Thou hast grown old in (the occupation of) loosing knots: suppose a few more knots are loosed (by thee, what then?).
عقده‌ای که آن بر گلوی ماست سخت ** که بدانی که خسی یا نیک‌بخت
The knot that is (fastened) tight on our throat is that thou shouldst know whether thou art vile or fortunate.
حل این اشکال کن گر آدمی ** خرج این کن دم اگر آدم‌دمی
Solve this problem, if thou art a man: spend thy breath (life) on this, if thou hast the breath (spirit) of Adam (within thee).
حد اعیان و عرض دانسته گیر ** حد خود را دان که نبود زین گزیر
Suppose thou knowest the definitions of (all) substances and accidents, (how shall it profit thee?): know the (true) definition of thyself, for this is indispensable.
چون بدانی حد خود زین حدگریز ** تا به بی‌حد در رسی ای خاک‌بیز 565
When thou knowest the definition of thyself, flee from this definition, that thou mayst attain to Him who hath no definition, O sifter of dust.
عمر در محمول و در موضوع رفت ** بی‌بصیرت عمر در مسموع رفت
(Thy) life has gone (to waste) in (the consideration of logical) predicate and subject: (thy) life, devoid of (spiritual) insight, has gone in (study of) what has been received by hearsay.
هر دلیلی بی‌نتیجه و بی‌اثر ** باطل آمد در نتیجه‌ی خود نگر
Every proof (that is) without (a spiritual) result and effect is vain: consider the (final) result of thyself!
جز به مصنوعی ندیدی صانعی ** بر قیاس اقترانی قانعی
Thou hast never perceived a Maker except by means of a thing made: thou art content with a syllogism.
می‌فزاید در وسایط فلسفی ** از دلایل باز برعکسش صفی
The philosopher multiplies links (consisting) of (logical) proofs; on the other hand, the elect (the mystic) is contrary to him (in this respect).
این گریزد از دلیل و از حجاب ** از پی مدلول سر برده به جیب 570
The latter flees from the proof and from the veil (between himself and God): he has sunk his head in his bosom for the sake of (contemplating) the Object of the proof.
گر دخان او را دلیل آتشست ** بی‌دخان ما را در آن آتش خوشست
If to him (the philosopher) the smoke is a proof of the fire, to us (mystics) ’tis sweet (to be) in the fire without the smoke,
خاصه این آتش که از قرب ولا ** از دخان نزدیک‌تر آمد به ما
Especially this Fire which, through (our) nighness and fealty (to God), is nearer to us than the smoke.
پس سیه‌کاری بود رفتن ز جان ** بهر تخییلات جان سوی دخان
Therefore ’tis black villainy to go (turn away) from the Soul (Reality) towards the smoke for the sake of (indulging) the phantasies (illusions) of the (animal) soul.
در بیان قول رسول علیه‌السلام لا رهبانیة فی‌الاسلام
In explanation of the saying of the Prophet, on whom be peace, “There is no monkery in Islam.”
بر مکن پر را و دل بر کن ازو ** زانک شرط این جهاد آمد عدو
“Do not tear out thy feathers, but detach thy heart from (desire for) them, because (the existence of) the enemy is the necessary condition for (waging) this Holy War.
When there is no enemy, the Holy War is inconceivable; (if) thou hast no lust, there can be no obedience (to the Divine command).
صبر نبود چون نباشد میل تو ** خصم چون نبود چه حاجت حیل تو
There can be no self-restraint when thou hast no desire; when there is no adversary, what need for thy strength?
هین مکن خود را خصی رهبان مشو ** زانک عفت هست شهوت را گرو
Hark, do not castrate thyself, do not become a monk; for chastity is in pawn to (depends on the existence of) lust.
بی‌هوا نهی از هوا ممکن نبود ** غازیی بر مردگان نتوان نمود
Without (the existence of) sensuality ’tis impossible to forbid sensuality: heroism cannot be displayed against the dead.
انفقوا گفتست پس کسپی بکن ** زانک نبود خرج بی‌دخل کهن
He (God) hath said ‘Spend’: therefore earn something, since there can be no expenditure without an old (previously acquired) income.
گر چه آورد انفقوا را مطلق او ** تو بخوان که اکسبوا ثم انفقوا 580
Although He used (the word) Spend absolutely, (yet) read (it as meaning) ‘Earn, then spend.’
هم‌چنان چون شاه فرمود اصبروا ** رغبتی باید کزان تابی تو رو
Similarly, since the King (God) has given the command ‘Refrain yourselves,’ there must be some desire from which thou shouldst avert thy face.
پس کلوا از بهر دام شهوتست ** بعد از آن لاتسرفوا آن عفتست
Hence (the command) ‘Eat ye’ is for the sake of the snare (temptation) of appetite; after that (comes) ‘Do not exceed’: that is temperance.
چونک محمول به نبود لدیه ** نیست ممکن بود محمول علیه
When there is no ‘predicate’ (relative quality) in him (any one), the existence of the ‘subject’ (the correlative term) is impossible.
چونک رنج صبر نبود مر ترا ** شرط نبود پس فرو ناید جزا
When thou hast not the pain of self-restraint, there is no protasis: therefore the apodosis (recompense) does not follow.
