خوردن تن مانع این خوردنست ** جان چو بازرگان و تن چون ره‌زنست

Bodily eating and drinking is the obstacle to this (spiritual) eating and drinking: the spirit is like a merchant, while the body is like a highwayman.

شمع تاجر آنگهست افروخته ** که بود ره‌زن چو هیزم سوخته 3610

(Only) at the time when the highwayman is consumed like firewood is the candle of the spirit resplendent;

که تو آن هوشی و باقی هوش‌پوش ** خویشتن را گم مکن یاوه مکوش

For thou art (in reality) that (spiritual) intelligence, and (all) the rest (of thee) is a mask concealing the intelligence. Do not lose thy (real) self, do not strive in vain!

دانک هر شهوت چو خمرست و چو بنگ ** پرده‌ی هوشست وعاقل زوست دنگ

Know that every sensual desire is like wine and beng: it is a veil over the intelligence, and thereby the rational man is stupefied.

خمر تنها نیست سرمستی هوش ** هر چه شهوانیست بندد چشم و گوش

The intoxication of the intelligence is not (caused by) wine alone: whatsoever is sensual shuts the (spiritual) eye and ear.

آن بلیس از خمر خوردن دور بود ** مست بود او از تکبر وز جحود

Iblís was far removed from wine-drinking: he was drunken with pride and unbelief.

مست آن باشد که آن بیند که نیست ** زر نماید آنچ مس و آهنیست 3615

The drunken man is he who sees that which is not: (to him) what is (really) a piece of copper or iron appears to be gold.

این سخن پایان ندارد موسیا ** لب بجنبان تا برون روژد گیا

This discourse hath no end. (God said), “O Moses, move thy lips, that the herbage may spring forth.”

هم‌چنان کرد و هم اندر دم زمین ** سبز گشت از سنبل و حب ثمین

He (Moses) did so, and immediately the earth became green with hyacinths and costly grains.

اندر افتادند در لوت آن نفر ** قحط دیده مرده از جوع البقر

That folk fell to (eating) the food, since they had suffered famine and were (almost) dead from ravenous hunger.

چند روزی سیر خوردند از عطا ** آن دمی و آدمی و چارپا

For several days they ate their fill of the gift, (both) those who were inspired by that breath (of Moses) and the (other) human beings and the quadrupeds.

چون شکم پر گشت و بر نعمت زدند ** وآن ضرورت رفت پس طاغی شدند 3620

When their bellies were filled and they grasped the (Divine) bounty and the necessity was gone, then they waxed insolent (in disobedience).

نفس فرعونیست هان سیرش مکن ** تا نیارد یاد از آن کفر کهن

The carnal soul is a follower of Pharaoh: beware, do not satisfy it, lest it remember its ancient infidelity.

بی تف آتش نگردد نفس خوب ** تا نشد آهن چو اخگر هین مکوب

Without the glowing heat of the fire (of mortification) the carnal soul will never become goodly: hark, do not beat the iron till it has become like live coals.

بی‌مجاعت نیست تن جنبش‌کنان ** آهن سردیست می‌کوبی بدان

Without hunger the body makes no movement (towards God): ‘tis cold iron thou art beating. Know (this for sure)!

گر بگرید ور بنالد زار زار ** او نخواهد شد مسلمان هوش دار

Though it weep and wail most piteously, it will never become a true believer. Take heed!

او چو فرعونست در قحط آنچنان ** پیش موسی سر نهد لابه‌کنان 3625

It is like Pharaoh: in (the time of) famine it lays its head before Moses, as he (Pharaoh) did, making supplication;

چونک مستغنی شد او طاغی شود ** خر چو بار انداخت اسکیزه زند

(But) when it has been freed from want, it rebels (once more) when the donkey has cast off his load, he kicks.

پس فراموشش شود چون رفت پیش ** کار او زان آه و زاریهای خویش

So, when its business has gone forward (prosperously), it (the carnal soul) forgets its sighs and lamentations.

سالها مردی که در شهری بود ** یک زمان که چشم در خوابی رود

The man who lives in a city (many) years, as soon as his eye goes asleep,

شهر دیگر بیند او پر نیک و بد ** هیچ در یادش نیاید شهر خود

Beholds another city full of good and evil, and his own city comes not into his memory at all,

که من آنجا بوده‌ام این شهر نو ** نیست آن من درینجاام گرو 3630

So that (he should say), “I have lived there (so many years); this new city is not mine: here I am (only) in pawn.”

بل چنان داند که خود پیوسته او ** هم درین شهرش به دست ابداع و خو

Nay, he thinks that in sooth he has always lived in this very city and has been born and bred in it.

