ظلمتی دارم به نسبت با شموس ** نور دارم بهر ظلمات نفوس
I have a certain darkness in comparison with the (spiritual) suns, (but) I have light for the darknesses of (human) souls.
ز آن ضعیفم تا تو تابی آوری ** که نه مرد آفتاب انوری
I am faint (less bright than the Sun) in order that thou mayst be able to bear (my beams), for thou art not the man for (a man who can bear) the most radiant Sun.
همچو شهد و سرکه در هم بافتم ** تا سوی رنج جگر ره یافتم
I was woven (mingled) together, like honey and vinegar, that I might find the way to (cure) sickness of heart.
چون ز علت وارهیدی ای رهین ** سرکه را بگذار و میخور انگبین
Since thou hast recovered from thine illness, O thou (that wert) in thrall (to it), leave the vinegar and continue to eat the honey.”
تخت دل معمور شد پاک از هوا ** بین که الرحمن علی العرش استوی3665
(If) the throne of the heart has become restored to soundness and purged of sensuality, behold how the Merciful God is seated on His Throne.
حکم بر دل بعد از این بیواسطه ** حق کند چون یافت دل این رابطه
After this, God controls the heart without intermediary, since the heart has attained to this relation (with Him).
این سخن پایان ندارد زید کو ** تا دهم پندش که رسوایی مجو
This discourse hath no end. Where is Zayd, that I may counsel him not to seek notoriety?
رجوع به حکایت زید
The (author's) return to the story of Zayd.
زید را اکنون نیابی کاو گریخت ** جست از صف نعال و نعل ریخت
You will not find Zayd now, for he has fled: he has darted away from the shoe-row and dropped his shoes.
تو که باشی زید هم خود را نیافت ** همچو اختر که بر او خورشید تافت
Who are you (that you should hope to find him)? Zayd cannot even find himself, (he has vanished) like the star on which the sun shone.
نی از او نقشی بیابی نی نشان ** نی کهی یابی نه راه کهکشان3670
You will find neither mark nor trace of him, you will not find a straw (star) in the straw-strewn Way (the Milky Way).
شد حواس و نطق با پایان ما ** محو نور دانش سلطان ما
Our senses and finite speech (reason) are obliterated in the light of the knowledge of our (Divine) King.
حسها و عقلهاشان در درون ** موج در موج لدينا محضرون
Their (the God-intoxicated mystics') senses and understandings within (them) are (tossed), wave on wave, in (the sea of) they are assembled before Us.
چون شب آمد باز وقت بار شد ** انجم پنهان شده بر کار شد
When dawn comes, ’tis again the time of (bearing) the burden: the stars, which had become hidden, go (again) to work.
بیهشان را وادهد حق هوشها ** حلقه حلقه حلقهها در گوشها
God gives back to the senseless ones their (lost) senses: (they return to consciousness) troop after troop, with rings (of mystic knowledge) in their ears,
پای کوبان دست افشان در ثنا ** ناز نازان ربنا أحییتنا3675
Dancing, waving their hands in praise (of God), triumphing (and crying), “O Lord, Thou hast brought us to life.”
آن جلود و آن عظام ریخته ** فارسان گشته غبار انگیخته
Those crumbled skins and bones have become (like) horsemen and have raised the dust:
حمله آرند از عدم سوی وجود ** در قیامت هم شکور و هم کنود
At Resurrection both the thankful and the ungrateful rush along from non-existence towards existence.
سر چه میپیچی کنی نادیدهای ** در عدم ز اول نه سرپیچیدهای
Why do you turn away your head and pretend not to see? Did you not turn away your head at first, (when you were) in non-existence (and disbelieved that you would ever come into existence)?
در عدم افشرده بودی پای خویش ** که مرا که بر کند از جای خویش
You had planted your foot (firmly) in non-existence, saying, “Who will uproot me from my place?”
مینبینی صنع ربانیت را ** که کشید او موی پیشانیت را3680
Are not you beholding the action of your Lord, who dragged you (into existence) by the forelock,
تا کشیدت اندر این انواع حال ** که نبودت در گمان و در خیال
Until He drew you into (all) these various states (of being), which were not in your thought or fancy?
آن عدم او را هماره بنده است ** کار کن دیوا سلیمان زنده است
That non-existence is always His slave: work (in His service), O demon! Solomon is living.
دیو میسازد جفان کالجواب ** زهره نی تا دفع گوید یا جواب
The demon is making large bowls like watering-troughs: he dare not say a word in refusal or in retort.
خویش را بین چون همیلرزی ز بیم ** مر عدم را نیز لرزان دان مقیم
Look at yourself, how you are trembling with fear (of non-existence): know that nonexistence also is constantly trembling (lest God should bring it into existence).
ور تو دست اندر مناصب میزنی ** هم ز ترس است آن که جانی میکنی3685
And if you are grasping at (worldly) dignities, ’tis from fear too that you are suffering agony of spirit.
