هیچ خطاطی نویسد خط به فن ** بهر عین خط نه بهر خواندن
Does any calligrapher write artistically for the sake of the writing itself and not for the sake of the reading?
نقش ظاهر بهر نقش غایبست ** وان برای غایب دیگر ببست
The external form is for the sake of the unseen form; and that took shape for the sake of another unseen (form).
تا سوم چارم دهم بر می‌شمر ** این فواید را به مقدار نظر
Count up these corollaries to the third, fourth, or tenth in proportion to (your) insight.
هم‌چو بازیهای شطرنج ای پسر ** فایده‌ی هر لعب در تالی نگر
As (for example) the moves in chess, O son: behold the result of each move in the next one.
این نهادند بهر آن لعب نهان ** وان برای آن و آن بهر فلان2890
They made this (move) for the sake of that concealed move, and that for the next, and that (again) for such and such.
هم‌چنین دیده جهات اندر جهات ** در پی هم تا رسی در برد و مات
Even so (proceed), having perceived reasons within reasons, one after the other, in order that you may arrive at victory and checkmate.
اول از بهر دوم باشد چنان ** که شدن بر پایه‌های نردبان
The first is for the sake of the second, like mounting on the steps of a ladder;
و آن دوم بهر سوم می‌دان تمام ** تا رسی تو پایه پایه تا به بام
And deem the second to be for the sake of the third, (and so on) to the end, in order that you may arrive, step by step, at the roof.
شهوت خوردن ز بهر آن منی ** آن منی از بهر نسل و روشنی
The desire to eat is for the sake of the semen: that semen is for the sake of procreation and the light (which glows in the eyes of parents).
کندبینش می‌نبیند غیر این ** عقل او بی‌سیر چون نبت زمین2895
The man of dull sight sees naught but this: his intelligence is without motion, like the plants of the earth.
نبت را چه خوانده چه ناخوانده ** هست پای او به گل در مانده
Whether the plant is summoned (to move) or not summoned, its foot remains stuck fast in the mud.
گر سرش جنبد پیر باد رو ** تو به سر جنبانیش غره مشو
If its head move with the motion of the wind, go, be not deceived by its moving its head.
آن سرش گوید سمعنا ای صبا ** پای او گوید عصینا خلنا
Its head says, “We obey, O zephyr!” Its foot says, “We refuse to obey: let us alone!”
چون ندارد سیر می‌راند چون عام ** بر توکل می‌نهد چون کور گام
Since he (the man of dull sight) does not know how to move (on the Way to God), he advances like the vulgar, stepping (forward) on trust, like a blind man.
بر توکل تا چه آید در نبرد ** چون توکل کردن اصحاب نرد2900
Consider what comes of acting on trust in warfare: (it is vain) like the trust of dice-players.
وآن نظرهایی که آن افسرده نیست ** جز رونده و جز درنده‌ی پرده نیست
But those insights that are not frozen (dense and dull) are nothing if not piercing and veil-rending.
آنچ در ده سال خواهد آمدن ** این زمان بیند به چشم خویشتن
He (such a one) sees with his own eye at the present moment that which will come to pass in ten years.
هم‌چنین هر کس به اندازه‌ی نظر ** غیب و مستقبل ببیند خیر وشر
Similarly, every one sees the unseen and the future, (both) good and evil, according to the measure of his insight.
چونک سد پیش و سد پس نماند ** شد گذاره چشم و لوح غیب خواند
When the barrier in front and the barrier behind are removed, the eye penetrates and reads the tablet of the Unseen.
چون نظر پس کرد تا بدو وجود ** ماجرا و آغاز هستی رو نمود2905
When he (such a one) looks back to the origin of existence, the past circumstances and beginning of existence display themselves (to him)—
بحث املاک زمین با کبریا ** در خلیفه کردن بابای ما
(Namely), the disputation of the terrestrial angels with the (Divine) Majesty as to making our Father (Adam) the Vicegerent.
چون نظر در پیش افکند او بدید ** آنچ خواهد بود تا محشر پدید
When he casts his eye forward he sees plainly that which shall be (all that shall come to pass) till the (Last) Congregation.
پس ز پس می‌بیند او تا اصل اصل ** پیش می‌بیند عیان تا روز فصل
Therefore he sees back to the root of the root (the primal origin), and he sees forward clairvoyantly to the Day of Decision.
هر کسی اندازه‌ی روشن‌دلی ** غیب را بیند به قدر صیقلی
Every one, according to the measure of his spiritual enlightenment, sees the things unseen in proportion to the polishing (of the heart's mirror).
هر که صیقل بیش کرد او بیش دید ** بیشتر آمد برو صورت پدید2910
The more he polishes, the more he sees and the more visible does the form (of things unseen) become to him.