گفتوگوی ظاهر آمد چون غبار ** مدتی خاموش خو کن هوش دار
Outward speech and talk is as dust: do thou for a time make a habit of silence. Take heed!
مکرر کردن مریدان که خلوت را بشکن
How the disciples repeated their request that he should interrupt his seclusion.
جمله گفتند ای حکیم رخنه جو ** این فریب و این جفا با ما مگو
They all said: “O sage who seekest a crevice (means of evasion), say not to us this (word of) guile and harshness.
چار پا را قدر طاقت بار نه ** بر ضعیفان قدر قوت کار نه
Lay on the beast a burden in proportion to its endurance, lay on the weak a task in proportion to their strength.
دانهی هر مرغ اندازهی وی است ** طعمهی هر مرغ انجیری کی است580
The bait for every bird is according to its (the bird's) measure (capacity): how should a fig be the food (lure) for every bird?
طفل را گر نان دهی بر جای شیر ** طفل مسکین را از آن نان مرده گیر
If you give a babe bread instead of milk, take it (for granted) that the poor babe will die of the bread;
چون که دندانها بر آرد بعد از آن ** هم بخود گردد دلش جویای نان
(Yet) afterwards, when it grows teeth, that babe will of its own accord its heart will crave bread.
مرغ پر نارسته چون پران شود ** لقمهی هر گربهی دران شود
When an unfledged bird begins to fly, it becomes a mouthful for any rapacious cat;
چون بر آرد پر بپرد او به خود ** بیتکلف بیصفیر نیک و بد
(But) when it grows wings, it will fly of itself without trouble and without whistling (prompting), good or bad.
دیو را نطق تو خامش میکند ** گوش ما را گفت تو هش میکند585
Thy speech makes the Devil silent, thy words make our ears (full of) intelligence.
گوش ما هوش است چون گویا تویی ** خشک ما بحر است چون دریا تویی
Our ears are (full of) intelligence when thou art speaking; our dry land is a river when thou art the ocean.
با تو ما را خاک بهتر از فلک ** ای سماک از تو منور تا سمک
With thee, earth is better to us than heaven, O thou by whom (the world from) Arcturus to the Fish is illumined!
بیتو ما را بر فلک تاریکی است ** با تو ای ماه این فلک باری کی است
Without thee, darkness is over heaven for us, (but) compared with thee, O Moon, who is this heaven at all?
صورت رفعت بود افلاک را ** معنی رفعت روان پاک را
The heavens have the form of sublimity, (but) the essence of sublimity belongs to the pure spirit.
صورت رفعت برای جسمهاست ** جسمها در پیش معنی اسمهاست590
The form of sublimity is for bodies; beside the essence (reality) bodies are (mere) names.”
جواب گفتن وزیر که خلوت را نمیشکنم
The refusal of the vizier to interrupt his seclusion.
گفت حجتهای خود کوته کنید ** پند را در جان و در دل ره کنید
He said: “Cut short your arguments, let my advice make its way into your souls and hearts.
گر امینم متهم نبود امین ** گر بگویم آسمان را من زمین
If I am trustworthy, the trustworthy is not doubted, even though I should call heaven earth.
گر کمالم با کمال انکار چیست ** ور نیم این زحمت و آزار چیست
If I am (endowed with) perfection, why (this) disbelief in my perfection? and if I am not (perfect), why this molestation and annoyance?
من نخواهم شد از این خلوت برون ** ز آن که مشغولم به احوال درون
I will not go forth from this seclusion, because I am occupied with inward experiences.”
اعتراض مریدان در خلوت وزیر
How the disciples raised objections against the vizier's secluding himself.
جمله گفتند ای وزیر انکار نیست ** گفت ما چون گفتن اغیار نیست595
They all said: “O vizier, it is not disbelief: our words are not as the words of strangers.
اشک دیدهست از فراق تو دوان ** آه آه است از میان جان روان
The tears of our eyes are running because of our separation from thee; sigh after sigh is going (up) from the midst of our souls.
طفل با دایه نه استیزد و لیک ** گرید او گر چه نه بد داند نه نیک
A babe does not contend with its nurse, but it weeps, although it knows neither evil nor good.
ما چون چنگیم و تو زخمه میزنی ** زاری از ما نی تو زاری میکنی
We are as the harp and thou art striking (it with) the plectrum (playing on it): the lamentation is not from us, it is thou that art making lamentation.
ما چو ناییم و نوا در ما ز تست ** ما چو کوهیم و صدا در ما ز تست
We are as the flute, and the music in us is from thee; we are as the mountain, and the echo in us is from thee.
ما چو شطرنجیم اندر برد و مات ** برد و مات ما ز تست ای خوش صفات600
We are as pieces of chess (engaged) in victory and defeat: our victory and defeat is from thee, O thou whose qualities are comely!
ما که باشیم ای تو ما را جان جان ** تا که ما باشیم با تو در میان
Who are we, O thou soul of our souls, that we should remain in being beside thee?