گاه بدظن می‌شدی اندر دعا ** از پی تاخیر پاداش و جزا
(Yet) while praying he would at times become distrustful on account of the postponement of the recompense and reward;
باز ارجاء خداوند کریم ** در دلش بشار گشتی و زعیم 1845
(And then) again the gracious Lord's deferment (of his hopes) would bring a message of joy to his heart and become a surety (for their fulfilment).
چون شدی نومید در جهد از کلال ** از جناب حق شنیدی که تعال
Whenever in (the course of his) earnest supplication weariness caused him to despair, he would hear from the Presence of God (the call) “Come!”
خافضست و رافعست این کردگار ** بی ازین دو بر نیاید هیچ کار
This (Divine) Maker is He who abaseth and exalteth: without these two (attributes) no work is accomplished.
خفض ارضی بین و رفع آسمان ** بی ازین دو نیست دورانش ای فلان
Consider the lowness of the earth and the loftiness of the sky: without these two (attributes) its (the sky's) revolution is not (possible), O such-and-such.
خفض و رفع این زمین نوعی دگر ** نیم سالی شوره نیمی سبز و تر
The lowness and loftiness of this earth are of another sort: for one half of the year it is barren and for (the other) half (it is) green and fresh.
خفض و رفع روزگار با کرب ** نوع دیگر نیم روز و نیم شب 1850
The lowness and loftiness of distressful Time are of another sort: one half day and (the other) half night.
خفض و رفع این مزاج ممترج ** گاه صحت گاه رنجوری مضج
The lowness and loftiness of this blended (bodily) temperament (of ours) are now health and now sickness that causes (us) to cry out (in pain).
هم‌چنین دان جمله احوال جهان ** قحط و جدب و صلح و جنگ از افتتان
Know that even so are all the changing conditions of the world—famine and drought and peace and war—(which arise) from (Divine) probation.
این جهان با این دو پر اندر هواست ** زین دو جانها موطن خوف و رجاست
By means of these two wings this world is (kept up like a bird) in the air; by means of these twain (all) souls are habitations of fear and hope,
تا جهان لرزان بود مانند برگ ** در شمال و در سموم بعث و مرگ
To the end that the world may be (always) trembling like a leaf in the north wind and simoom of resurrection and death,
تا خم یک‌رنگی عیسی ما ** بشکند نرخ خم صدرنگ را 1855
(And) that (ultimately) the vat of the unicolority of our Jesus may destroy the value of the vat containing a hundred dyes;
کان جهان هم‌چون نمکسار آمدست ** هر چه آنجا رفت بی‌تلوین شدست
For that world (of Unity) is like a salt-mine: whatever has gone thither has become exempt from coloration (dyeing with various colours).
خاک را بین خلق رنگارنگ را ** می‌کند یک رنگ اندر گورها
Look at earth: it makes many-coloured (diverse) humankind to be (all) of one colour in their graves.
این نمکسار جسوم ظاهرست ** خود نمکسار معانی دیگرست
This is the salt-mine for visible (material) bodies, (but) in sooth the salt-mine for ideal (supersensible) things is different.
آن نمکسار معانی معنویست ** از ازل آن تا ابد اندر نویست
The salt-mine for ideal things is ideal (spiritual and real): it remains new from eternity unto everlasting.
این نوی را کهنگی ضدش بود ** آن نوی بی ضد و بی ند و عدد 1860
This (earthly) newness has oldness as its opposite, but that newness (belonging to the world of Reality) is without opposite or like or number.
آنچنان که از صقل نور مصطفی ** صد هزاران نوع ظلمت شد ضیا
’Tis (even) as by the polishing action of the Light of Mustafá (Mohammed) a hundred thousand sorts of darkness became radiant.
از جهود و مشرک و ترسا و مغ ** جملگی یک‌رنگ شد زان الپ الغ
Jew and polytheist and Christian and Magian—all were made of one colour by that Alp Ulugh (great hero).
صد هزاران سایه کوتاه و دراز ** شد یکی در نور آن خورشید راز
A hundred thousand shadows short and long became one in the light of that Sun of mystery.
نه درازی ماند نه کوته نه پهن ** گونه گونه سایه در خورشید رهن
Neither a long (shadow) remained nor a short nor a wide: shadows of every kind were given in pawn to (absorbed in) the Sun.
لیک یک‌رنگی که اندر محشرست ** بر بد و بر نیک کشف و ظاهرست 1865
But the unicolority that is (everywhere) at the Resurrection is (then) revealed and (made) manifest to the evil and the good (alike);
که معانی آن جهان صورت شود ** نقشهامان در خور خصلت شود
For in that world ideas are endued with form, and our (visible) shapes become congruous with our (moral and spiritual) qualities.
گردد آنگه فکر نقش نامه‌ها ** این بطانه روی کار جامه‌ها
The (secret) thoughts will then become (materialised in) the form of the books (recording good and evil actions): this lining will become the working surface of the garments.
این زمان سرها مثال گاو پیس ** دوک نطق اندر ملل صد رنگ ریس
During this (present) time (men's) inward beliefs are (as variegated) as a piebald cow, and in the (different) religious sects the spindle of speech is spinning (threads of) a hundred colours.
