لب ببند ار چه فصاحت دست داد ** دم مزن والله اعلم بالرشاد2145
Close thy lips (O my soul): though eloquence is at thy command, do not breathe a word—and God best knoweth the right way.
برکنار بامی ای مست مدام ** پست بنشین یا فرود آ والسلام
O you who are drunken with the wine (of love), you are on the edge of the roof: sit down or (else) descend, and peace be with you!
هر زمانی که شدی تو کامران ** آن دم خوش را کنار بام دان
Every moment when you enjoy (union with the Beloved), deem that delightful moment to be the edge of the roof.
بر زمان خوش هراسان باش تو ** هم‌چو گنجش خفیه کن نه فاش تو
Be trembling for (fear of losing) the delightful moment: conceal it like a treasure, do not divulge it.
تا نیاید بر ولا ناگه بلا ** ترس ترسان رو در آن مکمن هلا
Lest calamity suddenly befall (your) plighted love, take heed, go very fearfully into that place of ambush.
ترس جان در وقت شادی از زوال ** زان کنار بام غیبست ارتحال2150
The spirit's fear of loss at the moment of enjoyment is (the sign of its) departure (descent) from the hidden roof-edge.
گر نمی‌بینی کنار بام راز ** روح می‌بیند که هستش اهتزاز
If you do not see the mysterious roof-edge, (yet) the spirit is seeing, for it is shuddering (with fear).
هر نکالی ناگهان کان آمدست ** بر کنار کنگره‌ی شادی بدست
Every sudden chastisement that has come to pass has taken place on the edge of the turret of enjoyment.
جز کنار بام خود نبود سقوط ** اعتبار از قوم نوح و قوم لوط
Indeed there is no fall except (on) the edge of the roof: (take) warning from (the fate of) the people of Noah and the people of Lot.
بیان سبب فصاحت و بسیارگویی آن فضول به خدمت رسول علیه‌السلام
Explaining the cause of the eloquence and loquacity of that impertinent man in the presence of the Prophet, on whom be peace.
پرتو مستی بی‌حد نبی ** چون بزد هم مست و خوش گشت آن غبی
When the ray (reflexion) of the Prophet's boundless intoxication struck (the objector), that stupid fellow also became drunken and merry.
لاجرم بسیارگو شد از نشاط ** مست ادب بگذاشت آمد در خباط2155
Of course, in consequence of (drunken) glee he became loquacious: the intoxicated man neglected (to observe) respect and began to rave.
نه همه جا بی‌خودی شر می‌کند ** بی‌ادب را می چنان‌تر می‌کند
Not on every occasion does selflessness (intoxication) work mischief, (but) wine makes the unmannerly person more so.
گر بود عاقل نکو فر می‌شود ** ور بود بدخوی بتر می‌شود
If he (the wine-drinker) be intelligent, he becomes decorous (displays goodly qualities when beside himself); and if he be evil-natured, he becomes worse.
لیک اغلب چون بدند و ناپسند ** بر همه می را محرم کرده‌اند
But since the majority are evil and reprobate, wine has been forbidden to all.
بیان رسول علیه السلام سبب تفضیل و اختیار کردن او آن هذیلی را به امیری و سرلشکری بر پیران و کاردیدگان
How the Prophet, on whom be peace, explained the cause of his preferring and choosing the (young) man of Hudhayl as commander and chief of the army over the heads of the elders and veterans.
حکم اغلب راست چون غالب بدند ** تیغ را از دست ره‌زن بستدند
Cases are decided by the general rule (not by the exceptions):since the majority are evil, the sword was taken away from the hand of the highwayman.
گفت پیغامبر کای ظاهرنگر ** تو مبین او را جوان و بی‌هنر2160
The Prophet said, “O thou who lookest on externals, do not regard him as a youth and unskilled.
ای بسا ریش سیاه و مردت پیر ** ای بسا ریش سپید و دل چو قیر
Oh, there is many a black beard and the man (its owner) old (in wisdom); oh, there is many a white beard with a heart (black) as pitch.
عقل او را آزمودم بارها ** کرد پیری آن جوان در کارها
Often have I tested his understanding: that youth has shown (the ripe experience of) age in (handling) affairs.
پیر پیر عقل باشد ای پسر ** نه سپیدی موی اندر ریش و سر
O son, the (really) old is the old in understanding: ‘tis not whiteness of the hair in the beard and on the head.
از بلیس او پیرتر خود کی بود ** چونک عقلش نیست او لاشی بود
How should he (any old man) be older than Iblís? When he lacks understanding, he is good-for-naught.
طفل گیرش چون بود عیسی نفس ** پاک باشد از غرور و از هوس2165
Suppose he is a child: (what matter) when he hath the (life-giving) breath of Jesus (and) is purged of vainglory and vain desire?
آن سپیدی مو دلیل پختگیست ** پیش چشم بسته کش کوته‌تگیست
That whiteness of hair is a proof of maturity to the bandaged eye that hath little penetration.
آن مقلد چون نداند جز دلیل ** در علامت جوید او دایم سبیل
Since the blind imitator recognises nothing but (an external) proof, he continually seeks the way (to the truth) in the (out ward) sign.
بهر او گفتیم که تدبیر را ** چونک خواهی کرد بگزین پیر را
For his sake we have said, ‘When you wish to plan (anything), choose an elder (to advise you).’
