آن منجم چون نباشد چشم‌تیز ** شرط باشد مرد اصطرلاب‌ریز
When the astronomer is not keen-sighted, an astrolabe-moulder is required,
تا صطرلابی کند از بهر او ** تا برد از حالت خورشید بو
To make an astrolabe for him in order that he may gain some knowledge concerning the state of the sun.
جان کز اصطرلاب جوید او صواب ** چه قدر داند ز چرخ و آفتاب
The soul that seeks (to learn) the truth from the (bodily) astrolabe—how much should it know of the (spiritual) sky and sun?
تو که ز اصطرب دیده بنگری ** درجهان دیدن یقین بس قاصری 1905
You who observe (them) with the astrolabe of the eye are certainly very far short (of perfection) in your view of the (spiritual) world.
تو جهان را قدر دیده دیده‌ای ** کو جهان سبلت چرا مالیده‌ای
You have seen the (spiritual) world according to the measure of your eye, (and) where is the (spiritual) world (in relation to that)? Why, (then), have you twisted your moustache (so boastfully)?
عارفان را سرمه‌ای هست آن بجوی ** تا که دریا گردد این چشم چو جوی
The gnostics (mystics) possess a collyrium: seek it, in order that this eye which (now) resembles a river may become an ocean.
ذره‌ای از عقل و هوش ار با منست ** این چه سودا و پریشان گفتنست
If a single mote of reason and consciousness is (remaining) with me, what is this melancholy madness and distracted speech?
چونک مغز من ز عقل و هش تهیست ** پس گناه من درین تخلیط چیست
Since my brain is empty of reason and consciousness, how then am I at fault in this raving?
نه گناه اوراست که عقلم ببرد ** عقل جمله‌ی عاقلان پیشش بمرد 1910
No; the fault is his, for he robbed me of my reason: in his presence the reason of all rational beings is dead.
یا مجیر العقل فتان الحجی ** ما سواک للعقول مرتجی
O thou who causest the reason to wander and the understanding to go astray, intelligences have no object of hope but thee.
ما اشتهیت العقل مذ جننتنی ** ما حسدت الحسن مذ زینتنی
I have never desired reason since thou mad’st me mad: I have never envied beauty since thou didst adorn me.
هل جنونی فی هواک مستطاب ** قل بلی والله یجزیک الثواب
Is my madness for love of thee approved? Say “Yes,” and God will reward thee.
گر بتازی گوید او ور پارسی ** گوش و هوشی کو که در فهمش رسی
Whether he speak Arabic or Persian, where is the ear and mind by means of which you should attain to the apprehension of it?
باده‌ی او درخور هر هوش نیست ** حلقه‌ی او سخره‌ی هر گوش نیست 1915
His wine is not suitable to every mind, his ring is not subject to every ear.
باز دیگر آمدم دیوانه‌وار ** رو رو ای جان زود زنجیری بیار
Once again I have become mad-like: go, go, my (dear) soul, quickly fetch a chain;
غیر آن زنجیر زلف دلبرم ** گر دو صد زنجیر آری بردرم
(But if you bring any) except the chain of my beloved's curl— though you bring two hundred chains, I will burst them (all).
حکمت نظر کردن در چارق و پوستین کی فلینظر الانسان مم خلق
The wise purpose (of Ayáz) in looking at his rustic shoon and sheepskin jacket—then let Man consider from what he was created.
بازگردان قصه‌ی عشق ایاز ** که آن یکی گنجیست مالامال راز
Bring back (to my mind) the story of Ayáz's love; for ’tis a treasure full of mystery.
می‌رود هر روز در حجره‌ی برین ** تا ببیند چارقی با پوستین
Every day he is going into the uppermost chamber to see his rustic shoon and sheepskin jacket,
زانک هستی سخت مستی آورد ** عقل از سر شرم از دل می‌برد 1920
Because (self-)existence produces grievous intoxication: it removes intelligence from the head and reverence from the heart.
صد هزاران قرن پیشین را همین ** مستی هستی بزد ره زین کمین
From this ambush this same intoxication of (self-)existence waylaid a hundred thousand generations of old.
شد عزرائیلی ازین مستی بلیس ** که چرا آدم شود بر من رئیس
By this (self-)existence an ‘Azázíl was made to be Iblís, saying, “Why should Adam become lord over me?
خواجه‌ام من نیز و خواجه‌زاده‌ام ** صد هنر را قابل و آماده‌ام
I too am noble and nobly-born: I am capable of receiving and ready for (receiving) a hundred excellences.
در هنر من از کسی کم نیستم ** تا به خدمت پیش دشمن بیستم
In excellence I am inferior to none, that I should stand before my enemy to do him service.
من ز آتش زاده‌ام او از وحل ** پیش آتش مر وحل را چه محل 1925
I am born of fire, he of mud: what is the position (rank) of mud compared with fire?
او کجا بود اندر آن دوری که من ** صدر عالم بودم و فخر زمن
Where was he in the period when I was the Prince of the World and the glory of Time?”
خلق الجان من مارج من نار و قوله تعالی فی حق ابلیس انه کان من الجن ففسق
(On the words of God) “He created the Jinn from smokeless fire,” and His words concerning Iblís: “verily he was one of the Jinn, and he transgressed.”
