چون کسی با عقل کل کفران فزود ** صورت کل پیش او هم سگ نمود3260
When any one shows excessive ingratitude to Universal Reason, the form of the universe appears to him (as) a cur accordingly.
صلح کن با این پدر عاقی بهل ** تا که فرش زر نماید آب و گل
Make peace with this Father, abandon disobedience, that the water and clay (the world) may appear (to thee as) a carpet of gold.
پس قیامت نقد حال تو بود ** پیش تو چرخ و زمین مبدل شود
Then the Resurrection will become thy present state (immediate experience): heaven and earth will be transfigured before thee.
من که صلحم دایما با این پدر ** این جهان چون جنتستم در نظر
Since I am ever at peace with this Father, this world is like Paradise in my sight.
هر زمان نو صورتی و نو جمال ** تا ز نو دیدن فرو میرد ملال
At every moment (appears) a new form and a new beauty, so that from seeing the new (visions) ennui dies away.
من همی‌بینم جهان را پر نعیم ** آبها از چشمه‌ها جوشان مقیم3265
I see the world to be full of bounty—the waters constantly gushing from the springs.
بانگ آبش می‌رسد در گوش من ** مست می‌گردد ضمیر و هوش من
The noise of their water is coming into mine ear: my inner consciousness and intelligence are being intoxicated.
شاخه‌ها رقصان شده چون تایبان ** برگها کف‌زن مثال مطربان
(I see) the boughs dancing like penitents, the leaves clapping their hands like minstrels.
برق آیینه‌ست لامع از نمد ** گر نماید آینه تا چون بود
The gleam of the mirror is flashing through the (cover of) felt cloth: think how it will be if the mirror (itself) be displayed!
از هزاران می‌نگویم من یکی ** ز آنک آکندست هر گوش از شکی
I am not telling one (mystery) out of thousands, because every ear is filled with a doubt.
پیش وهم این گفت مژده دادنست ** عقل گوید مژده چه نقد منست3270
To Opinion this saying (of mine) is (only) a joyful announcement (concerning the future), (but) Reason says, ‘What (occasion for) announcement? It is my cash in hand (actual and present experience).’”
قصه‌ی فرزندان عزیر علیه‌السلام کی از پدر احوال پدر می‌پرسیدند می‌گفت آری دیدمش می‌آید بعضی شناختندش بیهوش شدند بعضی نشناختند می‌گفتند خود مژده‌ای داد این بیهوش شدن چیست
Story of the sons of ‘Uzayr, on whom be peace, who were making inquiries about their father from (one who really was) their father. "Yes," he replied, "I have seen him: he is coming." Some (of them) recognised him and became unconscious, (while) others did not recognise him and said, "He has only announced (our father's coming): what is this unconsciousness?"
هم‌چو پوران عزیز اندر گذر ** آمده پرسان ز احوال پدر
(The case is) like (that of) the sons of ‘Uzayr who came into the thoroughfare, asking news of their father.
گشته ایشان پیر و باباشان جوان ** پس پدرشان پیش آمد ناگهان
They had grown old, while their father had been made young. Then suddenly their father met them.
پس بپرسیدند ازو کای ره‌گذر ** از عزیر ما عجب داری خبر
So they inquired of him, saying, “O wayfarer, we wonder if thou hast news of our ‘Uzayr;
که کسی‌مان گفت که امروز آن سند ** بعد نومیدی ز بیرون می‌رسد
For some one told us that to-day that man of (great) authority would arrive from abroad after we had given up hope (of seeing him).”
گفت آری بعد من خواهد رسید ** آن یکی خوش شد چو این مژده شنید3275
“Yes,” he replied, “he will arrive after me.” That one (the son of ‘Uzayr) rejoiced when he heard the good tidings,
بانگ می‌زد کای مبشر باش شاد ** وان دگر بشناخت بیهوش اوفتاد
Crying, “Joy to thee, O bringer of the good news!” But the other (son) recognised (him) and fell (to the ground) unconscious,
که چه جای مژده است ای خیره‌سر ** که در افتادیم در کان شکر
Saying, “What occasion is there for good tidings, O scatterbrain, when we have fallen into the mine (the very midst) of sugar?”
وهم را مژده‌ست و پیش عقل نقد ** ز انک چشم وهم شد محجوب فقد
To Opinion it is (merely) good tidings, whereas in the sight of Reason it is ready cash (actuality), because the eye of Opinion is veiled by missing (the object sought).
کافران را درد و مومن را بشیر ** لیک نقد حال در چشم بصیر
It is pain to the infidels and glad news to the faithful, but in the eye of the seer it is immediate experience.
زانک عاشق در دم نقدست مست ** لاجرم از کفر و ایمان برترست3280
Inasmuch as the lover is intoxicated at the moment of immediacy, he is necessarily superior to infidelity and faith.
کفر و ایمان هر دو خود دربان اوست ** کوست مغز و کفر و دین او را دو پوست
Indeed, both infidelity and faith are his door-keeper (who secures him from intrusion); for he is the kernel, while infidelity and religion are his two rinds.
کفر قشر خشک رو بر تافته ** باز ایمان قشر لذت یافته
Infidelity is the dry peel that has averted its face (from the kernel); faith, again, is the peel (inner integument) that has gained a delicious flavour.
قشرهای خشک را جا آتش است ** قشر پیوسته به مغز جان خوش است
The place for the dry peels is the fire, (but) the peel attached to the spiritual kernel is sweet.
