ذره‌ها دیدم دهانشان جمله باز ** گر بگویم خوردشان گردد دراز
I beheld the atoms (of created existence) with their mouths all open: if I should tell of their food, it (the tale) would become long.
برگها را برگ از انعام او ** دایگان را دایه لطف عام او
Provisions have (their) provision from His bounty; His universal grace is the nourisher of them that nourish.
رزقها را رزقها او می‌دهد ** زانک گندم بی غذایی چون زهد
He bestoweth gifts (of sustenance) on the gifts (which sustain life), for how should wheat spring forth without (receiving) any sustenance?
نیست شرح این سخن را منتهی ** پاره‌ای گفتم بدانی پاره‌ها
There is no end to the explanation of this matter. I have told a portion: you may know the (remaining) portions (by analogy).
جمله عالم آکل و ماکول دان ** باقیان را مقبل و مقبول دان30
Know that all the world is eating and eaten; know that those who have everlasting life (in God) are fortunate and accepted.
این جهان و ساکنانش منتشر ** وان جهان و سالکانش مستمر
This world and its inhabitants are (in the end) dispersed; that (other) world and its travellers are continuing (for ever).
این جهان و عاشقانش منقطع ** اهل آن عالم مخلد مجتمع
This world and its lovers are cut off; the people of that (other) world are eternalised and united.
پس کریم آنست کو خود را دهد ** آب حیوانی که ماند تا ابد
The (truly) noble, then, is he that gives to himself the Water of Life that remains unto everlasting.
باقیات الصالحات آمد کریم ** رسته از صد آفت و اخطار و بیم
The noble one is (the very essence of) the good works which endure: he has been freed from a hundred banes and perils and fears.
گر هزارانند یک کس بیش نیست ** چون خیالاتی عدد اندیش نیست35
If they (the noble) are thousands (externally), there is no more than one (in reality): ’tis not like the fancies of him that thinks of number.
آکل و ماکول را حلقست و نای ** غالب و مغلوب را عقلست و رای
(Both) the eater and the eaten have a throat and windpipe: (both) the victor and the vanquished have understanding and mental perception.
حلق بخشید او عصای عدل را ** خورد آن چندان عصا و حبل را
He (God) bestowed a throat on the rod of justice, (so that) it devoured all those many rods and ropes;
واندرو افزون نشد زان جمله اکل ** زانک حیوانی نبودش اکل و شکل
And in it was no increase from all that eating, because its eating and its form were not animal.
مر یقین را چون عصا هم حلق داد ** تا بخورد او هر خیالی را که زاد
To Faith also He gave a throat like (that of) the rod, so that it devoured every vain fancy that was born.
پس معانی را چو اعیان حلقهاست ** رازق حلق معانی هم خداست40
Hence the spiritual and intelligible things, like the concrete (sensible) things, have throats, and the giver of food to the throat of the spiritual and intelligible things is also (none but) God.
پس ز مه تا ماهی هیچ از خلق نیست ** که بجذب مایه او را حلق نیست
Therefore from the Moon to the Fish there is nothing in creation that hath not a throat in respect of its drawing sustenance (from God).
حلق جان از فکر تن خالی شود ** آنگهان روزیش اجلالی شود
(When) the spirit's throat is emptied of thought for the body, then its apportioned sustenance becomes Majestical.
شرط تبدیل مزاج آمد بدان ** کز مزاج بد بود مرگ بدان
Know that the necessary condition (for gaining this sustenance) is the transformation of the (sensual) nature, for the death of evil men is (arises) from (their) evil nature.
چون مزاج آدمی گل‌خوار شد ** زرد و بدرنگ و سقیم و خوار شد
When it has become natural to a human being to eat clay, he grows pale and ill-complexioned and sickly and miserable;
چون مزاج زشت او تبدیل یافت ** رفت زشتی از رخش چون شمع تافت45
(But) when his ugly nature has been transformed, the ugliness departs from his face, and he shines like a candle.
دایه‌ای کو طفل شیرآموز را ** تا بنعمت خوش کند پدفوز را
Where is a nurse for the suckling babe?—that with kindness she may sweeten the inner part of its mouth,
گر ببندد راه آن پستان برو ** برگشاید راه صد بستان برو
And, though she bar its way to her teat, may open up for it the way to a hundred gardens (of delight)?—
زانک پستان شد حجاب آن ضعیف ** از هزاران نعمت و خوان و رغیف
Because the teat has become to that feeble (infant) a barrier (separating it) from thousands of pleasures and dishes (of food) and loaves (of bread).
