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.
خود خرد آنست کو از حق چرید ** نه خرد کان را عطارد آورید3310
The (true) intelligence, indeed, is that which was fed by God, not the intelligence that was bestowed by (the planet) Mercury.
بیان آنک عقل جزوی تا بگور بیش نبیند در باقی مقلد اولیا و انبیاست
Explaining that the particular (discursive) intellect does not see beyond the grave and, as regards all the rest, is subject to the authority of the saints and prophets.
پیش‌بینی این خرد تا گور بود ** وآن صاحب دل به نفخ صور بود
The foresight of this intellect extends (only) to the grave, while that of the spiritual man is till the blast of the trumpet (of Resurrection).
این خرد از گور و خاکی نگذرد ** وین قدم عرصه‌ی عجایب نسپرد
This intellect does not pass beyond a grave and sepulchre, and this (intellectual) foot does not tread the arena of marvels.
زین قدم وین عقل رو بیزار شو ** چشم غیبی جوی و برخوردار شو
Go, become quit of this foot and this intellect: seek the eye appertaining to the invisible (the inward eye) and enjoy (contemplation).
هم‌چو موسی نور کی یابد ز جیب ** سخره‌ی استاد و شاگردان کتاب
How should one subservient to a preceptor and in pupilage to a book find, like Moses, light from (his own) bosom?
زین نظر وین عقل ناید جز دوار ** پس نظر بگذار و بگزین انتظار3315
From this (scholastic) study and this intellect comes naught but vertigo; therefore leave this study and adopt (in its stead) expectation.
از سخن‌گویی مجویید ارتفاع ** منتظر را به ز گفتن استماع
Do not seek (spiritual) eminence from disputation: for him who is expectant (of Divine inspiration) listening is better than speaking.
منصب تعلیم نوع شهوتست ** هر خیال شهوتی در ره بتست
The office of teaching is a sort of sensual desire: every sensual fancy is an idol (source of polytheism) in the Way.
گر بفضلش پی ببردی هر فضول ** کی فرستادی خدا چندین رسول
If every busybody had found the track (had attained) to His grace, how should God have sent so many prophets?
عقل جزوی هم‌چو برقست و درخش ** در درخشی کی توان شد سوی وخش
The particular intellect is like the lightning and the flash: how is it possible to go to Wakhsh in a flash?
نیست نور برق بهر رهبری ** بلک امریست ابر را که می‌گری3320
The light of the lightning is not for guidance on the way; nay, it is a command to the cloud to weep.
برق عقل ما برای گریه است ** تا بگرید نیستی در شوق هست
The lightning of our intellect is for the sake of weeping, to the end that nonexistence may weep in longing for (real) existence.
عقل کودک گفت بر کتاب تن ** لیک نتواند به خود آموختن
The child's intellect said, “Attend school”; but it cannot learn by itself.
عقل رنجور آردش سوی طبیب ** لیک نبود در دوا عقلش مصیب
The sick man's intellect leads him to the physician; but his intellect is not successful in curing him.
نک شیاطین سوی گردون می‌شدند ** گوش بر اسرار بالا می‌زدند
Mark, the devils were going heavenward and listening to the secrets on high
می‌ربودند اندکی زان رازها ** تا شهب می‌راندشان زود از سما3325
And carrying away a little of those secrets, till the shooting stars quickly drove them from heaven,
که روید آنجا رسولی آمدست ** هر چه می‌خواهید زو آید به دست
Saying, “Begone! A prophet is come there (on the earth): from him will be obtained whatsoever ye crave.
گر همی‌جویید در بی‌بها ** ادخلوا الابیات من ابوابها
If ye are seeking priceless pearls, enter the houses by their doors.
می‌زن آن حلقه‌ی در و بر باب بیست ** از سوی بام فلکتان راه نیست
Keep knocking that door-ring and stand at the door: there is no way for you in the direction of the vault of heaven.
نیست حاجتتان بدین راه دراز ** خاکیی را داده‌ایم اسرار راز
Ye need not take this long road: We have bestowed on an earthly one the secrets of the mystery.
پیش او آیید اگر خاین نیید ** نیشکر گردید ازو گرچه نیید3330
Come to him, if ye are not disloyal; be made sugar-cane by him, though ye are (empty) reeds.”
سبزه رویاند ز خاکت آن دلیل ** نیست کم از سم اسپ جبرئیل
That Guide will cause verdure to grow from thy earth: he is not inferior to the hoof of the horse of Gabriel.
Thou wilt be made verdure, thou wilt be made fresh anew, if thou become the dust of the horse of a Gabriel—
سبزه‌ی جان‌بخش که آن را سامری ** کرد در گوساله تا شد گوهری
The life-giving verdure which Sámirí put into the (golden) calf, so that it became endowed with the (vital) essence.
جان گرفت و بانگ زد زان سبزه او ** آنچنان بانگی که شد فتنه‌ی عدو
From that verdure it took life and bellowed—such a bellowing as confounded the foe.
گر امین آیید سوی اهل راز ** وا رهید از سر کله مانند باز3335
If ye come loyally to the possessors of the mystery, ye will be freed from the hood, like a falcon—
سر کلاه چشم‌بند گوش‌بند ** که ازو بازست مسکین و نژند
The hood that binds eye and ear, whereby the falcon is (made) wretched and abject.
زان کله مر چشم بازان را سدست ** که همه میلش سوی جنس خودست
The hood is (placed as) a blind on the eyes of falcons because its (the falcon's) whole desire is for its own kind.
چون برید از جنس با شه گشت یار ** بر گشاید چشم او را بازدار
When it has been severed from its kind, it associates with the king: the falconer unveils its eye.
راند دیوان را حق از مرصاد خویش ** عقل جزوی را ز استبداد خویش
God drove the devils from His place of watch, (He drove) the particular intellect from its autonomy,
که سری کم کن نه‌ای تو مستبد ** بلک شاگرد دلی و مستعد3340
Saying, “Do not domineer: thou art not autonomous; nay, thou art the pupil of the heart and predisposed (to learn from it).
رو بر دل رو که تو جزو دلی ** هین که بنده‌ی پادشاه عادلی
Go to the heart, go, for thou art a part of the heart: take heed, for thou art a slave of the just King.”
بندگی او به از سلطانیست ** که انا خیر دم شیطانیست
To be His slave is better than being a sovereign, for “I am better” is the word of Satan.
فرق بین و برگزین تو ای حبیس ** بندگی آدم از کبر بلیس
Do thou see the distinction and pick out (choose by preference), O prisoner, the slavery of Adam from the pride of Iblís.
گفت آنک هست خورشید ره او ** حرف طوبی هر که ذلت نفسه
He who is the Sun of the Way uttered the saying, “Good (túbá) betide every one whose carnal soul is abased!”
سایه‌ی طوبی ببین وخوش بخسپ ** سر بنه در سایه بی‌سرکش بخسپ3345
Behold the shade of Túbá (the tree in Paradise) and sleep well; lay thy head in the shade and sleep without lifting thy head (haughtily).
ظل ذلت نفسه خوش مضجعیست ** مستعد آن صفا و مهجعیست
The shade of (one) “whose carnal soul is abased” is a pleasant place for reclining: it is a (good) sleeping-place for him that is predisposed to that (spiritual) purity.