نور آبی دان و هم در آب چفس ** چونک داری آب از آتش مترس3485
Deem the Light to be a water, and cleave to the water withal: when you have the water, be not afraid of the fire.
آب آتش را کشد کتش بخو ** می‌بسوزد نسل و فرزندان او
The water will extinguish the fire, because the fire by its nature burns up its (the water's) progeny and children.
سوی آن مرغابیان رو روز چند ** تا ترا در آب حیوانی کشند
Go, for a while, to those water-birds, that they may lead you to the Water of Life.
مرغ خاکی مرغ آبی هم‌تنند ** لیک ضدانند آب و روغنند
The land-bird and the water-bird have the same body (outward appearance), but they are (really) opposites: they are (like) water and oil.
هر یکی مر اصل خود را بنده‌اند ** احتیاطی کن بهم ماننده‌اند
Each (of them) is devoted to its own origin; have a care (in discriminating between them): they resemble each other (externally),
همچنانک وسوسه و وحی الست ** هر دو معقولند لیکن فرق هست3490
Just as both (Satanic) suggestion and Divine inspiration are intelligible, and yet there is a (great) difference (between them).
هر دو دلالان بازار ضمیر ** رختها را می‌ستایند ای امیر
Both (these) brokers in the market of Conscience extol their wares, O prince.
گر تو صراف دلی فکرت شناس ** فرق کن سر دو فکر چون نخاس
If you are a spiritual money-changer, one who recognises thought, distinguish the real nature of the two thoughts which resemble slave-dealers (commending the slaves they hope to sell);
ور ندانی این دو فکرت از گمان ** لا خلابه گوی و مشتاب و مران
And if from (your own) opinion you do not know (the true nature of) these two thoughts, say, “No deception!” and be not in a hurry and do not push forward.
حیله دفع مغبون شدن در بیع و شرا
The means of preventing one's self from being swindled in sale and purchase.
آن یکی یاری پیمبر را بگفت ** که منم در بیعها با غبن جفت
A certain friend said to the Prophet, “I am always being swindled in commerce.
مکر هر کس کو فروشد یا خرد ** همچو سحرست و ز راهم می‌برد3495
The deceit of every one who sells or buys is like magic and leads me off the track.”
گفت در بیعی که ترسی از غرار ** شرط کن سه روز خود را اختیار
He (the Prophet) said, “When thou art afraid of being duped in a commercial transaction, stipulate (that thou shalt have) for thyself three days (in which) to choose,
که تانی هست از رحمان یقین ** هست تعجیلت ز شیطان لعین
For deliberation is assuredly from the Merciful (God); thy haste is from the accursed Devil.”
پیش سگ چون لقمه نان افکنی ** بو کند آنگه خورد ای معتنی
When you throw a morsel of bread to a dog, he (first) smells, then he eats, O careful one.
او ببینی بو کند ما با خرد ** هم ببوییمش به عقل منتقد
He smells with the nose, we too (who are endowed) with wisdom smell it (the object submitted to us) with the purified intelligence.
با تانی گشت موجود از خدا ** تابه شش روز این زمین و چرخها3500
This earth and the (heavenly) spheres were brought into existence by God with deliberation (extending) to six days;
ورنه قادر بود کو کن فیکون ** صد زمین و چرخ آوردی برون
Otherwise, He was able—“Be, and it is”—to bring forth a hundred earths and heavens (from non-existence).
آدمی را اندک اندک آن همام ** تا چهل سالش کند مرد تمام
Little by little till forty years (of age) that Potentate makes the human being a complete man,
گرچه قادر بود کاندر یک نفس ** از عدم پران کند پنجاه کس
Although He was able in a single moment to set flying (raise up) fifty persons from non-existence.
عیسی قادر بود کو از یک دعا ** بی توقف بر جهاند مرده را
Jesus by means of one prayer was able to make the dead spring up (to life) without delay:
خالق عیسی بنتواند که او ** بی توقف مردم آرد تو بتو3505
Is the Creator of Jesus unable, without delay, to bring (full-grown) men in manifold succession (into existence)?
این تانی از پی تعلیم تست ** که طلب آهسته باید بی سکست
This deliberation is for the purpose of teaching you that you must seek (God) slowly without (any) break.
جو یکی کوچک که دایم می‌رود ** نه نجس گردد نه گنده می‌شود
A little rivulet which is moving continually does not become defiled or grow fetid.
زین تانی زاید اقبال و سرور ** این تانی بیضه دولت چون طیور
From this deliberation are born felicity and joy: this deliberation is the egg, fortune is like the birds (hatched from the egg).
مرغ کی ماند به بیضه‌ای عنید ** گرچه از بیضه همی آید پدید
How should the bird resemble the egg, O obstinate one, though it is produced from the egg?
باش تا اجزای تو چون بیضه‌ها ** مرغها زایند اندر انتها3510
Wait till your limbs, like eggs, hatch birds ultimately (at the Resurrection)!
