یا بریزد بر گیاه رسته‌ای ** یا بشوید روی رو ناشسته‌ای
Either it sheds (the treasure) on a blade of grass that has grown, or it washes the face of one whose face is unwashed,
یا بگیرد بر سر او حمال‌وار ** کشتی بی‌دست و پا را در بحار
Or, porter-like, it takes on its head (surface) the ship that is without hand or foot (helplessly tossing) in the seas.
صد هزاران دارو اندر وی نهان ** زانک هر دارو بروید زو چنان
Hidden in it are myriads of salves, because every salve derives from it its nature and property.
جان هر دری دل هر دانه‌ای ** می‌رود در جو چو داروخانه‌ای
The soul of every pearl, the heart of every grain, goes into the river (for healing) as (into) a shop of salves.
زو یتیمان زمین را پرورش ** بستگان خشک را از وی روش 215
From it (comes) nourishment to the orphans of the earth; from it (comes) movement (growth) to them that are tied fast, the parched ones.
چون نماند مایه‌اش تیره شود ** هم‌چو ما اندر زمین خیره شود
When its stock (of spiritual grace) is exhausted, it becomes turbid: it becomes abject on the earth, as we are.
استعانت آب از حق جل جلاله بعد از تیره شدن
How the water, after becoming turbid, entreats God Almighty to succour it.
ناله از باطن برآرد کای خدا ** آنچ دادی دادم و ماندم گدا
(Then) from its interior it raises cries of lamentation, saying, “O God, that which Thou gavest (me) I have given (to others) and am left a beggar.
ریختم سرمایه بر پاک و پلید ** ای شه سرمایه‌ده هل من مزید
I poured the (whole) capital over pure and impure (alike): O King who givest the capital, is there any more?”
ابر را گوید ببر جای خوشش ** هم تو خورشیدا به بالا بر کشش
He (God) saith to the cloud, “Bear it (the water) to the delectable place; and thou too, O sun, draw it up aloft.”
راههای مختلف می‌راندش ** تا رساند سوی بحر بی‌حدش 220
He maketh it to go diverse ways, that He may bring it unto the boundless sea.
خود غرض زین آب جان اولیاست ** کو غسول تیرگیهای شماست
Verily, what is meant by this water is the spirit of the saints, which washes away your dark stains.
چون شود تیره ز غدر اهل فرش ** باز گردد سوی پاکی بخش عرش
When it is stained dark by (washing) the treason of the inhabitants of the earth, it returns to Him who endows Heaven with purity.
باز آرد زان طرف دامن کشان ** از طهارات محیط او درسشان
From yonder, trailing the skirt (of glory), it brings back to them lessons concerning the purities of the All-encompassing (God).
ز اختلاط خلق یاید اعتدال ** آن اسفر جوید که ارحنا یا بلال
Through mingling with the people (of the world) it falls sick and desires (to make) that journey, saying, “Revive us, O Bilál!
ای بلال خوش نوای خوش صهیل ** میذنه بر رو بزن طبل رحیل 225
O melodious sweet-voiced Bilál, go up into the minaret, beat the drum of departure.”
جان سفر رفت و بددن اندر قیام ** وقت رجعت زین سبب گوید سلام
Whilst the body is standing (in the ritual prayer), the spirit is gone on its journey: hence at the moment of return it says, “Salám!”
از تیمم وا رهاند جمله را ** وز تحری طالبان قبله را
(On its return to the world) it liberates all from performing the ablution with sand, and seekers of the qibla from endeavouring to ascertain the proper direction.
این مثل چون واسطه‌ست اندر کلام ** واسطه شرطست بهر فهم عام
This parable is like an intermediary in the discourse: an intermediary is required for the apprehension of the vulgar.
اندر آتش کی رود بی‌واسطه ** جز سمندر کو رهید از رابطه
Without an intermediary, how should any one go into the fire, except (one like) the salamander?—for he is independent of the connecting link.
واسطه‌ی حمام باید مر ترا ** تا ز آتش خوش کنی تو طبع را 230
You need the hot bath as an intermediary, so that you may refresh your constitution by (the heat of) the fire.
چون نتانی شد در آتش چون خلیل ** گشت حمامت رسول آبت دلیل
Since you cannot go into the fire, like Khalíl (Abraham), the hot bath has become your Apostle, and the water your guide.
سیری از حقست لیک اهل طبع ** کی رسد بی‌واسطه‌ی نان در شبع
Satiety is from God, but how should the unclean attain unto satiety without the mediation of bread?
لطف از حقست لیکن اهل تن ** درنیابد لطف بی‌پرده‌ی چمن
Beauty is from God, but the corporealist does not feel (the charm of) beauty without the veil (medium) of the garden.
چون نماند واسطه‌ی تن بی‌حجاب ** هم‌چو موسی نور مه یابد ز جیب
When the bodily medium is removed, (then) he (who is disembodied) perceives without (any) screen, like Moses, the light of the Moon (shining) from (his own) bosom.
این هنرها آب را هم شاهدست ** که اندرونش پر ز لطف ایزدست 235
These virtues possessed by the water bear witness likewise that its interior is filled with the grace of God.
گواهی فعل و قول بیرونی بر ضمیر و نور اندرونی
The testimony of external acts and words to the hidden mind and the inner light.
فعل و قول آمد گواهان ضمیر ** زین دو بر باطن تو استدلال گیر
Act and word are witnesses to the hidden mind: from these twain infer the inward state.
