن با طبیب ** ور کند کودک عداوت با ادیب
If the sick man become an enemy to the physician, or if the boy show hostility to the teacher,
در حقیقت ره زن جان خودند ** راه عقل و جان خود را خود زدند
In truth they act as brigands against themselves: they themselves waylay their own mind and spirit.