کارت این بودست از وقت ولاد ** صید مردم کردن از دام وداد 400
This has been thy business from the hour of (thy) birth: to catch people with the trap of love.
زان شکار و انبهی و باد و بود ** دست در کن هیچ یابی تار و پود
From that pursuit (of people) and throng (of friends) and vainglory and self existence wilt thou get any warp or woof? Try and see!
بیشتر رفتست و بیگاهست روز ** تو به جد در صید خلقانی هنوز
Most (of thy life) is gone and the day is late; (yet) thou art still busy in pursuit of people.
آن یکی می‌گیر و آن می‌هل ز دام ** وین دگر را صید می‌کن چون لام
Go on catching one and releasing another from the trap and pursuing another, like mean folk;
باز این را می‌هل و می‌جو دگر ** اینت لعب کودکان بی‌خبر
Then again release this one and seek the other! Here's a game of heedless children!
شب شود در دام تو یک صید نی ** دام بر تو جز صداع و قید نی 405
Night comes, and nothing is caught in thy trap: the trap is naught but a headache (affliction) and shackle to thee.
پس تو خود را صید می‌کردی به دام ** که شدی محبوس و محرومی ز کام
Therefore (in reality) thou wert catching thyself with the trap, for thou art imprisoned and disappointed of thy desire.
در زمانه صاحب دامی بود ** هم‌چو ما احمق که صید خود کند
Is any owner of a trap in the world such a dolt that, like us, he tries to catch himself?
چون شکار خوک آمد صید عام ** رنج بی‌حد لقمه خوردن زو حرام
Pursuit of the vulgar is like hunting pig: the fatigue is infinite, and ’tis unlawful to eat a morsel thereof.
آنک ارزد صید را عشقست و بس ** لیک او کی گنجد اندر دام کس
That which is worth pursuing is Love alone; but how should He be contained in any one's trap?
تو مگر آیی و صید او شوی ** دام بگذاری به دام او روی 410
(Yet) perchance thou mayst come and be made His prey, thou mayst discard the trap, and go into His trap.
عشق می‌گوید به گوشم پست پست ** صید بودن خوش‌تر از صیادیست
Love is saying very softly into my ear, “To be a prey is better than to be a hunter.
گول من کن خویش را و غره شو ** آفتابی را رها کن ذره شو
Make thyself My fool and be a dupe: renounce the (high) estate of the sun, become a mote!
بر درم ساکن شو و بی‌خانه باش ** دعوی شمعی مکن پروانه باش
Become a dweller at My door and be homeless: do not pretend to be a candle, be a moth,
تا ببینی چاشنی زندگی ** سلطنت بینی نهان در بندگی
That thou mayst see (taste) the savour of Life and contemplate the sovereignty hidden in servitude.”
نعل بینی بازگونه در جهان ** تخته‌بندان را لقب گشته شهان 415
In this world you see the shoes upside down: the title of “kings” is conferred on (those who are really) bondsmen.
بس طناب اندر گلو و تاج دار ** بر وی انبوهی که اینک تاجدار
Many a one who deserves to mount the scaffold with a halter on his throat—a crowd (gathers) round him, crying, “Behold, an emperor!”
هم‌چو گور کافران بیرون حلل ** اندرون قهر خدا عز و جل
(They are) like the tombs of infidels, outwardly (resembling) the robes ofParadise, (while) within (them) is the wrath of God Almighty and Glorious.
چون قبور آن را مجصص کرده‌اند ** پرده‌ی پندار پیش آورده‌اند
He (the worldling) has been plastered like the tombs: the veil of self-conceit has been brought before him (drawn over him).
طبع مسکینت مجصص از هنر ** هم‌چو نخل موم بی‌برگ و ثمر
Thy miserable nature is plastered with virtues, like a palm-tree of wax without (real) leaves and fruit.
در بیان آنک لطف حق را همه کس داند و قهر حق را همه کس داند و همه از قهر حق گریزانند و به لطف حق در آویزان اما حق تعالی قهرها را در لطف پنهان کرد و لطفها را در قهر پنهان کرد نعل بازگونه و تلبیس و مکرالله بود تا اهل تمیز و ینظر به نور الله از حالی‌بینان و ظاهربینان جدا شوند کی لیبلوکم ایکم احسن عملا
Explaining that every one knows the mercy of God, and every one knows the wrath of God; and all are fleeing from the wrath of God and clinging to the mercy of God; but the Most High God has concealed wraths in mercy and mercies in wrath. This is God's mystification and disguise and contrivance to the end that the discerning who see by the Light of God may be separated from those who see (only) the present and the visible; for (He created death and life) that He might try you, which of you is most righteous in his works.
گفت درویشی به درویشی که تو ** چون بدیدی حضرت حق را بگو 420
One dervish said to another, “Tell (me), what was thy vision of the Presence of God?”
گفت بی‌چون دیدم اما بهر قال ** بازگویم مختصر آن را مثال
He replied, “My vision was ineffable; but for the sake of argument I will briefly declare a parable thereof.
دیدمش سوی چپ او آذری ** سوی دست راست جوی کوثری
I beheld Him with a fire on His left, and on the right a stream (like) Kawthar:
سوی چپش بس جهان‌سوز آتشی ** سوی دست راستش جوی خوشی
On His left an exceedingly world-consuming fire, on His right hand a sweet river.
