حرفهای طرفه بر لوح خیال ** بر نوشته چشم و عارض خد و خال
On the tablet of phantasy Thou inscribest wondrous letters— eye and profile and cheek and mole.
بر عدم باشم نه بر موجود مست ** زانک معشوق عدم وافی‌ترست 315
I am drunken with desire for non-existence, not for the existent, because the Beloved of (the world of) non-existence is more faithful.
عقل را خط خوان آن اشکال کرد ** تا دهد تدبیرها را زان نورد
He (God) made the intellect a reader of those figured characters, that thereby He might put an end to its contrivances.
تمثیل لوح محفوظ و ادراک عقل هر کسی از آن لوح آنک امر و قسمت و مقدور هر روزه‌ی ویست هم چون ادراک جبرئیل علیه‌السلام هر روزی از لوح اعظم عقل مثال جبرئیلست و نظر او به تفکر به سوی غیبی که معهود اوست در تفکر و اندیشه‌ی کیفیت معاش و بیرون شو کارهای هر روزینه مانند نظر جبرئیلست در لوح و فهم کردن او از لوح
Comparison of the Guarded Tablet (the Logos), and the perception there from by every individual's mind of his daily fate and portion and lot, to the daily perception (of the Divine decree) by Gabriel, on whom be peace, from the Most Great Tablet.
چون ملک از لوح محفوظ آن خرد ** هر صباحی درس هر روزه برد
Like the Angel, the intellect receives (reads) every morning its daily lesson from the Guarded Tablet.
بر عدم تحریرها بین بی‌بنان ** و از سوادش حیرت سوداییان
Behold the inscriptions made without (use of) fingers upon non-existence and the amazement of the madmen at the blackness of them.
هر کسی شد بر خیالی ریش گاو ** گشته در سودای گنجی کنج‌کاو
Every one is infatuated with some phantasy and digs in corners in mad desire for a (buried) treasure.
از خیالی گشته شخصی پرشکوه ** روی آورده به معدنهای کوه 320
By a phantasy one person is filled with (desire for) magnificence and turns his face towards the mines (of precious ore) in the mountains;
وز خیالی آن دگر با جهد مر ** رو نهاده سوی دریا بهر در
And, (inspired) by a phantasy, another sets his face with bitter toil towards the sea for the sake of pearls;
وآن دگر بهر ترهب در کنشت ** وآن یکی اندر حریصی سوی کشت
And another (goes) into a church to perform religious exercises, while another (betakes himself) to sowing in his greed (for gain).
از خیال آن ره‌زن رسته شده ** وز خیال این مرهم خسته شده
Through phantasy that one becomes the waylayer (destroyer) of him who has escaped (unhurt); and through phantasy this (other) becomes the salve (deliverer) of him who has been (sorely) wounded.
در پری‌خوانی یکی دل کرده گم ** بر نجوم آن دیگری بنهاده سم
One loses his soul in the invocation of demons, while another sets his foot upon the stars.
این روشها مختلف بیند برون ** زان خیالات ملون ز اندرون 325
He (the observer) sees that these modes of action in the external world are diverse (since they arise) from the various phantasies within.
این در آن حیران شده کان بر چیست ** هر چشنده آن دگر را نافیست
This man (engaged in some occupation) is amazed at that man (occupied with something else) and says, “What is he about?” Every taster denies the other (whose taste is different).
آن خیالات ار نبد نامتلف ** چون ز بیرون شد روشها مختلف
Unless those phantasies were incongruous, how did the modes of action become diverse externally?
قبله‌ی جان را چو پنهان کرده‌اند ** هر کسی رو جانبی آورده‌اند
Since the qibla (the true object) of the soul has been hidden, every one has turned his face to a (different) quarter.
تمثیل روشهای مختلف و همتهای گوناگون به اختلاف تحری متحریان در وقت نماز قبله را در وقت تاریکی و تحری غواصان در قعر بحر
Comparison of the different practices and the various aspirations (of mankind) to the disagreement of those who at prayer-time endeavour to find the qibla (direction of Mecca) when it is dark, and to the search of divers (for pearls) at the bottom of the sea.
هم‌چو قومی که تحری می‌کنند ** بر خیال قبله سویی می‌تنند
(They are) like folk trying to find (the direction of the Ka‘ba) and (each) turning in a certain direction which they fancy is the qibla:
چونک کعبه رو نماید صبحگاه ** کشف گردد که کی گم کردست راه 330
When at dawn the Ka‘ba appears, it is discovered who has lost the (right) way;
یا چو غواصان به زیر قعر آب ** هر کسی چیزی همی‌چیند شتاب
Or like divers under the depth of the (sea)-water, every one (of whom) picks up something in haste:
بر امید گوهر و در ثمین ** توبره پر می‌کنند از آن و این
In hope of (getting) precious jewels and pearls, they fill their bags with that and this;
چون بر آیند از تگ دریای ژرف ** کشف گردد صاحب در شگرف
When they come up from the floor of the deep sea, the possessor of the great pearls is discovered,
وآن دگر که برد مروارید خرد ** وآن دگر که سنگ‌ریزه و شبه برد
And (also) the other who got the small pearls, and the other who got (only) pebbles and worthless shells.
هکذی یبلوهم بالساهره ** فتنة ذات افتضاح قاهره 335
Even thus in the Sáhira (place of Judgement) a shameful overwhelming tribulation will afflict them (the followers of phantasy).
هم‌چنین هر قوم چون پروانگان ** گرد شمعی پرزنان اندر جهان
Similarly, every class of people in the world are fluttering like moths round a candle.
خویشتن بر آتشی برمی‌زنند ** گرد شمع خود طوافی می‌کنند
They attach themselves to a fire and circle round their own candle
بر امید آتش موسی بخت ** کز لهیبش سبزتر گردد درخت
In the hope of (gaining) the blessed fire of Moses, by the flame whereof the tree is made more green (flourishing).