The Súfí's book is not (composed of) ink of letters (letters written with ink): it is naught but a heart white as snow.
زاد دانشمند آثار قلم ** زاد صوفی چیست آثار قدم160
The scholar's provision is (consists of) pen-marks (written letters and words). What is the Súfí's provision? Footmarks.
همچو صیادی سوی اشکار شد ** گام آهو دید بر آثار شد
He (the Súfí) stalks the game, like a hunter: he sees the musk-deer's track and follows the footprints.
چند گاهش گام آهو در خور است ** بعد از آن خود ناف آهو رهبر است
For some while the track of the deer is (the) proper (clue) for him, (but) afterwards ’tis the navel (musk-gland) of the deer that is his guide.
چون که شکر گام کرد و ره برید ** لاجرم ز آن گام در کامی رسید
When he has given thanks for (having been favoured with knowledge of) the track and has traversed the way, of necessity by means of that track he arrives at a goal.
رفتن یک منزلی بر بوی ناف ** بهتر از صد منزل گام و طواف
To go one stage (guided) by the scent of the musk-gland is better than a hundred stages of (following) the track and roaming about.
آن دلی کاو مطلع مهتابهاست ** بهر عارف فتحت ابوابهاست165
The heart that is the rising-place of the moonbeams (of Divine light) is for the gnostic (the means of revelation indicated by the words) its doors shall be opened.
با تو دیوار است و با ایشان در است ** با تو سنگ و با عزیزان گوهر است
To you it is a wall, to them it is a door; to you a stone, to (those) venerated ones a pearl.
آن چه تو در آینه بینی عیان ** پیر اندر خشت بیند بیش از آن
What you see plainly in the mirror—the Pír sees more than that in the brick.
پیر ایشاناند کاین عالم نبود ** جان ایشان بود در دریای جود
The Pírs are they whose spirits, before this world existed, were in the Sea of (Divine) bounty.
پیش از این تن عمرها بگذاشتند ** پیشتر از کشت بر برداشتند
Before (the creation of) this body they passed (many) lifetimes; before the sowing they took up (harvested) the fruit (produce).
پیشتر از نقش جان پذرفتهاند ** پیشتر از بحر درها سفتهاند170
They have received the spirit before (the creation of) the form; they have bored the pearls before (the creation of) the sea.
مشورت میرفت در ایجاد خلق ** جانشان در بحر قدرت تا به حلق
(Whilst) consultation was going on as to bringing mankind into existence, their spirits were in the Sea of (Divine) Omnipotence up to the throat.
چون ملایک مانع آن میشدند ** بر ملایک خفیه خنبک میزدند
When the angels were opposing that (creation of man), they (the Pírs) were secretly clapping their hands (in derision) at the angels.
مطلع بر نقش هر که هست شد ** پیش از آن کاین نفس کل پا بست شد
He (the Pír) was made acquainted with the (material) form of every existent being, before this Universal Soul became fettered (by materiality).
Before the (creation of the) heavens they have seen Saturn, before the (existence of) seeds they have seen the bread.
بیدماغ و دل پر از فکرت بدند ** بیسپاه و جنگ بر نصرت زدند175
Without brain and mind they were full of thought, without army and battle they gained victory.
آن عیان نسبت به ایشان فکرت است ** ور نه خود نسبت به دوران رویت است
That immediate intuition (intuitive knowledge) in relation to them is thought; else, indeed, in relation to those who are far (from God) it is vision.
فکرت از ماضی و مستقبل بود ** چون از این دو رست مشکل حل شود
Thought is of the past and future; when it is emancipated from these two, the difficulty is solved.
روح از انگور می را دیده است ** روح از معدوم شی را دیده است
The spirit has beheld the wine in the grape, the spirit has beheld thing (entity) in nothing (nonentity);
دیده چون بیکیف هر با کیف را ** دیده پیش از کان صحیح و زیف را
It has beheld every conditioned thing as unconditioned, it has beheld the genuine coin and the alloyed before (the existence of) the mine;
پیشتر از خلقت انگورها ** خورده میها و نموده شورها180
Before the creation of grapes it has quaffed wines and shown the excitements (of intoxication).
