مرغ بابیلی دو سه سنگ افکند ** لشکر زفت حبش را بشکند
A swift drops two or three pebbles and shatters the mighty host of Abyssinia:
پیل را سوراخ سوراخ افکند ** سنگ مرغی کو به بالا پر زند
The pebble of a bird that flies aloft lays low the elephant, riddled with holes (wounds).
دم گاو کشته بر مقتول زن ** تا شود زنده همان دم در کفن
(God said), “Inflict (a blow with) the tail of the killed cow upon the murdered man, in order that at the same moment he may come to life (again) in the winding-sheet,
حلقببریده جهد از جای خویش ** خون خود جوید ز خونپالای خویش
(And that) he whose throat was cut may spring up from his place and seek (vengeance for) his blood from the shedder of his blood
همچنین ز آغاز قرآن تا تمام ** رفض اسبابست و علت والسلام2525
In like manner, from the beginning of the Qur’án to the end, ‘tis (wholly concerned with) the abandonment of (secondary) causes and means. And (now) farewell (to this subject).
کشف این نه از عقل کارافزا شود ** بندگی کن تا ترا پیداشود
The explanation (of the mystery) thereof is not (given) by the meddlesome intellect: do service (to God), in order that it may become clear to you.
بند معقولات آمد فلسفی ** شهسوار عقل عقل آمد صفی
The philosopher is in bondage to things perceived by the intellect; (but) the ‘pure (saint) is he that rides as a prince on the Intellect of intellect
The Intellect of intellect is your kernel, (while) your intellect is (only) the husk: the belly of animals is ever seeking husks.
مغزجوی از پوست دارد صد ملال ** مغز نغزان را حلال آمد حلال
He that seeks the kernel has a hundred loathings for the husk: to the goodly (saints) the kernel (alone) is lawful, lawful.
چونک قشر عقل صد برهان دهد ** عقل کل کی گام بی ایقان نهد2530
When the intellect, (which is) the husk, offers a hundred evidences, how should the Universal Intellect take a step with out having (intuitive) certainty?
عقل دفترها کند یکسر سیاه ** عقل عقل آفاق دارد پر ز ماه
The intellect makes books entirely black (with writing); the Intellect of intellect keeps the horizons (the whole universe) filled (with light) from the Moon (of Reality).
از سیاهی و سپیدی فارغست ** نور ماهش بر دل و جان بازغست
It is free from blackness and whiteness: the light of its moon rises (and shines) upon heart and soul.
این سیاه و این سپید ار قدر یافت ** زان شب قدرست کاختروار تافت
If this black and white’ has gotten (any) power (value), ‘tis from the Night of Power that shone forth like a star.
قیمت همیان و کیسه از زرست ** بی ز زر همیان و کیسه ابترست
The value of scrip and purse is (derived) from the gold: with out the gold, scrip and purse are docked
همچنانک قدر تن از جان بود ** قدر جان از پرتو جانان بود2535
Even as the worth of the body is (derived) from the soul, (so) the worth of the soul is (derived) from the radiance of the Soul of souls.
گر بدی جان زنده بی پرتو کنون ** هیچ گفتی کافران را میتون
If the soul were now alive without (that) radiance, would He (God) ever have called the infidels “dead”
هین بگو که ناطقه جو میکند ** تا به قرنی بعد ما آبی رسد
Come, speak (O my soul)! for the Logos is digging a channel to the end that some water may reach a generation after us.
گرچه هر قرنی سخنآری بود ** لیک گفت سالفان یاری بود
Although (in) every generation there is one who brings the word (of God), yet the sayings of them that have gone before are helpful
نه که هم توریت و انجیل و زبور ** شد گواه صدق قرآن ای شکور
Is it not (the case) that the Pentateuch and the Gospel and the Psalms have borne witness to the truth of theQur’an, O thankful one?
روزی بیرنج جو و بیحساب ** کز بهشتت آورد جبریل سیب2540
Seek a (spiritual) livelihood (won) without toil and without reckoning, so that Gabriel may bring you apples from Paradise;
بلک رزقی از خداوند بهشت ** بیصداع باغبان بی رنج کشت
Nay, (that there may come to you) a livelihood from the Lord of Paradise, without headache (trouble) on the part of the gardener and without the toil of sowing.
زانک نفع نان در آن نان داد اوست ** بدهدت آن نفع بی توسیط پوست
Inasmuch as in that (spiritual) bread the benefit of (conferred by) the bread is His (God’s) gift, He gives you that benefit (directly), without making the husk a means (of imparting it to you).
ذوق پنهان نقش نان چون سفرهایست ** نان بی سفره ولی را بهرهایست
The savour is hidden; the outward form of the bread is (visible) like a table-cloth: the bread that is without table-cloth is a portion (reserved) for the saint.
رزق جانی کی بری با سعی و جست ** جز به عدل شیخ کو داود تست
How will you, notwithstanding (all your) endeavour and search, gain the spiritual livelihood except through ‘the justice of the Shaykh who is your David?
نفس چون با شیخ بیند کام تو ** از بن دندان شود او رام تو2545
‘When the fleshly soul sees your steps (joined) with (those of) the Shaykh, willy-nilly it becomes submissive to you.