پس حیات ماست موقوف فطام ** اندک اندک جهد کن تم الکلام
Our life, then, depends on weaning. Endeavour (to wean yourself) little by little. The discourse is (now) complete.
ون جنین بد آدمی بد خون غذا ** از نجس پاکی برد مومن کذا 50
When man was an embryo his nourishment was blood: in like fashion the true believer draws purity from filth.
از فطام خون غذااش شیر شد ** وز فطام شیر لقمه‌گیر شد
Through (his) being weaned from blood, his nourishment became milk; and through (his) being weaned from milk, he became a taker of (solid) food.
وز فطام لقمه لقمانی شود ** طالب اشکار پنهانی شود
And through (his) being weaned from food he becomes (a sage) like Luqmán; he becomes a seeker (hunter) of the hidden game.
گر جنین را کس بگفتی در رحم ** هست بیرون عالمی بس منتظم
If any one were to say to the embryo in the womb, “Outside is a world exceedingly well-ordered,
یک زمینی خرمی با عرض و طول ** اندرو صد نعمت و چندین اکول
A pleasant earth, broad and long, wherein are a hundred delights and so many things to eat,
کوهها و بحرها و دشتها ** بوستانها باغها و کشتها55
Mountains and seas and plains, fragrant orchards, gardens and sown fields,
آسمانی بس بلند و پر ضیا ** آفتاب و ماهتاب و صد سها
A sky very lofty and full of light, sun and moonbeams and a hundred stars.
از جنوب و از شمال و از دبور ** باغها دارد عروسیها و سور
From the south-wind and from the north-wind and from the west-wind the gardens have (the appearance of) wedding-feasts and banquets.
در صفت ناید عجایبهای آن ** تو درین ظلمت چه‌ای در امتحان
Its marvels come not into (are beyond) description: why art thou in tribulation in this darkness?
خون خوری در چارمیخ تنگنا ** در میان حبس و انجاس و عنا
(Why) dost thou drink blood on the gibbet of this narrow place (the womb) in the midst of confinement and filth and pain?”—
او بحکم حال خود منکر بدی ** زین رسالت معرض و کافر شدی60
It (the embryo), in virtue of its present state, would be incredulous, and would turn away from this message and would disbelieve it,
کین محالست و فریبست و غرور ** زانک تصویری ندارد وهم کور
Saying, “This is absurd and is a deceit and delusion,” because the judgement of the blind has no imagination.
جنس چیزی چون ندید ادراک او ** نشنود ادراک منکرناک او
Inasmuch as its (the embryo's) perception has not seen anything of the kind, its incredulous perception would not listen (to the truth);
همچنانک خلق عام اندر جهان ** زان جهان ابدال می‌گویندشان
Just as in this world the Abdál speak of that (other) world to the common folk,
کین جهان چاهیست بس تاریک و تنگ ** هست بیرون عالمی بی بو و رنگ
Saying, “This world is an exceeding dark and narrow pit; outside is a world without scent or colour”:
هیچ در گوش کسی زیشان نرفت ** کین طمع آمد حجاب ژرف و زفت65
Naught (of their words) entered into the ear of a single one of them, for this (sensual) desire is a barrier huge and stout.
گوش را بندد طمع از استماع ** چشم را بندد غرض از اطلاع
Desire closes the ear (and hinders it) from hearing; self-interest closes the eye (and hinders it) from beholding,
همچنانک آن جنین را طمع خون ** کان غذای اوست در اوطان دون
Even as, in the case of the embryo, desire for the blood which is its nourishment in the low abodes
از حدیث این جهان محجوب کرد ** غیر خون او می‌نداند چاشت خورد
Debarred it from (hearkening to) the news of this world: it knows no breakfast but blood.
قصه‌ی خورندگان پیل‌بچه از حرص و ترک نصیحت ناصح
Story of those who ate the young elephant from greed and because they neglected the advice of the sincere counsellor.
آن شنیدی تو که در هندوستان ** دید دانایی گروهی دوستان
Hast thou heard that in India a sage espied a party of friends?
گرسنه مانده شده بی‌برگ و عور ** می‌رسیدند از سفر از راه دور70
Left hungry, lacking provisions, and naked, they were coming from travel on a far road.
مهر داناییش جوشید و بگفت ** خوش سلامیشان و چون گلبن شکفت
His wisdom's love was stirred (within him), and he gave them a fair greeting and blossomed like a rose-bush.