تو مترس و مهلتش ده دم‌دراز ** گو سپه گرد آر و صد حیلت بساز
Have thou no fear, and give him a lengthy respite; bid him bring together his host and prepare a hundred devices.”
مهلت دادن موسی علیه‌السلام فرعون را تا ساحران را جمع کند از مداین
How Moses, on whom be peace, gave Pharaoh a respite, that he might assemble the magicians from the cities.
گفت امر آمد برو مهلت ترا ** من بجای خود شدم رستی ز ما
He (Moses) said, “The (Divine) command hath come. Go, the respite is (granted) to thee. I depart to my dwelling-place: thou art delivered from me.”
او همی‌شد و اژدها اندر عقب ** چون سگ صیاد دانا و محب1100
He was going (on his way), and at his heels (went) the dragon wise and loving, like the hunter's dog.
چون سگ صیاد جنبان کرده دم ** سنگ را می‌کرد ریگ او زیر سم
Like the hunter's dog, wagging its tail: it made the stones (crumble as) sand beneath its hoof.
سنگ و آهن را بدم در می‌کشید ** خرد می‌خایید آهن را پدید
With its breath it drew in stone and iron (to its jaws) and visibly chewed the iron into small fragments.
در هوا می‌کرد خود بالای برج ** که هزیمت می‌شد از وی روم و گرج
In the air it was making itself (rise) above the zodiac, so that Greeks and Georgians would flee from it in panic.
کفک می‌انداخت چون اشتر ز کام ** قطره‌ای بر هر که زد می‌شد جذام
From its palate it cast out foam, like a camel: whomsoever a drop hit, he was smitten with tubercular leprosy.
ژغژغ دندان او دل می‌شکست ** جان شیران سیه می‌شد ز دست1105
The gnashing of its teeth would break the heart; the souls of black lions would be distraught (with terror).
چون به قوم خود رسید آن مجتبی ** شدق او بگرفت باز او شد عصا
When that chosen one (Moses) reached his kinsfolk, he took hold of the corner of its mouth, and it became again a staff.
تکیه بر وی کرد و می‌گفت ای عجب ** پیش ما خورشید و پیش خصم شب
He leaned upon it, saying, “O wonder! to me (’tis clear as) the sun, to my enemy (’tis dark as) night.
ای عجب چون می‌نبیند این سپاه ** عالمی پر آفتاب چاشتگاه
O wonder! How doth this host not see a whole world filled with the morning sun?
چشم باز و گوش باز و این ذکا ** خیره‌ام در چشم‌بندی خدا
Eyes open, and ears open, and this sun! I am amazed at God's eye-bandaging.
من ازیشان خیره ایشان هم ز من ** از بهاری خار ایشان من سمن1110
I am amazed at them, and they too at me: (we are) from one springtime, (but) they are thorns and I am jasmine.
پیششان بردم بسی جام رحیق ** سنگ شد آبش به پیش این فریق
I bore to them many a cup of pure wine: its juice turned to stone before this company.
دسته گل بستم و بردم به پیش ** هر گلی چون خار گشت و نوش نیش
I twined a handful of roses and carried it to them: every rose became as a thorn, and the honey turned to poison.
آن نصیب جان بی‌خویشان بود ** چونک با خویش‌اند پیدا کی شود
That (pure wine) is the portion allotted to the selfless: since they are with themselves (not freed from self), how should it be shown (to them)?
خفته‌ی بیدار باید پیش ما ** تا به بیداری ببیند خوابها
With us, one must needs be a waking sleeper, that in the state of wakefulness he may dream dreams.”
دشمن این خواب خوش شد فکر خلق ** تا نخسپد فکرتش بستست حلق1115
Thought of created things is an enemy to this sweet (waking) sleep: until his (any one's) thought is asleep, his throat is shut.
حیرتی باید که روبد فکر را ** خورده حیرت فکر را و ذکر را
A (mystical) bewilderment is needed to sweep (such) thought away: bewilderment devours (all) thought and recollection.
هر که کاملتر بود او در هنر ** او بمعنی پس بصورت پیشتر
The more perfect he is in (worldly) science, the more backward he is in reality and the more forward in appearance.
راجعون گفت و رجوع این سان بود ** که گله وا گردد و خانه رود
He (God) hath said, “(Verily, to Him we are) returning”; and the return is in the same wise as a herd turns back and goes home.
چونک واگردید گله از ورود ** پس فتد آن بز که پیش آهنگ بود
When the herd has turned back from (after) going down to water, the goat that was the leader (now) falls behind (becomes the hindmost),
پیش افتد آن بز لنگ پسین ** اضحک الرجعی وجوه العابسین1120
And the lame hindmost goat is now in front: the return caused the faces to laugh of them that were frowning (before).
