فرق زشت و نغز از عقل آورید ** نی ز چشمی کز سیه گفت و سپید
Get (learn) the distinction between evil and good from reason, not from the eye that tells (only) of black and white.
چشم غره شد به خضرای دمن ** عقل گوید بر محک ماش زن
The eye is beguiled by the verdure on dunghills, (but) reason says, “Put it to my touchstone.”
آفت مرغست چشم کام‌بین ** مخلص مرغست عقل دام‌بین
The eye that sees (only) its (object of) desire is the bird's bane; reason, which sees the trap, is the bird's means of deliverance.
دام دیگر بد که عقلش در نیافت ** وحی غایب‌بین بدین سو زان شتافت 2970
(But) there was another trap which reason did not perceive; hence the inspiration which beholds the unseen sped in this direction.
جنس و ناجنس از خرد دانی شناخت ** سوی صورت‌ها نشاید زود تاخت
By reason you can recognise congener and non-congener: you ought not to run at once to (outward) forms.
نیست جنسیت به صورت لی و لک ** عیسی آمد در بشر جنس ملک
My being your congener is not in respect of (outward) form: Jesus, in the form of man, was (really) homogeneous with the angels
برکشیدش فوق این نیلی‌حصار ** مرغ گردونی چو چغزش زاغ‌وار
The celestial Bird (Gabriel) carried him up above this dark-blue fortress (vault) as the raven (carried) the frog.
قصه‌ی عبدالغوث و ربودن پریان او را و سالها میان پریان ساکن شدن او و بعد از سالها آمدن او به شهر و فرزندان خویش را باز ناشکیفتن او از آن پریان بحکم جنسیت و همدلی او با ایشان
Story of ‘Abdu ’l-Ghawth and his being carried off by the peris and staying among them for years, and how after (many) years he returned to his (native) town and his children, but could not endure to be parted from the peris, because he was really their congener and spiritually one with them.
بود عبدالغوث هم‌جنس پری ** چون پری نه سال در پنهان‌پری
‘Abdu ’l-Ghawth was a congener of the peri: for nine years he was flying about invisibly, like a peri.
شد زنش را نسل از شوی دگر ** وآن یتیمانش ز مرگش در سمر 2975
His wife had offspring by another husband, and his (‘Abdu ’l-Ghawth's) orphans used to talk of his death,
که مرورا گرگ زد یا ره‌زنی ** یا فتاد اندر چهی یا مکمنی
Saying, “A wolf or a brigand (must have) attacked him, or (perhaps) he fell into a pit or ambush.”
جمله فرزندانش در اشغال مست ** خود نگفتندی که بابایی بدست
All his children were passionately absorbed in (worldly) occupations: they never said (thought) that they had a father (who might be alive).
بعد نه سال آمد او هم عاریه ** گشت پیدا باز شد متواریه
After nine years he came (back) temporarily: he appeared and (then) disappeared again.
یک مهی مهمان فرزندان خویش ** بود و زان پس کس ندیدش رنگ بیش
He was the guest of his children for one month, and after that nobody saw any more of him.
برد هم جنسی پریانش چنان ** که رباید روح را زخم سنان 2980
(Inward) homogeneity with the peris carried him off, just as a spear-thrust ravishes the spirit (from the body).
چون بهشتی جنس جنت آمدست ** هم ز جنسیت شود یزدان‌پرست
Since one who is destined for Paradise is (inwardly) homogeneous with Paradise, on account of homogeneity he also becomes a worshipper of God.
نه نبی فرمود جود و محمده ** شاخ جنت دان به دنیا آمده
Has not the Prophet said, “Know that liberality and virtue are (drooping) branches of (the trees in) Paradise (and have) come (have been let down) into this world”?
مهرها را جمله جنس مهر خوان ** قهرها را جمله جنس قهر دان
Declare all loves to be homogeneous with (Divine) Love; deem all wraths to be homogeneous with (Divine) Wrath.
لاابالی لا ابالی آورد ** زانک جنس هم بوند اندر خرد
The reckless man gets a reckless man (as his comrade), because they are congenial in respect of their understanding.
بود جنسیت در ادریس از نجوم ** هشت سال او با زحل بد در قدوم 2985
The congeniality (spiritual affinity) in Idrís was (derived) from the stars: for eight years he was coming along with Saturn.
در مشارق در مغارب یار او ** هم‌حدیث و محرم آثار او
He was his (Saturn's) companion in the East and in the West; (he was) his partner in conversation and familiar with his characteristics.
بعد غیبت چونک آورد او قدوم ** در زمین می‌گفت او درس نجوم
When after his absence (from the body) he arrived (on earth), on the earth he was always giving lessons in astronomy.
پیش او استارگان خوش صف زده ** اختران در درس او حاضر شده
The stars gladly ranged themselves in ranks before him: the stars attended his lectures,
آنچنان که خلق آواز نجوم ** می‌شنیدند از خصوص و از عموم
So that the people (present), nobles and commons alike, would hear the voices of the stars.
جذب جنسیت کشیده تا زمین ** اختران را پیش او کرده مبین 2990
The attraction exerted by homogeneity (spiritual affinity) drew the stars down to the earth and caused them to speak plainly before him.
هر یکی نام خود و احوال خود ** باز گفته پیش او شرح رصد
Each one declared its name and its circumstances and expounded to him (the science of) astronomical observation.
چیست جنسیت یکی نوع نظر ** که بدان یابند ره در هم‌دگر
What is (real) homogeneity? A species of insight whereby people gain admission into (the minds and feelings of) one another.
آن نظر که کرد حق در وی نهان ** چون نهد در تو تو گردی جنس آن
When God endows you with the same insight which He has hidden in him (another person), you become his congener.
