لحظه‌‌ای ماهم کند یک دم سیاه ** خود چه باشد غیر این کار اله2465
At one moment He makes me a moon, at another black.” How, indeed, is the action of God other than this?
پیش چوگانهای حکم کن فکان ** می‌‌دویم اندر مکان و لامکان
Before the (blows of the) bat of His decree, “Be, and it was,” we are running (like balls) in Space and beyond.
چون که بی‌‌رنگی اسیر رنگ شد ** موسیی با موسیی در جنگ شد
Since colourlessness (pure Unity) became the captive of colour (manifestation in the phenomenal world), a Moses came into conflict with a Moses.
چون به بی‌‌رنگی رسی کان داشتی ** موسی و فرعون دارند آشتی
When you attain unto the colourlessness which you (originally) possessed, Moses and Pharaoh are at peace (with each other).
گر ترا آید بر این نکته سؤال ** رنگ کی خالی بود از قیل و قال
If it occurs to you to ask questions about this mystery, (I reply), how should (the world of) colour be devoid of contradiction?
این عجب کاین رنگ از بی‌‌رنگ خاست ** رنگ با بی‌‌رنگ چون در جنگ خاست2470
The marvel is that this colour arose from that which is colourless: how did colour arise to war with the colourless?
چون که روغن را ز آب اسرشته‌‌اند ** آب با روغن چرا ضد گشته‌‌اند
The original source of oil (the oil producing tree) is made to grow by means of water: how (then) does it (oil) finally become opposed to water?
چون گل از خار است و خار از گل چرا ** هر دو در جنگند و اندر ماجرا
Since the rose springs from the thorn, and the thorn from the rose, why are both of them at war and (engaged) in recrimination?
یا نه جنگ است این برای حکمت است ** همچو جنگ خر فروشان صنعت است
Or is this not (really) war? Is it for (the Divine) purpose, (and is it) an artifice, like the bickering of those who sell asses?
یا نه این است و نه آن حیرانی است ** گنج باید جست این ویرانی است
Or is it neither this nor that? Is it bewilderment? The treasure must be sought and this (bewilderment) is the ruin (where it is hidden).
آن چه تو گنجش توهم می‌‌کنی ** ز آن توهم گنج را گم می‌‌کنی2475
That which you imagine to be the treasure—through that vain imagination you are losing the treasure.
چون عمارت دان تو وهم و رایها ** گنج نبود در عمارت جایها
Know that fancies and opinions are like the state of cultivation: treasure is not (to be found) in cultivated spots.
در عمارت هستی و جنگی بود ** نیست را از هستها ننگی بود
In the state of cultivation there is existence and strife (contrariety): the non-existent is ashamed of (all) existent things.
نی که هست از نیستی فریاد کرد ** بلکه نیست آن هست را واداد کرد
It is not the case that the existent implored help against (sought to escape from) nonexistence; nay, (’twas) the non-existent (that) repelled the existent.
تو مگو که من گریزانم ز نیست ** بلکه او از تو گریزان است بیست
Do not say, “I am fleeing from the non-existent”; nay, it is fleeing from you. Stop! (Do not fancy yourself to be fleeing.)
ظاهرا می‌‌خواندت او سوی خود ** وز درون می‌‌راندت با چوب رد2480
Outwardly it is calling you towards itself, but inwardly it is driving you away with the cudgel of rejection.
نعلهای باژگونه ست ای سلیم ** نفرت فرعون می‌‌دان از کلیم
O man of sound heart (mind), ’tis (a case of) reversed shoes: know that Pharaoh's abhorrence (of Moses) was (really) from (caused by) Moses.
سبب حرمان اشقیا از دو جهان که خسر الدنیا و الآخرة
The reason why the unblest are disappointed of both worlds, (according to the text) “he has lost this life and the life to come.”
چون حکیمک اعتقادی کرده است ** کاسمان بیضه زمین چون زرده است
The wretched philosopher being firmly convinced that the sky is an egg and the earth like its yolk,
گفت سائل چون بماند این خاکدان ** در میان این محیط آسمان
Some one asked him how this earth remains, in the midst of this surrounding expanse of sky,
همچو قندیلی معلق در هوا ** نی به اسفل می‌‌رود نی بر علی
Suspended in the air like a lamp, moving neither to the bottom nor to the top.
آن حکیمش گفت کز جذب سما ** از جهات شش بماند اندر هوا2485
The philosopher said to him, “It remains in the air because of the attraction exerted by the sky from (all) six directions.
چون ز مغناطیس قبه‌‌ی ریخته ** در میان ماند آهنی آویخته
(The sky is) like a vault moulded (made) of lodestone: (the earth like) a suspended piece of iron remains in the middle.”
آن دگر گفت آسمان با صفا ** کی کشد در خود زمین تیره را
Said the other, “How should the pure sky draw the dark earth to itself?
بلکه دفعش می‌‌کند از شش جهات ** ز آن بماند اندر میان عاصفات
Nay, it is repelling it (the earth) from (all) six directions: hence it (the earth) remains (suspended) amidst the violent winds (currents).”
پس ز دفع خاطر اهل کمال ** جان فرعونان بماند اندر ضلال
(Similarly), then, because of the repulsion exerted by the hearts of the perfect (saints), the spirits of Pharaohs remain in perdition.