چون ندارد سیر سرت در درون ** بنگر اندر بول رنجور از برون
When your thought does not penetrate within, inspect the patient's urine from without.
فعل و قول آن بول رنجوران بود ** که طبیب جسم را برهان بود
Act and word are (as) the urine of the sick, which is clear evidence for the physician of the body.
وآن طبیب روح در جانش رود ** وز ره جان اندر ایمانش رود
But the spiritual physician enters into his (patient's) soul and by the spiritual way penetrates into his (inmost) belief.
حاجتش ناید به فعل و قول خوب ** احذروهم هم جواسیس القلوب 240
He hath no need of fine acts and words: “beware of them (the spiritual physicians), they are spies on (men's) hearts.”
این گواه فعل و قول از وی بجو ** کو به دریا نیست واصل هم‌چو جو
Demand this testimony of acts and words from him (only) who is not united with the Sea like a river.
در بیان آنک نور خود از اندرون شخص منور بی‌آنک فعلی و قولی بیان کند گواهی دهد بر نور وی در بیان آنک آن‌نور خود را از اندرون سر عارف ظاهر کند بر خلقان بی‌فعل عارف و بی‌قول عارف افزون از آنک به قول و فعل او ظاهر شود چنانک آفتاب بلند شود بانگ خروس و اعلام مذن و علامات دیگر حاجت نیاید
Explaining that the light itself from within the illumined person bears witness to his light, without any act or word declaring it.
لیک نور سالکی کز حد گذشت ** نور او پر شد بیابانها و دشت
But the (inner) light of the traveller (mystic) who has passed beyond the pale (of selfhood)—the deserts and plains are filled with his radiance.
شاهدی‌اش فارغ آمد از شهود ** وز تکلفها و جانبازی و جود
(The fact of) his being a witness (to God) is independent of witnesses and works of supererogation and of self-devotion and self-sacrifice.
نور آن گوهر چو بیرون تافتست ** زین تسلسها فراغت یافتست
Since the light of that (spiritual) substance has shone forth, he has gained independence of these hypocrisies.
پس مجو از وی گواه فعل و گفت ** که ازو هر دو جهان چون گل شکفت 245
Therefore do not demand of him the testimony of act and speech, for through him both the worlds have blossomed like a rose.
این گواهی چیست اظهار نهان ** خواه قول و خواه فعل و غیر آن
What is this testimony? The making manifest of that which is hidden, whether (by) word or act or something else;
که عرض اظهار سر جوهرست ** وصف باقی وین عرض بر معبرست
For its object is to make manifest the inward nature of the spiritual substance: the attributes (of that substance) are permanent, though these accidents (such as acts and words) are fleeting.
این نشان زر نماند بر محک ** زر بماند نیک نام و بی ز شک
The mark of the gold on the touchstone does not remain, (but) the gold (itself) remains—of good renown and undoubted.
این صلات و این جهاد و این صیام ** هم نماند جان بماند نیک‌نام
Similarly, (all) this ritual prayer and holy war and fasting does not remain, but the spirit remains in good renown (for ever).
جان چنین افعال و اقوالی نمود ** بر محک امر جوهر را بسود 250
The spirit produced certain acts and words of this kind (as proofs): it rubbed its substance on the touchstone of the (Divine) command,
As though to say, “My belief is perfect: here is the witness!” (Yes), but there is doubt as regards the witnesses.
تزکیه باید گواهان را بدان ** تزکیش صدقی که موقوفی بدان
Know that the probity of the witnesses must be established: the means of establishing it is a (great) sincerity: thou art dependent on that.
حفظ لفظ اندر گواه قولیست ** حفظ عهد اندر گواه فعلیست
In the case of the word-witness, ’tis keeping thy word (that is the test); in the case of the act-witness, ’tis keeping thy covenant (to perform these acts).
The word-witness is rejected if it speaks falsely, and the act-witness is rejected if it does not run straight.
قول و فعل بی‌تناقض بایدت ** تا قبول اندر زمان بیش آیدت 255
Thou must have words and acts that are not self-contradictory, in order that thou mayst meet with immediate acceptance.
سعیکم شتی تناقض اندرید ** روز می‌دوزید شب بر می‌درید
Your efforts are diverse, ye are in contradiction: ye are sewing by day and tearing up (what ye have sewn) by night.
پس گواهی با تناقض کی شنود ** یا مگر حلمی کند از لطف خود
Who, then, will hearken to testimony that contradicts itself, unless indeed He (the Judge) graciously show a (great) forbearance?
فعل و قول اظهار سرست و ضمیر ** هر دو پیدا می‌کند سر ستیر
Act and word are (for) the manifestation of the inward thought and hidden mind: both are divulging the veiled secret.
چون گواهت تزکیه شد شد قبول ** ورنه محبوس است اندر مول مول
When thy witness has been proved honest, it is accepted; otherwise, it is kept in detention as a prisoner.
تا تو بستیزی ستیزند ای حرون ** فانتظرهم انهم منتظرون 260
O recalcitrant one, so long as thou contendest (with the holy saints) they will contend (with thee). Lie in wait for them, then! Verily, they are lying in wait (for thee).
عرضه کردن مصطفی علیه‌السلام شهادت را بر مهمان خویش
How Mustafá, on whom be peace, offered the Testimony (profession of the Faith) to his guest.