در ره آمد بعد تاخیر دراز ** تا به گوش شیر گوید یک دو راز
After long delay he came on (took) the road, that he might say one or two secrets into the ear of the lion.
تا چه عالمهاست در سودای عقل ** تا چه با پهناست این دریای عقل
Think what words are in the core (inmost consciousness) of Reason.
صورت ما اندر این بحر عذاب ** می‌‌دود چون کاسه‌‌ها بر روی آب1110
In this sweet ocean our forms are moving fast, like cups on the surface of water:
تا نشد پر بر سر دریا چو طشت ** چون که پر شد طشت در وی غرق گشت
Until they become full, (they float) like bowls on the top of the sea, (but) when the bowl is filled it sinks therein.
عقل پنهان است و ظاهر عالمی ** صورت ما موج یا از وی نمی
Reason is hidden, and (only) a world (of phenomena) is visible: our forms are the waves or a spray of it (of that hidden ocean).
هر چه صورت می وسیلت سازدش ** ز آن وسیلت بحر دور اندازدش
Whatsoever (thing) the form makes (uses as) a means of approach to It (to Reason), by that (same) means the ocean (of Reason) casts it (the form) far away.
تا نبیند دل دهنده‌‌ی راز را ** تا نبیند تیر دور انداز را
So long as the heart does not see the Giver of (its) conscience, so long as the arrow does not see the far-shooting Archer,
اسب خود را یاوه داند وز ستیز ** می‌‌دواند اسب خود در راه تیز1115
He (who is thus blind) thinks his horse is lost, though (all the while) he is obstinately speeding his horse on the road.
اسب خود را یاوه داند آن جواد ** و اسب خود او را کشان کرده چو باد
That fine fellow thinks his horse is lost, while the horse in truth is sweeping him onward like the wind.
در فغان و جستجو آن خیره‌‌سر ** هر طرف پرسان و جویان دربدر
In lamentation and inquiry that scatterbrain (runs) from door to door in every direction, asking and searching:
کان که دزدید اسب ما را کو و کیست ** این که زیر ران تست ای خواجه چیست
“Where and who is he that stole my horse?” What is this (animal) under thy thigh, O master?
آری این اسب است لیک این اسب کو ** با خود آ ای شهسوار اسب جو
“Yes, this is the horse, but where is this horse?” O dexterous rider in search of thy horse, come to thyself!
جان ز پیدایی و نزدیکی است گم ** چون شکم پر آب و لب خشکی چو خم1120
The Spirit is lost (to view) because of its being so manifest and near: how, having thy belly full of water, art thou dry-lipped like a jar?
کی ببینی سرخ و سبز و فور را ** تا نبینی پیش از این سه نور را
How wilt thou see red and green and russet, unless before (seeing) these three (colours) thou see the light?
لیک چون در رنگ گم شد هوش تو ** شد ز نور آن رنگها رو پوش تو
But since thy mind was lost (absorbed) in (perception of) the colour, those colours became to thee a veil from (debarred thee from contemplating) the light.
چون که شب آن رنگها مستور بود ** پس بدیدی دید رنگ از نور بود
Inasmuch as at night those colours were hidden, thou sawest that thy vision of the colour was (derived) from the light.
نیست دید رنگ بی‌‌نور برون ** همچنین رنگ خیال اندرون
There is no vision of colour without the external light: even so it is with the colour of inward phantasy.
این برون از آفتاب و از سها ** و اندرون از عکس انوار علی1125
This outward (light) is (derived) from the sun and from Suhá, while the inward (light) is from the reflexion of the beams of (Divine) Glory.
نور نور چشم خود نور دل است ** نور چشم از نور دلها حاصل است
The light which gives light to the eye is in truth the light of the heart: the light of the eye is produced by the light of hearts.
باز نور نور دل نور خداست ** کاو ز نور عقل و حس پاک و جداست
Again, the light which gives light to the heart is the Light of God, which is pure and separate from the light of intellect and sense.
شب نبد نوری ندیدی رنگها ** پس به ضد نور پیدا شد ترا
At night there was no light and thou didst not see the colours; then it (the light) was made manifest by the opposite of light (by darkness).
دیدن نور است آن گه دید رنگ ** وین به ضد نور دانی بی‌‌درنگ
(First) comes the seeing of light, then the seeing of colour; and this thou knowest immediately by the opposite of light (darkness).
رنج و غم را حق پی آن آفرید ** تا بدین ضد خوش دلی آید پدید1130
God created pain and sorrow for the purpose that happiness might be made manifest by means of this opposite.
پس نهانیها به ضد پیدا شود ** چون که حق را نیست ضد پنهان بود
Hidden things, then, are manifested by means of their opposite; since God hath no opposite, He is hidden;
که نظر بر نور بود آن گه به رنگ ** ضد به ضد پیدا بود چون روم و زنگ
For the sight fell (first) on the light, then on the colour: opposite is made manifest by opposite, like Greeks and Ethiopians.
