هر کرا افعال دام و دد بود ** بر کریمانش گمان بد بود
Every one whose actions are those of wild beasts hath ill thoughts against the noble.
چون تو جزو عالمی هر چون بوی ** کل را بر وصف خود بینی سوی
Since thou art a part of the world, howsoever thou art thou deemest all to be of the same description as thyself, misguided man.
گر تو برگردی و بر گردد سرت ** خانه را گردنده بیند منظرت
If thou whirl round and thy head whirl round, thy (organ of) sight sees the house whirling round;
ور تو در کشتی روی بر یم روان ** ساحل یم را همی بینی دوان2370
And if thou embark in a ship moving on the sea, thou deemest the seashore to be running (along).
گر تو باشی تنگ‌دل از ملحمه ** تنگ بینی جمله دنیا را همه
If thou art narrow (oppressed) at heart from (being engaged in) combat, thou deemest the whole atmosphere of the world to be narrow;
ور تو خوش باشی به کام دوستان ** این جهان بنمایدت چون گلستان
And if thou art happy as thy friends would desire, this world seems to thee like a garden of roses.
ای بسا کس رفته تا شام و عراق ** او ندیده هیچ جز کفر و نفاق
How many a one has gone as far as Syria and ‘Iráq and has seen nothing but unbelief and hypocrisy;
وی بسا کس رفته تا هند و هری ** او ندیده جز مگر بیع و شری
And how many a one has gone as far as India and Hirá (Herát) and seen nothing but selling and buying;
وی بسا کس رفته ترکستان و چین ** او ندیده هیچ جز مکر و کمین2375
And how many a one has gone as far as Turkistán and China and seen nothing but deceit and hidden guile!
چون ندارد مدرکی جز رنگ و بو ** جمله‌ی اقلیمها را گو بجو
Since he has no object of perception save colour and perfume (external phenomena), let him seek (through) all the climes, (he will see nothing spiritual).
گاو در بغداد آید ناگهان ** بگذرد او زین سران تا آن سران
(If) a cow come suddenly into Baghdád and pass from this side (of the city) to that (farther) side,
از همه عیش و خوشیها و مزه ** او نبیند جز که قشر خربزه
Of all (its) pleasures and joys and delights she will see nothing but the rind of a water-melon.
که بود افتاده بر ره یا حشیش ** لایق سیران گاوی یا خریش
(If) straw or hay has fallen on the road, (it is) suitable to his (such a one's) bovine or asinine disposition.
خشک بر میخ طبیعت چون قدید ** بسته‌ی اسباب جانش لا یزید2380
(Hanging) dry on the nail of (his bestial) nature, like strips of meat (exposed to the sun), his spirit, bound with (the cords of) secondary causes, does not grow;
وان فضای خرق اسباب و علل ** هست ارض الله ای صدر اجل
But the spacious realm where means and causes are torn to shreds (transcended) is the earth of God, O most honourable sire.
هر زمان مبدل شود چون نقش جان ** نو به نو بیند جهانی در عیان
It is ever changing, like a (fleeting) picture: the spirit beholds in clairvoyance a world (appearing) anew and anew.
گر بود فردوس و انهار بهشت ** چون فسرده‌ی یک صفت شد گشت زشت
(Everything), though it be Paradise and the rivers of Eden, becomes ugly when it is congealed (fixed permanently) in one aspect.
بیان آنک هر حس مدرکی را از آدمی نیز مدرکاتی دیگرست کی از مدرکات آن حس دگر بی‌خبرست چنانک هر پیشه‌ور استاد اعجمی کار آن استاد دگر پیشه‌ورست و بی‌خبری او از آنک وظیفه‌ی او نیست دلیل نکند کی آن مدرکات نیست اگر چه به حکم حال منکر بود آن را اما از منکری او اینجا جز بی‌خبری نمی‌خواهیم درین مقام
Explaining that every percipient sense of man has different objects of perception too, of which the other senses are ignorant, as (for example) every skilled craftsman is unfamiliar with the work of those skilled in other crafts; and its (another sense's) ignorance of that which is not its business does not prove that those objects of perception are non-existent. Although it virtually denies them, yet here in this place we only mean by its ‘denial’ its ignorance.
Thy perception is the measure of thy vision of the world: thy impure senses are the veil (which prevents thee from having sight) of the pure (holy men).
مدتی حس را بشو ز آب عیان ** این چنین دان جامه‌شوی صوفیان2385
Wash thy senses for a while with the water of clairvoyance: know that the garment-washing of the Súfís is like this.
چون شدی تو پاک پرده بر کند ** جان پاکان خویش بر تو می‌زند
When thou hast become purified, the spirit of the pure ones will tear off the veil and attach itself to thee.
جمله عالم گر بود نور و صور ** چشم را باشد از آن خوبی خبر
If the whole world be (filled with) light and (radiant) forms, (only) the eye would be aware of that loveliness.
چشم بستی گوش می‌آری به پیش ** تا نمایی زلف و رخساره‌ی به تیش
(Suppose) thou hast shut the eye and art bringing forward the ear that thou mayst show unto it the locks and face of an adorable beauty,
گوش گوید من به صورت نگروم ** صورت ار بانگی زند من بشنوم
The ear will say, “I do not attend to the (visible) form: if the form utter a cry, I will hearken.
