تا بود تابان شکوفه چون زره ** کی کند آن میوهها پیدا گره
So long as the blossom is shining like a coat of mail, how should the fruits display their knobs?
چون شکوفه ریخت میوه سر کند ** چون که تن بشکست جان سر بر زند
When the blossom is shed, the fruit comes to a head: when the body is shattered, the spirit lifts up its head.
میوه معنی و شکوفه صورتش ** آن شکوفه مژده میوه نعمتش2930
The fruit is the reality, the blossom is its form: the blossom is the good news, the fruit is the bounty (given as a reward) for it.
چون شکوفه ریخت میوه شد پدید ** چون که آن کم شد شد این اندر مزید
When the blossom was shed, the fruit became visible: when that diminished this began to increase.
تا که نان نشکست قوت کی دهد ** ناشکسته خوشهها کی مَیْ دهد
How should bread give strength until it is broken? How should uncrushed clusters (of grapes) yield wine?
تا هلیله نشکند با ادویه ** کی شود خود صحت افزا ادویه
Unless myrobalan is pounded up with medicines, how should the medicines by themselves become health-increasing (act as tonics)?
در صفت پیر و مطاوعت وی
Concerning the qualities of the Pír (Spiritual Guide) and (the duty of) obedience to him.
ای ضیاء الحق حسام الدین بگیر ** یک دو کاغذ بر فزا در وصف پیر
O Splendour of the Truth, Husámu’ddín, take one or two sheets of paper and add (them to the poem) in description of the Pír.
گر چه جسم نازکت را زور نیست ** لیک بیخورشید ما را نور نیست2935
Although thy slender body hath no strength, yet without the sun (of thy spirit) we have no light.
گر چه مصباح و زجاجه گشتهای ** لیک سر خیل دلی سر رشتهای
Although thou hast become the lighted wick and the glass (lamp), yet thou art the heart's leader (the Spiritual Guide): thou art the end of the thread (which serves as a clue).
چون سر رشته به دست و کام تست ** درهای عقد دل ز انعام تست
Inasmuch as the end of the thread is in thy hand and will, the pearls (of spiritual knowledge) on the heart's necklace are (derived) from thy bounty.
بر نویس احوال پیر راهدان ** پیر را بگزین و عین راه دان
Write down what appertains to the Pír (Guide) who knows the Way:—Choose the Pír and regard him as the essence of the Way.
پیر تابستان و خلقان تیر ماه ** خلق مانند شباند و پیر ماه
The Pír is (like) summer, and (other) people are (like) the autumn month; (other) people are like night, and the Pír is the moon.
کردهام بخت جوان را نام پیر ** کاو ز حق پیر است نز ایام پیر2940
I have bestowed on (my) young Fortune (Husámu’ddín) the name of Pír (old), because he is (made) old by the Truth, not (made) old by Time.
او چنان پیری است کش آغاز نیست ** با چنان در یتیم انباز نیست
So old is he that he hath no beginning: there is no rival to such a unique Pearl.
خود قویتر میشود خمر کهن ** خاصه آن خمری که باشد من لدن
Verily, old wine grows more potent, especially the wine that is the presence of God.
پیر را بگزین که بیپیر این سفر ** هست بس پر آفت و خوف و خطر
Choose a Pír, for without a Pír this journey is exceeding full of woe and affright and danger.
آن رهی که بارها تو رفتهای ** بیقلاووز اندر آن آشفتهای
Without an escort you are bewildered (even) on a road you have travelled many times (before):
پس رهی را که ندیده ستی تو هیچ ** هین مرو تنها ز رهبر سر مپیچ2945
Do not, then, travel alone on a Way that you have not seen at all, do not turn your head away from the Guide.
گر نباشد سایهی او بر تو گول ** پس ترا سر گشته دارد بانگ غول
Fool, if his shadow (protection) be not over you, then the cry of the ghoul will keep you (wandering about) with your head in a whirl.
غولت از ره افکند اندر گزند ** از تو داهیتر در این ره بس بدند
The ghoul will (entice you) from the Way (and) cast you into destruction: there have been in this Way many craftier than you (who have perished miserably).
از نبی بشنو ضلال رهروان ** که چشان کرد آن بلیس بد روان
Hear (learn) from the Qur’án the perdition of the wayfarers, what the evil-souled Iblís did unto them:
صد هزاران ساله راه از جاده دور ** بردشان و کردشان ادبار و عور
He carried them far—a journey of hundreds of thousands of years—from the Highway, and made them backsliders and naked (devoid of good works).
استخوانهاشان ببین و مویشان ** عبرتی گیر و مران خر سویشان2950
Behold their bones and their hair! Take warning, and drive not your ass towards them!
گردن خر گیر و سوی راه کش ** سوی رهبانان و ره دانان خوش
Seize the neck of your ass (the flesh) and lead him towards the Way, towards the good keepers and knowers of the Way.
هین مهل خر را و دست از وی مدار ** ز آن که عشق اوست سوی سبزهزار
Beware! do not let your ass go, and do not remove your hand from him, because his love is for the place where green herbs are plentiful.
گر یکی دم تو به غفلت واهلیش ** او رود فرسنگها سوی حشیش
If you carelessly leave him free for one moment, he will go (many) leagues in the direction of the herbage.
