چون که جامه چست و دوزیده بود ** مظهر فرهنگ درزی چون شود3205
When a garment is neat and well-stitched, how should it enable the tailor to exhibit his skill?
ناتراشیده همیباید جذوع ** تا دروگر اصل سازد یا فروع
Trunks of trees must be unhewn in order that the woodcutter may fashion the stem or the branches (and thus exercise his craft).
خواجهی اشکسته بند آن جا رود ** که در آن جا پای اشکسته بود
The doctor who sets broken bones goes to the place where the person with the fractured leg is.
کی شود چون نیست رنجور نزار ** آن جمال صنعت طب آشکار
How shall the excellence of the art of medicine be made manifest when there is no emaciated invalid?
خواری و دونی مسها بر ملا ** گر نباشد کی نماید کیمیا
How shall the (power of the) Elixir be shown if the vileness and baseness of coppers is not notorious?
نقصها آیینهی وصف کمال ** و آن حقارت آینهی عز و جلال3210
Defects are the mirror of the quality of perfection, and that vileness is the mirror of power and glory,
ز آن که ضد را ضد کند پیدا یقین ** ز آن که با سرکه پدید است انگبین
Because (every) contrary is certainly made evident by its contrary; because honey is perceived (to be sweet by contrast) with vinegar.
هر که نقص خویش را دید و شناخت ** اندر استکمال خود ده اسبه تاخت
Whoever has seen and recognised his own deficiency has galloped with ten horses (made rapid progress) in perfecting himself.
ز آن نمیپرد به سوی ذو الجلال ** کاو گمانی میبرد خود را کمال
The reason why he (any one) is not flying towards the Lord of glory is that he supposes himself to be perfect.
علتی بدتر ز پندار کمال ** نیست اندر جان تو ای ذو دلال
There is no worse malady in your soul, O haughty one, than the conceit of perfection.
از دل و از دیدهات بس خون رود ** تا ز تو این معجبی بیرون رود3215
Much blood must flow from your heart and eye, that self-complacency may go out of you.
علت ابلیس انا خیری بده ست ** وین مرض در نفس هر مخلوق هست
The fault of Iblís lay in thinking “I am better (than Adam),” and this disease is in the soul of every (human) creature.
گر چه خود را بس شکسته بیند او ** آب صافی دان و سرگین زیر جو
Though he regard himself as very broken (in spirit), know that it is (a case of) clear water (on the surface) and dung under the stream.
چون بشوراند ترا در امتحان ** آب سرگین رنگ گردد در زمان
When he (the Devil) stirs you in trial, immediately the water becomes dung-coloured.
در تگ جو هست سرگین ای فتی ** گر چه جو صافی نماید مر ترا
There is dung in the bed of the stream, my man, though to you the stream appears pure.
هست پیر راه دان پر فطن ** باغهای نفس کل را جوی کن3220
’Tis the Pír full of wisdom, well-acquainted with the Way, that digs a channel for the gardens of the Universal Soul.
جوی خود را کی تواند پاک کرد ** نافع از علم خدا شد علم مرد
Who is able to cleanse the channel of his (sensual) self? Man's knowledge is made beneficial (only) by God's knowledge.
کی تراشد تیغ دستهی خویش را ** رو به جراحی سپار این ریش را
How shall the sword fashion its own hilt? Go, entrust (the cure of) this wound to a surgeon.
بر سر هر ریش جمع آمد مگس ** تا نبیند قبح ریش خویش کس
Flies gather on every wound, so that no one sees the foulness of his wound.
آن مگس اندیشهها و آن مال تو ** ریش تو آن ظلمت احوال تو
Those flies are your (evil) thoughts and your (love of) possessions: your wound is the darkness of your (spiritual) states;
ور نهد مرهم بر آن ریش تو پیر ** آن زمان ساکن شود درد و نفیر3225
And if the Pír lays a plaster on your wound, at once the pain and lamentation are stilled,
تا که پندارد که صحت یافته ست ** پرتو مرهم بر آن جا تافته ست
So that he (the patient) fancies it (the wound) is healed, (whereas in reality) the (healing) ray of the plaster has shone upon the (wounded) spot.
هین ز مرهم سر مکش ای پشت ریش ** و آن ز پرتو دان مدان از اصل خویش
Beware! Do not (scornfully) turn your head away from the plaster, O you who are wounded in the back, but recognise that that (healing of the wound) proceeds from the ray: do not regard it as (proceeding) from your own constitution.
مرتد شدن کاتب وحی به سبب آن که پرتو وحی بر او زد آن آیت را پیش از پیغامبر صلی الله علیه و اله بخواند گفت پس من هم محل وحیم
How the writer of the (Qur’ánic) Revelation fell into apostasy because (when) the ray of the Revelation shot upon him, he recited the (revealed) verse before the Prophet, on whom be peace, (had dictated it to him); then he said, “So I too am one upon whom Revelation has descended.”
پیش از عثمان یکی نساخ بود ** کاو به نسخ وحی جدی مینمود
Before (the time of) ‘Uthmán there was a scribe who used to be diligent in writing down the Revelation.
چون نبی از وحی فرمودی سبق ** او همان را وانبشتی بر ورق
Whenever the Prophet dictated the Revelation, he would write out the same (portion) on the leaf.