عالمم من لکی اندر فن خویش ** فن من جز حرف و صوتی نیست بیش2390
I am skilled, but (only) in my own art: my art is (the perception of) a (spoken) word or sound, no more.”
هین بیا بینی ببین این خوب را ** نیست در خور بینی این مطلوب را
(And if thou say), “Hey, nose, come and see this beauteous one,” the nose is not fit for this purpose.
گر بود مشک و گلابی بو برم ** فن من اینست و علم و مخبرم
“If there be any musk or rose-water, I will smell it: this is my art and science and knowledge.
کی ببینم من رخ آن سیم‌ساق ** هین مکن تکلیف ما لیس یطاق
How should I see the face of that silver-shanked one? Take heed, do not lay (on me) as a task that which cannot be done.”
باز حس کژ نبیند غیر کژ ** خواه کژ غژ پیش او یا راست غژ
Again, the crooked (perverted) sense hath naught but crooked (perverse) perception, (so) go crookedly into His presence or go straight, as thou wilt (it matters not).
چشم احول از یکی دیدن یقین ** دانک معزولست ای خواجه معین2395
Know for sure that the eye of him who sees double is remote from seeing the Unity, O Khwája who aidest (the true Religion).
تو که فرعونی همه مکری و زرق ** مر مرا از خود نمی‌دانی تو فرق
Thou who art a Pharaoh art wholly deceit and hypocrisy: (hence) thou knowest no difference between me and thyself.
منگر از خود در من ای کژباز تو ** تا یکی تو را نبینی تو دوتو
Do not regard (judge of) me from thyself, O false-playing man, that thou mayst not see the single as double.
بنگر اندر من ز من یک ساعتی ** تا ورای کون بینی ساحتی
Regard (judge of) me from me (with my eyes) for one moment, that thou mayst behold a spacious region beyond (phenomenal) existence,
وا رهی از تنگی و از ننگ و نام ** عشق اندر عشق بینی والسلام
And mayst be delivered from straitness and dishonour and renown (good and evil repute) and behold love within love, and peace (be with thee)!
پس بدانی چونک رستی از بدن ** گوش و بینی چشم می‌داند شدن2400
Then, when thou hast been delivered from the body, thou wilt know that ear and nose can become eye.
راست گفتست آن شه شیرین‌زبان ** چشم گرد مو به موی عارفان
That sweet-tongued (spiritual) king has said with truth that every hair of gnostics becomes an eye.
چشم را چشمی نبود اول یقین ** در رحم بود او جنین گوشتین
Certainly the eye had no eye (vision) at first: it was an embryo of flesh in the womb.
علت دیدن مدان پیه ای پسر ** ورنه خواب اندر ندیدی کس صور
Deem not the fat (the white of the eye) to be the cause of sight, O son; otherwise none would see (visible) forms in dream.
آن پری و دیو می‌بیند شبیه ** نیست اندر دیدگاه هر دو پیه
The genie and the demon see the like, and there is no fat in the sight-organ of either.
نور را با پیه خود نسبت نبود ** نسبتش بخشید خلاق ودود2405
In fact there was (originally) no relationship between light and the fat (of the eye): the loving Creator gave them relationship.
آدمست از خاک کی ماند به خاک ** جنیست از نار بی‌هیچ اشتراک
Adam is of earth, (but) how does he resemble earth? The genie is of fire without any participation (of the other elements);
نیست مانندای آتش آن پری ** گر چه اصلش اوست چون می‌بنگری
(But) the genie is not similar (in form) to fire, though when thou considerest (thou wilt acknowledge that) it is his origin.
مرغ از بادست و کی ماند به باد ** نامناسب را خدا نسبت به داد
The bird is (originally) of wind (air), (but) how does it resemble wind? God gave relationship to the unrelated.
نسبت این فرعها با اصلها ** هست بی‌چون ار چه دادش وصلها
The relation of these derivatives to the originals is ineffable, although He connected them.
آدمی چون زاده‌ی خاک هباست ** این پسر را با پدر نسبت کجاست2410
Since man is born of dust, where is the relation between this son and his father?
نسبتی گر هست مخفی از خرد ** هست بی‌چون و خرد کی پی برد
If there is a relation hidden from the understanding, it is ineffable, and how should the understanding follow its track?
باد را بی چشم اگر بینش نداد ** فرق چون می‌کرد اندر قوم عاد
If He did not give the wind vision without eye, how was it making a distinction among the people of ‘Ád?
چون همی دانست مومن از عدو ** چون همی دانست می را از کدو
How was it knowing the true believer from the enemy? How was it knowing the wine from the gourd-shaped goblet?
آتش نمرود را گر چشم نیست ** با خلیلش چون تجشم کردنیست
If the fire of Nimrod hath no eye, how is a taking pains (to show respect) towards Abraham (explicable)?
گر نبودی نیل را آن نور و دید ** از چه قبطی را ز سبطی می‌گزید2415
If the Nile had not possessed that light and sight, wherefore should it have picked out the Egyptians from the Israelites?
گرنه کوه و سنگ با دیدار شد ** پس چرا داود را او یار شد
If mountain and rock had not been endowed with sight, then how should it (the mountain) have become a friend (accompanist) to David?