Like (polished) iron, lose the ferruginous colour; become in thy ascetic discipline (like) a mirror without rust.
خویش را صافی کن از اوصاف خود ** تا ببینی ذات پاک صاف خود3460
Make thyself pure from the attributes of self, that thou mayst behold thine own pure untarnished essence,
بینی اندر دل علوم انبیا ** بی‌‌کتاب و بی‌‌معید و اوستا
And behold within thy heart (all) the sciences of the prophets, without book and without preceptor and master.
گفت پیغمبر که هست از امتم ** کاو بود هم گوهر و هم همتم
The Prophet said, “Amongst my people are some who are one with me in nature and aspiration:
مر مرا ز آن نور بیند جانشان ** که من ایشان را همی‌‌بینم بدان
Their spirits behold me by the same light by which I am beholding them.”
بی‌‌صحیحین و احادیث و رواه ** بلکه اندر مشرب آب حیات
Without the two Sahíhs and Traditions and Traditionists; nay, (they behold him) in the place where they drink the Water of Life.
سر امسینا لکردیا بدان ** راز اصبحنا عرابیا بخوان3465
Know the secret of “In the evening I was a Kurd”; read the mystery of “In the morning I was an Arab.”
ور مثالی خواهی از علم نهان ** قصه گو از رومیان و چینیان
And if you desire a parable of the hidden knowledge, relate the story of the Greeks and the Chinese.
قصه‌‌ی مری کردن رومیان و چینیان در علم نقاشی و صورتگری
The story of the contention between the Greeks and the Chinese in the art of painting and picturing.
چینیان گفتند ما نقاش‌‌تر ** رومیان گفتند ما را کر و فر
The Chinese said, “We are the better artists”; the Greeks said, “The (superiority in) power and excellence belongs to us.”
گفت سلطان امتحان خواهم در این ** کز شماها کیست در دعوی گزین
“I will put you to the test in this matter,” said the Sultan, “(and see) which of you are approved in your claim.”
اهل چین و روم چون حاضر شدند ** رومیان از بحث در مکث آمدند
When the Chinese and the Greeks presented themselves, the Greeks were more skilled in the knowledge (of the art of painting).
چینیان گفتند یک خانه به ما ** خاص بسپارید و یک آن شما3470
(Then) the Chinese said, “Hand over to us a particular room, and (let there be) one for you (as well).”
بود دو خانه مقابل دربدر ** ز آن یکی چینی ستد رومی دگر
There were two rooms with door facing door: the Chinese took one, the Greeks the other.
چینیان صد رنگ از شه خواستند ** پس خزینه باز کرد آن ارجمند
The Chinese requested the King to give them a hundred colours: then that excellent (king) opened the treasury.
هر صباحی از خزینه رنگها ** چینیان را راتبه بود از عطا
Every morning, by (his) bounty, the colours were dispensed from the treasury to the Chinese.
رومیان گفتند نی نقش و نه رنگ ** در خور آید کار را جز دفع زنگ
The Greeks said, “No tints and pictures are proper for our work, (nothing is needed) except to remove the rust.”
در فرو بستند و صیقل می‌‌زدند ** همچو گردون ساده و صافی شدند3475
They shut the door and went on burnishing: they became clear and pure like the sky.
از دو صد رنگی به بی‌‌رنگی رهی است ** رنگ چون ابر است و بی‌‌رنگی مهی است
There is a way from many-colouredness to colourlessness: colour is like the clouds, and colourlessness is a moon.
هر چه اندر ابر ضو بینی و تاب ** آن ز اختر دان و ماه و آفتاب
Whatsoever light and splendour you see in the clouds, know that it comes from the stars and the moon and the sun.
چینیان چون از عمل فارغ شدند ** از پی شادی دهلها می‌‌زدند
When the Chinese had finished their work, they were beating drums for joy.
شه در آمد دید آن جا نقشها ** می‌‌ربود آن عقل را و فهم را
The King entered and saw the pictures there: that (sight) was robbing him of his wits and understanding.
بعد از آن آمد به سوی رومیان ** پرده را بالا کشیدند از میان3480
After that, he came towards the Greeks: they drew up the intervening curtain.
عکس آن تصویر و آن کردارها ** زد بر این صافی شده دیوارها
The reflexion of those (Chinese) pictures and works (of art) struck upon these walls which had been made pure (from stain).
هر چه آن جا دید اینجا به نمود ** دیده را از دیده خانه می‌‌ربود
All that he had seen there (in the Chinese room) seemed more beautiful here: ’twas snatching the eye from the socket.
رومیان آن صوفیانند ای پدر ** بی‌‌ز تکرار و کتاب و بی‌‌هنر
The Greeks, O father, are the Súfís: (they are) without (independent of) study and books and erudition,
لیک صیقل کرده‌‌اند آن سینه‌‌ها ** پاک از آز و حرص و بخل و کینه‌‌ها
But they have burnished their breasts (and made them) pure from greed and cupidity and avarice and hatreds.
