در یکی گفته که امر و نهیهاست ** بهر کردن نیست شرح عجز ماست470
In one he said: “There are (Divine) commands and prohibitions, (but they) are not for practice (observance): they are (only) to show our weakness (inability to fulfil them),
تا که عجز خود ببینیم اندر آن ** قدرت حق را بدانیم آن زمان
So that we may behold our weakness therein and at that time recognise the power of Him.”
در یکی گفته که عجز خود مبین ** کفر نعمت کردن است آن عجز هین
In one he said: “Do not regard your weakness: that weakness is an act of ingratitude. Beware!
قدرت خود بین که این قدرت از اوست ** قدرت تو نعمت او دان که هوست
Regard your power, for this power is from Him: know that your power is the gift of Him who is Hú (the Absolute God).”
در یکی گفته کز این دو بر گذر ** بت بود هر چه بگنجد در نظر
In one he said: “Leave both these (qualities) behind: whatsoever is contained in sight (regard for other than God) is an idol (something which involves dualism).”
در یکی گفته مکش این شمع را ** کین نظر چون شمع آمد جمع را475
In one he said: “Do not put out this candle (of sight), for this sight is as a candle (lighting the way) to (interior) concentration.
از نظر چون بگذری و از خیال ** کشته باشی نیم شب شمع وصال
When you relinquish sight and phantasy (too soon), you will have put out the candle of union at midnight.”
در یکی گفته بکش باکی مدار ** تا عوض بینی نظر را صد هزار
In one he said: “Put it out—have no fear—that you may see myriads of sights in exchange;
که ز کشتن شمع جان افزون شود ** لیلی‌‌ات از صبر تو مجنون شود
For by putting it out the candle of the spirit is increased: by your self-denial your Laylá (beloved) becomes your Majnún (lover).
ترک دنیا هر که کرد از زهد خویش ** بیش آید پیش او دنیا و پیش
If any one abandons the world by his own (act of) renunciation, the world comes to him (with homage) more and more.”
در یکی گفته که آن چه‌‌ت داد حق ** بر تو شیرین کرد در ایجاد حق480
In one he said: “That which God hath given you He made sweet to you in (at the time of) bringing it into existence.
بر تو آسان کرد و خوش آن را بگیر ** خویشتن را در میفگن در زحیر
He made it easy (blessed) to you, and do you take it gladly: do not throw yourself into anguish.”
در یکی گفته که بگذار آن خود ** کان قبول طبع تو ردست و بد
In one he said: “Let go all that belongs to self, for it is wrong and bad to comply with your nature.”
راههای مختلف آسان شده ست ** هر یکی را ملتی چون جان شده ست
(Many) different roads have become easy (to follow): every one's religion has become (to him) as (dear) as life.
گر میسر کردن حق ره بدی ** هر جهود و گبر از او آگه بدی
If God's making (religion) easy were the (right) road, every Jew and Zoroastrian would have knowledge of Him.
در یکی گفته میسر آن بود ** که حیات دل غذای جان بود485
In one he said: “That (alone) is made easy (blessed) that (nothing but) spiritual food should be the life of the heart.”
هر چه ذوق طبع باشد چون گذشت ** بر نیارد همچو شوره ریع و کشت
When the enjoyments of the (sensual) nature are past, like brackish soil they raise no produce and crop.
جز پشیمانی نباشد ریع او ** جز خسارت پیش نارد بیع او
The produce thereof is naught but penitence; the sale thereof yields only loss.
آن میسر نبود اندر عاقبت ** نام او باشد معسر عاقبت
That is not “easy” in the end; its (true) name ultimately is “hard.”
تو معسر از میسر باز دان ** عاقبت بنگر جمال این و آن
Distinguish the hard from the easy: consider (what is) the goodliness of this and that in the end.
در یکی گفته که استادی طلب ** عاقبت بینی نیابی در حسب490
In one he said: “Seek a master (teacher): you will not find foresight as to the end among the qualities derived from ancestors.”
عاقبت دیدند هر گون ملتی ** لاجرم گشتند اسیر زلتی
Every sort of religious sect foresaw the end (according to their own surmise): of necessity they fell captive to error.
عاقبت دیدن نباشد دست‌‌باف ** ور نه کی بودی ز دینها اختلاف
To foresee the end is not (as simple as) a hand-loom; otherwise, how would there have been difference in religions?
در یکی گفته که استا هم تویی ** ز انکه استا را شناسا هم تویی
In one he said: “You are the master, because you know the master.
مرد باش و سخره‌‌ی مردان مشو ** رو سر خود گیر و سر گردان مشو
Be a man and be not subject to men. Go, take your own head (choose your own way), and be not one whose head is turning (bewildered in search of a guide).”
در یکی گفته که این جمله یکی است ** هر که او دو بیند احول مردکی است495
In one he said: “All this (multiplicity) is one: whoever sees two is a squint-eyed manikin.”
