امرهم شوری برای این بود ** کز تشاور سهو و کژ کمتر رود
(The words) their affair is (a matter for) consultation are to this (the same) purpose, for owing to consultation mistakes and errors occur less (frequently).
این خردها چون مصابیح انورست ** بیست مصباح از یک روشن‌ترست
These (human) intellects are luminous like lamps: twenty lamps are brighter than one.
بوک مصباحی فتد اندر میان ** مشتعل گشته ز نور آسمان
There may happen to be amongst them a lamp that has become aflame with the light of Heaven,
غیرت حق پرده‌ای انگیختست ** سفلی و علوی به هم آمیختست 2615
(For) the jealousy of God has produced a veil (of concealment) and has mingled the low and the lofty together.
گفت سیروا می‌طلب اندر جهان ** بخت و روزی را همی‌کن امتحان
He hath said, “Travel”: always be seeking in the world and trying your fortune and (destined) lot.
در مجالس می‌طلب اندر عقول ** آن چنان عقلی که بود اندر رسول
In (all) assembly-places always be seeking amidst the intellects such an intellect as is (found) in the Prophet,
زانک میراث از رسول آنست و بس ** که ببیند غیبها از پیش و پس
For the only heritage from the Prophet is that (intellect) which perceives the unseen things before and behind (future and past).
در بصرها می‌طلب هم آن بصر ** که نتابد شرح آن این مختصر
Amidst the (inward) eyes, too, always be seeking that (inward) eye which this epitome has not the power to describe.
بهر این کردست منع آن با شکوه ** از ترهب وز شدن خلوت به کوه 2620
Hence the majestic (Prophet) has forbidden monkery and going to live as a hermit in the mountains,
تا نگردد فوت این نوع التقا ** کان نظر بختست و اکسیر بقا
In order that this kind of meeting (with saints) should not be lost; for to be looked on by them is fortune and an elixir of immortality.
در میان صالحان یک اصلحیست ** بر سر توقیعش از سلطان صحیست
Amongst the righteous there is one (who is) the most righteous: on his diploma (is inscribed) by the Sultan's hand a sahh,
کان دعا شد با اجابت مقترن ** کفو او نبود کبار انس و جن
(Indicating) that the prayer (uttered by him) is (inseparably) linked with acceptance, (and that) the greatest of men and Jinn are not his peers.
در مری‌اش آنک حلو و حامض است ** حجت ایشان بر حق داحض است
(When) those who are sweet or sour (engage) in contention with him, in God's sight their argument is null,
که چو ما او را به خود افراشتیم ** عذر و حجت از میان بر داشتیم 2625
For (God says), “As We have exalted him by (grace of) Ourselves, We have done away with (every) plea and argument (against him).”
قبله را چون کرد دست حق عیان ** پس تحری بعد ازین مردود دان
Since the Hand of God has made the Qibla manifest, henceforth deem searching to be disallowed.
هین بگردان از تحری رو و سر ** که پدید آمد معاد و مستقر
Hark, avert your face and head from searching, now that the Destination and Dwelling-place has come into view.
یک زمان زین قبله گر ذاهل شوی ** سخره‌ی هر قبله‌ی باطل شوی
If you forget this Qibla for one moment, you will become in thrall to every worthless qibla (object of desire).
چون شوی تمییزده را ناسپاس ** بجهد از تو خطرت قبله‌شناس
When you show ingratitude to him that gives you discernment, the thought that recognises the Qibla will dart away from you.
گر ازین انبار خواهی بر و بر ** نیم‌ساعت هم ز همدردان مبر 2630
If you desire benefit and (spiritual) wheat from this Barn, do not part, even for half an hour, from those who sympathise,
که در آن دم که ببری زین معین ** مبتلی گردی تو با بس القرین
For at the moment when you part from this helper you will be afflicted with an evil comrade
حکایت تعلق موش با چغز و بستن پای هر دو به رشته‌ای دراز و بر کشیدن زاغ موش را و معلق شدن چغز و نالیدن و پشیمانی او از تعلق با غیر جنس و با جنس خود ناساختن
Story of the attachment between the mouse and the frog: how they tied their legs together with a long string, and how a raven carried off the mouse, and how the frog was suspended (in the air) and lamented and repented of having attached himself to an animal of a different species instead of sorting with one of his own kind.
از قضا موشی و چغزی با وفا ** بر لب جو گشته بودند آشنا
As it happened, a mouse and a faithful frog had become friends on the bank of a river.
هر دو تن مربوط میقاتی شدند ** هر صباحی گوشه‌ای می‌آمدند
Both of them were bound to (keep) a (daily) tryst: every morning they would come into a nook,
نرد دل با هم‌دگر می‌باختند ** از وساوس سینه می‌پرداختند
(Where) they played heart-and-soul with one another and emptied their breasts of evil (suspicious) thoughts.
هر دو را دل از تلاقی متسع ** هم‌دگر را قصه‌خوان و مستمع 2635
The hearts of both swelled (with joy) from meeting: they recited stories and listened to each other,
رازگویان با زبان و بی‌زبان ** الجماعه رحمه را تاویل دان
Telling secrets with and without tongue, knowing how to interpret (the Tradition), “A united party is a (Divine) mercy.”