نوبت صدرنگیست و صددلی ** عالم یک رنگ کی گردد جلی
’Tis the turn (reign) of many-colouredness and many-mindedness: how should the one-coloured world become unveiled?
نوبت زنگست رومی شد نهان ** این شبست و آفتاب اندر رهان 1870
’Tis the turn (reign) of the Ethiopian; the Greek is hidden (from view): this is night, and the sun is in pawn.
نوبت گرگست و یوسف زیر چاه ** نوبت قبطست و فرعونست شاه
’Tis the turn (reign) of the wolf, and Joseph is at the bottom of the well; ’tis the turn (reign) of the Egyptians, and Pharaoh is king.
تا ز رزق بی‌دریغ خیره‌خند ** این سگان را حصه باشد روز چند
(Such is the Divine purpose), in order that for a few days these curs may have their allotted portion of the unstinted and deluding (worldly) provision.
در درون بیشه شیران منتظر ** تا شود امر تعالوا منتشر
(But) within the jungle (of this world) are lions (righteous and holy men), waiting for the command “Come!” to be spread abroad.
پس برون آیند آن شیران ز مرج ** بی‌حجابی حق نماید دخل و خرج
Then those lions will come forth from the (worldly) pasture, and God will show (unto them) their income and expenditure without any veil (disguise).
جوهر انسان بگیرد بر و بحر ** پیسه گاوان بسملان آن روز نحر 1875
The (spiritual) essence of Man will encompass land and sea, (while) the piebald cattle will be killed as victims on the Day of Slaughter.
روز نحر رستخیز سهمناک ** مومنان را عید و گاوان را هلاک
The terrible Day of Slaughter at the Resurrection is a festival for the true believers and (the hour of) destruction for the cattle.
جمله‌ی مرغان آب آن روز نحر ** هم‌چو کشتیها روان بر روی بحر
On that Day of Slaughter all the water-birds (will be) sailing along like ships on the surface of the Sea.
تا که یهلک من هلک عن بینه ** تا که ینجو من نجا واستیقنه
(This Day is ordained) to the end that they who perish may perish by a clear proof, and that they who are saved and have sure knowledge thereof may be saved (by a clear proof),
تا که بازان جانب سلطان روند ** تا که زاغان سوی گورستان روند
And that the falcons may go to the Sultan and that the crows may go to the graveyard;
که استخوان و اجزاء سرگین هم‌چو نان ** نقل زاغان آمدست اندر جهان 1880
For in this world the dessert of the crows was bones and pieces of dung like bread.
قند حکمت از کجا زاغ از کجا ** کرم سرگین از کجا باغ از کجا
How remote is the sugar of wisdom from the crow! How remote is the dung-beetle from the orchard!
نیست لایق غزو نفس و مرد غر ** نیست لایق عود و مشک و کون خر
It is not suitable for an effeminate man to go to fight against the carnal soul: aloes-wood and musk are not suitable for the arse of an ass.
چون غزا ندهد زنان را هیچ دست ** کی دهد آنک جهاد اکبرست
Since women are not at all adapted for fighting, how should they be adapted for that (fight) which is the greater holy war?
جز بنادر در تن زن رستمی ** گشته باشد خفیه هم‌چون مریمی
A Rustam may (sometimes) have been concealed in a woman's body, as (was the case with) a Mary; (but) only seldom.
آنچنان که در تن مردان زنان ** خفیه‌اند و ماده از ضعف جنان 1885
Similarly, women are (sometimes) concealed in men's bodies, and they (such men) are (virtually) female because of (their) faintness of heart.
آن جهان صورت شود آن مادگی ** هر که در مردی ندید آمادگی
In that world, if any one has not found in his manhood the capacity (for spiritual combat), his feminality takes (visible) shape.
روز عدل و عدل داد در خورست ** کفش آن پا کلاه آن سرست
The Day (of Judgement) is justice, and justice consists in giving (to every one) what is proper: the shoe belongs to the foot, and the cap belongs to the head.
تا به مطلب در رسد هر طالبی ** تا به غرب خود رود هر غاربی
(This is) in order that every seeker may attain to the object of his search, and that everything destined to set may go to its point of setting.
نیست هر مطلوب از طالب دریغ ** جفت تابش شمس و جفت آب میغ
No object of search is withheld from the seeker: the sun is paired with heat and the cloud with water.
هست دنیا قهرخانه‌ی کردگار ** قهر بین چون قهر کردی اختیار 1890
The present world is the Creator's penitentiary: since you have chosen (to incur) punishment, suffer punishment!
استخوان و موی مقهوران نگر ** تیغ قهر افکنده اندر بحر و بر
Contemplate the bones and hair of the punished ones (whom) the sword of (Divine) punishment overthrew on sea and land.
پر و پای مرغ بین بر گرد دام ** شرح قهر حق کننده بی‌کلام
Consider the bird's feathers and feet (lying) around the trap and silently expounding (the nature of) God's punishment.
مرد او بر جای خرپشته نشاند ** وآنک کهنه گشت هم پشته نماند
He (the worldling) dies and leaves a (sepulchral) vault to occupy his place; and (in the case of) one who has lain for ages (in the earth), even the vault has disappeared.