پس عزا بر خود کنید ای خفتگان ** زانک بد مرگیست این خواب گران
Then, O sleepers, mourn for yourselves, for this heavy slumber is an evil death.
روح سلطانی ز زندانی بجست ** جامه چه درانیم و چون خاییم دست
A royal spirit escaped from a prison: why should we rend our garments and how should we gnaw our hands?
چونک ایشان خسرو دین بوده‌اند ** وقت شادی شد چو بشکستند بند
Since they were monarchs of the (true) religion, ’twas the hour of joy (for them) when they broke their bonds.
سوی شادروان دولت تاختند ** کنده و زنجیر را انداختند
They sped towards the pavilion of empire, they cast off their fetters and chains.
روز ملکست و گش و شاهنشهی ** گر تو یک ذره ازیشان آگهی 800
’Tis the day of (their) kingship and pride and sovereignty, if thou hast (even) an atom of knowledge of them.
ور نه‌ای آگه برو بر خود گری ** زانک در انکار نقل و حشری
And if thou hast not (this) knowledge, go, weep for thyself, for thou art disbelieving in the removal (from this world to the next) and in the assembly at the Last Judgement.
بر دل و دین خرابت نوحه کن ** که نمی‌بیند جز این خاک کهن
Mourn for thy corrupt heart and religion, for it (thy heart) sees naught but this old earth.
ور همی‌بیند چرا نبود دلیر ** پشتدار و جانسپار و چشم‌سیر
Or if it is seeing (the spiritual world), why is it not brave and supporting (others) and self-sacrificing and fully contented?
در رخت کو از می دین فرخی ** گر بدیدی بحر کو کف سخی
In thy countenance where is the happiness (which is the effect) of the wine of (true) religion? If thou hast beheld the Ocean (of Bounty), where is the bounteous hand?
آنک جو دید آب را نکند دریغ ** خاصه آن کو دید آن دریا و میغ 805
He that has beheld the River does not grudge water (to the thirsty), especially he that has beheld that Sea and (those) Clouds.”
تمثیل مرد حریص نابیننده رزاقی حق را و خزاین و رحمت او را به موری کی در خرمنگاه بزرگ با دانه‌ی گندم می‌کوشد و می‌جوشد و می‌لرزد و به تعجیل می‌کشد و سعت آن خرمن را نمی‌بیند
Comparison of the covetous man, who does not see the all-providingness of God and the (infinite) stores of His mercy, to an ant struggling with a single grain of wheat on a great threshing-floor and showing violent agitation and trembling and dragging it hurriedly along, unconscious of the amplitude of the threshing-floor.
مور بر دانه بدان لرزان شود ** که ز خرمنهای خوش اعمی بود
The ant trembles for a grain (of wheat) because it is blind to the goodly threshing-floors.
می‌کشد آن دانه را با حرص و بیم ** که نمی‌بیند چنان چاش کریم
It drags a grain along greedily and fearfully, for it does not see such a noble stack of winnowed wheat (as is there).
صاحب خرمن همی‌گوید که هی ** ای ز کوری پیش تو معدوم شی
The Owner of the threshing-floor is saying (to the ant), “Hey, thou who in thy blindness deemest nothing something,
تو ز خرمنهای ما آن دیده‌ای ** که در آن دانه به جان پیچیده‌ای
Hast thou regarded that (alone) as belonging to My threshing-floors, so that thou art devoted with (all) thy soul to that (single) grain?”
ای به صورت ذره کیوان را ببین ** مور لنگی رو سلیمان را ببین 810
O thou who in semblance art (insignificant as) a mote, look at Saturn; thou art a lame ant: go, look at Solomon.
تو نه‌ای این جسم تو آن دیده‌ای ** وا رهی از جسم گر جان دیده‌ای
Thou art not this body: thou art that (spiritual) Eye. If thou hast beheld the spirit, thou art delivered from the body.
آدمی دیده‌ست باقی گوشت و پوست ** هرچه چشمش دیده است آن چیز اوست
Man (essentially) is eye: the rest (of him) is (mere) flesh and skin: whatsoever his eye has beheld, he is that thing.
کوه را غرقه کند یک خم ز نم ** منفذش چون باز باشد سوی یم
A jar will submerge a mountain with (its) water when the eye of the jar is open to the Sea.
چون به دریا راه شد از جان خم ** خم با جیحون برآرد اشتلم
When from the soul (interior) of the jar a channel is made to the Sea, the jar will overwhelm the Jayhún (Oxus).
زان سبب قل گفته‌ی دریا بود ** هرچه نطق احمدی گویا بود 815
For that reason whatsoever the speech (voice) of Ahmad (Mohammed) may utter, the words are (really) uttered by the Sea.
گفته‌ی او جمله در بحر بود ** که دلش را بود در دریا نفوذ
All his words were pearls of the Sea, for his heart had a passage into the Sea.
داد دریا چون ز خم ما بود ** چه عجب در ماهیی دریا بود
Since the bounty of the Sea is (poured) through our jar, what wonder (that) the Sea (itself) should be (contained) in a Fish?
چشم حس افسرد بر نقش ممر ** تش ممر می‌بینی و او مستقر
The sensual eye is fixed on the form of the thoroughfare: thou art regarding it as a thoroughfare, but he (the Perfect Man) as a permanent abode.
این دوی اوصاف دید احولست ** ورنه اول آخر آخر اولست
This dualism is characteristic of the eye that sees double; but (in reality) the first is the last and the last is the first.
هی ز چه معلوم گردد این ز بعث ** بعث را جو کم کن اندر بعث بحث 820
Hark, by what means is this made known (to thee)? By means of the (spiritual) resurrection. Seek to experience (that) resurrection: do not dispute concerning (that) resurrection.