شعله می‌زد آتش جان سفیه ** که آتشی بود الولد سر ابیه
The fire (of pride and jealousy) was flaming in the soul of the fool (Iblís), because he was (born) of fire: the son is (endued with) the inward nature of his father.
نه غلط گفتم که بد قهر خدا ** علتی را پیش آوردن چرا
No; I have spoken in error; ’twas the compelling might of God: why, (then), adduce any cause (for it)?
کار بی‌علت مبرا از علل ** مستمر و مستقرست از ازل
The causeless action (of God) is quit of (all) causes: it is lasting (without change) and firmly stablished from eternity.
در کمال صنع پاک مستحث ** علت حادث چه گنجد یا حدث 1930
In the perfection of the holy work sped on (by Him) what room is there for (any) temporal cause or temporal thing?
سر آب چه بود آب ما صنع اوست ** صنع مغزست و آب صورت چو پوست
What is (the real meaning of) “the inward nature of (his) father”? His (God's) work (creative energy) is our father: (His) work is the kernel, and the formal (physical) father is the skin (shell).
عشق دان ای فندق تن دوستت ** جانت جوید مغز و کوبد پوستت
O nut-like body, know that Love is thy friend: thy soul (inspired by Love) will seek thy kernel and batter thy shell (to pieces).
دوزخی که پوست باشد دوستش ** داد بدلنا جلودا پوستش
The man doomed to Hell whose skin is his friend—(God who hath said) “We will give them (other) skins in exchange” bestows a (new) skin upon him.
معنی و مغزت بر آتش حاکمست ** لیک آتش را قشورت هیزمست
Thy spiritual principle and kernel is dominant over the Fire, but thy skins (sensual faculties) are fuel for the Fire.
کوزه‌ی چوبین که در وی آب جوست ** قدرت آتش همه بر ظرف اوست 1935
(In the case of) a wooden pot in which river-water is (contained), the power of fire is entirely (directed) against the vessel containing it.
معنی انسان بر آتش مالکست ** مالک دوزخ درو کی هالکست
Man's spiritual principle is a ruler over the Fire: when is Málik (the Ruler) of Hell destroyed therein?
پس میفزا تو بدن معنی فزا ** تا چو مالک باشی آتش را کیا
Do not, then, increase (pamper) thy body; increase (cherish and cultivate) thy spiritual principle, in order that thou mayst be the Fire's sovereign, like Málik.
پوستها بر پوست می‌افزوده‌ای ** لاجرم چون پوست اندر دوده‌ای
Thou hast ever been adding skins to thy skin: necessarily thou art (black) as a skin (enveloped) in (layers of) soot.
زانک آتش را علف جز پوست نیست ** قهر حق آن کبر را پوستین کنیست
Since the Fire hath no fodder (fuel) except the skin, the vengeance of God will tear the skin off that pride (of thine).
این تکبر از نتیجه‌ی پوستست ** جاه و مال آن کبر را زان دوستست 1940
This arrogance is a product of the skin; hence power and riches are friends to that pride.
این تکبر چیست غفلت از لباب ** منجمد چون غفلت یخ ز آفتاب
What is this arrogance? (It consists in) being oblivious to the essential principle and frozen (insensible)—like the oblivion of ice to the sun.
چون خبر شد ز آفتابش یخ نماند ** نرم گشت و گرم گشت و تیز راند
When it (the ice) becomes conscious of the sun, the ice does not endure: it becomes soft and warm and moves on rapidly.
شد ز دید لب جمله‌ی تن طمع ** خوار و عاشق شد که ذل من طمع
From seeing the kernel (essential principle) the whole body becomes (filled with) desire: it becomes miserable and passionately in love, for “Wretched is he who desires.”
چون نبیند مغز قانع شد به پوست ** بند عز من قنع زندان اوست
When it does not see the kernel, it is content with the skin: (then) the bondage of “Glorious is he who is content” is its prison.
عزت اینجا گبریست و ذل دین ** سنگ تا فانی نشد کی شد نگین 1945
Here glory is infidelity, and wretchedness is (true) religion: until the stone became naughted, when did it become the gem set in a ring?
در مقام سنگی آنگاهی انا ** وقت مسکین گشتن تست وفنا
(To remain) in the state of stoniness and then (to say) “I” (is absurd): ’tis time for thee to become lowly and naughted (dead to self).
کبر زان جوید همیشه جاه و مال ** که ز سرگینست گلحن را کمال
Pride always seeks power and riches because the bath-furnace derives its perfection from dung;
کین دو دایه پوست را افزون کنند ** شحم و لحم و کبر و نخوت آکنند
For these two nurses increase (foster) the skin: they stuff it with fat and flesh and pride and arrogance.
دیده را بر لب لب نفراشتند ** پوست را زان روی لب پنداشتند
They have not raised their eyes to the kernel of the kernel: on that account they have deemed the skin to be the kernel.
پیش‌وا ابلیس بود این راه را ** کو شکار آمد شبیکه‌ی جاه را 1950
Iblís was the leader on this way, for he fell a prey to the net (temptation) of power (eminence).
مال چون مارست و آن جاه اژدها ** سایه‌ی مردان زمرد این دو را
Riches are like a snake, and power is a dragon: the shadow (protection and guidance) of (holy) men is the emerald (which is fatal) to them both.