هم‌چو مرهم ساکن و بس کارکن ** چون خرد ساکن وزو جنبان سخن
At rest, like the (medicinal) ointment, and very active (efficacious); at rest, like the intellect, while the speech (impelled) by it is moving.
نزد آنکس که نداند عقلش این ** زلزله هست از بخارات زمین3720
In the opinion of him whose intelligence does not perceive this, earthquakes are caused by terrestrial vapours.
موری بر کاغذ می‌رفت نبشتن قلم دید قلم را ستودن گرفت موری دیگر کی چشم تیزتر بود گفت ستایش انگشتان را کن کی آن هنر ازیشان می‌بینم موری دگر کی از هر دو چشم روشن‌تر بود گفت من بازو را ستایم کی انگشتان فرع بازواند الی آخره
An ant, walking on a piece of paper, saw the pen writing and began to praise the pen. Another ant, which was more keen-sighted, said, "Praise the fingers, for I deem this accomplishment to proceed from them." Another ant, more clear-sighted than either, said, "I praise the arm, for the fingers are a branch of the arm," et cetera.
مورکی بر کاغذی دید او قلم ** گفت با مور دگر این راز هم
A little ant saw a pen (writing) on a paper, and told this mystery to another ant,
که عجایب نقشها آن کلک کرد ** هم‌چو ریحان و چو سوسن‌زار و ورد
Saying, “That pen made wonderful pictures like sweet basil and beds of lilies and roses.”
گفت آن مور اصبعست آن پیشه‌ور ** وین قلم در فعل فرعست و اثر
The other ant said, “That artist is the finger, and this pen is actually (no more than) the derivative (instrument) and the sign.”
گفت آن مور سوم کز بازوست ** که اصبع لاغر ز زورش نقش بست
A third ant said, “It is the work of the arm, by whose strength the slender finger depicted it.”
هم‌چنین می‌رفت بالا تا یکی ** مهتر موران فطن بود اندکی3725
In this fashion it (the argument) was carried upward till a chief of the ants, (who) was a little bit sagacious,
گفت کز صورت مبینید این هنر ** که به خواب و مرگ گردد بی‌خبر
Said, “Do not regard this accomplishment as proceeding from the (material) form, which becomes unconscious in sleep and death.
صورت آمد چون لباس و چون عصا ** جز به عقل و جان نجنبد نقشها
Form is like a garment or a staff: (bodily) figures do not move except by means of intellect and spirit.”
بی‌خبر بود او که آن عقل و فاد ** بی ز تقلیب خدا باشد جماد
He (the wise ant) was unaware that without the controlling influence of God that intellect and heart (mind) would be inert.
یک زمان از وی عنایت بر کند ** عقل زیرک ابلهیها می‌کند
If He withdraw His favour from it for a single moment, the acute intellect will commit (many) follies.
چونش گویا یافت ذوالقرنین گفت ** چونک کوه قاف در نطق سفت3730
When Dhu ’l-Qarnayn found it (Mount Qáf) speaking, he said, after Mount Qáf had bored the pearls of speech,
کای سخن‌گوی خبیر رازدان ** از صفات حق بکن با من بیان
“O eloquent one, who art wise and knowest the mystery, expound to me the Attributes of God.”
گفت رو کان وصف از آن هایل‌ترست ** که بیان بر وی تواند برد دست
It answered, “Go, for those qualities are too terrible for (oral) exposition to put its hand on them,
یا قلم را زهره باشد که به سر ** بر نویسد بر صحایف زان خبر
Or for the pen to dare inscribe with its point information concerning them on the pages (of books).”
گفت کمتر داستانی باز گو ** از عجبهای حق ای حبر نکو
He said, “Relate a lesser tale concerning the wonders of God, O goodly divine.”
گفت اینک دشت سیصدساله راه ** کوههای برف پر کردست شاه3735
It said, “Look, the King (God) hath made a plain full of snow-mountains, for the distance of a three hundred years' journey—
کوه بر که بی‌شمار و بی‌عدد ** می‌رسد در هر زمان برفش مدد
Mountain on mountain, beyond count and number: the snow comes continually to replenish them.
کوه برفی می‌زند بر دیگری ** می‌رساند برف سردی تا ثری
One snow-mountain is being piled on another: the snow brings coldness to the earth.
کوه برفی می‌زند بر کوه برف ** دم به دم ز انبار بی‌حد و شگرف
At every moment snow-mountain is being piled on snow-mountain from the illimitable and vast storehouse.
گر نبودی این چنین وادی شها ** تف دوزخ محو کردی مر مرا
O king, if there were not a valley (of snow) like this, the glowing heat of Hell would annihilate me.”
غافلان را کوههای برف دان ** تا نسوزد پرده‌های عاقلان3740
Know that (in this world) the heedless are (like) snow-mountains, to the end that the veils of the intelligent may not be consumed.
گر نبودی عکس جهل برف‌باف ** سوختی از نار شوق آن کوه قاف
Were it not for the reflexion (effect) of snow-weaving (chilling) ignorance, that Mount Qáf would be consumed by the fire of longing.
آتش از قهر خدا خود ذره‌ایست ** بهر تهدید لیمان دره‌ایست
The Fire (of Hell) in sooth is (only) an atom of God's wrath; it is (only) a whip to threaten the base.
با چنین قهری که زفت و فایق است ** برد لطفش بین که بر وی سابق است
Notwithstanding such a wrath, which is mighty and surpassing all, observe that the coolness of His clemency is prior to it.
