If one takes hold of a horse's neck, he gains advantage; and if he takes hold of its leg, he receives a kick.
کم نشین بر اسپ توسن بی‌لگام ** عقل و دین را پیشوا کن والسلام465
Do not mount the restive horse without a bridle: make Reason and Religion your leader, and farewell.
اندرین آهنگ منگر سست و پست ** کاندرین ره صبر و شق انفسست
Do not look scornfully and contemptuously on this quest, for in this Way there is (need of) self-denial and grievous anguish to (men's) souls.
بقیه‌ی قصه‌ی بنای مسجد اقصی
The rest of the Story of the building of the Farther Mosque.
چون سلیمان کرد آغاز بنا ** پاک چون کعبه همایون چون منی
When Solomon began the building—holy like the Ka’ba, august like Miná—
در بنااش دیده می‌شد کر و فر ** نی فسرده چون بناهای دگر
In his building were seen splendour and magnificence: it was not frigid (dull and lifeless) like other buildings.
در بنا هر سنگ کز که می‌سکست ** فاش سیروا بی‌همی گفت از نخست
From the first, every stone in the building—(every stone) that was broken off from the mountain—was saying clearly, “Take me along!”
هم‌چو از آب و گل آدم‌کده ** نور ز آهک پاره‌ها تابان شده470
As from the water and earth of the house (bodily tenement) of Adam, (so) did light shine forth from the pieces of mortar.
سنگ بی‌حمال آینده شده ** وان در و دیوارها زنده شده
The stones were coming without carrier, and those doors and walls had become living.
حق همی‌گوید که دیوار بهشت ** نیست چون دیوارها بی‌جان و زشت
God saith that the ‘wall of Paradise is not lifeless and ugly like (other) walls;
چون در و دیوار تن با آگهیست ** زنده باشد خانه چون شاهنشهیست
Like the door and wall of the body, it is (endowed) with intelligence: the house (Paradise) is living since it belongs to the King of kings.
هم درخت و میوه هم آب زلال ** با بهشتی در حدیث و در مقال
Both tree and fruit and limpid water (take part) with the in habitant of Paradise in conversation and discourse,
زانک جنت را نه ز آلت بسته‌اند ** بلک از اعمال و نیت بسته‌اند475
Because Paradise has not been fashioned out of (the builder’s) materials; nay, but it has been fashioned out of (good) deeds and intentions.
این بنا ز آب و گل مرده بدست ** وان بنا از طاعت زنده شدست
This edifice has been (made) of dead water and earth, while that edifice has arisen from living piety.
این به اصل خویش ماند پرخلل ** وان به اصل خود که علمست و عمل
This (edifice) resembles its foundation (which is) full of defect, and that (edifice resembles) its foundation, which is knowledge and action.
هم سریر و قصر و هم تاج و ثیاب ** با بهشتی در سال و در جواب
Both throne and palace and crown and robes are (engaged) in question and reply (conversation) with the inhabitant of Paradise.
فرش بی‌فراش پیچیده شود ** خانه بی‌مکناس روبیده شود
The carpet (there) is folded without the farrash (carpet- spreader); the house (Paradise) is swept without the broom.
خانه‌ی دل بین ز غم ژولیده شد ** بی‌کناس از توبه‌ای روبیده شد480
Behold the house of the heart: it was disordered by (worldly) cares: without sweeper it was swept (clean) by a (vow of) repentance.
تخت او سیار بی‌حمال شد ** حلقه و در مطرب و قوال شد
Its throne moved along without carrier; its door-ring and door became (sweet-sounding like) musician and singer.
هست در دل زندگی دارالخلود ** در زبانم چون نمی‌آید چه سود
The life of the everlasting Abode (Paradise) exists in the heart: since it comes not on to my tongue, what is the use (of my attempting to describe it)?
چون سلیمان در شدی هر بامداد ** مسجد اندر بهر ارشاد عباد
When Solomon went into the Mosque every morning to guide the servants (of God) in the right way,
پند دادی گه بگفت و لحن و ساز ** گه به فعل اعنی رکوعی یا نماز
He would give exhortation, sometimes by speech and melody and harmony, sometimes by act—I mean, a bowing or (service of) prayer.
پند فعلی خلق را جذاب‌تر ** که رسد در جان هر باگوش و کر485
The exhortation of act draws people more powerfully, for it reaches the soul of every one that hath hearing and (also) the deaf.
اندر آن وهم امیری کم بود ** در حشم تاثیر آن محکم بود
In that (kind of exhortation) the conceit of princedom is less (than in the other kind): the impression made by it upon the (prince’s) followers is strong.
قصه‌ی آغاز خلافت عثمان رضی الله عنه و خطبه‌ی وی در بیان آنک ناصح فعال به فعل به از ناصح قوال به قول
Story of the beginning of the Caliphate of ‘Uthmán, may God be well-pleased with him, and his sermon expounding that the doer who exhorts by deeds is better than the speaker who exhorts by words.
