گوشور یک‌بار خندد کر دو بار ** چونک لاغ املی کند یاری بیار
The man possessed of an ear (sense of hearing) laughs once, when a friend repeats a joke to a friend; the deaf man (laughs) twice:
بار اول از ره تقلید و سوم ** که همی‌بیند که می‌خندند قوم
The first time by way of conformity and affectation, because he sees the company laughing.
کر بخندد هم‌چو ایشان آن زمان ** بیخبر از حالت خندندگان 1275
The deaf man laughs then like them, without knowing the (inward) state of the laughers.
باز وا پرسد که خنده بر چه بود ** پس دوم کرت بخندد چون شنود
Afterwards he inquires what the laughter was about, and then, having heard, he laughs a second time.
پس مقلد نیز مانند کرست ** اندر آن شادی که او را در سرست
Hence the mere imitator (of a Shaykh), too, resembles the deaf man in respect of the (feeling of) joy that is in his head.
پرتو شیخ آمد و منهل ز شیخ ** فیض شادی نه از مریدان بل ز شیخ
It is the Shaykh's reflexion, and its source is in the Shaykh: the overflow of joy is not (derived) from the disciples; nay, it is from the Shaykh.
چون سبد در آب و نوری بر زجاج ** گر ز خود دانند آن باشد خداج
Like a basket in water or a (ray of) light on glass: if they think it (comes) from themselves, ’tis (owing to) defect (of intelligence).
چون جدا گردد ز جو داند عنود ** که اندرو آن آب خوش از جوی بود 1280
When it (the basket) is separated from the river, that perverse one will recognise that the sweet water within it was from the river;
آبگینه هم بداند از غروب ** که آن لمع بود از مه تابان خوب
The glass also will recognise, at the setting (of the moon), that those beams (of light) were from the beauteous shining moon.
چونک چشمش را گشاید امر قم ** پس بخندد چون سحر بار دوم
When the (Divine) command “Arise!” opens his (the imitator's) eye, then he will laugh, like the (true) dawn, a second time.
خنده‌ش آید هم بر آن خنده‌ی خودش ** که در آن تقلید بر می‌آمدش
He will even laugh at his own (former) laughter which was produced in him in that (period of) imitation,
گوید از چندین ره دور و دراز ** کین حقیقت بود و این اسرار و راز
And will say (to himself), “(Travelling) by all these far and long ways, and thinking that this was the Reality and that this was the Mystery and Secret,
من در آن وادی چگونه خود ز دور ** شادیی می‌کردم از عمیا و شور 1285
How forsooth, in that valley (of imitation), did I rejoice from afar through blindness and confusion?
من چه می‌بستم خیال و آن چه بود ** درک سستم سست نقشی می‌نمود
What was I fancying, and what was it (in truth)? My weak perception was showing (only) a weak image (of the reality).”
طفل راه را فکرت مردان کجاست ** کو خیال او و کو تحقیق راست
Where is the thought of the (holy) men in relation to the child of the (mystic) Way? Where is his fancy in comparison with true realisation?
فکر طفلان دایه باشد یا که شیر ** یا مویز و جوز یا گریه و نفیر
The thought of children is (of) the nurse or milk or raisins and walnuts or weeping and crying.
آن مقلد هست چون طفل علیل ** گر چه دارد بحث باریک و دلیل
The imitator is like a sick child, although he may have (at his disposal) subtle argumentation and (logical) proofs.
آن تعمق در دلیل و در شکال ** از بصیرت می‌کند او را گسیل 1290
That profundity in (dealing with) proofs and difficult problems is severing him from (spiritual) insight.
مایه‌ای کو سرمه‌ی سر ویست ** برد و در اشکال گفتن کار بست
It took away (from him) the stock (of insight), which is the collyrium of his inmost consciousness, and applied itself to the discussion of (formal) problems.
ای مقلد از بخارا باز گرد ** رو به خواری تا شوی تو شیرمرد
O imitator, turn back from Bukhárá: go to self-abasement (ba-khwárí) that thou mayst become a (spiritual) hero,
تا بخارای دگر بینی درون ** صفدران در محفلش لا یفقهون
And that thou mayst behold within (thee) another Bukhárá, in the assembly-place whereof the champions are unlearned.
پیک اگر چه در زمین چابک‌تگیست ** چون به دریا رفت بسکسته رگیست
Although the courier is a swift runner on land, when he goes to sea his sinews are broken.
او حملناهم بود فی‌البر و بس ** آنک محمولست در بحر اوست کس 1295
He is only (like those of whom God says in the Qur’án) We have borne them on the land; (but) that one who is borne on the sea—he is somebody.
بخشش بسیار دارد شه بدو ** ای شده در وهم و تصویری گرو
The King (God) hath great bounty: run (to receive it), O thou who hast become in pawn to an imagination and fancy.