در یکی گفته که صد یک چون بود ** این کی اندیشد مگر مجنون بود
In one he said: “How should a hundred be one? He who thinks this is surely mad.”
هر یکی قولی است ضد همدگر ** چون یکی باشد یکی زهر و شکر
The doctrines, every one, are contrary to each other: how should they be one? Are poison and sugar one?
تا ز زهر و از شکر در نگذری ** کی تو از گلزار وحدت بر بری
Until you pass beyond (the difference of) poison and sugar, how will you catch a scent from the garden of Unity?
این نمط وین نوع ده طومار و دو ** بر نوشت آن دین عیسی را عدو
Twelve scrolls of this style and fashion were drawn up in writing by that enemy to the religion of Jesus.
بیان آن که این اختلافات در صورت روش است نه در حقیقت راه
Showing how this difference lies in the form of the doctrine, not in the real nature of the Way.
او ز یک رنگی عیسی بو نداشت ** وز مزاج خم عیسی خو نداشت500
He had no scent (perception) of the unicolority of Jesus, nor had he a disposition from (imbued with) the tincture of the dyeing-vat of Jesus.
جامه‌‌ی صد رنگ از آن خم صفا ** ساده و یک رنگ گشتی چون صبا
From that pure vat a garment of a hundred colours would become as simple and one-coloured as the zephyr.
نیست یک رنگی کز او خیزد ملال ** بل مثال ماهی و آب زلال
(This) is not the unicolority from which weariness ensues; nay, it is (a case) like (that of) fishes and clear water:
گر چه در خشکی هزاران رنگهاست ** ماهیان را با یبوست جنگهاست
Although there are thousands of colours on dry land, (yet) fishes are at war with dryness.
کیست ماهی چیست دریا در مثل ** تا بدان ماند ملک عز و جل
Who is the fish and what is the sea in (my) simile, that the King Almighty and Glorious should resemble them?
صد هزاران بحر و ماهی در وجود ** سجده آرد پیش آن اکرام و جود505
In (the world of) existence myriads of seas and fishes prostrate themselves in adoration before that Munificence and Bounty.
چند باران عطا باران شده ** تا بدان آن بحر در افشان شده
How many a rain of largesse hath rained, so that the sea was made thereby to scatter pearls!
چند خورشید کرم افروخته ** تا که ابر و بحر جود آموخته
How many a sun of generosity hath shone, so that cloud and sea learned to be bountiful!
پرتو دانش زده بر آب و طین ** تا شده دانه پذیرنده‌‌ی زمین
The sunbeams of Wisdom struck on soil and clay, so that the earth became receptive of the seed.
خاک امین و هر چه در وی کاشتی ** بی‌‌خیانت جنس آن برداشتی
The soil is faithful to its trust, and whatever you have sown in it, you carry away the (equivalent in) kind thereof without fraud (on the part of the soil).
این امانت ز آن امانت یافته ست ** کافتاب عدل بر وی تافته ست510
It has derived this faithfulness from that (Divine) faithfulness, inasmuch as the sun of Justice has shone upon it.
تا نشان حق نیارد نو بهار ** خاک سرها را نکرده آشکار
Until springtide brings the token of God, the soil does not reveal its secrets.
آن جوادی که جمادی را بداد ** این خبرها وین امانت وین سداد
The Bounteous One who gave to an inanimate thing these informations and this faithfulness and this righteousness,
مر جمادی را کند فضلش خبیر ** عاقلان را کرده قهر او ضریر
His grace makes an inanimate thing informed, (while) His wrath makes blind the men of understanding.
جان و دل را طاقت آن جوش نیست ** با که گویم در جهان یک گوش نیست
Soul and heart cannot endure that ferment: to whom shall I speak? There is not in the world a single ear (capable of apprehension).
هر کجا گوشی بد از وی چشم گشت ** هر کجا سنگی بد از وی یشم گشت515
Wherever there was an ear, through Him it became an eye; wherever there was a stone, through Him it became a jasper.
کیمیا ساز است چه بود کیمیا ** معجزه بخش است چه بود سیمیا
He is an alchemist—what is alchemy (compared with His action)? He is a giver of miracles (to prophets)—what is magic (compared with these miracles)?
این ثنا گفتن ز من ترک ثناست ** کین دلیل هستی و هستی خطاست
This uttering of praise (to Him) is (really) the omission of praise on my part, for this (praise) is a proof of (my) being, and being is a sin.
پیش هست او بباید نیست بود ** چیست هستی پیش او کور و کبود
It behoves (us) to be not-being in the presence of His Being: in His presence what is (our) being? Blind and blue.
گر نبودی کور از او بگداختی ** گرمی خورشید را بشناختی
Were it not blind it would have been melted (consumed) by Him: it would have known the heat of (the Divine) sun;