چه عجب گر روح موطنهای خویش ** که بدستش مسکن و میلاد پیش

What wonder (then) if the spirit does not remember its (ancient) abodes, which have been its dwelling-place and birthplace aforetime,

می‌نیارد یاد کین دنیا چو خواب ** می‌فرو پوشد چو اختر را سحاب

Since this world, like sleep, is covering it over as clouds cover the stars? —

خاصه چندین شهرها را کوفته ** گردها از درک او ناروفته

Especially as it has trodden so many cities, and the dust has not (yet) been swept from its perceptive faculty,

اجتهاد گرم ناکرده که تا ** دل شود صاف و ببیند ماجرا 3635

Nor has it made ardent efforts that its heart should become pure and behold the past;

سر برون آرد دلش از بخش راز ** اول و آخر ببیند چشم باز

That its heart should put forth its head (peep forth) from the aperture of the mystery and should see the beginning and the end with open eye.

اطوار و منازل خلقت آدمی از ابتدا

The diverse modes and stages of the nature of Man from the beginning.

آمده اول به اقلیم جماد ** وز جمادی در نباتی اوفتاد

First he came into the clime (world) of inorganic things, and from the state of inorganic things he passed into the vegetable state.

سالها اندر نباتی عمر کرد ** وز جمادی یاد ناورد از نبرد

(Many) years he lived in the vegetable state and did not remember the inorganic state because of the opposition (between them);

وز نباتی چون به حیوانی فتاد ** نامدش حال نباتی هیچ یاد

And when he passed from the vegetable into the animal state, the vegetable state was not remembered by him at all,

جز همین میلی که دارد سوی آن ** خاصه در وقت بهار و ضیمران 3640

Save only for the inclination which he has towards that (state), especially in the season of spring and sweet herbs—

هم‌چو میل کودکان با مادران ** سر میل خود نداند در لبان

Like the inclination of babes towards their mothers: it (the babe) does not know the secret of its desire for being suckled;

هم‌چو میل مفرط هر نو مرید ** سوی آن پیر جوانبخت مجید

(Or) like the excessive inclination of every novice towards the noble spiritual Elder, whose fortune is young (and flourishing).

جزو عقل این از آن عقل کلست ** جنبش این سایه زان شاخ گلست

The particular intelligence of this (disciple) is derived from that Universal Intelligence: the motion of this shadow is derived from that Rose-bough.

سایه‌اش فانی شود آخر درو ** پس بداند سر میل و جست و جو

His (the disciple's) shadow disappears at last in him (the Master); then he knows the secret of his inclination and search and seeking.

سایه‌ی شاخ دگر ای نیکبخت ** کی بجنبد گر نجنبد این درخت 3645

How should the shadow of the other's (the disciple's) bough move, O fortunate one, if this Tree move not?

باز از حیوان سوی انسانیش ** می‌کشید آن خالقی که دانیش

Again, the Creator, whom thou knowest, was leading him (Man) from the animal (state) towards humanity.

هم‌چنین اقلیم تا اقلیم رفت ** تا شد اکنون عاقل و دانا و زفت

Thus did he advance from clime to clime (from one world of being to another), till he has now become intelligent and wise and mighty.

عقلهای اولینش یاد نیست ** هم ازین عقلش تحول کردنیست

He hath no remembrance of his former intelligences (souls); from this (human) intelligence also there is a migration to be made by him,

تا رهد زین عقل پر حرص و طلب ** صد هزاران عقل بیند بوالعجب

That he may escape from this intelligence full of greed and self-seeking and may behold a hundred thousand intelligences most marvellous.

گر چو خفته گشت و شد ناسی ز پیش ** کی گذارندش در آن نسیان خویش 3650

Though he fell asleep and became oblivious of the past, how should they leave him in that self-forgetfulness?

باز از آن خوابش به بیداری کشند ** که کند بر حالت خود ریش‌خند

From that sleep they will bring him back again to wakefulness, that he may mock at his (present) state,

که چه غم بود آنک می‌خوردم به خواب ** چون فراموشم شد احوال صواب

Saying, “What was that sorrow I was suffering in my sleep? How did I forget the states of truth (the real experiences)?

چون ندانستم که آن غم و اعتلال ** فعل خوابست و فریبست و خیال

How did not I know that that sorrow and disease is the effect of sleep and is illusion and phantasy?”

هم‌چنان دنیا که حلم نایمست ** خفته پندارد که این خود دایمست

Even so this world, which is the sleeper's dream: the sleeper fancies that it is really enduring,

تا بر آید ناگهان صبح اجل ** وا رهد از ظلمت ظن و دغل 3655

Till on a sudden there shall rise the dawn of Death and he shall be delivered from the darkness of opinion and falsehood.

خنده‌اش گیرد از آن غمهای خویش ** چون ببیند مستقر و جای خویش

(Then) laughter at those sorrows of his will take possession of him when he sees his permanent abode and dwelling-place.

هر چه تو در خواب بینی نیک و بد ** روز محشر یک به یک پیدا شود

Everything good or evil that thou seest in thy sleep will be made manifest, one by one, on the Day of the (Last) Congregation.

آنچ کردی اندرین خواب جهان ** گرددت هنگام بیداری عیان

That which thou didst in this sleep in the (present) world will become evident to thee at the time of awaking.