The heart is like unto a great house: the house of the heart hath neighbours concealed (from view):
از شکاف روزن و دیوارها ** مطلع گردند بر اسرار ما
Through the window-slit and (crevices in) the walls they observe the hidden thoughts—
از شکافی که ندارد هیچ وهم ** صاحب خانه و ندارد هیچ سهم
Through a slit whereof the owner of the house hath no conception and in which he hath no share.
از نبی بر خوان که دیو و قوم او ** می‌برند از حال انسی خفیه بو1780
Recite from the Qur’án (the verse which declares) that the Devil and his tribe secretly get scent of (become acquainted with) the (inward) state of humankind,
از رهی که انس از آن آگاه نیست ** زانک زین محسوس و زین اشباه نیست
By a way of which humankind are ignorant, because it is not of this sensible (world) or one of these semblances (phenomenal objects).
در میان ناقدان زرقی متن ** با محک ای قلب دون لافی مزن
Do not devise any fraud amongst the assayers: do not address any idle boast to the touchstone, O base spurious coin.
مر محک را ره بود در نقد و قلب ** که خدایش کرد امیر جسم و قلب
The (spiritual) touchstone hath a way to (know) the genuine and the spurious coin, for God made him the commander of (both) body and heart.
چون شیاطین با غلیظیهای خویش ** واقف‌اند از سر ما و فکر و کیش
Since the devils, notwithstanding their grossnesses, are acquainted with our inmost soul and thought and belief,
مسلکی دارند دزدیده درون ** ما ز دزدیهای ایشان سرنگون1785
(And) have a passage (means of penetrating) stealthily within, (so that) we are overthrown by their thievish practices,
دم به دم خبط و زیانی می‌کنند ** صاحب نقب و شکاف روزنند
(And since) they continually inflict a (great) derangement and damage (upon us), for they are masters of the (interior) tunnel and window-slit—
پس چرا جان‌های روشن در جهان ** بی‌خبر باشند از حال نهان
Why, then, should the illuminated spirits in the world be unaware of our hidden state?
در سرایت کمتر از دیوان شدند ** روحها که خیمه بر گردون زدند
Have the spirits that pitched their tent on Heaven become inferior to the devils in respect of permeation (the power of insinuating themselves into our hearts)?
دیو دزدانه سوی گردون رود ** از شهاب محرق او مطعون شود
The devil goes like a thief towards Heaven, and he is pierced with a burning meteor:
سرنگون از چرخ زیر افتد چنان ** که شقی در جنگ از زخم سنان1790
He falls down headlong from the sky as the wretched (infidel falls when smitten) in battle by the blow of the spear-point.
آن ز رشک روحهای دل‌پسند ** از فلکشان سرنگون می‌افکنند
That is caused by the jealousy (indignation) of the delectable spirits (the prophets and saints): (hence) they (the angels) cast them (the devils) headlong from Heaven.
تو اگر شلی و لنگ و کور و کر ** این گمان بر روحهای مه مبر
If you are palsied and lame and blind and deaf, (yet) do not hold this (bad) opinion of the great spirits.
شرم دار و لاف کم زن جان مکن ** که بسی جاسوس هست آن سوی تن
Be ashamed and do not utter idle words, do not torment yourself (in vain), for there are many spies (observing you) beyond the (ken of the) body.
دریافتن طبیبان الهی امراض دین و دل را در سیمای مرید و بیگانه و لحن گفتار او و رنگ چشم او و بی این همه نیز از راه دل کی انهم جواسیس القلوب فجالسوهم بالصدق
How the divine physicians detect diseases, religious and spiritual, in the countenance of friend or stranger and in the tones of his speech and the colour of his eyes, and even without all these (indications), by the way of the heart; for "verily, they are spies on the hearts (of men); therefore behave with sincerity when ye sit with them."
این طبیبان بدن دانش‌ورند ** بر سقام تو ز تو واقف‌ترند
These physicians of the body have knowledge (of medicine): they are more acquainted with your malady than you are,
تا ز قاروره همی‌بینند حال ** که ندانی تو از آن رو اعتلال1795
So that they perceive the state (of your health) from the urine-bottle, though you cannot know your ailment by that means,
هم ز نبض و هم ز رنگ و هم ز دم ** بو برند از تو بهر گونه سقم
And from your pulse, complexion, and breath alike they diagnose every kind of disease in you.
پس طبیبان الهی در جهان ** چون ندانند از تو بی‌گفت دهان
How, then, should the divine physicians in the world not diagnose (disease) in you without word of mouth?
هم ز نبضت هم ز چشمت هم ز رنگ ** صد سقم بینند در تو بی‌درنگ
From your pulse and your eyes and your complexion alike they immediately discern a hundred (spiritual) maladies in you.
این طبیبان نوآموزند خود ** که بدین آیاتشان حاجت بود
In sooth, ’tis (only) these newly-taught physicians that have need of these (external) signs.