در تموز گرم میبینند دی ** در شعاع شمس میبینند فی
In hot July they (the Pírs) see December; in the sunbeams they see the shade.
در دل انگور می را دیدهاند ** در فنای محض شی را دیدهاند
In the heart of the grape they have seen the wine; in absolute faná (privation of objectivity) they have seen the object.
آسمان در دور ایشان جرعه نوش ** آفتاب از جودشان زربفت‌پوش
The sky is draining draughts from their circling cup, the sun is clad in cloth of gold by their bounty.
چون از ایشان مجتمع بینی دو یار ** هم یکی باشند و هم ششصد هزار
When you see two of them met together as friends, they are one, and at the same time (they are) six hundred thousand.
بر مثال موجها اعدادشان ** در عدد آورده باشد بادشان185
Their numbers are in the likeness of waves: the wind will have brought them into number (into plurality from unity).
مفترق شد آفتاب جانها ** در درون روزن ابدان ما
The Sun, which is the spirits, became separated (broken into rays) in the windows, which are our bodies.
چون نظر در قرص داری خود یکی است ** و آن که شد محجوب ابدان در شکی است
When you gaze on the Sun's disk, it is itself one, but he that is screened by (his perception of) the bodies is in some doubt.
تفرقه در روح حیوانی بود ** نفس واحد روح انسانی بود
Separation (plurality) is in the animal spirit; the human spirit is one essence.
چون که حق رش علیهم نوره ** مفترق هرگز نگردد نور او
Inasmuch as God sprinkled His light upon them (mankind), (they are essentially one): His light never becomes separated (in reality).
یک زمان بگذار ای همره ملال ** تا بگویم وصف خالی ز آن جمال190
O my comrade on the way, dismiss thy weariness for a moment, that I may describe a single mole (grain) of that Beauty.
در بیان ناید جمال حال او ** هر دو عالم چیست عکس خال او
The beauty of His state cannot be set forth: what are both the worlds (temporal and spiritual)? The reflexion of His mole.
چون که من از خال خوبش دم زنم ** نطق میخواهد که بشکافد تنم
When I breathe a word concerning His beauteous mole, my speech would fain burst my body.
همچو موری اندر این خرمن خوشم ** تا فزون از خویش باری میکشم
Like an ant, I am so happy in this granary that I am dragging a burden too great for me.
بسته شدن تقریر معنی حکایت به سبب میل مستمع به استماع ظاهر صورت حکایت
How the explanation of the (inner) meaning of the tale was stopped because of the hearer's desire to hear the superficial form of it.
کی گذارد آن که رشک روشنی است ** تا بگویم آن چه فرض و گفتنی است
When will He who is envied by Light allow me to tell that which is obligatory and ought to be told?
بحر کف پیش آرد و سدی کند ** جر کند و ز بعد جر مدی کند195
The sea casts foam in front (of it) and makes a barrier: it draws back and after drawing back flows in (again).
این زمان بشنو چه مانع شد مگر ** مستمع را رفت دل جای دگر
Hear what has interfered (hindered my exposition) at the present time: methinks the hearer's mind has wandered elsewhere.
خاطرش شد سوی صوفی قنق ** اندر آن سودا فرو شد تا عنق
His thoughts have turned to the Súfí guest: he is sunk up to the neck (wholly absorbed) in that business.
لازم آمد باز رفتن زین مقال ** سوی آن افسانه بهر وصف حال
(Therefore) it behoves me to go back from this discourse to that story in order to describe what happened (to him).
صوفی آن صورت مپندار ای عزیز ** همچو طفلان تا کی از جوز و مویز
O dear friend, do not fancy the Súfí is the (external) form (which you behold): how long, like children, (will you be content) with walnuts and raisins?