دشمن راه است خر مست علف ** ای که بس خر بنده را کرد او تلف
The ass is an enemy to the Way, (he is) madly in love with fodder: oh, many is the attendant on him that he has brought to ruin!
گر ندانی ره هر آن چه خر بخواست ** عکس آن کن خود بود آن راه راست2955
If you know not the Way, whatsoever the ass desires, do the contrary thereof: that, surely, will be the right Way.
شاوروهن پس آن گه خالفوا ** إن من لم یعصهن تالف
(The Prophet said), “Consult them (women), and then oppose (them in what they advise): he that disobeys them not will be ruined.”
با هوا و آرزو کم باش دوست ** چون یضلک عن سبیل الله اوست
Be not a friend to (sensual) passion and desire, since it leads you astray from the Way of God.
این هوا را نشکند اندر جهان ** هیچ چیزی همچو سایهی همرهان
Nothing in the world will break (mortify) this passion like the shadow (protection) of fellow-travellers.
وصیت کردن رسول صلی الله علیه و اله و سلم علی را علیه السلام که چون هر کسی به نوع طاعتی تقرب جوید به حق تو تقرب جوی به نصیحت عاقل و بندهی خاص تا از همه پیش قدم تر باشی
How the Prophet, on whom be peace, enjoined ‘Alí—may God make his person honoured—saying, “When every one seeks to draw nigh to God by means of some kind of devotional act, do thou seek the favour of God by associating with His wise and chosen servant, that thou mayst be the first of all to arrive (to gain access to Him).”
گفت پیغمبر علی را کای علی ** شیر حقی پهلوانی پر دلی
The Prophet said to ‘Alí, “O ‘Alí, thou art the Lion of God, thou art a courageous knight,
لیک بر شیری مکن هم اعتماد ** اندر آ در سایهی نخل امید2960
But do not even rely upon thy lion-heartedness: come into the shade of the palm tree of hope.
اندر آ در سایهی آن عاقلی ** کش نداند برد از ره ناقلی
Come into the shade (protection) of the Sage whom no conveyer can carry off from the Way.
ظل او اندر زمین چون کوه قاف ** روح او سیمرغ بس عالی طواف
His shadow on the earth is like Mount Qáf, his spirit is (like) the Símurgh that circles (soars) exceedingly high.
گر بگویم تا قیامت نعت او ** هیچ آن را مقطع و غایت مجو
If I should tell of his qualities until the Resurrection, do not seek (expect) any conclusion and end to them.
در بشر رو پوش کرده ست آفتاب ** فهم کن و الله اعلم بالصواب
The (Divine) Sun has veiled Himself in Man: apprehend (this mystery), and God knows best what is right.
یا علی از جملهی طاعات راه ** بر گزین تو سایهی خاص اله2965
O ‘Alí, above all devotional acts in the Way (of God) do thou choose the shadow (protection) of the chosen favourite of God.
هر کسی در طاعتی بگریختند ** خویشتن را مخلصی انگیختند
Every one took refuge in some act of devotion and discovered for themselves some means of deliverance.
تو برو در سایهی عاقل گریز ** تا رهی ز آن دشمن پنهٱن ستیز
Go thou, take refuge in the shadow of the Sage, that thou mayst escape from the Enemy that opposes (thee) in secret.
از همه طاعات اینت بهتر است ** سبق یابی بر هر آن سابق که هست
Of all acts of devotion this is the best for thee: (thereby) thou wilt gain precedence over every one that has outstripped (the rest).”
چون گرفتت پیر هین تسلیم شو ** همچو موسی زیر حکم خضر رو
When the Pír has accepted thee, take heed, surrender thyself (to him): go, like Moses, under the authority of Khizr.
صبر کن بر کار خضری بینفاق ** تا نگوید خضر رو هذا فراق2970
Bear patiently whatever is done by a Khizr who is without hypocrisy, in order that Khizr may not say, “Begone, this is (our) parting.”
گر چه کشتی بشکند تو دم مزن ** گر چه طفلی را کشد تو مو مکن
Though he stave in the boat, do not speak a word; though he kill a child, do not tear thy hair.
دست او را حق چو دست خویش خواند ** تا يد الله فوق أيدیهم براند
God has declared that his (the Pír's) hand is as His own, since He gave out (the words) the Hand of God is above their hands.
دست حق میراندش زندهش کند ** زنده چه بود جان پایندهش کند
The Hand of God causes him (the child) to die and (then) brings him to life. What of life? He makes him a spirit everlasting.
هر که تنها نادرا این ره برید ** هم به عون همت پیران رسید
If any one, by rare exception, traversed this Way alone (without a Pír), he arrived (at his goal) through the help of the spiritual influence of the Pírs.
دست پیر از غایبان کوتاه نیست ** دست او جز قبضهی الله نیست2975
The hand of the Pír is not withdrawn from the absent (those who are not under his authority): his hand is naught but the grasp of God.
غایبان را چون چنین خلعت دهند ** حاضران از غایبان لا شک بهند
Inasmuch as they give such a robe of honour to the absent, (what must they give their disciples?): undoubtedly the present are better than the absent.
غایبان را چون نواله میدهند ** پیش مهمان تا چه نعمتها نهند
Since they are bestowing (spiritual) food on the absent, see what bounties they must lay before the guest.