شرط روز بعث اول مردنست ** زانک بعث از مرده زنده کردنست
The (necessary) condition of (experiencing) the Day of Resurrection is to die first, for (the word) ba‘th (resurrection) is (signifies) “to raise to life from the dead.”
جمله عالم زین غلط کردند راه ** کز عدم ترسند و آن آمد پناه
Hence all the world have taken the wrong way, for they are afraid of nonexistence, though it is (really) the refuge (in which they find salvation).
از کجا جوییم علم از ترک علم ** از کجا جوییم سلم از ترک سلم
Whence shall we seek (true knowledge? From renouncing (our false) knowledge. Whence shall we seek (true) peace? From renouncing peace (with our carnal selves).
از کجا جوییم هست از ترک هست ** از کجا جوییم سیب از ترک دست
Whence shall we seek (real) existence? From renouncing (illusory) existence. Whence shall we seek the apple (of Truth)? From renouncing the hand (of self-assertion and self-interest).
هم تو تانی کرد یا نعم المعین ** دیده‌ی معدوم‌بین را هست بین 825
O best Helper, only Thou canst make the eye that regards the non-existent to regard that which is (really) existent.
دیده‌ای کو از عدم آمد پدید ** ذات هستی را همه معدوم دید
The eye that was produced from non-existence regarded the Essence of (real) Being as wholly non-existent;
این جهان منتظم محشر شود ** گر دو دیده مبدل و انور شود
(But), if (thy) two eyes are transformed and illumined, this well-ordered world becomes the scene of the Last Judgement.
زان نماید این حقایق ناتمام ** که برین خامان بود فهمش حرام
These realities are shown forth imperfectly (here) because the apprehension of them is forbidden to these raw (ignorant) ones.
نعمت جنات خوش بر دوزخمی ** شد محرم گرچه حق آمد سخی
Although God is munificent, the enjoyment of the delightful gardens ofParadise is forbidden to him who is destined for Hell.
در دهانش تلخ آید شهد خلد ** چون نبود از وافیان در عهد خلد 830
The honey of Paradise becomes bitter in his mouth, since he was not (destined to be) one of them that faithfully keep the covenant of everlasting life.
مر شما را نیز در سوداگری ** دست کی جنبد چو نبود مشتری
Ye (worldly folk) also (who are engaged) in commerce—how should your hands move (to sell anything) when there is no buyer?
کی نظاره اهل بخریدن بود ** آن نظاره گول گردیدن بود
How should (idle) looking-on be capable of buying? The fool's looking-on is (not for buying, but merely for) loitering.
پرس پرسان کین به چند و آن به چند ** از پی تعبیر وقت و ریش‌خند
(He strolls about) continually asking, “How much is this?” and “How much is that?” for the sake of pastime and mockery.
از ملولی کاله می‌خواهد ز تو ** نیست آن کس مشتری و کاله‌جو
(’Tis only) from boredom (that) he asks you (to show him) your goods: that person is not a buyer and customer.
کاله را صد بار دید و باز داد ** جامه کی پیمود او پیمود باد 835
He inspects the article a hundred times and hands it back (to you): when did he (ever) measure a piece of cloth? He measured wind (and nothing else).
کو قدوم و کر و فر مشتری ** کو مزاح گنگلی سرسری
What a distance between the approach and bargaining of a purchaser and the pleasantries of a silly joker?
چونک در ملکش نباشد حبه‌ای ** جز پی گنگل چه جوید جبه‌ای
Since there is not a mite in his possession, how should he seek (to buy) a coat except in jest?
در تجارت نیستش سرمایه‌ای ** پس چه شخص زشت او چه سایه‌ای
He has no capital for trading: what, then, is the difference between his ill-favoured person and a shadow?
مایه در بازار این دنیا زرست ** مایه آنجا عشق و دو چشم ترست
The capital (required) for the market of this world is gold; there (in the next world) the capital is love and two eyes wet (with tears).
هر که او بی‌مایه‌ی بازار رفت ** عمر رفت و بازگشت او خام تفت 840
Whoever went to market without any capital, his life passed and he speedily returned in disappointment.
هی کجا بودی برادر هیچ جا ** هی چه پختی بهر خوردن هیچ با
“Oh, where hast thou been, brother?” “Nowhere.” “Oh, what hast thou cooked to eat?” “No (good) soup.”
مشتری شو تا بجنبد دست من ** لعل زاید معدن آبست من
Become a buyer, that my hand may move (to sell to thee), and that my pregnant mine may bring forth the ruby.
مشتری گرچه که سست و باردست ** دعوت دین کن که دعوت واردست
Though the buyer is slack and lukewarm, (yet) call (him) to the (true) religion, for the (command to) call hath come down (from God).
باز پران کن حمام روح گیر ** در ره دعوت طریق نوح گیر
Let the falcon fly and catch the spiritual dove: in calling (to God) take the way of Noah.
خدمتی می‌کن برای کردگار ** با قبول و رد خلقانت چه کار 845
Perform an act of service for the Creator's sake: what hast thou to do with being accepted or rejected by the people?
داستان آن شخص کی بر در سرایی نیم‌شب سحوری می‌زد همسایه او را گفت کی آخر نیم‌شبست سحر نیست و دیگر آنک درین سرا کسی نیست بهر کی می‌زنی و جواب گفتن مطرب او را
Story of the person who was giving the drum-call for the sahúr at the gate of a certain palace at midnight. A neighbour said to him, “Why, it is midnight, it is not (yet) dawn; and besides, there is no one in this palace: for whose sake are you drumming?”—and the minstrel's reply to him.