گاو را رنگ از برون و مرد را ** از درون جو رنگ سرخ و زرد را
The ox has his colour outside, but in the case of a man seek the red and yellow hues within.
رنگهای نیک از خم صفاست ** رنگ زشتان از سیاه‌‌آبه‌‌ی جفاست765
The good colours are from the vat of purity; the colour of the wicked is from the black water of iniquity.
صبغة الله نام آن رنگ لطیف ** لعنة الله بوی این رنگ کثیف
The baptism of God is the name of that subtle colour; the curse of God is the smell of this gross colour.
آن چه از دریا به دریا می‌‌رود ** از همانجا کامد آن جا می‌‌رود
That which is of the sea is going to the sea: it is going to the same place whence it came—
از سر که سیلهای تیز رو ** وز تن ما جان عشق آمیز رو
From the mountain-top the swift-rushing torrents, and from our body the soul whose motion is mingled with love.
آتش کردن پادشاه جهود و بت نهادن پهلوی آتش که هر که این بت را سجود کند از آتش برست
How the Jewish king made a fire and placed an idol beside it, saying, “Whoever bows down to this idol shall escape the fire.”
آن جهود سگ ببین چه رای کرد ** پهلوی آتش بتی بر پای کرد
Now see what a plan this currish Jew contrived! He set up an idol beside the fire,
کان که این بت را سجود آرد برست ** ور نیارد در دل آتش نشست770
Saying, “He that bows down to this idol is saved, and if he bow not, he shall sit in the heart of the fire.”
چون سزای این بت نفس او نداد ** از بت نفسش بتی دیگر بزاد
Inasmuch as he did not give due punishment to this idol of self, from the idol of his self the other idol was born.
مادر بتها بت نفس شماست ** ز آن که آن بت مار و این بت اژدهاست
The idol of your self is the mother of (all) idols, because that (material) idol is (only) a snake, while this (spiritual) idol is a dragon.
آهن و سنگ است نفس و بت شرار ** آن شرار از آب می‌‌گیرد قرار
The self is (as) iron and stone (whence fire is produced), while the (material) idol is (as) the sparks: those sparks are quieted (quenched) by water.
سنگ و آهن ز آب کی ساکن‌‌شود ** آدمی با این دو کی ایمن شود
(But) how should the stone and iron be allayed by water? How should a man, having these twain, be secure?
بت سیاه‌‌آبه‌‌ست در کوزه نهان ** نفس مر آب سیه را چشمه دان775
The idol is the black water hidden in the jug; know that the self is the fountain.
آن بت منحوت چون سیل سیاه ** نفس بتگر چشمه‌‌ای بر آب راه
That sculptured idol is like the black torrent; the idol-making self is a fountain (jetting muddy water) on the Water-way (the Way that leads to the Water of Life).
صد سبو را بشکند یک پاره سنگ ** و آب چشمه می‌‌زهاند بی‌‌درنگ
A single piece of stone will break a hundred pitchers, but the fountain-water is making jets incessantly.
بت شکستن سهل باشد نیک سهل ** سهل دیدن نفس را جهل است جهل
’Tis easy to break an idol, very easy; to regard the self as easy (to subdue) is folly, folly.
صورت نفس ار بجویی ای پسر ** قصه‌‌ی دوزخ بخوان با هفت در
O son, if you seek (to know) the form of the self, read the story of Hell with its seven gates.
هر نفس مکری و در هر مکر ز آن ** غرقه صد فرعون با فرعونیان780
Every moment (there proceeds from the self) an act of deceit, and in every one of those deceits a hundred Pharaohs are drowned together with their followers.
در خدای موسی و موسی گریز ** آب ایمان را ز فرعونی مریز
Flee to the God of Moses and to Moses, do not from Pharaoh's quality (rebellious insolence) spill the water of the Faith.
دست را اندر احد و احمد بزن ** ای برادر واره از بو جهل تن
Lay your hand on (cleave to) the One (God) and Ahmad (Mohammed)! O brother, escape from the Bú Jahl of the body!
به سخن آمدن طفل در میان آتش و تحریض کردن خلق را در افتادن به آتش
How a child began to speak amidst the fire and urged the people to throw themselves into the fire.
یک زنی با طفل آورد آن جهود ** پیش آن بت و آتش اندر شعله بود
That Jew brought to that idol a woman with her child, and the fire was blazing.
طفل از او بستد در آتش در فکند ** زن بترسید و دل از ایمان بکند
He took the child from her and cast it into the fire: the woman was affrighted and withdrew her heart from (abandoned) her faith.
خواست تا او سجده آرد پیش بت ** بانگ زد آن طفل إنی لم أمت785
She was about to bow down before the idol (when) the child cried, “Verily, I am not dead.
اندر آ ای مادر اینجا من خوشم ** گر چه در صورت میان آتشم
Come in, O mother: I am happy here, although in appearance I am amidst the fire.
چشم بند است آتش از بهر حجاب ** رحمت است این سر بر آورده ز جیب
The fire is a spell that binds the eye for the sake of screening (the truth); this is (in reality) a Divine mercy which has raised its head from the collar (has been manifested from the Unseen).
اندر آ مادر ببین برهان حق ** تا ببینی عشرت خاصان حق
Come in, mother, and see the evidence of God, that thou mayst behold the delight of God's elect.