قصه‌ی عثمان که بر منبر برفت ** چون خلافت یافت بشتابید تفت
The story (told) of ‘Uthmán is that he mounted the pulpit: when he obtained the Caliphate, he made hot haste (to mount it).
منبر مهتر که سه‌پایه بدست ** رفت بوبکر و دوم پایه نشست
(’Twas) the pulpit of the Chief (Mohammed), which had three steps: Abú Bakr went and seated himself on the second step.
بر سوم پایه عمر در دور خویش ** از برای حرمت اسلام و کیش
‘Umar, in his reign, (sat) on the third step in order to show reverence for Islam and the (true) Religion.
دور عثمان آمد او بالای تخت ** بر شد و بنشست آن محمودبخت490
(When) the reign of ‘Uthmán arrived, he, that man of praised (blessed) fortune, went up on to the top of the throne (pulpit) and seated himself.
پس سالش کرد شخصی بوالفضول ** که آن دو ننشستند بر جای رسول
Then a person given to idle meddling questioned him, saying, “Those two did not sit in the Prophet's place:
پس تو چون جستی ازیشان برتری ** چون برتبت تو ازیشان کمتری
How, then, hast thou sought to be higher than they, when thou art inferior to them in rank?”
گفت اگر پایه‌ی سوم را بسپرم ** وهم آید که مثال عمرم
He replied, “If I tread on the third step, it will be imagined that I resemble ‘Umar;
بر دوم پایه شوم من جای‌جو ** گویی بوبکرست و این هم مثل او
(And if) I seek a seat on the second step, thou wilt say, ‘’Tis (the seat of) Abú Bakr, and (therefore) this one too is like him.’
هست این بالا مقام مصطفی ** وهم مثلی نیست با آن شه مرا495
This top (of the pulpit) is the place of Mustafá (Mohammed): no one will imagine that I am like that (spiritual) King.”
بعد از آن بر جای خطبه آن ودود ** تا به قرب عصر لب‌خاموش بود
Afterwards, (seated) in the preaching-place, that loving man kept silence till near the (time of the) afternoon-prayer.
زهره نه کس را که گوید هین بخوان ** یا برون آید ز مسجد آن زمان
None dared to say “Come now, preach!” or to go forth from the mosque during that time.
هیبتی بنشسته بد بر خاص و عام ** پر شده نور خدا آن صحن و بام
An awe had settled (descended) on high and low (alike): the court and roof (of the mosque) had become filled with the Light of God.
هر که بینا ناظر نورش بدی ** کور زان خورشید هم گرم آمدی
Whoever possessed vision was beholding His Light; the blind man too was being heated by that Sun.
پس ز گرمی فهم کردی چشم کور ** که بر آمد آفتابی بی‌فتور500
Hence, by reason of the heat, the blind man's eye was perceiving that there had arisen a Sun whose strength faileth not.
لیک این گرمی گشاید دیده را ** تا ببیند عین هر بشنیده را
But this heat (unlike the heat of the terrestrial sun) opens the (inward) eye, that it may see the very substance of everything heard.
گرمیش را ضجرتی و حالتی ** زان تبش دل را گشادی فسحتی
Its heat has (as effect) a grievous agitation and emotion, (but) from that glow there comes to the heart a joyous (sense of) freedom, an expansion.
کور چون شد گرم از نور قدم ** از فرح گوید که من بینا شدم
When the blind man is heated by the Light of Eternity, from gladness he says, “I have become seeing.”
سخت خوش مستی ولی ای بوالحسن ** پاره‌ای راهست تا بینا شدن
Thou art mightily well drunken, but, O Bu ’l-Hasan, there is a bit of way (to be traversed ere thou attain) to seeing.
این نصیب کور باشد ز آفتاب ** صد چنین والله اعلم بالصواب505
This is the blind man's portion from the Sun, (and) a hundred such (portions); and God best knoweth what is right.
وآنک او آن نور را بینا بود ** شرح او کی کار بوسینا بود
And he that hath vision of that Light—how should the explanation of him (his state) be a task (within the capacity) of Bú Síná?
ور شود صد تو که باشد این زبان ** که بجنباند به کف پرده‌ی عیان
(Even) if it be hundredfold, who (what) is this tongue that it should move with its hand the veil of (mystical) clairvoyance?
وای بر وی گر بساید پرده را ** تیغ اللهی کند دستش جدا
Woe to it if it touch the veil! The Divine sword severs its hand.
دست چه بود خود سرش را بر کند ** آن سری کز جهل سرها می‌کند
What of the hand? It (the sword) rends off even its (the tongue's) head—the head that from ignorance puts forth many a head (of pride and self-conceit).