The gold says, “Yes, O fellow-servant; but the touchstone is coming: be prepared.”
مرگ تن هدیه‌ست بر اصحاب راز ** زر خالص را چه نقصانست گاز
The death of the body is a (welcome) gift to the adepts of the mystery: what damage is (done by) the scissors to pure gold?
قلب اگر در خویش آخربین بدی ** آن سیه که آخر شد او اول شدی
If the adulterated coin had seen the end in regard to itself, it would have become at first the black (thing) which it became in the end.
چون شدی اول سیه اندر لقا ** دور بودی از نفاق و از شقا
Since (in that case) it would have become black at first, in confrontation (with the genuine coin) it would have been far from duplicity and damnation.
کیمیای فضل را طالب بدی ** عقل او بر زرق او غالب بدی
It would have sought the elixir of (Divine) grace; its reason would have prevailed over its hypocrisy.
چون شکسته‌دل شدی از حال خویش ** جابر اشکستگان دیدی به پیش1685
Since it would have become broken-hearted on account of its (evil) state, it would have seen before it Him who mends them that are broken.
عاقبت را دید و او اشکسته شد ** از شکسته‌بند در دم بسته شد
(When) it saw the end and became broken (contrite), it was at once bandaged by the Bone-setter.
فضل مسها را سوی اکسیر راند ** آن زراندود از کرم محروم ماند
The (Divine) grace impelled the pieces of copper towards the elixir; the gilt (coin) remained deprived of (Divine) bounty.
ای زراندوده مکن دعوی ببین ** که نماند مشتریت اعمی چنین
O gilt one, do not make pretensions: recognise that thy purchaser will not (always) remain so blind.
نور محشر چشمشان بینا کند ** چشم بندی ترا رسوا کند
The light of the place of congregation (at the Last Judgement) will cause their (the purchasers') eyes to see and will expose thy blindfolding (of them).
بنگر آنها را که آخر دیده‌اند ** حسرت جانها و رشک دیده‌اند1690
Look at those who have seen the end: they are the amazement of souls and the envy of the eye.
بنگر آنها را که حالی دیده‌اند ** سر فاسد ز اصل سر ببریده‌اند
Look at those who have seen (only) the present: their inmost self is corrupt; they are radically decapitated (cut off from the Truth).
پیش حالی‌بین که در جهلست و شک ** صبح صادق صبح کاذب هر دو یک
To the seer of the present, who is in ignorance and doubt, both the true dawn and the false dawn are one (and the same).
صبح کاذب صد هزاران کاروان ** داد بر باد هلاکت ای جوان
The false dawn has given a hundred thousand caravans to the wind of destruction, O youth.
نیست نقدی کش غلط‌انداز نیست ** وای آن جان کش محک و گاز نیست
There is no genuine money that has not a deceptive counterfeit: alas for the soul that does not possess the touchstone and scissors!
زجر مدعی از دعوی و امر کردن او را به متابعت
Warning the pretender to shun pretension and enjoining him to follow (the true guide).
بو مسیلم گفت خود من احمدم ** دین احمد را به فن برهم زدم1695
Bú Musaylim said, “I myself am Ahmad (Mohammed): I have cunningly confounded the religion of Ahmad.”
بو مسیلم را بگو کم کن بطر ** غره‌ی اول مشو آخر نگر
Say to Bú Musaylim, “Do not behave with insolence: be not deluded by the beginning, regard the end.
این قلاوزی مکن از حرص جمع ** پس‌روی کن تا رود در پیش شمع
Do not act thus as a guide from (with the motive of) greed for amassing (wealth and power): follow behind, in order that the Candle (the true guide) may go in front (of thee).”
شمع مقصد را نماید هم‌چو ماه ** کین طرف دانه‌ست یا خود دامگاه
The Candle, like the moon, shows (clearly) the (traveller's) destination, and whether in this direction there is the grain (of spiritual welfare) or the place for the snare (of perdition).
گر بخواهی ور نخواهی با چراغ ** دیده گردد نقش باز و نقش زاغ
Whether thou wilt or not, (so long as thou art) with the Lantern the form of falcon and the form of crow become visible (to thee).
ورنه این زاغان دغل افروختند ** بانگ بازان سپید آموختند1700
Otherwise, (beware, for) these crows have lit (the lantern of) fraud: they have learned the cry of the white falcons.
بانگ هدهد گر بیاموزد فتی ** راز هدهد کو و پیغام سبا
If a man learn the cry of the hoopoe, (yet) where is the mystery of the hoopoe and the message from Sabá?
بانگ بر رسته ز بر بسته بدان ** تاج شاهان را ز تاج هدهدان
Know (distinguish) the natural cry from the artificial one, (know) the crown of kings from the crown (crest) of hoopoes.
حرف درویشان و نکته‌ی عارفان ** بسته‌اند این بی‌حیایان بر زبان
These shameless persons have attached to their tongues the speech of dervishes and the deep sayings of gnostics.
هر هلاک امت پیشین که بود ** زانک چندل را گمان بردند عود
Every destruction of an olden people that there was—(it was) because they deemed sandal-wood to be (common) wood.