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),
بی‌‌خبر کان عکس آن مرغ هواست ** بی‌‌خبر که اصل آن سایه کجاست
Not knowing that it is the reflexion of that bird in the air, not knowing where is the origin of the shadow.
تیر اندازد به سوی سایه او ** ترکشش خالی شود از جستجو420
He shoots arrows at the shadow; his quiver is emptied in seeking (to shoot it):
ترکش عمرش تهی شد عمر رفت ** از دویدن در شکار سایه تفت
The quiver of his life became empty: his life passed in running hotly in chase of the shadow.
سایه‌‌ی یزدان چو باشد دایه‌‌اش ** وارهاند از خیال و سایه‌‌اش
(But) when the shadow of God is his nurse, it delivers him from (every) phantom and shadow.
سایه‌‌ی یزدان بود بنده‌‌ی خدا ** مرده او زین عالم و زنده‌‌ی خدا
The shadow of God is that servant of God who is dead to this world and living through God.
دامن او گیر زودتر بی‌‌گمان ** تا رهی در دامن آخر زمان
Lay hold of his skirt most quickly without misgiving, that you may be saved in the skirt (end) of the last days (of the world).
کيف مد الظل نقش اولیاست ** کاو دلیل نور خورشید خداست425
(The shadow mentioned in the words) How He (God) extended the shadow is the form of the saints, which guides to the light of the Divine Sun.
اندر این وادی مرو بی‌‌این دلیل ** لا أحب الآفلین گو چون خلیل
Do not go in this valley without this guide; say, like Khalíl (Abraham), “I love not them that set.”
رو ز سایه آفتابی را بیاب ** دامن شه شمس تبریزی بتاب
Go, from the shadow gain a sun: pluck the skirt of the (spiritual) king, Shams-i Tabrízí (the Sun of Tabríz)!
ره ندانی جانب این سور و عرس ** از ضیاء الحق حسام الدین بپرس
If you do not know the way to this feast and bridal, ask of Ziyá’u ’l-Haqq (the Radiance of God) Husámu’ddín.
ور حسد گیرد ترا در ره گلو ** در حسد ابلیس را باشد غلو
And if on the way envy seize you by the throat, it belongs to (is characteristic of) Iblís to go beyond bounds in envy;
کاو ز آدم ننگ دارد از حسد ** با سعادت جنگ دارد از حسد430
For he because of envy hath disdain for Adam, and because of envy is at war with felicity.
ای خنک آن کش حسد همراه نیست ** عقبه‌‌ای زین صعب‌‌تر در راه نیست
In the Way there is no harder pass than this. Oh, fortunate he who is not companioned by envy!
این جسد خانه‌‌ی حسد آمد بدان ** از حسد آلوده باشد خاندان
This body, you must know, is the house of envy, for the household are tainted with envy.
گر جسد خانه‌‌ی حسد باشد و لیک ** آن جسد را پاک کرد الله نیک
If the body is the house of envy, yet God made that body very pure.