That which seems to you to be (really) existent is (mere) skin, while that which seems to have perished—that (in reality) is the root.
دوغ روغن ناگرفتست و کهن ** تا بنگزینی بنه خرجش مکن
The buttermilk has not (yet) taken (the form of) butter and is old: lay it (in store) and do not squander it till you pick out (the butter from it).
هین بگردانش به دانش دست دست ** تا نماید آنچ پنهان کرده است
Hark, turn it knowingly from hand to hand (side to side), that it may reveal that which it has hidden;
زآنک این فانی دلیل باقیست ** لابه‌ی مستان دلیل ساقیست3050
For this perishable (body) is a proof of the everlasting (spirit): the maundering of the intoxicated is a proof of (the existence of) the Cupbearer.
مثال دیگر هم درین معنی
Another parable on the same subject.
هست بازیهای آن شیر علم ** مخبری از بادهای مکتتم
The gambols of the lion on the banner are indicative of winds concealed (from view).
گر نبودی جنبش آن بادها ** شیر مرده کی بجستی در هوا
If there were not the movement of those winds, how would the dead lion leap into the air?
زان شناسی باد را گر آن صباست ** یا دبورست این بیان آن خفاست
By that (means) you know whether the wind is the east-wind or the westwind: this (movement of the lion) is the explanation of that occult matter.
این بدن مانند آن شیر علم ** فکر می‌جنباند او را دم به دم
This body is like the lion on the banner: thought is causing it to move continually.
فکر کان از مشرق آید آن صباست ** وآنک از مغرب دبور با وباست3055
The thought that comes from the east is (as) the (refreshing) east-wind, and that which (comes) from the west is (as) the west-wind fraught with pestilence.
مشرق این باد فکرت دیگرست ** مغرب این باد فکرت زان سرست
The east of this wind of thought is different; the west of this wind of thought is from Yonder side.
مه جمادست و بود شرقش جماد ** جان جان جان بود شرق فاد
The moon is inanimate, and its east is inanimate: the heart's east is the soul of the soul of Soul.
شرق خورشیدی که شد باطن‌فروز ** قشر و عکس آن بود خورشید روز
The east of that Sun which illumines the inward part—the sun of day is (only) the husk and reflexion thereof;
زآنک چون مرده بود تن بی‌لهب ** پیش او نه روز بنماید نه شب
For when the body is dead (and) without the (vital) flame, neither day nor night appears to it;
ور نباشد آن چو این باشد تمام ** بی‌شب و بی روز دارد انتظام3060
But though it (the flame) be not (there), (yet) when this (spiritual Sun) is (present) in perfection, it (the Sun) maintains itself intact without night and day,
هم‌چنانک چشم می‌بیند به خواب ** بی‌مه و خورشید ماه و آفتاب
Just as the eye, without moon and sun, sees moon and sun in dream.
نوم ما چون شد اخ الموت ای فلان ** زین برادر آن برادر را بدان
Since our sleep is the brother of death, O such and such, know (the difference of) that brother from this brother.
ور بگویندت که هست آن فرع این ** مشنو آن را ای مقلد بی‌یقین
And if they tell thee that that is the branch (derivative) of this, do not hear (believe) it, O follower of authority, without (having) certain knowledge.
می‌بیند خواب جانت وصف حال ** که به بیداری نبینی بیست سال
During sleep thy spirit is beholding the representation of a state (of things) which thou wilt not behold, whilst thou art awake, in twenty years,
در پی تعبیر آن تو عمرها ** می‌دوی سوی شهان با دها3065
And thou art running, for (whole) lifetimes, to the sagacious (spiritual) kings in quest of the interpretation thereof,
که بگو آن خواب را تعبیر چیست ** فرع گفتن این چنین سر را سگیست
Saying, “Tell (me), what is the interpretation of that dream?” To call such a mystery a “branch” is currishness.
خواب عامست این و خود خواب خواص ** باشد اصل اجتبا و اختصاص
This is the sleep of the vulgar; but truly the sleep of the elect is the root of (their) privilege and election.
پیل باید تا چو خسپد او ستان ** خواب بیند خطه‌ی هندوستان
There must needs be the elephant, in order that, when he sleeps supinely, he may dream of the land of Hindustán.
خر نبیند هیچ هندستان به خواب ** خر ز هندستان نکردست اغتراب
The ass does not dream of Hindustán at all: the ass has never journeyed from Hindustán to a foreign country.
جان هم‌چون پیل باید نیک زفت ** تا به خواب او هند داند رفت تفت3070
There is need of the elephant-like and very robust spirit, that in sleep it may be able to go speedily to Hindustán.
ذکر هندستان کند پیل از طلب ** پس مصور گردد آن ذکرش به شب
Because of desire the elephant remembers Hindustán; then by night that remembrance of his takes form.
اذکروا الله کار هر اوباش نیست ** ارجعی بر پای هر قلاش نیست
(The worship commanded in the text) Remember ye Allah is not a (devotional) work (that is within the reach) of every rascal; (the command) Return thou is not (a fetter) on the foot of every reprobate.
لیک تو آیس مشو هم پیل باش ** ور نه پیلی در پی تبدیل باش
But still do not thou despair, be an elephant; and if thou art not an elephant, be in quest of transmutation.
