خلق اطفالاند جز مست خدا ** نیست بالغ جز رهیده از هوا3430
All mankind are children except him that is intoxicated with God; none is grownup except him that is freed from sensual desire.
گفت دنیا لعب و لهو است و شما ** کودکید و راست فرماید خدا
He (God) said, “This world is a play and pastime, and ye are children”; and God speaks truth.
از لعب بیرون نرفتی کودکی ** بیذکات روح کی باشد ذکی
If you have not gone forth from (taken leave of) play, you are a child: without purity of spirit how should he (any one) be fully intelligent?
چون جماع طفل دان این شهوتی ** که همیرانند اینجا ای فتی
Know, O youth, that the lust in which men are indulging here (in this world) is like the sexual intercourse of children.
آن جماع طفل چه بود بازیی ** با جماع رستمی و غازیی
What is the child's sexual intercourse? An idle play, compared with the sexual intercourse of a Rustam and a brave champion of Islam.
جنگ خلقان همچو جنگ کودکان ** جمله بیمعنی و بیمغز و مهان3435
The wars of mankind are like children's fights—all meaningless, pithless, and contemptible.
جمله با شمشیر چوبین جنگشان ** جمله در لاینفعی آهنگشان
All their fights are (fought) with wooden swords, all their purposes are (centred) in futility;
جملهشان گشته سواره بر نیی ** کاین براق ماست یا دلدل پیی
They all are riding on a reed-cane (hobby-horse), saying, “This is our Buráq or mule that goes like Duldul.”
حاملاند و خود ز جهل افراشته ** راکب و محمول ره پنداشته
They are (really) carrying (their hobby-horses), but in their folly they have raised themselves on high: they have fancied themselves to be riders and carried along the road.
باش تا روزی که محمولان حق ** اسب تازان بگذرند از نه طبق
Wait till the day when those who are borne aloft by God shall pass, galloping, beyond the nine tiers (of Heaven)!
تعرج الروح إلیه و الملک ** من عروج الروح یهتز الفلک3440
“The spirit and the angels shall ascend to Him”: at the ascension of the spirit Heaven shall tremble.
Like children, ye all are riding on your skirts: ye have taken hold of the corner of your skirt (to serve) as a horse.
از حق إن الظن لا يغنی رسید ** مرکب ظن بر فلکها کی دوید
From God came (the text), “Verily, opinion doth not enable (you) to dispense (with the Truth)”: when did the steed of opinion run (mount) to the Heavens?
اغلب الظنین فی ترجیح ذا ** لا تماری الشمس فی توضیحها
While preferring (in case of doubt) the stronger of the two (alternative) opinions, do not doubt whether you see the sun when it is shining!
آن گهی بینید مرکبهای خویش ** مرکبی سازیدهاید از پای خویش
At that time (when the spirit returns to God) behold your steeds! Ye have made a steed of your own foot.
وهم و فکر و حس و ادراک شما ** همچو نی دان مرکب کودک هلا3445
Come, recognise that your imagination and reflection and sense-perception and apprehension are like the reed-cane on which children ride.
علمهای اهل دل حمالشان ** علمهای اهل تن احمالشان
The sciences of the mystics bear them (aloft); the sciences of sensual men are burdens to them.
علم چون بر دل زند یاری شود ** علم چون بر تن زند باری شود
When knowledge strikes on the heart (is acquired through mystical experience), it becomes a helper (yárí); when knowledge strikes on the body (is acquired through the senses), it becomes a burden (bárí).
گفت ایزد یحمل اسفاره ** بار باشد علم کان نبود ز هو
God hath said, “(Like an ass) laden with his books”: burdensome is the knowledge that is not from Himself.
علم کان نبود ز هو بیواسطه ** آن نپاید همچو رنگ ماشطه
The knowledge that is not immediately from Himself does not endure, (it is) like the tire woman's paint.
لیک چون این بار را نیکو کشی ** بار بر گیرند و بخشندت خوشی3450
But when you carry this burden well, the burden will be removed and you will be given (spiritual) joy.
هین مکش بهر هوا آن بار علم ** تا ببینی در درون انبار علم
Beware! Do not carry that burden of knowledge for the sake of selfish desire (but mortify yourself), so that you may behold the barn (store-house) of knowledge within (you),
تا که بر رهوار علم آیی سوار ** بعد از آن افتد ترا از دوش بار
So that you may mount the smooth-paced steed of knowledge, (and that) afterwards the burden may fall from your shoulder.
از هواها کی رهی بیجام هو ** ای ز هو قانع شده با نام هو
How wilt thou be freed from selfish desires without the cup of Hú (Him), O thou who hast become content with no more of Hú than the name of Hú?
از صفت و ز نام چه زاید خیال ** و آن خیالش هست دلال وصال
From attribute and name what comes to birth? Phantasy; and that phantasy shows the way to union with Him.