هفت شمع از دور دیدم ناگهان ** اندر آن ساحل شتابیدم بدان

هفت شمع از دور دیدم ناگهان ** اندر آن ساحل شتابیدم بدان 1985

Of a sudden I beheld from afar seven candles and hastened along the shore towards them.

نور شعله‌ی هر یکی شمعی از آن ** بر شده خوش تا عنان آسمان

The light of the flame of each candle thereof ascended beauteously to the loft of the sky.

خیره گشتم خیرگی هم خیره گشت ** موج حیرت عقل را از سر گذشت

I became amazed, (so that) even amazement (itself) became amazed: the waves of bewilderment passed over the head of my understanding.

این چگونه شمعها افروختست ** کین دو دیده‌ی خلق ازینها دوختست

(I thought), ‘What kind of candles are these (that) He hath lighted, so that the eyes of His creatures are screened from them?’

خلق جویان چراغی گشته بود ** پیش آن شمعی که بر مه می‌فزود

The people had gone to seek a lamp in the presence of that (sevenfold) candle which was surpassing the moon (in splendour).

چشم‌بندی بد عجب بر دیده‌ها ** بندشان می‌کرد یهدی من یشا 1990

Wonderful! There was a bandage over their eyes: they were bound by (the Divine destiny implied in the text) He guideth aright those whom He will.

شدن آن هفت شمع بر مثال یک شمع

How the seven candles became what seemed like one candle.

باز می‌دیدم که می‌شد هفت یک ** می‌شکافد نور او جیب فلک

Then I saw the seven (candles) become one, its light cleaving the bosom (rim) of the sky.

باز آن یک بار دیگر هفت شد ** مستی و حیرانی من زفت شد

Then again that one became seven once more: my intoxication and bewilderment waxed mighty.

اتصالاتی میان شمعها ** که نیاید بر زبان و گفت ما

(There were) such connexions between the candles as may not come (may not be uttered) on my tongue and (in) my speech.

آنک یک دیدن کند ادارک آن ** سالها نتوان نمودن از زبان

That which one look perceives, ’tis impossible during years to show it forth by the tongue.

آنک یک دم بیندش ادراک هوش ** سالها نتوان شنودن آن بگوش 1995

That which intellectual apprehension sees in one moment, ’tis impossible during years to hear it by the ear.

چونک پایانی ندارد رو الیک ** زانک لا احصی ثناء ما علیک

Since it hath no end, go (back) to thyself, for (as the Prophet aid), ‘I cannot reckon (worthy) any praise of Thee.’

پیشتر رفتم دوان کان شمعها ** تا چه چیزست از نشان کبریا

I advanced farther, running (and marvelling) what thing those candles are (which are one) of the signs of the Divine Majesty.

می‌شدم بی خویش و مدهوش و خراب ** تا بیفتادم ز تعجیل و شتاب

(Thus) I was going, beside myself and dumbfounded and deranged, till I fell down from making haste and speed.

ساعتی بی‌هوش و بی‌عقل اندرین ** اوفتادم بر سر خاک زمین

In this (state), senseless and witless, I lay fallen awhile upon the dust of the earth.

باز با هوش آمدم برخاستم ** در روش گویی نه سر نه پاستم 2000

Then I came back to my senses and rose up: you would say that in my faring I had neither head nor foot.

نمودن آن شمعها در نظر هفت مرد

How those candles appeared to the eye as seven men.

هفت شمع اندر نظر شد هفت مرد ** نورشان می‌شد به سقف لاژورد

The seven candles appeared to the eye as seven men: their light was mounting to the azure vault.

پیش آن انوار نور روز درد ** از صلابت نورها را می‌سترد

Beside those lights the daylight was (murky as) dregs: by their intensity they were obliterating (all other) lights.

باز شدن آن شمعها هفت درخت

How those candles now became seven trees.

باز هر یک مرد شد شکل درخت ** چشمم از سبزی ایشان نیکبخت

Then each man assumed the shape of a tree: my eye was happy in their greenery.

زانبهی برگ پیدا نیست شاخ ** برگ هم گم گشته از میوه‌ی فراخ

On account of the denseness of the leaves no boughs were visible; the leaves too had become scant (had almost vanished) on account of the plenteous fruit.

هر درختی شاخ بر سدره زده ** سدره چه بود از خلا بیرون شده 2005

Every tree had thrown its boughs above the Sidra: what of the Sidra? They had reached beyond the Void.

بیخ هر یک رفته در قعر زمین ** زیرتر از گاو و ماهی بد یقین

The root of each (tree) had gone (down) into the bottom of the earth: assuredly it was lower than the Ox and the Fish.

بیخشان از شاخ خندان‌روی‌تر ** عقل از آن اشکالشان زیر و زبر

Their roots were more smiling of face than the boughs: the intellect (was turned) upside down (confused and bewildered) by their shapes.

میوه‌ای که بر شکافیدی ز زور ** همچو آب از میوه جستی برق نور

From the fruit that was bursting forcibly flashes of light would spurt forth, like juice.

مخفی بودن آن درختان ازچشم خلق

How those trees were invisible to the people.

این عجب‌تر که بریشان می‌گذشت ** صد هزاران خلق از صحرا و دشت

More wondrous (than all else) was this, that hundreds of thousands of people were passing through the desert and plain beside them,