آن اشر چون جفت آن شاد آمدی ** پنج ساله قصه‌اش یاد آمدی
Whenever the exultant (mouse) consorted with the merry (frog), a five years' tale would come into his mind.
جوش نطق از دل نشان دوستیست ** بستگی نطق از بی‌الفتیست
Flow of speech from the heart is a sign of (intimate) friendship; obstruction of speech arises from lack of intimacy.
دل که دلبر دید کی ماند ترش ** بلبلی گل دید کی ماند خمش
The heart that has seen the sweetheart, how should it remain bitter? (When) a nightingale has seen the rose, how should he remain silent?
ماهی بریان ز آسیب خضر ** زنده شد در بحر گشت او مستقر 2640
At the touch of Khadir the roasted fish came to life and took its abode in the sea.
یار را با یار چون بنشسته شد ** صد هزاران لوح سر دانسته شد
To the friend, when he is seated beside his Friend, a hundred thousand tablets of mystery are made known.
لوح محفوظ است پیشانی یار ** راز کونینش نماید آشکار
The brow of the Friend is a Guarded Tablet: to him (his friend) it reveals plainly the secret of the two worlds.
The Friend is the guide on the way during (his friend's) advance: hence Mustafá (Mohammed) said, “My Companions are (like) the stars.”
نجم اندر ریگ و دریا رهنماست ** چشم اندر نجم نه کو مقتداست
The star shows the way in (desert) sands and on the sea: fix thine eye on the (spiritual) Star, for he is the one to be followed.
چشم را با روی او می‌دار جفت ** گرد منگیزان ز راه بحث و گفت 2645
Keep thine eye always paired with (unseparated from) his face: do not stir up dust by way of discussion and argument,
زانک گردد نجم پنهان زان غبار ** چشم بهتر از زبان با عثار
Because the Star will be hidden by that dust: the eye is better than the stumbling tongue.
تا بگوید او که وحیستش شعار ** کان نشاند گرد و ننگیزد غبار
(Be silent) in order that he may speak whose innermost garment is (Divine) inspiration which lays the dust and does not stir up trouble.
چون شد آدم مظهر وحی و وداد ** ناطقه‌ی او علم الاسما گشاد
When Adam became the theatre of (Divine) inspiration and love, his rational soul revealed (to him) the knowledge of the Names.
نام هر چیزی چنانک هست آن ** از صحیفه‌ی دل روی گشتش زبان
His tongue, (reading) from the page of his heart, recited the name of everything as it (really) is.
فاش می‌گفتی زبان از ریتش ** جمله را خاصیت و ماهیتش 2650
Through his (inward) vision his tongue was divulging the properties and quiddities of all things.
آنچنان نامی که اشیا را سزد ** نه چنانک حیز را خواند اسد
(It was bestowing) such a name as fits the things (named), not so as to call a catamite a lion (hero).
نوح نهصد سال در راه سوی ** بود هر روزیش تذکیر نوی
Nine hundred years Noah (walked) in the straight way, and every day he had a new sermon to preach.
لعل او گویا ز یاقوت القلوب ** نه رساله خوانده نه قوت القلوب
His ruby (lip) drew its eloquence from the corundum (precious jewel) in the hearts (of prophets): he had not read (mystical books like) the Risála or the Qútu ’l-qulúb.
وعظ را ناموخته هیچ از شروح ** بلک ینبوع کشوف و شرح روح
He had never learned to preach from (studying) commentaries; nay, (he learned) from the fountain of revelations and from the exposition (set forth) by the spirit—
زان میی کان می چو نوشیده شود ** آب نطق از گنگ جوشیده شود 2655
From the wine that (is so potent that) when it is quaffed the water of speech gushes from (the mouth of) the dumb,
طفل نوزاده شود حبر فصیح ** حکمت بالغ بخواند چون مسیح
And the new-born child becomes an eloquent divine and, like the Messiah (Christ), recites (words of) mature wisdom.
از کهی که یافت زان می خوش‌لبی ** صد غزل آموخت داود نبی
The prophet David learned a hundred odes (melodies) from the mountain that gained from that wine (the gift of) sweet song.
جمله مرغان ترک کرده چیک چیک ** هم‌زبان و یار داود ملیک
All the birds left off chirping and joined their voices with King David as accompanists.
چه عجب که مرغ گردد مست او ** هم شنود آهن ندای دست او
What wonder that a bird should be enraptured by him, since (even) iron obeyed the call of his hand?
صرصری بر عاد قتالی شده ** مر سلیمان را چو حمالی شده 2660
A roaring wind became murderous to (the people of) ‘Ád, (but) to Solomon it became (serviceable) as a carrier.
صرصری می‌برد بر سر تخت شاه ** هر صباح و هر مسا یک ماهه راه
A roaring wind carried on its head the throne of the king (Solomon) a month's journey every morn and eve.