آن صفای آینه وصف دل است ** کاو نقوش بی‌‌عدد را قابل است3485
That purity of the mirror is the attribute of the heart (which) receives the infinite form.
صورت بی‌‌صورت بی‌‌حد غیب ** ز آینه‌‌ی دل تافت بر موسی ز جیب
That Moses (the perfect saint) holds in his bosom the formless infinite form of the Unseen (reflected) from the mirror of his heart.
گر چه آن صورت نگنجد در فلک ** نه به عرش و فرش و دریا و سمک
Although that form is not contained in Heaven, nor in the empyrean nor the earth nor the sea nor the Fish,
ز آن که محدود است و معدود است آن ** آینه‌‌ی دل را نباشد حد بدان
Because (all) those are bounded and numbered—(yet is it contained in the heart): know that the mirror of the heart hath no bound.
عقل اینجا ساکت آمد یا مضل ** ز آنکه دل با اوست یا خود اوست دل
Here the understanding becomes silent or (else) it leads into error, because the heart is with Him (God), or indeed the heart is He.
عکس هر نقشی نتابد تا ابد ** جز ز دل هم با عدد هم بی‌‌عدد3490
The reflexion of every image shines unto everlasting from the heart alone, both with plurality and without.
تا ابد هر نقش نو کاید بر او ** می‌‌نماید بی‌‌حجابی اندر او
Unto everlasting every new image that falls on it (the heart) is appearing therein without any veil.
اهل صیقل رسته‌‌اند از بوی و رنگ ** هر دمی بینند خوبی بی‌‌درنگ
They that burnish (their hearts) have escaped from (mere) scent and colour: they behold Beauty at every moment without tarrying.
نقش و قشر علم را بگذاشتند ** رایت عین الیقین افراشتند
They have relinquished the form and husk of knowledge, they have raised the banner of the eye of certainty.
رفت فکر و روشنایی یافتند ** نحر و بحر آشنایی یافتند
Thought is gone, and they have gained light: they have gained the throat (core and essence) and the sea (ultimate source) of gnosis.
مرگ کاین جمله از او در وحشت‌‌اند ** می‌‌کنند این قوم بر وی ریشخند3495
Death, of which all these (others) are sore afraid, this people (the perfect Súfís) are holding in derision.
کس نیابد بر دل ایشان ظفر ** بر صدف آید ضرر نی بر گهر
None gains the victory over their hearts: the hurt falls on the oyster-shell, not on the pearl.
گر چه نحو و فقه را بگذاشتند ** لیک محو و فقر را برداشتند
Though they have let go grammar (nahw) and jurisprudence (fiqh), yet they have taken up (instead) the (mystical) self-effacement of (spiritual) poverty (faqr).
تا نقوش هشت جنت تافته ست ** لوح دلشان را پذیرا یافته ست
Ever since the forms of the Eight Paradises have shone forth, they have found the tablets of their (the Súfís') hearts receptive.
برترند از عرش و کرسی و خلا ** ساکنان مقعد صدق خدا
They who dwell in God's seat of truth are higher than the Throne and the Footstool and the Void.
پرسیدن پیغامبر علیه السلام مر زید را امروز چونی و چون برخاستی و جواب گفتن او که اصبحت مومنا یا رسول الله
How the Prophet, on whom be peace, asked Zayd, “How art thou to-day and in what state hast thou risen?” and how Zayd answered him, saying, “This morning I am a true believer, O Messenger of Allah.”
گفت پیغمبر صباحی زید را ** کیف اصبحت ای رفیق با صفا3500
One morning the Prophet said to Zayd, “How art thou this morning, O sincere comrade?”
گفت عبدا مومنا باز اوش گفت ** کو نشان از باغ ایمان گر شگفت
He replied, “(This morning I am) a faithful servant of God.” Again he (the Prophet) said to him, “Where is thy token from the garden of Faith, if it has bloomed?”
گفت تشنه بوده‌‌ام من روزها ** شب نخفته ستم ز عشق و سوزها
He said, “I have been athirst in the daytime, at night I have not slept because of love and burning griefs,
تا ز روز و شب گذر کردم چنان ** که از اسپر بگذرد نوک سنان
So that I passed through (and beyond) day and night, as the point of the spear passes through the shield;
که از آن سو جمله‌‌ی ملت یکی ست ** صد هزاران سال و یک ساعت یکی ست
For beyond (the realm of contraries) all religion is one: hundreds of thousands of years are the same as a single hour.
هست ازل را و ابد را اتحاد ** عقل را ره نیست آن سو ز افتقاد3505
Eternity and everlastingness are unified (yonder): the understanding hath no way thither by means of inquiry.”
گفت از این ره کو رهاوردی بیار ** در خور فهم و عقول این دیار
The Prophet said, “Where is the traveller's gift (that thou hast brought home) from this journey? Produce (a gift) suitable to the understanding of (intelligible to) the minds of this country (the phenomenal world).”