پس به ضد نور دانستی تو نور ** ضد ضد را می‌‌نماید در صدور
Therefore thou knewest light by its opposite: opposite reveals opposite in (the process of) coming forth.
نور حق را نیست ضدی در وجود ** تا به ضد او را توان پیدا نمود
The Light of God hath no opposite in (all) existence, that by means of that opposite it should be possible to make Him manifest:
لاجرم أبصارنا لا تدرکه ** و هو یدرک بین تو از موسی و که1135
Necessarily (therefore) our eyes do not perceive Him, though He perceives (us): see this (fact) from (the case of) Moses and the mountain (Sinai).
صورت از معنی چو شیر از بیشه دان ** یا چو آواز و سخن ز اندیشه دان
Know that form springs from spirit (reality) as the lion from the jungle, or as voice and speech from thought.
این سخن و آواز از اندیشه خاست ** تو ندانی بحر اندیشه کجاست
This speech and voice arose from thought; thou knowest not where is the sea of thought,
لیک چون موج سخن دیدی لطیف ** بحر آن دانی که باشد هم شریف
But since thou hast seen that the waves of speech are fair, thou knowest that their sea also is noble.
چون ز دانش موج اندیشه بتاخت ** از سخن و آواز او صورت بساخت
When the waves of thought sped on from (the sea of) Wisdom, it (Wisdom) made (for them) the form of speech and voice.
از سخن صورت بزاد و باز مرد ** موج خود را باز اندر بحر برد1140
The form was born of the Word and died again, the wave drew itself back into the sea.
صورت از بی‌‌صورتی آمد برون ** باز شد که إنا إليه راجعون
The form came forth from Formlessness and went back (thither), for Verily unto Him are we returning.
پس ترا هر لحظه مرگ و رجعتی است ** مصطفی فرمود دنیا ساعتی است
Every instant, then, thou art dying and returning: Mustafá declared that this world is (but) a moment.
فکر ما تیری است از هو در هوا ** در هوا کی پاید آید تا خدا
Our thought is an arrow (shot) from Him (Hú) into the air (hawá): how should it stay in the air? It comes (back) to God.
هر نفس نو می‌‌شود دنیا و ما ** بی‌‌خبر از نو شدن اندر بقا
Every moment the world is renewed, and we are unaware of its being renewed whilst it remains (the same in appearance).
عمر همچون جوی نو نو می‌‌رسد ** مستمری می‌‌نماید در جسد1145
Life is ever arriving anew, like the stream, though in the body it has the semblance of continuity.
آن ز تیری مستمر شکل آمده ست ** چون شرر کش تیز جنبانی به دست
From its swiftness it appears continuous, like the spark which thou whirlest rapidly with thy hand.
شاخ آتش را بجنبانی به ساز ** در نظر آتش نماید بس دراز
If thou whirl a firebrand with dexterity, it appears to the sight as a very long (line of) fire.
این درازی مدت از تیزی صنع ** می‌‌نماید سرعت انگیزی صنع
The swift motion produced by the action of God presents this length of duration (Time) as (a phenomenon arising) from the rapidity of Divine action.
طالب این سر اگر علامه‌‌ای است ** نک حسام الدین که سامی نامه‌‌ای است
Even if the seeker of this mystery is an exceedingly learned man, (say to him), “Lo, Husámu’ddín, who is a sublime book (where you will find the mystery revealed).”
رسیدن خرگوش به شیر و خشم شیر بر وی
The hare's coming to the lion and the lion's anger with him.
شیر اندر آتش و در خشم و شور ** دید کان خرگوش می‌‌آید ز دور1150
The lion, incensed and wrathful and frantic, saw the hare coming from afar,
می‌‌دود بی‌‌دهشت و گستاخ او ** خشمگین و تند و تیز و ترش رو
Running undismayed and confidently, looking angry and fierce and fell and sour,
کز شکسته آمدن تهمت بود ** وز دلیری دفع هر ریبت بود
For by coming humbly (he thought) suspicion would be (excited), while by boldness every cause of doubt would be removed.
چون رسید او پیشتر نزدیک صف ** بانگ بر زد شیرهای ای ناخلف
When he came further on, near to the “shoe-row,” the lion shouted—“Ha, villain!
من که گاوان را ز هم بدریده‌‌ام ** من که گوش پیل نر مالیده‌‌ام
I who have torn elephants limb from limb, I who have rubbed the ear of (chastised and vanquished) the ferocious lion—
نیم خرگوشی که باشد که چنین ** امر ما را افکند او بر زمین1155
Who (what) is a half-witted (feeble) hare, that he should thus throw on the ground (disregard) my behest?”
ترک خواب غفلت خرگوش کن ** غره‌‌ی این شیر ای خر گوش کن
Abandon the hare's sleep of heedlessness! Give ear, O donkey, to the roaring of this lion!