سوی آن آتش گروهی برده دست ** بهر آن کوثر گروهی شاد و مست
One party put forth their hands towards the fire, (while) another party were rejoicing and intoxicated (with desire) for that Kawthar.
لیک لعب بازگونه بود سخت ** پیش پای هر شقی و نیکبخت 425
But ’twas a very topsy-turvy (mystifying) game in the path of every one doomed to perdition or blessed with salvation.
هر که در آتش همی رفت و شرر ** از میان آب بر می‌کرد سر
Whoever went into the fire and sparks was emerging from the midst of the water;
هر که سوی آب می‌رفت از میان ** او در آتش یافت می‌شد در زمان
Whoever went from the middle towards the water, he was at once found to be in the fire;
هر که سوی راست شد و آب زلال ** سر ز آتش بر زد از سوی شمال
Whoever went towards the right (hand) and the limpid water would put forth his head from the fire on the left;
وانک شد سوی شمال آتشین ** سر برون می‌کرد از سوی یمین
And he who went towards the fiery left, would emerge on the right.
کم کسی بر سر این مضمر زدی ** لاجرم کم کس در آن آتش شدی 430
Few were they who hit upon (understood) the mystery of this occult (matter); consequently, seldom would any one go into the fire;
جز کسی که بر سرش اقبال ریخت ** کو رها کرد آب و در آتش گریخت
(None would go) except him upon whom felicity was shed, so that he abandoned the water and took refuge in the fire.
کرده ذوق نقد را معبود خلق ** لاجرم زین لعب مغبون بود خلق
The people made the pleasure that was actually present their object of worship; consequently the people were swindled by this game.
جوق‌جوق وصف صف از حرص و شتاب ** محترز ز آتش گریزان سوی آب
Troop by troop and rank by rank, (they were) on their guard against the fire and fleeing greedily and in haste towards the water.
لاجرم ز آتش برآوردند سر ** اعتبارالاعتبار ای بی‌خبر
Of necessity, they lifted up their heads (emerged) from (amidst) the fire. Take warning, take warning, O heedless man!
بانگ می‌زد آتش ای گیجان گول ** من نیم آتش منم چشمه‌ی قبول 435
The fire was crying, ‘O crazy fools, I am not fire, I am a delectable fountain.
چشم‌بندی کرده‌اند ای بی‌نظر ** در من آی و هیچ مگریز از شرر
A spell has been cast on thine eyes, O sightless one: come into me and never flee from the sparks.
ای خلیل اینجا شرار و دود نیست ** جز که سحر و خدعه‌ی نمرود نیست
O (thou who art as) Khalíl (Abraham), here are no sparks and smoke: ’tis naught but the sorcery and deceit of Nimrod.
چون خلیل حق اگر فرزانه‌ای ** آتش آب تست و تو پروانه‌ای
If, like the Friend of God, thou art wise, the fire is thy water, and thou art the moth.’”
جان پروانه همی‌دارد ندا ** کای دریغا صد هزارم پر بدی
The soul of the moth is always crying, “Oh, alas, would that I had a hundred thousand wings,
تا همی سوزید ز آتش بی‌امان ** کوری چشم و دل نامحرمان 440
That they might be consumed without mercy by the fire, to the blindness (confusion) of the eyes and hearts of the profane!
بر من آرد رحم جاهل از خری ** من برو رحم آرم از بینش‌وری
The ignorant man pities me from stupidity: I pity him from clairvoyance.
خاصه این آتش که جان آبهاست ** کار پروانه به عکس کار ماست
Especially this fire (of Love), which is the soul of (all) waters (delights); (but) the behaviour of the (ignorant) moth is contrary to ours.
او ببینند نور و در ناری رود ** دل ببیند نار و در نوری شود
It sees the light and goes into a Fire; the heart (of the mystic) sees the fire and goes into a Light.”
این چنین لعب آمد از رب جلیل ** تا ببینی کیست از آل خلیل
Such a (deceptive) game is played by the Glorious God in order that you may see who belongs to the kin of Khalíl (Abraham).
آتشی را شکل آبی داده‌اند ** واندر آتش چشمه‌ای بگشاده‌اند 445
A fire has been given the semblance of water, and in the fire a fountain has been opened.
ساحری صحن برنجی را به فن ** صحن پر کرمی کند در انجمن
A magician by his art makes a dish of rice (appear to be) a dish full of (tiny) worms in the assembly;
خانه را او پر ز کزدمها نمود ** از دم سحر و خود آن کزدم نبود
(Or) by the breath (power) of magic he has caused a room to appear full of scorpions, though in truth there were no scorpions.
چونک جادو می‌نماید صد چنین ** چون بود دستان جادوآفرین
When sorcery produces a hundred such illusions, how (much greater) must be the cunning of the Creator of sorcery?
لاجرم از سحر یزدان قرن قرن ** اندر افتادند چون زن زیر پهن
Of necessity, through the magic of God generation after generation have fallen down (been vanquished), like a woman (lying) flat beneath (sub marito). [Of necessity, through the magic of God generation after generation have fallen down (been vanquished), like a woman (lying) flat beneath (under her husband).]