هر چه جز عشق خدای احسن است ** گر شکر خواری است آن جان کندن است
Except love of the most beauteous God everything, though (outwardly) it is (pleasant like) eating sugar, is (in truth) agony of spirit.
چیست جان کندن سوی مرگ آمدن ** دست در آب حیاتی نازدن
What is agony of spirit? To advance towards death and not grasp the Water of Life.
خلق را دو دیده در خاک و ممات ** صد گمان دارند در آب حیات
People fix both their eyes on earth and death: they have a hundred doubts concerning the Water of Life.
جهد کن تا صد گمان گردد نود ** شب برو ور تو بخسبی شب رود
Strive that the hundred doubts may become ninety (may decrease): go (towards God) in the night (of this world), for if you slumber, the night will go (from you).
در شب تاریک جوی آن روز را ** پیش کن آن عقل ظلمت سوز را3690
In the dark night seek that (shining) Day: put in front (follow) the darkness consuming Reason.
در شب بد رنگ بس نیکی بود ** آب حیوان جفت تاریکی بود
In the evil-coloured night there is much good: the Water of Life is the mate of darkness.
سر ز خفتن کی توان برداشتن ** با چنین صد تخم غفلت کاشتن
How is it possible to lift up the head from slumber, whilst you are sowing a hundred such seeds of slothfulness?
خواب مرده لقمهی مرده یار شد ** خواجه خفت و دزد شب بر کار شد
Slumber is dead (unlawful) food is dead; they are friends (to each other): the merchant fell asleep and the night-thief got to work.
تو نمیدانی که خصمانت کیاند ** ناریان خصم وجود خاکیاند
Do you not know who your enemies are? Those made of fire are enemies to the existence of those made of earth.
نار خصم آب و فرزندان اوست ** همچنان که آب خصم جان اوست3695
Fire is the enemy of water and its children, even as water is an enemy to the life of fire.
آب آتش را کشد زیرا که او ** خصم فرزندان آب است و عدو
Water kills fire because it is the enemy and foe of the children of water.
بعد از آن این نار نار شهوت است ** کاندر او اصل گناه و زلت است
To proceed, this fire is the fire of lust, wherein is the root of sin and error.
نار بیرونی به آبی بفسرد ** نار شهوت تا به دوزخ میبرد
The external fire may be quenched by some water, (but) the fire of lust is bringing (you) to Hell.
نار شهوت مینیارامد به آب ** ز انکه دارد طبع دوزخ در عذاب
The fire of lust is not allayed by water, because it has the (insatiable) nature of Hell in respect of (inflicting) torment.
نار شهوت را چه چاره نور دین ** نورکم اطفاء نار الکافرین3700
What is the remedy for the fire of lust? The light of the Religion: your (the Moslems') light is the (means of) extinguishing the fire of the infidels.
چه کشد این نار را نور خدا ** نور ابراهیم را ساز اوستا
What kills this fire? The Light of God. Make the light of Abraham your teacher,
تا ز نار نفس چون نمرود تو ** وارهد این جسم همچون عود تو
That this body of yours, which resembles wood (faggots), may be delivered from the fire of the Nimrod-like flesh (nafs).
شهوت ناری به راندن کم نشد ** او به ماندن کم شود بیهیچ بد
Fiery lust is not diminished by indulging it: it is diminished, without any escape (inevitably), by leaving it (ungratified).
تا که هیزم مینهی بر آتشی ** کی بمیرد آتش از هیزم کشی
So long as thou art laying faggots on a fire, how will the fire be extinguished by a carrier of faggots?
چون که هیزم باز گیری نار مرد ** ز انکه تقوی آب سوی نار برد3705
When thou withholdest the faggots, the fire dies out, because fear of God carries (as it were) water to the fire.
کی سیه گردد ز آتش روی خوب ** کاو نهد گلگونه از تقوی القلوب
How should the fire blacken the beauteous face (of a soul) which lays (on itself) rose colour (derived) from the fear of God that is in (men's) hearts?
آتش افتادن در شهر به ایام عمر
How a conflagration occurred in the city (Medina) in the days of ‘Umar, may God be well-pleased with him.
آتشی افتاد در عهد عمر ** همچو چوب خشک میخورد او حجر
A conflagration occurred in the time of ‘Umar: it was devouring stones as though they were dry wood.
در فتاد اندر بنا و خانهها ** تا زد اندر پر مرغ و لانهها
It fell upon buildings and houses, until (at last) it darted at the wings and nests of birds.
نیم شهر از شعلهها آتش گرفت ** آب میترسید از آن و میشگفت
Half the city caught fire from the flames: water was afraid of it (the fire) and amazed.
مشکهای آب و سرکه میزدند ** بر سر آتش کسان هوشمند3710
Some intelligent persons were throwing skins of water and vinegar on the fire,