پیش آب و پس هم آب با مدد ** چشمها را پیش سد و خلف سد
Water in front; and behind, too, an unfailing supply of water; (but) before thine eyes is a barrier and behind them a barrier.
اسپ زیر ران و فارس اسپ‌جو ** چیست این گفت اسپ لیکن اسپ کو
The horse is under the (rider's) thigh, and the rider is seeking the horse. (When asked), “What is this?” he says, “A horse, but where is the horse?”
هی نه اسپست این به زیر تو پدید ** گفت آری لیک خود اسپی که دید
“Eh, is not this a horse under thee, plain to see?” “Yes,” says he, “but who ever saw a horse?”
مست آب و پیش روی اوست آن ** اندر آب و بی‌خبر ز آب روان
He (such a one) is mad with thirst for the water, and it (the water) is before his face: he is in the water and unconscious of the running water.
چون گهر در بحر گوید بحر کو ** وآن خیال چون صدف دیوار او 1080
Like the pearl in the sea, he says, “Where is the sea?” and that shell-like phantasy is his wall.
گفتن آن کو حجابش می‌شود ** ابر تاب آفتابش می‌شود
His saying “Where?” becomes for him a screen: it becomes for him a cloud over the radiance of the sun.
بند چشم اوست هم چشم بدش ** عین رفع سد او گشته سدش
His bad (sensual) eye is a bandage on his (inward) eye: his very (awareness of) removing the barrier has become a barrier for him.
بند گوش او شده هم هوش او ** هوش با حق دار ای مدهوش او
His (self-)consciousness has become the plug of his (inward) ear: keep thy consciousness (directed) towards God (alone), O thou who art bewildered in Him.
در تفسیر قول مصطفی علیه‌السلام من جعل الهموم هما واحدا کفاه الله سائر همومه و من تفرقت به الهموم لا یبالی الله فی ای واد اهلکه
Commentary on the saying of Mustafá (Mohammed), on whom be peace, “Whosoever shall make his cares one care, God will relieve him of all his cares; and whosoever is distracted by his cares, God will not care in what valley He destroys him.”
هوش را توزیع کردی بر جهات ** می‌نیرزد تره‌ای آن ترهات
Thou hast distributed thy consciousness in (all) directions: those vanities are not worth a cress.
آب هش را می‌کشد هر بیخ خار ** آب هوشت چون رسد سوی ثمار 1085
Every thorn-root draws the water of thy consciousness (towards itself): how should the water of thy consciousness reach the fruit?
هین بزن آن شاخ بد را خو کنش ** آب ده این شاخ خوش را نو کنش
Hark, smite that evil bough, lop it off: water this goodly bough, refresh it.
هر دو سبزند این زمان آخر نگر ** کین شود باطل از آن روید ثمر
Both are green at this (present) time, (but) look to the end (and see) that this one will come to naught, (while) fruit will grow from that one.
آب باغ این را حلال آن را حرام ** فرق را آخر ببینی والسلام
To this one the water in the orchard is lawful, to that one (it is) unlawful. In the end thou wilt see the difference, and (so) farewell.
عدل چه بود آب ده اشجار را ** ظلم چه بود آب دادن خار را
What is justice? Giving water to trees. What is injustice? To give water to thorns.
عدل وضع نعمتی در موضعش ** نه بهر بیخی که باشد آبکش 1090
Justice is (consists in) bestowing a bounty in its proper place, not on every root that will absorb water.
ظلم چه بود وضع در ناموضعی ** که نباشد جز بلا را منبعی
What is injustice? To bestow (it) in an improper place that can only be a source of calamity.
نعمت حق را به جان و عقل ده ** نه به طبع پر زحیر پر گره
Bestow the bounty of God on the spirit and reason, not on the (carnal) nature full of disease and complications.
بار کن بیگار غم را بر تنت ** بر دل و جان کم نه آن جان کندنت
Load the conflict of (worldly) cares upon thy body: do not lay thy anxiety upon the heart and spirit.
بر سر عیسی نهاده تنگ بار ** خر سکیزه می‌زند در مرغزار
The pack is laid upon the head of Jesus, (while) the ass is frisking in the meadow.
سرمه را در گوش کردن شرط نیست ** کار دل را جستن از تن شرط نیست 1095
’Tis not right to put collyrium in the ear: ’tis not right to demand from the body the work of the heart (spirit).
گر دلی رو ناز کن خواری مکش ** ور تنی شکر منوش و زهر چش
If thou art a (devotee of the) heart, go, scorn (the world), do not suffer contumely (from it); and if thou art a (devotee of the) body, do not eat sugar but taste poison.
زهر تن را نافعست و قند بد ** تن همان بهتر که باشد بی‌مدد
Poison is beneficial to the body, and sugar noxious: ’tis better that the body should be deprived of supplies.
هیزم دوزخ تنست و کم کنش ** ور بروید هیزمی رو بر کنش
The body is fuel for Hell, do thou weaken it; and if it produce a (new) growth of fuel, go, destroy it.
ورنه حمال حطب باشی حطب ** در دو عالم هم‌چو جفت بولهب
Else, O (thou who art) firewood, thou wilt be a carrier of firewood in both worlds, like the wife of Bú Lahab.
از حطب بشناس شاخ سدره را ** گرچه هر دو سبز باشند ای فتی 1100
Know (discriminate) the bough of the Sidra from the firewood, though both are green, O youth.
اصل آن شاخست هفتم آسمان ** اصل این شاخست از نار و دخان
The origin of that bough is the Seventh Heaven, the origin of this bough is from fire and smoke.