سبق بی‌چون و چگونه‌ی معنوی ** سابق و مسبوق دیدی بی‌دوی
(’Tis) a spiritual priority, unqualified and unconditioned. Have you seen the prior and the posterior without duality (have you seen them to be one)?
گر ندیدی آن بود از فهم پست ** که عقول خلق زان کان یک جوست3745
If you have not seen them (as one), that is because of feeble understanding; for the minds of God's creatures are (but) a single grain of that mine.
عیب بر خود نه نه بر آیات دین ** کی رسد بر چرخ دین مرغ گلین
Lay the blame on yourself, not on the evidences of the (true) Religion: how should the bird of clay reach the sky of the (true) Religion?
مرغ را جولانگه عالی هواست ** زانک نشو او ز شهوت وز هواست
The bird's lofty soaring-place is (only) the air, since its origin is from lust and sensuality.
پس تو حیران باش بی‌لا و بلی ** تا ز رحمت پیشت آید محملی
Therefore be dumbfounded without nay or yea, in order that a litter may come from (the Divine) Mercy to carry you.
چون ز فهم این عجایب کودنی ** گر بلی گویی تکلف می‌کنی
Forasmuch as you are too dull to apprehend these wonders (of God), if you say “yea” you will be prevaricating;
ور بگویی نی زند نی گردنت ** قهر بر بندد بدان نی روزنت3750
And if you say “nay,” the “nay” will behead (undo) you: on account of that “nay” (the Divine) Wrath will shut your (spiritual) window.
پس همین حیران و واله باش و بس ** تا درآید نصر حق از پیش و پس
Be, then, only dumbfounded and distraught, nothing else, that God's aid may come in from before and behind.
چونک حیران گشتی و گیج و فنا ** با زبان حال گفتی اهدنا
When you have become dumbfounded and crazed and naughted, you have said with mute eloquence, “Lead us.”
زفت زفتست و چو لرزان می‌شوی ** می‌شود آن زفت نرم و مستوی
It (the wrath of God) is mighty, mighty; but when you begin to tremble, that mighty (wrath) becomes assuaged and equable,
زانک شکل زفت بهر منکرست ** چونک عاجز آمدی لطف و برست
Because the mighty shape is for (terrifying) the unbeliever; when you have become helpless, it is mercy and kindness.
نمودن جبرئیل علیه‌السلام خود را به مصطفی صلی‌الله علیه و سلم به صورت خویش و از هفتصد پر او چون یک پر ظاهر شد افق را بگرفت و آفتاب محجوب شد با همه شعاعش
How Gabriel, on whom be peace, showed himself to Mustafá (Mohammed), God bless and save him, in his own shape; and how, when one of his seven hundred wings became visible, it covered the horizon (on all sides), and the sun with all its radiance was veiled over.
مصطفی می‌گفت پیش جبرئیل ** که چنانک صورت تست ای خلیل3755
Mustafá said in the presence of Gabriel, “Even as thy shape (really) is, O friend,
مر مرا بنما تو محسوس آشکار ** تا ببینم مر ترا نظاره‌وار
Show it to me sensibly and visibly, that I may behold thee as spectators (who fix their eyes on an object of interest).”
گفت نتوانی و طاقت نبودت ** حس ضعیفست و تنک سخت آیدت
He replied, “Thou canst not (bear this) and hast not the power to endure it; the sense (of sight) is weak and frail: ’twould be grievous for thee (to behold me).”
گفت بنما تا ببیند این جسد ** تا چد حد حس نازکست و بی‌مدد
“Show thyself,” said he, “that this body may perceive to what an extent the senses are frail and resourceless.”
آدمی را هست حس تن سقیم ** لیک در باطن یکی خلقی عظیم
Man's bodily senses are infirm, but he hath a potent nature within.
بر مثال سنگ و آهن این تنه ** لیک هست او در صفت آتش‌زنه3760
This body resembles flint and steel, but in quality (intrinsically) it is a striker of fire.
سنگ وآهن مولد ایجاد نار ** زاد آتش بر دو والد قهربار
Flint and steel are the birth-place whence fire is brought into being: (from them) fire is born, domineering over both its parents.
باز آتش دستکار وصف تن ** هست قاهر بر تن او و شعله‌زن
Fire, again, exercises sway over the bodily nature: it is dominant over the body and flaming;
باز در تن شعله ابراهیم‌وار ** که ازو مقهور گردد برج نار
Yet again, there is in the body an Abraham-like flame whereby the tower of fire is subdued.
لاجرم گفت آن رسول ذو فنون ** رمز نحن الاخرون السابقون
In consequence (of this) the all-accomplished Prophet said symbolically, “We are the hindmost and the foremost.”
ظاهر این دو بسندانی زبون ** در صفت از کان آهنها فزون3765
The material form of these twain (flint and steel) is vanquished by a (hammer and) anvil, (but) in quality (intrinsically) they are superior to the mine of iron ores.
پس به صورت آدمی فرع جهان ** وز صفت اصل جهان این را بدان
Therefore Man is in appearance a derivative of the world, and intrinsically the origin of the world. Observe this!
ظاهرش را پشه‌ای آرد به چرخ ** باطنش باشد محیط هفت چرخ
A gnat will set his outward frame whirling round (in pain and agitation); his inward nature encompasses the Seven Heavens.
چونک کرد الحاح بنمود اندکی ** هیبتی که که شود زومند کی
When he (the Prophet) persisted (in his request), he (Gabriel) displayed a little the awful majesty by which a mountain would be reduced to dust.