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چه عجب گر روح موطنهای خویش ** که بدستش مسکن و میلاد پیش
- What wonder (then) if the spirit does not remember its (ancient) abodes, which have been its dwelling-place and birthplace aforetime,
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مینیارد یاد کین دنیا چو خواب ** میفرو پوشد چو اختر را سحاب
- Since this world, like sleep, is covering it over as clouds cover the stars? —
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خاصه چندین شهرها را کوفته ** گردها از درک او ناروفته
- Especially as it has trodden so many cities, and the dust has not (yet) been swept from its perceptive faculty,
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اجتهاد گرم ناکرده که تا ** دل شود صاف و ببیند ماجرا 3635
- Nor has it made ardent efforts that its heart should become pure and behold the past;
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سر برون آرد دلش از بخش راز ** اول و آخر ببیند چشم باز
- That its heart should put forth its head (peep forth) from the aperture of the mystery and should see the beginning and the end with open eye.
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اطوار و منازل خلقت آدمی از ابتدا
- The diverse modes and stages of the nature of Man from the beginning.
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آمده اول به اقلیم جماد ** وز جمادی در نباتی اوفتاد
- First he came into the clime (world) of inorganic things, and from the state of inorganic things he passed into the vegetable state.
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سالها اندر نباتی عمر کرد ** وز جمادی یاد ناورد از نبرد
- (Many) years he lived in the vegetable state and did not remember the inorganic state because of the opposition (between them);
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وز نباتی چون به حیوانی فتاد ** نامدش حال نباتی هیچ یاد
- And when he passed from the vegetable into the animal state, the vegetable state was not remembered by him at all,
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جز همین میلی که دارد سوی آن ** خاصه در وقت بهار و ضیمران 3640
- Save only for the inclination which he has towards that (state), especially in the season of spring and sweet herbs—
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همچو میل کودکان با مادران ** سر میل خود نداند در لبان
- Like the inclination of babes towards their mothers: it (the babe) does not know the secret of its desire for being suckled;
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همچو میل مفرط هر نو مرید ** سوی آن پیر جوانبخت مجید
- (Or) like the excessive inclination of every novice towards the noble spiritual Elder, whose fortune is young (and flourishing).
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جزو عقل این از آن عقل کلست ** جنبش این سایه زان شاخ گلست
- The particular intelligence of this (disciple) is derived from that Universal Intelligence: the motion of this shadow is derived from that Rose-bough.
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سایهاش فانی شود آخر درو ** پس بداند سر میل و جست و جو
- His (the disciple's) shadow disappears at last in him (the Master); then he knows the secret of his inclination and search and seeking.
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سایهی شاخ دگر ای نیکبخت ** کی بجنبد گر نجنبد این درخت 3645
- How should the shadow of the other's (the disciple's) bough move, O fortunate one, if this Tree move not?
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باز از حیوان سوی انسانیش ** میکشید آن خالقی که دانیش
- Again, the Creator, whom thou knowest, was leading him (Man) from the animal (state) towards humanity.
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همچنین اقلیم تا اقلیم رفت ** تا شد اکنون عاقل و دانا و زفت
- Thus did he advance from clime to clime (from one world of being to another), till he has now become intelligent and wise and mighty.
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عقلهای اولینش یاد نیست ** هم ازین عقلش تحول کردنیست
- He hath no remembrance of his former intelligences (souls); from this (human) intelligence also there is a migration to be made by him,
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تا رهد زین عقل پر حرص و طلب ** صد هزاران عقل بیند بوالعجب
- That he may escape from this intelligence full of greed and self-seeking and may behold a hundred thousand intelligences most marvellous.
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گر چو خفته گشت و شد ناسی ز پیش ** کی گذارندش در آن نسیان خویش 3650
- Though he fell asleep and became oblivious of the past, how should they leave him in that self-forgetfulness?
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باز از آن خوابش به بیداری کشند ** که کند بر حالت خود ریشخند
- From that sleep they will bring him back again to wakefulness, that he may mock at his (present) state,
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که چه غم بود آنک میخوردم به خواب ** چون فراموشم شد احوال صواب
- Saying, “What was that sorrow I was suffering in my sleep? How did I forget the states of truth (the real experiences)?
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چون ندانستم که آن غم و اعتلال ** فعل خوابست و فریبست و خیال
- How did not I know that that sorrow and disease is the effect of sleep and is illusion and phantasy?”
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همچنان دنیا که حلم نایمست ** خفته پندارد که این خود دایمست
- Even so this world, which is the sleeper's dream: the sleeper fancies that it is really enduring,
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تا بر آید ناگهان صبح اجل ** وا رهد از ظلمت ظن و دغل 3655
- Till on a sudden there shall rise the dawn of Death and he shall be delivered from the darkness of opinion and falsehood.
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خندهاش گیرد از آن غمهای خویش ** چون ببیند مستقر و جای خویش
- (Then) laughter at those sorrows of his will take possession of him when he sees his permanent abode and dwelling-place.