هست مانندا به صورت پیش حس ** که غلط‌بینست چشم و کیش حس
To sense-perception they are similar in appearance, for the eye and habit of sense-perception is seeing falsely;
هست آن پیدا به پیش چشم دل ** جهد کن سوی دل آ جهد المقل
(But) that (difference) is manifest to the eye of the heart (spirit): exert thyself, advance towards the heart (spirit) with the exertion of one whose means are small.
ور نداری پا بجنبان خویش را ** تا ببینی هر کم و هر بیش را
And if thou hast no foot (means), (yet) bestir thyself that thou mayst behold every less and more.
در معنی این بیت «گر راه روی راه برت بگشایند ور نیست شوی بهستیت بگرایند»
On the meaning of this verse: “If thou fare on the Way, the Way will be revealed to thee; and if thou become nonexistent, (real) existence will be conferred on thee.”
گر زلیخا بست درها هر طرف ** یافت یوسف هم ز جنبش منصرف 1105
Though Zalíkhá shut the doors on every side, still Joseph gained return (to safety) by bestirring himself.
باز شد قفل و در و شد ره پدید ** چون توکل کرد یوسف برجهید
Lock and door opened, and the way (out) appeared: when Joseph put trust in God, he escaped.
گر چه رخنه نیست عالم را پدید ** خیره یوسف‌وار می‌باید دوید
Though the world hath no visible crevice (means of exit), (yet) one must run (to and fro) recklessly, like Joseph,
تا گشاید قفل و در پیدا شود ** سوی بی‌جایی شما را جا شود
In order that the lock may open and the doorway become clear, and the region of non-spatiality become your dwelling-place.
آمدی اندر جهان ای ممتحن ** هیچ می‌بینی طریق آمدن
Thou camest into the world, O afflicted one: dost thou ever see the way of thy coming?
تو ز جایی آمدی وز موطنی ** آمدن را راه دانی هیچ نی 1110
Thou camest from a certain place and abode: dost thou know the way of thy coming? Nay.
گر ندانی تا نگویی راه نیست ** زین ره بی‌راهه ما را رفتنیست
If thou knowest (it) not, (yet) beware of saying that there is no way: by this wayless way we (all) shall depart.
می‌روی در خواب شادان چپ و راست ** هیچ دانی راه آن میدان کجاست
In dreams thou wanderest happily to left and right: hast thou any knowledge where the way is that leads to that arena?
تو ببند آن چشم و خود تسلیم کن ** خویش را بینی در آن شهر کهن
Shut that (sensual) eye and give thyself up: thou wilt find thyself in the ancient City.
چشم چون بندی که صد چشم خمار ** بند چشم تست این سو از غرار
How shouldst thou shut thy (sensual) eye when in this direction a hundred inebriated (languishing) eyes are (as) a bandage on thine eye because of (thy) infatuation (with them)?
چارچشمی تو ز عشق مشتری ** بر امید مهتری و سروری 1115
From love of (having) a purchaser (admirer) thou art (looking) with four eyes (intently) in the hope of (gaining) eminence and chieftainship.
ور بخسپی مشتری بینی به خواب ** چغد بد کی خواب بیند جز خراب
And if thou fall asleep thou seest the purchaser in thy dreams: how should the ill-omened owl dream of aught but a wilderness?
مشتری خواهی بهر دم پیچ پیچ ** تو چه داری که فروشی هیچ هیچ
At every moment thou wantest a purchaser cringing (before thee): what hast thou to sell? Nothing, nothing.
گر دلت را نان بدی یا چاشتی ** از خریداران فراغت داشتی
If thy heart had any (spiritual) bread or breakfast, it would have been empty of (desire for worldly) purchasers.
قصه‌ی آن شخص کی دعوی پیغامبری می‌کرد گفتندش چه خورده‌ای کی گیج شده‌ای و یاوه می‌گویی گفت اگر چیزی یافتمی کی خوردمی نه گیج شدمی و نه یاوه گفتمی کی هر سخن نیک کی با غیر اهلش گویند یاوه گفته باشند اگر چه در آن یاوه گفتن مامورند
Story of the person who claimed to be a prophet. They said to him, “What hast thou eaten that thou hast become crazy and art talking in vain?” He replied, “If I had found anything to eat, I should not have become crazy and talked in vain”; for whenever they (the prophets and saints) speak goodly words to people unworthy to hear them, they will have talked in vain, although they are (divinely) commanded to talk thus in vain.
آن یکی می‌گفت من پیغامبرم ** از همه پیغامبران فاضلترم
A certain man was saying, “I am a prophet: I am superior to all the prophets.”
گردنش بستند و بردندش به شاه ** کین همی گوید رسولم از اله 1120
They bound his neck and took him to the king, saying, “This man says he is a prophet sent by God.”
خلق بر وی جمع چون مور و ملخ ** که چه مکرست و چه تزویر و چه فخ
The people (were) gathered round him (thick) as ants and locusts, crying, “What deceit and imposture and trap is (this)?
گر رسول آنست که آید از عدم ** ما همه پیغامبریم و محتشم
If he that comes from (the realm of) non-existence is a prophet, we all are prophets and grand (in spiritual eminence).
ما از آنجا آمدیم اینجا غریب ** تو چرا مخصوص باشی ای ادیب
We (too) came hither as strangers from that place (realm): why shouldst thou be specially endowed (with prophecy), O accomplished one?”
نه شما چون طفل خفته آمدیت ** بی‌خبر از راه وز منزل بدیت
(He replied), “Did not ye come like a sleeping child? Ye were ignorant of the way and the destination.
از منازل خفته بگذشتید و مست ** بی‌خبر از راه و از بالا و پست 1125
Ye passed through the (different) stages asleep and intoxicated, unconscious of the way and (its) ups and downs;