پس ز دفع این جهان و آن جهان ** مانده‌‌اند این بی‌‌رهان بی‌‌این و آن2490
Therefore, through being rejected by this world and by that world, these lost ones have been left without either this or that.
سرکشی از بندگان ذو الجلال ** دان که دارند از وجود تو ملال
If you turn away your head from the (holy) servants of the Almighty, know that they are disgusted by your existence.
کهربا دارند چون پیدا کنند ** کاه هستی ترا شیدا کنند
They possess the amber: when they display it, they make the straw of your existence frenzied (with desire for it).
When they conceal their amber, they quickly make your submission (to God) rebellion (against Him).
آن چنان که مرتبه‌‌ی حیوانی است ** کاو اسیر و سغبه‌‌ی انسانی است
That (position which you hold in relation to them) is like the stage of animality, which is captive and subject to (the stage of) humanity.
مرتبه‌‌ی انسان به دست اولیا ** سغبه چون حیوان شناسش ای کیا2495
Know that the stage of humanity is subject to the power of the saints as the animal (is subject to man), O master.
بنده‌‌ی خود خواند احمد در رشاد ** جمله عالم را بخوان قل یا عباد
Ahmad (Mohammed) in righteousness called (the people of) the whole world his servants: read (the text), “Say, O My servants.”
عقل تو همچون شتربان تو شتر ** می‌‌کشاند هر طرف در حکم مر
Your intellect is like the camel-driver, and you are the camel: it drives you in every direction under its bitter control.
عقل عقلند اولیا و عقلها ** بر مثال اشتران تا انتها
The saints are the intellect of intellect, and (all) intellects (from the beginning) to the end are (under their control) like camels.
اندر ایشان بنگر آخر ز اعتبار ** یک قلاووز است جان صد هزار
Come now, look upon them with (profound) consideration: there is (but) one guide, and a hundred thousand souls (following him).
چه قلاووز و چه اشیربان بیاب ** دیده‌ای کان دیده بیند آفتاب2500
What is the guide and what the camel-driver? Get thee an eye that may behold the Sun!
نک جهان در شب بمانده میخ دوز ** منتظر موقوف خورشید است و روز
A world has been left nailed fast in night, waiting expectantly, depending on the sun and the day.
اینت خورشیدی نهان در ذره‌‌ای ** شیر نر در پوستین بره‌‌ای
Here is a sun hidden in a mote, a fierce lion in the fleece of a lamb.
اینت دریایی نهان در زیر کاه ** پا بر این که هین منه با اشتباه
Here is an ocean hidden beneath straw: beware, do not step on this straw with hesitancy.
اشتباهی و گمانی در درون ** رحمت حق است بهر رهنمون
(But) a feeling of hesitancy and doubt in the heart (of the foolish) is a Divine mercy in regard to the (spiritual) guide.
هر پیمبر فرد آمد در جهان ** فرد بود و صد جهانش در نهان2505
Every prophet came alone into this world: that Guide was inwardly alone, and (yet) he had a hundred unseen worlds within him.
عالم کبری به قدرت سحر کرد ** کرد خود را در کهین نقشی نورد
By his power he enchanted the macrocosm (universe), he enfolded himself in a very small frame.
ابلهانش فرد دیدند و ضعیف ** کی ضعیف است آن که با شه شد حریف
The foolish deemed him to be lonely and weak: how is he weak who has become the King's companion?
ابلهان گفتند مردی بیش نیست ** وای آن کاو عاقبت اندیش نیست
The foolish said, “He is a man, nothing more”: woe to him that recks not of the end!
حقیر و بی‌‌خصم دیدن دیده‌‌های حس صالح و ناقه‌‌ی صالح را، چون خواهد که حق لشکری را هلاک کند در نظر ایشان حقیر نماید خصمان را و اندک اگر چه غالب باشد آن خصم و يقللکم فی أعينهم ليقضي الله أمرا کان مفعولا
How the eyes of (external) sense regarded Sálih and his she-camel as despicable and without a champion; (for) when God is about to destroy an army He makes their adversaries appear despicable and few in their sight, even though the adversary be superior in strength: “and He was making you few in their eyes, that God might bring to pass a thing that was to be done.”
ناقه‌‌ی صالح به صورت بد شتر ** پی بریدندش ز جهل آن قوم مر
The she-camel of Sálih was in (outward) form a camel: that bitter (graceless) tribe hamstrung (and slaughtered) her in their folly.
از برای آب چون خصمش شدند ** نان کور و آب کور ایشان بدند2510
When they became her foes on account of the water (which she shared with them), they were blind to bread and blind to water (ungrateful for the blessings of God).
ناقة الله آب خورد از جوی و میغ ** آب حق را داشتند از حق دریغ
God's she-camel drank water from brook and cloud: they (really) withheld God's water from God.
ناقه‌‌ی صالح چو جسم صالحان ** شد کمینی در هلاک طالحان
The she-camel of Sálih became, like the bodies of righteous men, an ambush for the destruction of the wicked,
تا بر آن امت ز حکم مرگ و درد ** ناقة الله و سقیاها چه کرد
That (you may see) what (the Divine command), Let God's she-camel have her portion of water, wrought against that people, through the ordainment of death and woe.