آن مرید ساده از تقلید نیز ** گریه‌ای می‌کرد وفق آن عزیز
From conformity that simple disciple, too, was weeping in concert with the venerable (Shaykh);
او مقلدوار هم‌چون مرد کر ** گریه می‌دید و ز موجب بیخبر
(For), like the deaf man, he regarded the (Shaykh's) weeping in the manner of a conformist and was unaware of the cause.
چون بسی بگریست خدمت کرد و رفت ** از پیش آمد مرید خاص تفت
When he had wept a long while, he paid his respects and departed: the (Shaykh's) favourite disciple came quickly after him,
گفت ای گریان چو ابر بیخبر ** بر وفاق گریه‌ی شیخ نظر 1300
And said, “O thou who art weeping like a witless cloud in concert with the weeping of the Shaykh (possessed) of insight,
الله الله الله ای وافی مرید ** گر چه درتقلید هستی مستفید
For God's sake, for God's sake, for God's sake, O loyal disciple, although in (thy) conformity thou art seeking (spiritual) profit,
تا نگویی دیدم آن شه می‌گریست ** من چو او بگریستم که آن منکریست
Take heed not to say, ‘I saw that (spiritual) king weeping, and I wept like him’; for that is denial (of his exalted state).”
گریه‌ی پر جهل و پر تقلید و ظن ** نیست هم‌چون گریه‌ی آن متمن
A weeping full of ignorance and conformity and (mere) opinion is not like the weeping of that trusted one.
تو قیاس گریه بر گریه مساز ** هست زین گریه بدان راه دراز
Do not judge (one) weeping by the analogy of (another) weeping: ’tis a long way from this weeping to that (weeping).
هست آن از بعد سی‌ساله جهاد ** عقل آنجا هیچ نتواند فتاد 1305
That (weeping) is after a thirty years' (spiritual) warfare: the intellect can never get there.
هست زان سوی خرد صد مرحله ** عقل را واقف مدان زان قافله
Beyond reason there are a hundred stages: deem not the intellect to be acquainted with that caravan.
گریه‌ی او نه از غمست و نه از فرح ** روح داند گریه‌ی عین الملح
His weeping is neither from sorrow nor from joy: (only) the spirit knows the weeping of (him who is) the fountain of beauties.
گریه‌ی او خنده‌ی او آن سریست ** زانچ وهم عقل باشد آن بریست
His weeping, his laughter—(both) are of Yonder (World) and transcend all that the intellect may conceive.
آب دیده‌ی او چو دیده‌ی او بود ** دیده‌ی نادیده دیده کی شود
His tears are like his eye: how should the sightless eye become a (seeing) eye?
آنچ او بیند نتان کردن مساس ** نه از قیاس عقل و نه از راه حواس 1310
That which he sees cannot be touched (apprehended) either by the analogical judgement of the intellect or by way of the senses.
شب گریزد چونک نور آید ز دور ** پس چه داند ظلمت شب حال نور
Night flees when Light comes from afar: what, then, should the darkness of Night know concerning Light?
پشه بگریزد ز باد با دها ** پس چه داند پشه ذوق بادها
The gnat flees from the keen wind: what, then, should the gnat know of the (delicious) savour of the winds?
چون قدیم آید حدث گردد عبث ** پس کجا داند قدیمی را حدث
When the Eternal comes, the temporal is made vain: what, then, should the temporal know of Eternity?
بر حدث چون زد قدم دنگش کند ** چونک کردش نیست هم‌رنگش کند
When Eternity comes in contact with the temporal, it strikes it dumb; when it has naughted it, it makes it homogeneous (with itself).
گر بخواهی تو بیایی صد نظیر ** لیک من پروا ندارم ای فقیر 1315
You can find a hundred parallels (of this sort) if you wish, but I do not care (to supply them), O dervish.
این الم و حم این حروف ** چون عصای موسی آمد در وقوف
This Alif-Lám-Mím and Há-Mím—these Letters become, on (real) comprehension (of their meaning), like the rod of Moses.
حرفها ماند بدین حرف از برون ** لیک باشد در صفات این زبون
The (other) letters resemble these Letters outwardly but are subject (to them) in respect of the (sublime) attributes of the latter.
هر که گیرد او عصایی ز امتحان ** کی بود چون آن عصا وقت بیان
A staff that any one takes on trial—how should it be described as being like that staff (Moses' rod)?
عیسویست این دم نه هر باد و دمی ** که برآید از فرح یا از غمی
This Breath is (like the breath) of Jesus (in its effects); it is not (like) any wind and breath that arises from joy or sorrow.
این الم است و حم ای پدر ** آمدست از حضرت مولی البشر 1320
This Alif-Lám-Mím and Há-Mím, O father, have come from the presence of the Lord of Mankind.
هر الف لامی چه می‌ماند بدین ** گر تو جان داری بدین چشمش مبین
What resemblance has any (other) alif-lám to these? Do not regard them with this (external) eye, if you have a (rational) soul.
گر چه ترکیبش حروفست ای همام ** می‌بماند هم به ترکیب عوام
Although they are composed of letters, O sire, and resemble the composition of (words used by) the common folk, (yet they are not the same).