لیک لعب بازگونه بود سخت ** پیش پای هر شقی و نیکبخت 425
But ’twas a very topsy-turvy (mystifying) game in the path of every one doomed to perdition or blessed with salvation.
هر که در آتش همی رفت و شرر ** از میان آب بر می‌کرد سر
Whoever went into the fire and sparks was emerging from the midst of the water;
هر که سوی آب می‌رفت از میان ** او در آتش یافت می‌شد در زمان
Whoever went from the middle towards the water, he was at once found to be in the fire;
هر که سوی راست شد و آب زلال ** سر ز آتش بر زد از سوی شمال
Whoever went towards the right (hand) and the limpid water would put forth his head from the fire on the left;
وانک شد سوی شمال آتشین ** سر برون می‌کرد از سوی یمین
And he who went towards the fiery left, would emerge on the right.
کم کسی بر سر این مضمر زدی ** لاجرم کم کس در آن آتش شدی 430
Few were they who hit upon (understood) the mystery of this occult (matter); consequently, seldom would any one go into the fire;
جز کسی که بر سرش اقبال ریخت ** کو رها کرد آب و در آتش گریخت
(None would go) except him upon whom felicity was shed, so that he abandoned the water and took refuge in the fire.
کرده ذوق نقد را معبود خلق ** لاجرم زین لعب مغبون بود خلق
The people made the pleasure that was actually present their object of worship; consequently the people were swindled by this game.
جوق‌جوق وصف صف از حرص و شتاب ** محترز ز آتش گریزان سوی آب
Troop by troop and rank by rank, (they were) on their guard against the fire and fleeing greedily and in haste towards the water.
لاجرم ز آتش برآوردند سر ** اعتبارالاعتبار ای بی‌خبر
Of necessity, they lifted up their heads (emerged) from (amidst) the fire. Take warning, take warning, O heedless man!
بانگ می‌زد آتش ای گیجان گول ** من نیم آتش منم چشمه‌ی قبول 435
The fire was crying, ‘O crazy fools, I am not fire, I am a delectable fountain.
چشم‌بندی کرده‌اند ای بی‌نظر ** در من آی و هیچ مگریز از شرر
A spell has been cast on thine eyes, O sightless one: come into me and never flee from the sparks.
ای خلیل اینجا شرار و دود نیست ** جز که سحر و خدعه‌ی نمرود نیست
O (thou who art as) Khalíl (Abraham), here are no sparks and smoke: ’tis naught but the sorcery and deceit of Nimrod.
چون خلیل حق اگر فرزانه‌ای ** آتش آب تست و تو پروانه‌ای
If, like the Friend of God, thou art wise, the fire is thy water, and thou art the moth.’”
جان پروانه همی‌دارد ندا ** کای دریغا صد هزارم پر بدی
The soul of the moth is always crying, “Oh, alas, would that I had a hundred thousand wings,
تا همی سوزید ز آتش بی‌امان ** کوری چشم و دل نامحرمان 440
That they might be consumed without mercy by the fire, to the blindness (confusion) of the eyes and hearts of the profane!
بر من آرد رحم جاهل از خری ** من برو رحم آرم از بینش‌وری
The ignorant man pities me from stupidity: I pity him from clairvoyance.
خاصه این آتش که جان آبهاست ** کار پروانه به عکس کار ماست
Especially this fire (of Love), which is the soul of (all) waters (delights); (but) the behaviour of the (ignorant) moth is contrary to ours.
او ببینند نور و در ناری رود ** دل ببیند نار و در نوری شود
It sees the light and goes into a Fire; the heart (of the mystic) sees the fire and goes into a Light.”
این چنین لعب آمد از رب جلیل ** تا ببینی کیست از آل خلیل
Such a (deceptive) game is played by the Glorious God in order that you may see who belongs to the kin of Khalíl (Abraham).
آتشی را شکل آبی داده‌اند ** واندر آتش چشمه‌ای بگشاده‌اند 445
A fire has been given the semblance of water, and in the fire a fountain has been opened.
ساحری صحن برنجی را به فن ** صحن پر کرمی کند در انجمن
A magician by his art makes a dish of rice (appear to be) a dish full of (tiny) worms in the assembly;
خانه را او پر ز کزدمها نمود ** از دم سحر و خود آن کزدم نبود
(Or) by the breath (power) of magic he has caused a room to appear full of scorpions, though in truth there were no scorpions.
چونک جادو می‌نماید صد چنین ** چون بود دستان جادوآفرین
When sorcery produces a hundred such illusions, how (much greater) must be the cunning of the Creator of sorcery?
لاجرم از سحر یزدان قرن قرن ** اندر افتادند چون زن زیر پهن
Of necessity, through the magic of God generation after generation have fallen down (been vanquished), like a woman (lying) flat beneath (sub marito). [Of necessity, through the magic of God generation after generation have fallen down (been vanquished), like a woman (lying) flat beneath (under her husband).]