مو به مو و ذره ذره مکر نفس ** میشناسیدند چون گل از کرفس
Hair by hair, speck by speck, they were recognising the deceitfulness of the fleshly soul as (plainly as the difference of) the rose from parsley.
موشکافان صحابه هم در آن ** وعظ ایشان خیره گشتندی به جان370
Even the hair-splitters (the most scrupulous) of the Companions used to become distraught in spirit at the (Prophet's) admonition to them (the inquirers).
متابعت نصارا وزیر را
How the Christians followed the vizier.
دل بدو دادند ترسایان تمام ** خود چه باشد قوت تقلید عام
The Christians all gave their hearts to him: what (how great), indeed, is the strength of the (blind) conformity of the vulgar!
در درون سینه مهرش کاشتند ** نایب عیساش میپنداشتند
They planted love of him within their breasts, they were regarding him as the vicar of Jesus.
او به سر دجال یک چشم لعین ** ای خدا فریادرس نعم المعین
He inwardly (in reality) was the accursed one-eyed Antichrist. O God, do Thou (hear and) answer the cry (of those in trouble) —what a good helper art Thou!
صد هزاران دام و دانه ست ای خدا ** ما چو مرغان حریص بینوا
O God, there are myriads of snares and baits, and we are as greedy foodless birds.
دمبهدم ما بستهی دام نویم ** هر یکی گر باز و سیمرغی شویم375
From moment to moment we are caught in a fresh snare, though we become, each one, (like) a falcon or a Símurgh.
میرهانی هر دمی ما را و باز ** سوی دامی میرویم ای بینیاز
Every moment Thou art delivering us, and again we are going to a snare, O Thou who art without want!
ما در این انبار گندم میکنیم ** گندم جمع آمده گم میکنیم
We are putting corn in this barn, (and then) we are losing the corn that has been garnered.
مینیندیشیم آخر ما به هوش ** کین خلل در گندم است از مکر موش
(Why), after all, do not we consider with intelligent mind that this damage to the corn arises from the deceitfulness of the mouse?
موش تا انبار ما حفره زده ست ** وز فنش انبار ما ویران شده ست
Since the mouse has made a hole in our barn, and our barn has been ravaged by its guile,
اول ای جان دفع شر موش کن ** وانگهان در جمع گندم جوش کن380
O soul, in the first place avert the mischief of the mouse, and then show fervour (zeal) in garnering the corn.
بشنو از اخبار آن صدر الصدور ** لا صلاة تم الا بالحضور
Hear (one) of the sayings related from the Chiefest of the Chief (the Prophet): “No prayer is complete without ‘presence’ (concentration of the mind on God).”
گر نه موشی دزد در انبار ماست ** گندم اعمال چل ساله کجاست
If there is no thievish mouse in our barn, where is the corn of forty years' works (of devotion)?
ریزه ریزه صدق هر روزه چرا ** جمع میناید در این انبار ما
Why is the daily sincerity (of our devotions) not being stored, bit by bit, in this barn of ours?
بس ستارهی آتش از آهن جهید ** و ان دل سوزیده پذرفت و کشید
Many a star (spark) of fire shot forth from the iron (of good works), and that burning heart received (it) and drew (it) in;
لیک در ظلمت یکی دزدی نهان ** مینهد انگشت بر استارگان385
But in the darkness a hidden thief is laying his finger upon the stars,
میکشد استارگان را یک به یک ** تا که نفروزد چراغی از فلک
Extinguishing the stars one by one, that no lamp may shine from the (spiritual) sky.
گر هزاران دام باشد در قدم ** چون تو با مایی نباشد هیچ غم
Though there be thousands of snares at our feet, when Thou art with us there is not any trouble.
هر شبی از دام تن ارواح را ** میرهانی میکنی الواح را
Every night Thou freest the spirits from the body's snare, and dost erase (the impressions on) the tablets (of the mind).
میرهند ارواح هر شب زین قفس ** فارغان، نه حاکم و محکوم کس
The spirits are set free every night from this cage, independent, neither ruling nor ruled by anyone.
At night prisoners are unconscious of their prison, at night governors are unconscious of their power.
نه غم و اندیشهی سود و زیان ** نه خیال این فلان و آن فلان
There is no sorrow, no thought of gain or loss, no fancy of this person or that person.
حال عارف این بود بیخواب هم ** گفت ایزد هم رقود زین مرم
This is the state of the ‘árif (gnostic), even without sleep: God said, (Thou wouldst deem them awake) whilst they slept. Shy not at this.
خفته از احوال دنیا روز و شب ** چون قلم در پنجهی تقلیب رب
He is asleep, day and night, to the affairs of the world, like a pen in the hand of the Lord's control.
آن که او پنجه نبیند در رقم ** فعل پندارد به جنبش از قلم
One who sees not the hand in the writing thinks (that) the act (of writing proceeds) from the pen by means of movement.
