حلق بخشد خاک را لطف خدا ** تا خورد آب و بروید صد گیا
The grace of God bestows a throat on the earth, to the end that it may drink water and make a hundred herbs to grow.
باز خاکی را ببخشد حلق و لب ** تا گیاهش را خورد اندر طلب
Again, He bestows on the creature of earth (the animal) a throat and lip, in order that it may eat its (the earth's) herbage in desire.
چون گیاهش خورد حیوان گشت زفت ** گشت حیوان لقمه‌ی انسان و رفت
When the animal has eaten its herbage, it becomes fat: the animal becomes a mouthful for Man and goes (disappears).
باز خاک آمد شد اکال بشر ** چون جدا شد از بشر روح و بصر25
In turn it becomes earth and becomes a devourer of Man, when the spirit and the sight are separated from Man.
ذره‌ها دیدم دهانشان جمله باز ** گر بگویم خوردشان گردد دراز
I beheld the atoms (of created existence) with their mouths all open: if I should tell of their food, it (the tale) would become long.
برگها را برگ از انعام او ** دایگان را دایه لطف عام او
Provisions have (their) provision from His bounty; His universal grace is the nourisher of them that nourish.
رزقها را رزقها او می‌دهد ** زانک گندم بی غذایی چون زهد
He bestoweth gifts (of sustenance) on the gifts (which sustain life), for how should wheat spring forth without (receiving) any sustenance?
نیست شرح این سخن را منتهی ** پاره‌ای گفتم بدانی پاره‌ها
There is no end to the explanation of this matter. I have told a portion: you may know the (remaining) portions (by analogy).
جمله عالم آکل و ماکول دان ** باقیان را مقبل و مقبول دان30
Know that all the world is eating and eaten; know that those who have everlasting life (in God) are fortunate and accepted.
این جهان و ساکنانش منتشر ** وان جهان و سالکانش مستمر
This world and its inhabitants are (in the end) dispersed; that (other) world and its travellers are continuing (for ever).
این جهان و عاشقانش منقطع ** اهل آن عالم مخلد مجتمع
This world and its lovers are cut off; the people of that (other) world are eternalised and united.
پس کریم آنست کو خود را دهد ** آب حیوانی که ماند تا ابد
The (truly) noble, then, is he that gives to himself the Water of Life that remains unto everlasting.
باقیات الصالحات آمد کریم ** رسته از صد آفت و اخطار و بیم
The noble one is (the very essence of) the good works which endure: he has been freed from a hundred banes and perils and fears.
گر هزارانند یک کس بیش نیست ** چون خیالاتی عدد اندیش نیست35
If they (the noble) are thousands (externally), there is no more than one (in reality): ’tis not like the fancies of him that thinks of number.
آکل و ماکول را حلقست و نای ** غالب و مغلوب را عقلست و رای
(Both) the eater and the eaten have a throat and windpipe: (both) the victor and the vanquished have understanding and mental perception.
حلق بخشید او عصای عدل را ** خورد آن چندان عصا و حبل را
He (God) bestowed a throat on the rod of justice, (so that) it devoured all those many rods and ropes;
واندرو افزون نشد زان جمله اکل ** زانک حیوانی نبودش اکل و شکل
And in it was no increase from all that eating, because its eating and its form were not animal.
مر یقین را چون عصا هم حلق داد ** تا بخورد او هر خیالی را که زاد
To Faith also He gave a throat like (that of) the rod, so that it devoured every vain fancy that was born.
پس معانی را چو اعیان حلقهاست ** رازق حلق معانی هم خداست40
Hence the spiritual and intelligible things, like the concrete (sensible) things, have throats, and the giver of food to the throat of the spiritual and intelligible things is also (none but) God.
پس ز مه تا ماهی هیچ از خلق نیست ** که بجذب مایه او را حلق نیست
Therefore from the Moon to the Fish there is nothing in creation that hath not a throat in respect of its drawing sustenance (from God).
حلق جان از فکر تن خالی شود ** آنگهان روزیش اجلالی شود
(When) the spirit's throat is emptied of thought for the body, then its apportioned sustenance becomes Majestical.
شرط تبدیل مزاج آمد بدان ** کز مزاج بد بود مرگ بدان
Know that the necessary condition (for gaining this sustenance) is the transformation of the (sensual) nature, for the death of evil men is (arises) from (their) evil nature.
چون مزاج آدمی گل‌خوار شد ** زرد و بدرنگ و سقیم و خوار شد
When it has become natural to a human being to eat clay, he grows pale and ill-complexioned and sickly and miserable;
چون مزاج زشت او تبدیل یافت ** رفت زشتی از رخش چون شمع تافت45
(But) when his ugly nature has been transformed, the ugliness departs from his face, and he shines like a candle.
دایه‌ای کو طفل شیرآموز را ** تا بنعمت خوش کند پدفوز را
Where is a nurse for the suckling babe?—that with kindness she may sweeten the inner part of its mouth,