کیمیاسازان گردون را ببین ** بشنو از میناگران هر دم طنین
Behold the alchemists of Heaven; hear at every moment the sound (of the words that come) from the (spiritual) makers of the philosophers' stone.
نقش‌بندانند در جو فلک ** کارسازانند بهر لی و لک3075
They are designers in the celestial atmosphere; they are workers for me and thee.
گر نبینی خلق مشکین جیب را ** بنگر ای شب‌کور این آسیب را
If thou dost not see the musky-bosomed people, behold this touch (laid upon thee), O night-blind (purblind) one.
هر دم آسیبست بر ادراک تو ** نبت نو نو رسته بین از خاک تو
At every moment the touch is (laid) upon thy apprehension: behold the plants ever springing up anew from thy earth!
زین بد ابراهیم ادهم دیده خواب ** بسط هندستان دل را بی‌حجاب
Of this (sort) was Ibráhím son of Adham, who beheld in sleep, without veil, the unfolding of the spiritual Hindustán.
لاجرم زنجیرها را بر درید ** مملکت بر هم زد و شد ناپدید
(Therefore), of necessity, he burst the (worldly) chains asunder and dashed his kingdom to pieces and disappeared.
آن نشان دید هندستان بود ** که جهد از خواب و دیوانه شود3080
The sign of beholding Hindustán is that he (who beholds it) starts up from sleep and becomes mad.
می‌فشاند خاک بر تدبیرها ** می‌دراند حلقه‌ی زنجیرها
He will scatter dust upon (worldly) plans and will burst the links of the chains (that bind him),
آنچنان که گفت پیغامبر ز نور ** که نشانش آن بود اندر صدور
Even as the Prophet said of the (Divine) light, that the sign thereof in (men's) breasts
که تجافی آرد از دار الغرور ** هم انابت آرد از دار السرور
Is that he (who hath the light) withdraws from the abode of delusion and also turns back from the abode of joy.
بهر شرح این حدیث مصطفی ** داستانی بشنو ای یار صفا
For the exposition of this hadíth of Mustafá (Mohammed), hearken to a tale, O sincere friend.
حکایت آن پادشاه‌زاده کی پادشاهی حقیقی بوی روی نمود یوم یفرالمرء من اخیه و امه و ابیه نقد وقت او شد پادشاهی این خاک توده‌ی کودک طبعان کی قلعه گیری نام کنند آن کودک کی چیره آید بر سر خاک توده برآید و لاف زندگی قلعه مراست کودکان دیگر بر وی رشک برند کی التراب ربیع الصبیان آن پادشاه‌زاده چو از قید رنگها برست گفت من این خاکهای رنگین را همان خاک دون می‌گویم زر و اطلس و اکسون نمی‌گویم من ازین اکسون رستم یکسون رفتم و آتیناه الحکم صبیا ارشاد حق را مرور سالها حاجت نیست در قدرت کن فیکون هیچ کس سخن قابلیت نگوید
Story of the prince to whom the true kingdom displayed itself, (so that the realities of) "on the Day when a man shall flee from his brother and his mother and his father" became the object of his immediate experience; (and he saw that) the kingdom of this earth-heap of the childish (is like the game) called "castle-taking," (in which) the child that gains the victory mounts upon the earth-heap and says boastfully, "The castle belongs to me," while the other children envy him; for (to play with) earth is the pastime of boys. When the prince was delivered from the bondage of colours, he said, "I say that these coloured pieces of earth (earthly gauds) are just the same vile earth; I do not call them gold and satin and brocade: I have been delivered from this brocade (aksún) and have gone to that which is simple (yaksún)." (God hath said), "And We bestowed wisdom upon him whilst he was yet a boy"; it needeth not the passing of (many) years for (any one to receive) the guidance of God: none speaks of the capacity to receive in (connexion with) the Power of Be, and it is.
پادشاهی داشت یک برنا پسر ** باطن و ظاهر مزین از هنر3085
A certain king had a young son, adorned with excellence within and without.
خواب دید او کان پسر ناگه بمرد ** صافی عالم بر آن شه گشت درد
He dreamed that suddenly that son died: the pure (pleasure) of the world was changed, for the king, to dregs.
خشک شد از تاب آتش مشک او ** که نماند از تف آتش اشک او
His water-skin (eye) was dried up by the heat of the fire (of anguish), for because of the glow of the fire his tears remained not.
آنچنان پر شد ز دود و درد شاه ** که نمی‌یابید در وی راه آه
The king became so full of smoke and grief that sighs were finding no way (of entrance) into him.
خواست مردن قالبش بی‌کار شد ** عمر مانده بود شه بیدار شد
He was about to die, his body became inert; (but) his life had been left (for completion): the king awoke.
شادیی آمد ز بیداریش پیش ** که ندیده بود اندر عمر خویش3090
From awaking, there came to him a joy which he had not experienced in (all) his life;
که ز شادی خواست هم فانی شدن ** بس مطوق آمد این جان و بدن
For (now) from joy likewise he was about to perish: this spirit and body is mightily shackled with the collar (of death).
از دم غم می‌بمیرد این چراغ ** وز دم شادی بمیرد اینت لاغ
This lamp dies from (is extinguished by) the breath of sorrow, and it also dies from the breath of joy. Here, look you, is a pleasant jest!