وان قد صف در نازان چون سنان ** گشته در پیری دو تا هم‌چون کمان 970
And the tall proud figure, piercing the ranks like a spear-point, in old age is bent double like a bow.
رنگ لاله گشته رنگ زعفران ** زور شیرش گشته چون زهره‌ی زنان
The colour of red anemone becomes the colour of saffron; his lion-like strength becomes as the courage of women.
آنک مردی در بغل کردی به فن ** می‌بگیرندش بغل وقت شدن
He that used to grip a man in his arms by skill (in wrestling), (now) they take hold of his arms (to support him) at the time of departure.
این خود آثار غم و پژمردگیست ** هر یکی زینها رسول مردگیست
Truly these are marks of pain and decay: every one of them is a messenger of death.
تفسیر اسفل سافلین الا الذین آمنوا و عملوا الصالحات فلهم اجر غیر مومنون
Commentary on “The lowest of the low, except those who have believed and wrought good works; for they shall have a reward that is not cut off.”
لیک گر باشد طبیبش نور حق ** نیست از پیری و تب نقصان و دق
But if his physician be the Light of God, there is no loss or crushing blow (that he will suffer) from old age and fever.
سستی او هست چون سستی مست ** که اندر آن سستیش رشک رستمست 975
His weakness is like the weakness of the intoxicated, for in his weakness he is the envy of a Rustam.
گر بمیرد استخوانش غرق ذوق ** ذره ذره‌ش در شعاع نور شوق
If he die, his bones are drowned in (spiritual) savour; every mote of him is (floating) in the beams of the light of love-desire.
وآنک آنش نیست باغ بی‌ثمر ** که خزانش می‌کند زیر و زبر
And he who hath not that (Light) is an orchard without fruit, which the autumn brings to ruin.
گل نماند خارها ماند سیاه ** زرد و بی‌مغز آمده چون تل کاه
The roses remain not; (only) the black thorns remain: it becomes pale and pithless like a heap of straw.
تا چه زلت کرد آن باغ ای خدا ** که ازو این حله‌ها گردد جدا
O God, I wonder what fault did that orchard commit, that these (beautiful) robes should be stripped from it.
خویشتن را دید و دید خویشتن ** زهر قتالست هین ای ممتحن 980
“It paid regard to itself, and self-regard is a deadly poison. Beware, O thou who art put to the trial!”
شاهدی کز عشق او عالم گریست ** عالمش می‌راند از خود جرم چیست
The minion for love of whom the world wept—the world (now) is repulsing him from itself: what is (his) crime?
جرم آنک زیور عاریه بست ** کرد دعوی کین حلل ملک منست
“The crime is that he put on a borrowed adornment and pretended that these robes were his own property.
واستانیم آن که تا داند یقین ** خرمن آن ماست خوبان دانه‌چین
We take them back, in order that he may know for sure that the stack is Ours and the fair ones are (only) gleaners;
تا بداند کان حلل عاریه بود ** پرتوی بود آن ز خورشید وجود
That he may know that those robes were a loan: ’twas a ray from the Sun of Being.”
آن جمال و قدرت و فضل و هنر ** ز آفتاب حسن کرد این سو سفر 985
(All) that beauty and power and virtue and knowledge have journeyed hither from the Sun of Excellence.
باز می‌گردند چون استارها ** نور آن خورشید ازین دیوارها
They, the light of that Sun, turn back again, like the stars, from these (bodily) walls.
پرتو خورشید شد وا جایگاه ** ماند هر دیوار تاریک و سیاه
(When) the Sunbeam has gone home, every wall is left dark and black.
آنک کرد او در رخ خوبانت دنگ ** نور خورشیدست از شیشه‌ی سه رنگ
That which made thee amazed at the faces of the fair is the Light of the Sun (reflected) from the three-coloured glass.
شیشه‌های رنگ رنگ آن نور را ** می‌نمایند این چنین رنگین بما
The glasses of diverse hue cause that Light to seem coloured like this to us.
چون نماند شیشه‌های رنگ‌رنگ ** نور بی‌رنگت کند آنگاه دنگ 990
When the many-coloured glasses are no more, then the colourless Light makes thee amazed.
خوی کن بی‌شیشه دیدن نور را ** تا چو شیشه بشکند نبود عمی
Make it thy habit to behold the Light without the glass, in order that when the glass is shattered there may not be blindness (in thee).
قانعی با دانش آموخته ** در چراغ غیر چشم افروخته
Thou art content with knowledge learned (from others): thou hast lit thine eye at another's lamp.
او چراغ خویش برباید که تا ** تو بدانی مستعیری نی‌فتا
He takes away his lamp, that thou mayst know thou art a borrower, not a giver.
