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.’
از حریصی کم دران روی قنوع ** وز تکبر کم دران چهره‌ی خشوع 610
Do not in covetousness rend the face of contentment, and do not in pride rend the visage of humility.
هم‌چنین از بخل کم در روی جود ** وز بلیسی چهره‌ی خوب سجود
Likewise do not in avarice rend the face of munificence, and in devilishness the beauteous countenance of worship.
بر مکن آن پر خلد آرای را ** بر مکن آن پر ره‌پیمای را
Do not tear out those feathers which are an ornament to Paradise: do not tear out those feathers which (enable thee to) traverse the Way.”
چون شنید این پند در وی بنگریست ** بعد از آن در نوحه آمد می‌گریست
When he (the peacock) heard this counsel, he looked at him (the Sage) and, after that, began to lament and weep.
نوحه و گریه‌ی دراز دردمند ** هر که آنجا بود بر گریه‌ش فکند
The long lamentation and weeping of the sorrowful (peacock) caused every one who was there to fall a-weeping;
وآنک می‌پرسید پر کندن ز چیست ** بی‌جوابی شد پشیمان می‌گریست 615
And he who was asking the reason of (the peacock's) tearing out his feathers, (he too being left) without an answer repented (of having asked) and wept,
کز فضولی من چرا پرسیدمش ** او ز غم پر بود شورانیدمش
Saying, “Why did I impertinently ask him (that question)? He was full of grief: I made him distraught.”
می‌چکید از چشم تر بر خاک آب ** اندر آن هر قطره مدرج صد جواب
From his (the peacock's) moist eyes the water (of tears) was trickling to the earth: in every drop were contained a hundred answers.
گریه‌ی با صدق بر جانها زند ** تا که چرخ و عرش را گریان کند
Sincere weeping touches the souls (of all), so that it makes (even) the sky and heaven to weep.
عقل و دلها بی‌گمان عرشی‌اند ** در حجاب از نور عرشی می‌زیند
Without any doubt, intellects and hearts (spirits) are celestial, (though) they live debarred from the celestial light.
در بیان آنک عقل و روح در آب و گل محبوس‌اند هم‌چون هاروت و ماروت در چاه بابل
Explaining that the intellect and spirit are imprisoned in clay, like Hárút and Márút in the pit of Babylon.
هم‌چو هاروت و چو ماروت آن دو پاک ** بسته‌اند اینجا به چاه سهمناک 620
Like Hárút and Márút, those two pure ones (the intellect and spirit) have been confined here (in this world) in a horrible pit.
عالم سفلی و شهوانی درند ** اندرین چه گشته‌اند از جرم‌بند
They are in the low and sensual world: they have been confined in this pit on account of sin.
سحر و ضد سحر را بی‌اختیار ** زین دو آموزند نیکان و شرار
The good and the evil (alike) learn magic and the opposite of magic from these twain involuntarily;