شمهای زین حال عارف وانمود ** خلق را هم خواب حسی در ربود395
He (God) hath shown forth some part of this state of the ‘árif, (inasmuch as) the intellect too is carried off (overtaken) by sleep of the senses.
رفته در صحرای بیچون جانشان ** روحشان آسوده و ابدانشان
Their souls are gone into the desert that is without description: their spirits and bodies are at rest;
وز صفیری باز دام اندر کشی ** جمله را در داد و در داور کشی
And with a whistle thou leadest them back to the snare, leadest them all (back) to justice and to the judge.
فالق الإصباح اسرافیلوار ** جمله را در صورت آرد ز ان دیار
Like Isráfíl (Seraphiel), He (God) who causes the dawn to break brings them all from those lands (of spirit) into (the world of) form.
روحهای منبسط را تن کند ** هر تنی را باز آبستن کند
He embodies the spirits divested (of body), He makes each body pregnant (laden) again (with actions and works).
اسب جانها را کند عاری ز زین ** سر النوم اخ الموت است این400
He makes the steed of the souls bare of saddle: this is the inner meaning of “Sleep is the brother of Death”;
لیک بهر آن که روز آیند باز ** بر نهد بر پایشان بند دراز
But in order that they may return in the daytime, He puts a long tether on their leg,
تا که روزش واکشد ز ان مرغزار ** وز چراگاه آردش در زیر بار
So that in the daytime He may lead it back from that meadow and bring it from the pasture (to go) under the load.
کاش چون اصحاب کهف این روح را ** حفظ کردی یا چو کشتی نوح را
Would that He had guarded this spirit as the Men of the Cave or as the Ark of Noah,
تا از این طوفان بیداری و هوش ** وارهیدی این ضمیر چشم و گوش
That this mind and eye and ear might be delivered from the Flood of wakefulness and consciousness!
ای بسی اصحاب کهف اندر جهان ** پهلوی تو پیش تو هست این زمان405
Oh, in the world there is many a Man of the Cave beside you, before you, at this time:
غار با او یار با او در سرود ** مهر بر چشم است و بر گوشت چه سود
The Friend is with him, the Cave is in converse with him; but your eyes and ears are sealed, (so) what does it avail?
قصهی دیدن خلیفه لیلی را
Story of the Caliph's seeing Laylá.
گفت لیلی را خلیفه کان توی ** کز تو مجنون شد پریشان و غوی
The Caliph said to Laylá: “Art thou she by whom Majnún was distracted and led astray?
از دگر خوبان تو افزون نیستی ** گفت خامش چون تو مجنون نیستی
Thou art not superior to other fair ones.” “Be silent,” she replied, “since thou art not Majnún.”
هر که بیدار است او در خوابتر ** هست بیداریش از خوابش بتر
Whosoever is awake (to the material world) is the more asleep (to the spiritual world); his wakefulness is worse than his sleep.
چون به حق بیدار نبود جان ما ** هست بیداری چو در بندان ما410
When our soul is not awake to God, wakefulness is like closing our doors (to Divine influences).
جان همه روز از لگدکوب خیال ** وز زیان و سود وز خوف زوال
All day long, from the buffets of phantasy and from (thoughts of) loss and gain and from fear of decline,
نی صفا میماندش نی لطف و فر ** نی به سوی آسمان راه سفر
There remains to it (the soul) neither joy nor grace and glory nor way of journeying to Heaven.
خفته آن باشد که او از هر خیال ** دارد اومید و کند با او مقال
The one asleep (to spiritual things) is he who hath hope of every vain fancy and holds parley with it.
دیو را چون حور بیند او به خواب ** پس ز شهوت ریزد او با دیو آب
Diabolum per somnum videt tanquam virginem caelestem, deinde propter libidinem effundit cum diabolo aquam (seminis). [During sleep, he sees (in a dream) a demon resembling a heavenly maiden (houri); then he pours forth (seminal) fluid out of lust (in imagined intercourse) with the demon.]
چون که تخم نسل را در شوره ریختا ** و به خویش آمد خیال از وی گریخت415
Postquam semen generationis in terram salsuginosam infudit, ipse ad se rediit, fugit ab eo illa imago. [After he had scattered the seed of generation on salty (infertile) ground, he came to himself (and) the phantom fled from him.]
ضعف سر بیند از آن و تن پلید ** آه از آن نقش پدید ناپدید
Hinc percepit languorem capitis et (videt) corpus pollutum. Proh dolor ob illud simulacrum visum (sed revera) non visum! [Because of that, he sees (himself as) faint of head and polluted of body. Alas, because of that visible (but) invisible form!]
مرغ بر بالا و زیر آن سایهاش ** میدود بر خاک پران مرغوش
The bird is flying on high, and below, its shadow is speeding on the earth, flying like a bird:
ابلهی صیاد آن سایه شود ** میدود چندان که بیمایه شود
Some fool begins to chase the shadow, running (after it) so far that he becomes powerless (exhausted),