He that is overpowered (overwhelmed) in Our grace is not compelled; nay, he is one who freely chooses devotion (to Us).”
منتهای اختیار آنست خود ** که اختیارش گردد اینجا مفتقد
In sooth the end of free-will is that his free-will should be lost here.
اختیاری را نبودی چاشنی ** گر نگشتی آخر او محو از منی
The free agent would feel no savour (spiritual delight) if at last he did not become entirely purged of egoism.
در جهان گر لقمه و گر شربتست ** لذت او فرع محو لذتست
If there is delicious food and drink in the world, (yet) his pleasure (in them) is (only) a branch of (derived from) the extinction of (worldly) pleasure.
گرچه از لذات بی‌تاثیر شد ** لذتی بود او و لذت‌گیر شد405
Although he was unaffected by (worldly) pleasures, (yet) he was a man of (spiritual) pleasure and became the recipient of (that) pleasure.
شرح انما المؤمنون اخوة والعلماء کنفس واحدة خاصه اتحاد داود و سلیمان و سایر انبیا علیهم‌السلام کی اگر یکی ازیشان را منکر شوی ایمان به هیچ نبی درست نباشد و این علامت اتحادست کی یک خانه از هزاران خانه ویران کنی آن همه ویران شود و یک دیوار قایم نماند کی لانفرق بین احد منهم و العاقل یکفیه الاشارة این خود از اشارت گذشت
Explanation of "Verily, the Faithful are brothers, and the ‘ulamá (divines) are as one soul"; in particular, the oneness of David, Solomon, and all the other prophets, on whom be peace: if you disbelieve in one of them, (your) faith in any prophet will not be perfect; and this is the sign of (their) oneness, that if you destroy a single one of those thousands of houses, all the rest will be destroyed, and not a single wall will be left standing; for "We make no distinction between any of them (the prophets)." Indication is sufficient for him that hath intelligence: this goes even beyond indication.
گرچه بر ناید به جهد و زور تو ** لیک مسجد را برآرد پور تو
(God said to David), “Although it will not be accomplished by thy labour and strength, yet the Mosque will be erected by thy son.
کرده‌ی او کرده‌ی تست ای حکیم ** مومنان را اتصالی دان قدیم
His deed is thy deed, O man of wisdom: know that between the Faithful is an ancient union.”
مومنان معدود لیک ایمان یکی ** جسمشان معدود لیکن جان یکی
The Faithful are numerous, but the Faith is one: their bodies are numerous, but their soul is one.
غیرفهم و جان که در گاو و خرست ** آدمی را عقل و جانی دیگرست
Besides the understanding and soul which is in the ox and the ass, Man has another intelligence and soul;
باز غیرجان و عقل آدمی ** هست جانی در ولی آن دمی410
Again, in the owner of that (Divine) breath there is a soul other than the human soul and intelligence.
جان حیوانی ندارد اتحاد ** تو مجو این اتحاد از روح باد
The animal soul does not possess oneness: seek not thou this oneness from the airy (vital) spirit.
گر خورد این نان نگردد سیر آن ** ور کشد بار این نگردد او گران
If this one eat bread, that one is not filled; and if this one bear a load, that one does not become laden;
بلک این شادی کند از مرگ او ** از حسد میرد چو بیند برگ او
Nay, but this one rejoices at the death of that one, and dies of envy when he sees that one's prosperity.
جان گرگان و سگان هر یک جداست ** متحد جانهای شیران خداست
The souls of wolves and dogs are separate, every one; the souls of the Lions of God are united.
جمع گفتم جانهاشان من به اسم ** کان یکی جان صد بود نسبت به جسم415
I have spoken of their souls nominally (formally) in the plural, for that single soul is a hundred in relation to the body,
هم‌چو آن یک نور خورشید سما ** صد بود نسبت بصحن خانه‌ها
Just as the single light of the sun in heaven is a hundred in relation to the house-courts (on which it shines),
لیک یک باشد همه انوارشان ** چونک برگیری تو دیوار از میان
But when you remove the wall, all the lights (falling) on them are one.
چون نماند خانه‌ها را قاعده ** مومنان مانند نفس واحده
When the (bodily) houses have no foundation remaining, the Faithful remain one soul.
فرق و اشکالات آید زین مقال ** زانک نبود مثل این باشد مثال
Differences and difficulties arise from this saying, because this is not a (complete) similitude: it is (only) a comparison.
فرقها بی‌حد بود از شخص شیر ** تا به شخص آدمی‌زاد دلیر420
Endless are the differences between the corporeal figure of a lion and the figure of a courageous son of man;
لیک در وقت مثال ای خوش‌نظر ** اتحاد از روی جانبازی نگر
But at the moment of (making) the comparison consider, O thou who hast good insight, their oneness in respect of hazarding their lives;
کان دلیر آخر مثال شیر بود ** نیست مثل شیر در جمله‌ی حدود
For, after all, the courageous man did resemble the lion, (though) he is not like the lion in all points of the definition.
متحد نقشی ندارد این سرا ** تا که مثلی وا نمایم من ترا
This abode (the world) does not contain any form (that is) one (with any other form), so that I might show forth to thee a (complete) similitude.