حبذا آن شرط و شادا آن جزا ** آن جزای دل‌نواز جان‌فزا 585
How admirable is that protasis and how joyful is that apodosis (recompense), a recompense that charms the heart and increases the life of the spirit!
در بیان آنک ثواب عمل عاشق از حق هم حق است
Explaining that God (Himself) is the reward bestowed by Him for the (devotional) work of the lover.
عاشقان را شادمانی و غم اوست ** دست‌مزد و اجرت خدمت هم اوست
For (His) lovers He (alone) is (all their) joy and sorrow; He (alone) is their wages and hire for service.
غیر معشوق ار تماشایی بود ** عشق نبود هرزه سودایی بود
If there be any spectacle (object of regard for them) except the Beloved, ’tis not love: ’tis an idle passion.
عشق آن شعله‌ست کو چون بر فروخت ** هرچه جز معشوق باقی جمله سوخت
Love is that flame which, when it blazes up, consumes everything else but the Beloved.
تیغ لا در قتل غیر حق براند ** در نگر زان پس که بعد لا چه ماند
He (the lover) drives home the sword of Not in order to kill all other than God: thereupon consider what remains after Not.
ماند الا الله باقی جمله رفت ** شاد باش ای عشق شرکت‌سوز زفت 590
There remains except God: all the rest is gone. Hail, O mighty Love, destroyer of polytheism!
خود همو بود آخرین و اولین ** شرک جز از دیده‌ی احول مبین
Verily, He is the First and the Last: do not regard polytheism as arising from aught except the eye that sees double.
ای عجب حسنی بود جز عکس آن ** نیست تن را جنبشی از غیر جان
Oh, wonderful! Is there any beauty but from the reflexion of Him? The (human) body hath no movement but from the spirit.
آن تنی را که بود در جان خلل ** خوش نگردد گر بگیری در عسل
The body that hath defect in its spirit will never become sweet, (even) if you smear it with honey.
این کسی داند که روزی زنده بود ** از کف این جان جان جامی ربود
This he knows who one day was (spiritually) alive and received a cup from this Soul of the soul;
وانک چشم او ندیدست آن رخان ** پیش او جانست این تف دخان 595
While to him whose eye has not beheld those (beauteous) cheeks this smoky heat is (appears to be) the spirit.
چون ندید او عمر عبدالعزیز ** پیش او عادل بود حجاج نیز
Inasmuch as he never saw ‘Umar (ibn) ‘Abdu ’l-‘Azíz, to him even Hajjáj seems just.
چون ندید او مار موسی را ثبات ** در حبال سحر پندارد حیات
Inasmuch as he never saw the firmness (unshakable strength) of the dragon of Moses, he fancies (there is) life in the magic cords.
مرغ کو ناخورده است آب زلال ** اندر آب شور دارد پر و بال
The bird that has never drunk the limpid water keeps its wings and feathers in the briny water.
جز به ضد ضد را همی نتوان شناخت ** چون ببیند زخم بشناسد نواخت
No opposite can be known except through its opposite: (only) when he (any one) suffers blows will he know (the value of) kindness.
لاجرم دنیا مقدم آمدست ** تا بدانی قدر اقلیم الست 600
Consequently the present life has come in front (first), in order that you may appreciate the realm of Alast.
چون ازینجا وا رهی آنجا روی ** در شکرخانه‌ی ابد شاکر شوی
When you are delivered from this place and go to that place, you will give thanks (to God) in the sugar-shop of everlastingness.
گویی آنجا خاک را می‌بیختم ** زین جهان پاک می‌بگریختم
You will say, ‘There (in the world below) I was sifting dust, I was fleeing from this pure world.
ای دریغا پیش ازین بودیم اجل ** تا عذابم کم بدی اندر وجل
Alas, would that I had died ere now, so that my (time of) being tormented in the mud might have been less!’
در تفسیر قول رسول علیه‌السلام ما مات من مات الا و تمنی ان یموت قبل ما مات ان کان برا لیکون الی وصول البر اعجل و ان کان فاجرا لیقل فجوره
Commentary on the saying of the Prophet, on whom be peace, “None ever died without wishing, if he was a righteous man, that he had died before he (actually) died, in order that he might sooner attain unto felicity; and if he was a wicked man, in order that his wickedness might be less.”
زین بفرمودست آن آگه رسول ** که هر آنک مرد و کرد از تن نزول
Hence the wise Prophet has said that no one who dies and dismounts from (the steed of) the body
نبود او را حسرت نقلان و موت ** لیک باشد حسرت تقصیر و فوت 605
Feels grief on account of departure and death, but (only) grieves because of having failed (in good works) and missed his opportunities.
هر که میرد خود تمنی باشدش ** که بدی زین پیش نقل مقصدش
In sooth every one that dies wishes that the departure to his destination had been earlier:
گر بود بد تا بدی کمتر بدی ** ور تقی تا خانه زوتر آمدی
If he be wicked, in order that his wickedness might have been less; and if devout, in order that he might have come home sooner.
گوید آن بد بی‌خبر می‌بوده‌ام ** دم به دم من پرده می‌افزوده‌ام
The wicked man says, ‘I have been heedless, moment by moment I have been adding to the veil (of sin).
گر ازین زودتر مرا معبر بدی ** این حجاب و پرده‌ام کمتر بدی
If my passing (from the world) had taken place sooner, this screen and veil of mine would have been less.’