کاملان از دور نامت بشنوند ** تا به قعر باد و بودت در دوند1800
The perfect (the divine physicians) will hear your name from afar and quickly penetrate into the deepest ground of your being and existence;
بلک پیش از زادن تو سالها ** دیده باشندت ترا با حالها
Nay, they will have seen you (many) years before your birth —you together with all the circumstances (connected with you).
مژده دادن ابویزید از زادن ابوالحسن خرقانی قدس الله روحهما پیش از سالها و نشان صورت او سیرت او یک به یک و نوشتن تاریخ‌نویسان آن در جهت رصد
How Abú Yazíd (Bistámí) announced the birth of Abu ’l-Hasan Kharraqání—may God sanctify the spirit of them both—(many) years before it took place, and gave a detailed description of his outer and inner characteristics; and how the chronologers wrote it down for the purpose of observation.
آن شنیدی داستان بایزید ** که ز حال بوالحسن پیشین چه دید
Have you heard the story of Báyazíd—what he saw beforehand of the (spiritual) state of Bu ’l-Hasan?
روزی آن سلطان تقوی می‌گذشت ** با مریدان جانب صحرا و دشت
One day that sultan of piety was passing with his disciples (on the way) towards the open country and the plain.
بوی خوش آمد مر او را ناگهان ** در سواد ری ز سوی خارقان
Suddenly there came to him, in the district of Rayy, a sweet scent from the direction of Kháraqán.
هم بدانجا ناله‌ی مشتاق کرد ** بوی را از باد استنشاق کرد1805
On the spot he uttered the lamentable cry of one who is yearning, and sniffed the scent from the breeze.
بوی خوش را عاشقانه می‌کشید ** جان او از باد باده می‌چشید
He was inhaling the sweet scent lovingly: his soul was tasting wine from the breeze.
کوزه‌ای کو از یخابه پر بود ** چون عرق بر ظاهرش پیدا شود
When “sweat” appears on the outside of a pot that is full of icy water,
آن ز سردی هوا آبی شدست ** از درون کوزه نم بیرون نجست
It has been turned into water by the coldness of the air: the moisture has not escaped from the inside of the pot.
باد بوی‌آور مر او را آب گشت ** آب هم او را شراب ناب گشت
The scent-bearing breeze became water for him; for him too the water became pure wine.
چون درو آثار مستی شد پدید ** یک مرید او را از آن دم بر رسید1810
When the marks of intoxication appeared in him, a disciple questioned him concerning that breath (Divine afflatus);
پس بپرسیدش که این احوال خوش ** که برونست از حجاب پنج و شش
Then he asked him, “(What are) these sweet ecstasies which are beyond the pale of the five (senses) and the six (directions)?
گاه سرخ و گاه زرد و گه سپید ** می‌شود رویت چه حالست و نوید
Thy face is becoming now red and now yellow and now white: what is the (good) hap and the glad tidings?
می‌کشی بوی و به ظاهر نیست گل ** بی‌شک از غیبست و از گلزار کل
Thou art inhaling scent, and no flowers are visible: doubtless it is from the Unseen and from the garden of the Universal.
ای تو کام جان هر خودکامه‌ای ** هر دم از غیبت پیام و نامه‌ای
O thou who art the desire of every one who (wilfully) follows his own desire (for God), thou to whom there is (coming) at every moment a message and letter from the Unseen,
هر دمی یعقوب‌وار از یوسفی ** می‌رسد اندر مشام تو شفا1815
Thou to whose (spiritual) organ of smell there is coming at every moment, as to Jacob, balm from a Joseph,
قطره‌ای بر ریز بر ما زان سبو ** شمه‌ای زان گلستان با ما بگو
Spill upon us one drop from that pitcher, give us one word that smells of that garden.
خو نداریم ای جمال مهتری ** که لب ما خشک و تو تنها خوری
We are not accustomed, O (thou who art the) beauty of (spiritual) majesty, that thou shouldst drink alone while our lips are dry.
ای فلک‌پیمای چست چست‌خیز ** زانچ خوردی جرعه‌ای بر ما بریز
O nimble, nimbly-rising traverser of Heaven, spill upon us one draught of that which thou hast drunk.
میر مجلس نیست در دوران دگر ** جز تو ای شه در حریفان در نگر
There is no other Master of the Revels in the world except thee: O king, look (with favour) on the boon-companions!
کی توان نوشید این می زیردست ** می یقین مر مرد را رسواگرست1820
How is it possible to quaff this wine underhand (in secret)? Certainly wine is the exposer of man.
بوی را پوشیده و مکنون کند ** چشم مست خویشتن را چون کند
He may disguise and conceal the scent, (but) how will he hide his intoxicated eye?
خود نه آن بویست این که اندر جهان ** صد هزاران پرده‌اش دارد نهان
In sooth this is not a scent that thousands of veils will keep hidden in the world.
پر شد از تیزی او صحرا و دشت ** دشت چه کز نه فلک هم در گذشت
The desert and plain are filled with its pungency. What (of the) plain? for it hath passed even beyond the nine spheres (of Heaven).
این سر خم را به کهگل در مگیر ** کین برهنه نیست خود پوشش‌پذیر
Do not daub the head of the jar with mortar, for indeed this naked one does not admit of covering.