گر تو کردی شکر و سعی مجتهد ** غم مخور که صد چنان بازت دهد
If thou hast rendered thanks (to God for what thou hast received) and made the utmost exertion (in doing so), be not grieved (at its loss), for He will give (thee) a hundred such (gifts) in return;
ور نکردی شکر اکنون خون گری ** که شدست آن حسن از کافر بری 995
But if thou hast not rendered thanks, weep (tears of) blood now, for that (spiritual) excellence has become quit of (has abandoned) the ungrateful.
امة الکفران اضل اعمالهم ** امة الایمان اصلح بالهم
He (God) causeth the works of the unbelieving people to be lost; He maketh the state of the believing people to prosper.
گم شد از بی‌شکر خوبی و هنر ** که دگر هرگز نبیند زان اثر
From the ungrateful man (his) excellence and knowledge disappear, so that never again does he see a trace of them.
خویشی و بی‌خویشی و سکر وداد ** رفت زان سان که نیاردشان به یاد
(His feelings of) affinity and non-affinity and gratitude and affection vanish in such wise that he cannot remember them;
که اضل اعمالهم ای کافران ** جستن کامست از هر کام‌ران
For, O ingrates, (the words) He causeth their works to be lost are (signify) the flight of (every) object of desire from every one who has obtained his desire (in this world),
جز ز اهل شکر و اصحاب وفا ** که مریشان راست دولت در قفا 1000
Excepting the thankful and faithful who are attended by fortune.
دولت رفته کجا قوت دهد ** دولت آینده خاصیت دهد
How should the past fortune bestow strength (on its possessors)? ’Tis the future fortune that bestows a special virtue.
قرض ده زین دولت اندر اقرضوا ** تا که صد دولت ببینی پیش رو
In (obedience to the Divine command) “Lend,” make a loan (to God) from this (worldly) fortune, that thou mayst see a hundred fortunes before thy face.
اندکی زین شرب کم کن بهر خویش ** تا که حوض کوثری یابی به پیش
Diminish a little for thine own sake this (eating and) drinking, that thou mayst find in front (of thee) the basin of Kawthar.
جرعه بر خاک وفا آنکس که ریخت ** کی تواند صید دولت زو گریخت
He who poured a draught on the earth of faithfulness, how should the prey, fortune, be able to flee from him?
خوش کند دلشان که اصلح بالهم ** رد من بعد التوی انزالهم 1005
He (God) gladdens their hearts, for He maketh their state to prosper: He restoreth their (worldly) entertainment after they have perished.
ای اجل وی ترک غارت‌ساز ده ** هر چه بردی زین شکوران باز ده
(He says), “O Death, O Turcoman who plunderest the village, give back whatsoever thou hast taken from these thankful ones.”
وا دهد ایشان بنپذیرند آن ** زانک منعم گشته‌اند از رخت جان
He (Death) gives it back; (but) they will not receive it, for they have been endowed with the goods of spiritual life.
صوفییم و خرقه‌ها انداختیم ** باز نستانیم چون در باختیم
(They say), “We are Súfís and have cast off our (bodily) mantles: we will not take (them) back after we have gambled (them) away.
ما عوض دیدیم آنگه چون عوض ** رفت از ما حاجت و حرص و غرض
We have seen the recompense (from God)—(and) how (can there be) a (worldly) recompense then (after that)? Want and desire and object are gone from us.
ز آب شور و مهلکی بیرون شدیم ** بر رحیق و چشمه‌ی کوثر زدیم 1010
We have emerged from a briny and destroying water, we have attained to the pure wine (of Paradise) and the fountain of Kawthar.
آنچ کردی ای جهان با دیگران ** بی‌وفایی و فن و ناز گران
O World, that which thou hast shown unto others—faithlessness and deceit and grievous pride—
بر سرت ریزیم ما بهر جزا ** که شهیدیم آمده اندر غزا
We pour (it all) on thy head in repayment, for we are martyrs come to war (against thee).”
تا بدانی که خدای پاک را ** بندگان هستند پر حمله و مری
(This is) in order that you may know that the Holy God hath servants impetuous and combative,
سبلت تزویر دنیا بر کنند ** خیمه را بر باروی نصرت زنند
(Who) tear out the moustache of worldly hypocrisy and pitch their tents on the rampart of (Divine) aid.
این شهیدان باز نو غازی شدند ** وین اسیران باز بر نصرت زدند 1015
These martyrs have become warriors anew, and these captives have gained the victory once more;
سر برآوردند باز از نیستی ** که ببین ما را گر اکمه نیستی
They have lifted up their heads again from non-existence, saying, “Behold us if thou art not blind from birth,”
تا بدانی در عدم خورشیدهاست ** وآنچ اینجا آفتاب آنجا سهاست
That you may know that in non-existence there are suns, and that what is a sun here is (only) a small star yonder.
در عدم هستی برادر چون بود ** ضد اندر ضد چون مکنون بود
How, O brother, is existence (contained) in non-existence? How is opposite concealed in opposite?
یخرج الحی من المیت بدان ** که عدم آمد امید عابدان
He brings forth the living from the dead: know that the hope of (His) worshippers is non-existence.