هر طرف چه می‌کشد تن را نظر ** بی‌خبر را کی کشاند با خبر
What draws a body (person) in any direction? Insight. How should the conscious attract the unconscious?
چونک اندر مرد خوی زن نهد ** او مخنث گردد و گان می‌دهد 2995
When He (God) implants in a man the nature of a woman, fit catamitus et coitum dat. [When He (God) implants in a man the nature of a woman, he becomes a catamite and offers (anal) intercourse.]
چون نهد در زن خدا خوی نری ** طالب زن گردد آن زن سعتری
When God implants in a woman the masculine nature, illa femina feminam cupit et cum ea rem habet. [When God implants in a woman the masculine nature, that dildo-using woman becomes a seeker of women.]
چون نهد در تو صفات جبرئیل ** هم‌چو فرخی بر هواجویی سبیل
When He implants in you the qualities of Gabriel, you will seek the way up to the air, like a young bird,
منتظر بنهاده دیده در هوا ** از زمین بیگانه عاشق بر سما
Gazing exspectantly, your eye fixed upon the air, estranged from the earth and enamoured of heaven.
چون نهد در تو صفت‌های خری ** صد پرت گر هست بر آخر پری
When He implants in you the asinine qualities, (even) if you have a hundred wings (expedients) you will fly to the stable.
از پی صورت نیامد موش خوار ** از خبیثی شد زبون موش‌خوار 3000
The mouse is not despised for its (outward) form: it becomes a helpless victim of the kite because of its villainous character.
طعمه‌جوی و خاین و ظلمت‌پرست ** از پنیر و فستق و دوشاب مست
It is a (greedy) food-seeker and a traitor and a lover of darkness, besotted with cheese and pistachio nuts and syrup.
باز اشهب را چو باشد خوی موش ** ننگ موشان باشد و عار وحوش
When the white falcon has the nature of a mouse, it is an object of contempt to the mice and a disgrace to the wild animals.
خوی آن هاروت و ماروت ای پسر ** چون بگشت و دادشان خوی بشر
O son, when the nature of Hárút and Márút was changed and He (God) bestowed on them the nature of man,
در فتادند از لنحن الصافون ** در چه بابل ببسته سرنگون
They fell from (the eminence of) verily, we are they that stand in rowsinto the pit at Babylon (where they remain) shackled head-foremost.
لوح محفوظ از نظرشان دور شد ** لوح ایشان ساحر و مسحور شد 3005
The Guarded Tablet was removed from their sight: sorcerer and ensorcelled became their tablet.
پر همان و سر همان هیکل همان ** موسیی بر عرش و فرعونی مهان
The same arms, the same head, the same figure—(yet) a Moses is celestial (in his nature), while a Pharaoh is contemptible.
در پی خو باش و با خوش‌خو نشین ** خوپذیری روغن گل را ببین
Be always in quest of the (inward) nature and consort with him whose nature is good: observe how rose-oil (otto) has received (imbibed) the nature (of the rose).
خاک گور از مرد هم یابد شرف ** تا نهد بر گور او دل روی و کف
The earth of the grave is ennobled by the (holy) man (buried there), so that the (owner of an illumined) heart lays his face and hands on his grave.
خاک از همسایگی جسم پاک ** چون مشرف آمد و اقبال‌ناک
Since the earth (of the grave) is ennobled and made fortunate by the neighbourhood of the pure body,
پس تو هم الجار ثم الدار گو ** گر دلی داری برو دلدار جو 3010
Do thou too, then, say, “(First) the neighbour, then the house”: if thou hast a heart, go, seek a sweetheart.
خاک او هم‌سیرت جان می‌شود ** سرمه‌ی چشم عزیزان می‌شود
His dust (body) is endued with the character of his soul: it becomes a collyrium for the eyes of those who are dear (to God).
ای بسا در گور خفته خاک‌وار ** به ز صد احیا به نفع و انتشار
Oh, many a one sleeping like dust in the grave is superior in usefulness and open-handedness to a hundred living.
سایه برده او و خاکش سایه‌مند ** صد هزاران زنده در سایه‌ی ویند
He has taken away (from us) his shadow (body), but his dust is overshadowing (blessing and protecting us): hundreds of thousands of the living are in his shadow (under his protection).
داستان آن مرد کی وظیفه داشت از محتسب تبریز و وامها کرده بود بر امید آن وظیفه و او را خبر نه از وفات او حاصل از هیچ زنده‌ای وام او گزارده نشد الا از محتسب متوفی گزارده شد چنانک گفته‌اند لیس من مات فاستراح بمیت انما المیت میت الاحیاء
Story of the man who had an allowance from the Police Inspector of Tabríz and had incurred (large) debts in expectation of that allowance, since he was unaware of his (the Inspector's) death. The gist (of the story is that) his debts were paid, not by any living person, but by the deceased Inspector, (for) as has been said, “He that died and found peace is not dead: the (real) dead one is the man (spiritually) dead among the (materially) living.”
آن یکی درویش ز اطراف دیار ** جانب تبریز آمد وامدار
A certain dervish, who was in debt, came from the outlying provinces to Tabríz.
نه هزارش وام بد از زر مگر ** بود در تبریز بدرالدین عمر 3015
His debts amounted to nine thousand pieces of gold. It happened that in Tabríz was (a man named) Badru’ddín ‘Umar.
محتسب بد او به دل بحر آمده ** هر سر مویش یکی حاتم‌کده
He was the Police Inspector, (but) at heart he was an ocean (of bounty): every hair's tip of him was a dwelling-place (worthy) of Hátim.