از گزافه کی شدند این قوم لنگ ** فخر را دادند و بخریدند ننگ
How did this party (the prophets and saints) become lame and give up glory and purchase ignominy in vain?
پا شکسته می‌روند این قوم حج ** از حرج راهیست پنهان تا فرج
This party go on the pilgrimage (to Reality) with broken legs, (because) there is a secret way from straitness to ease.
دل ز دانشها بشستند این فریق ** زانک این دانش نداند آن طریق
This company washed their hearts (clean) of (the exoteric) kinds of knowledge, because this knowledge does not know that Way.
دانشی باید که اصلش زان سرست ** زانک هر فرعی به اصلش رهبرست
(In order to tread this Way) one needs a knowledge whereof the root is Yonder, inasmuch as every branch is a guide to its root.
هر پری بر عرض دریا کی پرد ** تا لدن علم لدنی می‌برد1125
How should every wing fly across the breadth of the Sea? (Only) the esoteric knowledge will bear (thee) to the Presence (of God).
پس چرا علمی بیاموزی به مرد ** کش بباید سینه را زان پاک کرد
Why, then, should you teach a man the knowledge of which it behoves him to purify his breast?
پس مجو پیشی ازین سر لنگ باش ** وقت وا گشتن تو پیش آهنگ باش
Therefore do not seek to be in front: be lame on this side, and be the leader at the moment of return.
آخرون السابقون باش ای ظریف ** بر شجر سابق بود میوه‌ی طریف
O clever one, be thou (according to the Prophet's saying, “We are) the hindmost and the foremost”: the fresh fruit is prior to the tree.
گرچه میوه آخر آید در وجود ** اولست او زانک او مقصود بود
Although the fruit comes last into being, it is the first, because it was the object.
چون ملایک گوی لا علم لنا ** تا بگیرد دست تو علمتنا1130
Say, like the angels, “We have no knowledge,” to the end that “Thou hast taught us” may take thy hand (come to thy aid).
گر درین مکتب ندانی تو هجا ** همچو احمد پری از نور حجی
If in this school thou dost not know the alphabet, (yet) thou art filled, like Ahmad (Mohammed), with the light of Reason.
گر نباشی نامدار اندر بلاد ** گم نه‌ای الله اعلم بالعباد
If thou art not famous in the world, (yet) thou art not lost: God knoweth best concerning His servants.
اندر آن ویران که آن معروف نیست ** از برای حفظ گنجینه‌ی زریست
A treasure of gold is (hidden), for safety's sake, in a desolate spot that is not well-known.
موضع معروف کی بنهند گنج ** زین قبل آمد فرج در زیر رنج
How should they deposit the treasure in a well-known place? On this account it is said, “Joy is (hidden) beneath sorrow.”
خاطر آرد بس شکال اینجا ولیک ** بسکلد اشکال را استور نیک1135
Here the mind may bring (suggest) many difficulties, but a good beast will break the tether.
هست عشقش آتشی اشکال‌سوز ** هر خیالی را بروبد نور روز
His (God's) love is a fire that consumes difficulties: the daylight sweeps away every phantom.
هم از آن سو جو جواب ای مرتضا ** کین سال آمد از آن سو مر ترا
O thou with whom He is pleased, seek the answer from the same quarter from which this question came to thee.
گوشه‌ی بی گوشه‌ی دل شه‌رهیست ** تاب لا شرقی و لا غرب از مهیست
The cornerless corner of the heart is a King's highway: the radiance that is neither of the east nor of the west is (derived) from a Moon.
تو ازین سو و از آن سو چون گدا ** ای که معنی چه می‌جویی صدا
Why on this side and on that, like a beggar, O mountain of Reality, art thou seeking the echo?
هم از آن سو جو که وقت درد تو ** می‌شوی در ذکر یا ربی دوتو1140
Seek (the answer) from the same quarter to which, in the hour of pain, thou bendest low, crying repeatedly, “O my Lord!”
وقت درد و مرگ آن سو می‌نمی ** چونک دردت رفت چونی اعجمی
In the hour of pain and death thou turnest in that direction: how, when thy pain is gone, art thou ignorant?
وقت محنت گشته‌ای الله گو ** چونک محنت رفت گویی راه کو
At the time of tribulation thou hast called unto God, (but) when the tribulation is gone, thou sayest, “Where is the way?”
این از آن آمد که حق را بی گمان ** هر که بشناسد بود دایم بر آن
This is because (thou dost not know God): every one that knows God without uncertainty is constantly engaged in that (commemoration of Him),
وانک در عقل و گمان هستش حجاب ** گاه پوشیدست و گه بدریده جیب
While he that is veiled in intellect and uncertainty is sometimes covered (inaccessible to spiritual emotion) and sometimes with his collar torn (in a state of rapture).