آنک او از پرده‌ی تقلید جست ** او به نور حق ببیند آنچ هست
He who has escaped from the purdah of blind imitation sees by the light of God that which (really) is.
نور پاکش بی‌دلیل و بی‌بیان ** پوست بشکافد در آید در میان2170
Without proof and without exposition the pure Light cleaves its (the object’s) skin and enters into the middle (the core).
پیش ظاهربین چه قلب و چه سره ** او چه داند چیست اندر قوصره
To one who regards (only) the appearance, what is (the difference between) the adulterated and genuine coin? How should he know what is in the date-basket?
ای بسا زر سیه کرده بدود ** تا رهد از دست هر دزدی حسود
Oh, there is much gold made black with smoke, that it may be saved from (falling into) the hands of every envious thief.
ای بسا مس زر اندوده به زر ** تا فروشد آن به عقل مختصر
Oh, there is much copper gilded with gold, that he (the counterfeiter) may sell it to (those of) small understanding.
ما که باطن‌بین جمله‌ی کشوریم ** دل ببینیم و به ظاهر ننگریم
We, who see the inward (reality) of the whole world, see the heart and look not on the outward form.”
قاضیانی که به ظاهر می‌تنند ** حکم بر اشکال ظاهر می‌کنند2175
The cadis who are concerned with the outward form (the letter of the law) give judgement according to outward appearances.
چون شهادت گفت و ایمانی نمود ** حکم او مومن کنند این قوم زود
When he (the suspected person) has uttered the profession of the Faith and has shown some (formal sign of) true belief, at once these people (the cadis) pronounce him a true believer.
بس منافق کاندرین ظاهر گریخت ** خون صد مومن به پنهانی بریخت
There is many a hypocrite who has taken refuge in this out ward form and has shed the blood of a hundred true believers in secret.
جهد کن تا پیر عقل و دین شوی ** تا چو عقل کل تو باطن‌بین شوی
Endeavour to become old in intelligence and religion, that you may become, like the Universal Intelligence, a seer of the in ward (reality).
از عدم چون عقل زیبا رو گشاد ** خلعتش داد و هزارش نام داد
When the beauteous Intelligence unveiled its face (revealed itself) from non-existence, He (God) gave it a robe of honour and a thousand names.
کمترین زان نامهای خوش‌نفس ** این که نبود هیچ او محتاج کس2180
Of those sweet-breathing names the least is this, that it (the Intelligence) is not in need of any one.
گر به صورت وا نماید عقل رو ** تیره باشد روز پیش نور او
If the Intelligence display its face in visible form, day will be dark beside its light;
ور مثال احمقی پیدا شود ** ظلمت شب پیش او روشن بود
And if the shape of foolishness become visible, beside it the darkness of night will be radiant,
کو ز شب مظلم‌تر و تاری‌ترست ** لیک خفاش شقی ظلمت‌خرست
For it is darker and more murky than night; but the miserable bat is a buyer (seeker) of darkness.
اندک اندک خوی کن با نور روز ** ورنه خفاشی بمانی بیفروز
Little by little accustom yourself to the daylight, else you will remain a bat deprived of splendour.
عاشق هر جا شکال و مشکلیست ** دشمن هر جا چراغ مقبلیست2185
He (the bat-like person) is the lover of every place where there is difficulty and perplexing doubt, and the enemy of every place where there is the lamp of (spiritual) felicity
ظلمت اشکال زان جوید دلش ** تا که افزون‌تر نماید حاصلش
His heart seeks the darkness of perplexity in order that his acquirements may seem greater (than they are),
تا ترا مشغول آن مشکل کند ** وز نهاد زشت خود غافل کند
So that he may preoccupy you with that difficult question and make you oblivious of his own evil nature.
علامت عاقل تمام و نیم‌عاقل و مرد تمام و نیم‌مرد و علامت شقی مغرور لاشی
The marks of the wholly intelligent and the half-intelligent and the whole man and the half-man and the deluded worthless wretch doomed to perdition.
عاقل آن باشد که او با مشعله‌ست ** او دلیل و پیشوای قافله‌ست
The intelligent man is he who hath the lamp: he is the guide and leader of the caravan.
پیرو نور خودست آن پیش‌رو ** تابع خویشست آن بی‌خویش‌رو
That leader is one who goes after his own light: that selfless traveller is the follower of himself.
مومن خویشست و ایمان آورید ** هم بدان نوری که جانش زو چرید2190
He is the one that puts faith in himself; and do ye too put faith in the light on which his soul has browsed.
دیگری که نیم‌عاقل آمد او ** عاقلی را دیده‌ی خود داند او
The other, who is the half-intelligent, deems an (entirely) intelligent person to be his eye,
دست در وی زد چو کور اندر دلیل ** تا بدو بینا شد و چست و جلیل
And has clutched him as the blind man clutches the guide, so that through him he has become seeing and active and illustrious.
وآن خری کز عقل جوسنگی نداشت ** خود نبودش عقل و عاقل را گذاشت
But (as for) the ass who had not a single barley-corn's weight of intelligence, who possessed no intelligence himself and forsook the intelligent (guide),
ره نداند نه کثیر و نه قلیل ** ننگش آید آمدن خلف دلیل
(Who) knows neither much nor little of the way (and yet) disdains to go behind the guide,