مغز خود از مرتبه‌ی خوش برترست ** برترست از خوش که لذت گسترست
The kernel itself is above the grade of “sweet”: it is above “sweet” because it is the dispenser of deliciousness.
این سخن پایان ندارد باز گرد ** تا برآرد موسیم از بحر گرد3285
This discourse hath no end: turn back, that my Moses may cleave the sea asunder.
درخور عقل عوام این گفته شد ** از سخن باقی آن بنهفته شد
This (preceding part) of the discourse hath been spoken suitably to the intelligence of the vulgar; the remainder thereof hath been concealed.
زر عقلت ریزه است ای متهم ** بر قراضه مهر سکه چون نهم
The gold, (which is) thy intelligence, is in fragments, O suspected one: how should I set the stamp of the die upon clippings?
عقل تو قسمت شده بر صد مهم ** بر هزاران آرزو و طم و رم
Thy intelligence is distributed over a hundred important affairs, over thousands of desires and great matters and small.
جمع باید کرد اجزا را به عشق ** تا شوی خوش چون سمرقند و دمشق
Thou must unite the (scattered) parts by means of love, to the end that thou mayst become sweet as Samarcand and Damascus.
جو جوی چون جمع گردی ز اشتباه ** پس توان زد بر تو سکه‌ی پادشاه3290
When thou becomest united, grain by grain, from (after thy dispersion in) perplexity, then it is possible to stamp upon thee the King's die;
ور ز مثقالی شوی افزون تو خام ** از تو سازد شه یکی زرینه جام
And if thou, foolish man, become greater than a mithqál (dinar), the King will make of thee a cup of gold.
پس برو هم نام و هم القاب شاه ** باشد و هم صورتش ای وصل خواه
Then thereon will be both the name and the titles of the King and also his effigy, O thou that cravest to attain,
تا که معشوقت بود هم نان هم آب ** هم چراغ و شاهد و نقل شراب
So that the Beloved will be to thee both bread and water and lamp and minion and dessert and wine.
جمع کن خود را جماعت رحمتست ** تا توانم با تو گفتن آنچ هست
Unite thyself—union is (a Divine) mercy—that I may be able to speak unto thee that which is;
زانک گفتن از برای باوریست ** جان شرک از باوری حق بریست3295
For speaking is for the purpose of (producing) belief: the spirit of polytheism is quit (devoid) of belief in God.
جان قسمت گشته بر حشو فلک ** در میان شصت سودا مشترک
The spirit that has been distributed over the contents of the (mundane) sphere is shared amongst sixty passions;
پس خموشی به دهد او را ثبوت ** پس جواب احمقان آمد سکوت
Therefore silence is best: it gives peace to it ( to that spirit); therefore ( I ought to follow the adage) “Silence is the answer to fools.”
این همی‌دانم ولی مستی تن ** می‌گشاید بی‌مراد من دهن
This I know, but intoxication of the body is opening my mouth without volition on my part,
آنچنان که از عطسه و از خامیاز ** این دهان گردد بناخواه تو باز
Just as in sneezing and yawning this mouth becomes open without your willing it.
تفسیر این حدیث کی ائنی لاستغفر الله فی کل یوم سبعین مرة
Commentary on the Tradition, "Verily, I ask pardon of God seventy times every day."
هم‌چو پیغامبر ز گفتن وز نثار ** توبه آرم روز من هفتاد بار3300
Like the Prophet, I repent seventy times daily of speaking and giving out (mysteries);
لیک آن مستی شود توبه‌شکن ** منسی است این مستی تن جامه کن
But that intoxication becomes a breaker of (vows of) penitence: this intoxication of the body causes oblivion and tears the robe (of penitence).
حکمت اظهار تاریخ دراز ** مستیی انداخت در دانای راز
The (Divine) purpose of making manifest the (things of) long ago (the eternal things) cast an intoxication upon the knower of the mystery,
راز پنهان با چنین طبل و علم ** آب جوشان گشته از جف القلم
(So that) with such drum and banner (conspicuousness) the hidden mystery has become water gushing from (the fountain of) “the Pen is dry.”
رحمت بی‌حد روانه هر زمان ** خفته‌اید از درک آن ای مردمان
The infinite Mercy is flowing continually: ye are asleep to the perception thereof, O men!
جامه‌ی خفته خورد از جوی آب ** خفته اندر خواب جویای سراب3305
The sleeper's garment drinks water from the river, (while) the sleeper is seeking the mirage in his dream.
می‌رود که آنجای بوی آب هست ** زین تفکر راه را بر خویش بست
He keeps running (to and fro), saying, “Yonder there is hope of water”: by this (false) thought he has barred the way against himself.
زانک آنجا گفت زینجا دور شد ** بر خیالی از حقی مهجور شد
Because he said “yonder” he became far from here (from the place where the water is): (through resting) in a vain imagination he was banished from a reality.
دوربینانند و بس خفته‌روان ** رحمتی آریدشان ای ره‌روان
They (the worldly) are far-seeing (for their selfish ends) and very fast asleep spiritually: take some mercy upon them, O travellers on the Way!
من ندیدم تشنگی خواب آورد ** خواب آرد تشنگی بی‌خرد
I never saw thirst (eager desire) induce sleep: (only) the thirst of the unintelligent induces sleep.