هم مثال ناقصی دست آورم ** تا ز حیرانی خرد را وا خرم
Still, I will bring to hand an imperfect comparison, that I may redeem thy mind from confusion.
شب بهر خانه چراغی می‌نهند ** تا به نور آن ز ظلمت می‌رهند425
At night a lamp is placed in every house, in order that by its light they (the inmates) may be delivered from darkness.
آن چراغ این تن بود نورش چو جان ** هست محتاج فتیل و این و آن
That lamp is (like) this body, its light like the (animal) soul; it requires a wick and this and that.
آن چراغ شش فتیله‌ی این حواس ** جملگی بر خواب و خور دارد اساس
That lamp with six wicks, namely, these senses, is based entirely upon sleep and food.
بی‌خور و بی‌خواب نزید نیم دم ** با خور و با خواب نزید نیز هم
Without food and sleep it would not live half a moment; nor even with food and sleep does it live either.
بی‌فتیل و روغنش نبود بقا ** با فتیل و روغن او هم بی‌وفا
Without wick and oil it has no duration, and with wick and oil it is also faithless (transient),
زانک نور علتی‌اش مرگ‌جوست ** چون زید که روز روشن مرگ اوست430
Inasmuch as its light, (being) related to (secondary) causes, is seeking death: how should it live when bright day is the death of it?
جمله حسهای بشر هم بی‌بقاست ** زانک پیش نور روز حشر لاست
Likewise all the human senses are impermanent, because they are naught in the presence of the Day of Resurrection.
نور حس و جان بابایان ما ** نیست کلی فانی و لا چون گیا
The light of the senses and spirits of our fathers is not wholly perishable and naught, like the grass;
لیک مانند ستاره و ماهتاب ** جمله محوند از شعاع آفتاب
But, like the stars and moonbeams, they all vanish in the radiance of the Sun.
آنچنان که سوز و درد زخم کیک ** محو گردد چون در آید مار الیک
’Tis just as the smart and pain of the flea's bite disappears when the snake comes in to you (and bites you).
آنچنان که عور اندر آب جست ** تا در آب از زخم زنبوران برست435
’Tis just as the naked man jumped into the water, that in the water he might escape from the sting of the hornets:
می‌کند زنبور بر بالا طواف ** چون بر آرد سر ندارندش معاف
The hornets circle above (him), and when he puts out his head they do not spare him.
آب ذکر حق و زنبور این زمان ** هست یاد آن فلانه وان فلان
The water is recollection (dhikr) of God, and the hornet is the remembrance, during this time, of such-and-such a woman or such-and-such a man.
دم بخور در آب ذکر و صبر کن ** تا رهی از فکر و وسواس کهن
Swallow (hold) your breath in the water of recollection and show fortitude, that you may be freed from the old thought and temptation.
بعد از آن تو طبع آن آب صفا ** خود بگیری جملگی سر تا به پا
After that, you yourself will assume the nature of that pure water entirely from head to foot.
آنچنان که از آب آن زنبور شر ** می‌گریزد از تو هم گیرد حذر440
As the noxious hornet flees from the water, so will it be afraid of (approaching) you.
بعد از آن خواهی تو دور از آب باش ** که بسر هم‌طبع آبی خواجه‌تاش
After that, be far from the water, if you wish; for in your inmost soul you are of the same nature as the water, O fellow-servant.
بس کسانی کز جهان بگذشته‌اند ** لا نیند و در صفات آغشته‌اند
Those persons, then, who have passed from the world are not naught (nonexistent), but they are steeped in the (Divine) Attributes.
در صفات حق صفات جمله‌شان ** هم‌چو اختر پیش آن خور بی‌نشان
All their attributes are (absorbed) in the Attributes of God, even as the star is (left) without trace in the presence of the sun.
گر ز قرآن نقل خواهی ای حرون ** خوان جمیع هم لدینا محضرون
If you demand a citation from the Qur’án, O recalcitrant, recite all of them shall be brought into Our presence.
محضرون معدوم نبود نیک بین ** تا بقای روحها دانی یقین445
(The person denoted by the word) muhdarún (brought into the presence) is not non-existent (ma‘dúm). Consider (this) well, that you may gain certain knowledge of the everlasting life (baqá) of the spirits.
روح محجوب از بقا بس در عذاب ** روح واصل در بقا پاک از حجاب
The spirit debarred from everlasting life is exceedingly tormented; the spirit united (with God) in everlasting life is free from (every) barrier.
زین چراغ حس حیوان المراد ** گفتمت هان تا نجویی اتحاد
I have told you the purpose of this lamp of animal sense-perception. Beware of seeking to become one (with it in spirit).
روح خود را متصل کن ای فلان ** زود با ارواح قدس سالکان
Make your spirit, O such-and-such, to be united speedily with the holy spirits of the Travellers (on the mystic Way).
صد چراغت ار مرند ار بیستند ** پس جدا اند و یگانه نیستند
Your hundred lamps, then, whether they die (are extinguished) or whether they stand (and burn), are separate (from each other) and are not single.