بیضه‌ی مار ارچه ماند در شبه ** بیضه گنجشک را دورست ره
Though the serpent's egg resembles the sparrow's egg in (outward) likeness, the distance (between them) is far.
دانه‌ی آبی به دانه سیب نیز ** گرچه ماند فرقها دان ای عزیز
Again, though the seed of the quince resembles the seed of the apple, recognise the differences, O honoured (sir).
برگها هم‌رنگ باشد در نظر ** میوه‌ها هر یک بود نوعی دگر
Leaves are of the same colour to look at, (but) fruits, every one, are of a diverse sort.
برگهای جسمها ماننده‌اند ** لیک هر جانی بریعی زنده‌اند
The leaves, (namely) the bodies, are similar, but every soul lives with a (different) produce (which it yields).
خلق در بازار یکسان می‌روند ** آن یکی در ذوق و دیگر دردمند3515
In the bazaar the people go (about their business) all alike, (but) one is in glee and another sorrowful.
همچنان در مرگ یکسان می‌رویم ** نیم در خسران و نیمی خسرویم
Even so in death: we go all alike, (but) half of us are losers and (the other) half are (fortunate as) emperors.
وفات یافتن بلال رضی الله عنه با شادی
How Bilál, may God be well-pleased with him, died rejoicing.
چون بلال از ضعف شد همچون هلال ** رنگ مرگ افتاد بر روی بلال
When Bilál from weakness became (thin) as the new-moon, the hue of death fell upon Bilál's face.
جفت او دیدش بگفتا وا حرب ** پس بلالش گفت نه نه وا طرب
His wife saw him (in this state) and cried, “Oh, sorrow!” Then Bilál said to her, “Nay, nay! (Say), ‘Oh, joy!’
تا کنون اندر حرب بودم ز زیست ** تو چه دانی مرگ چون عیشست و چیست
Until now I have been in sorrow from living: how shouldst thou know how delightful death is, and what it is (in reality)?”
این همی گفت و رخش در عین گفت ** نرگس و گلبرگ و لاله می‌شکفت3520
He was saying this, and at the very moment of saying it his countenance was blooming with narcissi, rose-leaves, and red anemones.
تاب رو و چشم پر انوار او ** می گواهی داد بر گفتار او
The glow of his face and his eye full of radiance were giving testimony to (the truth of) his words.
هر سیه دل می سیه دیدی ورا ** مردم دیده سیاه آمد چرا
Every black-hearted one was regarding him as black (and despising him); (but) why is the man (pupil) of the eye black?
مردم نادیده باشد رو سیاه ** مردم دیده بود مرآت ماه
The man (spiritually) blind is black-faced, (but) the Man of the (inward) eye (the Seer) is the mirror for the Moon.
خود کی بیند مردم دیده‌ی ترا ** در جهان جز مردم دیده‌فزا
Who in the world, indeed, sees the man of your (inward) eye except the Man of piercing sight?
چون به غیر مردم دیده‌ش ندید ** پس به غیر او کی در رنگش رسید3525
Since none but the Man of the eye beheld it, who, then, but he attained to (knowledge of) its (essential) colour?
پس جز او جمله مقلد آمدند ** در صفات مردم دیده بلند
Therefore all except him (the Seer) are imitators (without immediate knowledge) in regard to the attributes of the sublime man of the eye.
گفت جفتش الفراق ای خوش‌خصال ** گفت نه نه الوصالست الوصال
His (Bilál's) wife said to him, “(This is) the parting, O man of goodly qualities.” “Nay, nay,” said he, “’tis the union, the union (with God).”
گفت جفت امشب غریبی می‌روی ** از تبار و خویش غایب می‌شوی
The wife said, “To-night thou wilt go to a strange country, thou wilt become absent from thy family and kindred.”
گفت نه نه بلک امشب جان من ** می‌رسد خود از غریبی در وطن
“Nay, nay,” he replied; “contrariwise, to-night in sooth from a strange country my spirit is coming home.”
گفت رویت را کجا بینیم ما ** گفت اندر حلقه‌ی خاص خدا3530
She said, “Where shall we behold thy face?” He answered, “In God's chosen circle.”
حلقه‌ی خاصش به تو پیوسته است ** گر نظر بالا کنی نه سوی پست
His chosen circle adjoins you, if you look upward, not downward.
اندر آن حلقه ز رب العالمین ** نور می‌تابد چو در حلقه نگین
In that circle the Light from the Lord of created beings is gleaming like the bezel in the circle (of the seal-ring).
گفت ویران گشت این خانه دریغ ** گفت اندر مه نگر منگر به میغ
“Alas,” she said, “this house has been ruined.” “Look on the moon,” said he, “do not look on the cloud.
کرد ویران تا کند معمورتر ** قومم انبه بود و خانه مختصر
He has ruined it in order that He may make it more flourishing: my kinsfolk were numerous and the house was (too) small.