You pour upon it the earth of subjection, because on account of the resemblance you deem it to be the star (itself).
عکس پنهان گشت و اندر غیب راند ** تو گمان بردی که آن اختر نماند
(When) the reflexion becomes hidden (from sight) and disappears, you think that the star is no more;
آن ستاره‌ی نحس هست اندر سما ** هم بدان سو بایدش کردن دوا
(But) the unlucky star is in the sky: ’tis in that quarter it must be cured (of its ill-luck);
بلک باید دل سوی بی‌سوی بست ** نحس این سو عکس نحس بی‌سو است 3160
Nay, you must fix your heart on that which is quarterless (illimitable); the ill-luck in this quarter is (only) the reflexion of the ill-luck in the realm where no quarters exist.
داد داد حق شناس و بخششش ** عکس آن دادست اندر پنج و شش
Know that (all) gifts are the gift of God and are His bounty: ’tis the reflexion of those gifts that appears in (the world of) the five (senses) and the six (directions).
گر بود داد خسان افزون ز ریگ ** تو بمیری وآن بماند مردریگ
Though the gifts of the base (worldlings) be more (in number) than the sands, (yet) you will die and they will be left behind as an inheritance.
عکس آخر چند پاید در نظر ** اصل بینی پیشه کن ای کژنگر
After all, how long does a reflexion remain in view? Make a practice of contemplating the origin (of the reflexion), O you who look awry.
حق چو بخشش کرد بر اهل نیاز ** با عطا بخشیدشان عمر دراز
When God bestows bounty on those who supplicate Him in their need, together with His gift He bestows on them a long life.
خالدین شد نعمت و منعم علیه ** محیی الموتاست فاجتازوا الیه 3165
(Both) the benefit and the beneficiary are made enduring for ever. ’Tis He that brings the dead to life, so repair unto Him.
داد حق با تو در آمیزد چو جان ** آنچنان که آن تو باشی و تو آن
The gifts of God are mingled with you like the spirit, in such wise that you are they and they are you.
گر نماند اشتهای نان و آب ** بدهدت بی این دو قوت مستطاب
If you have no more appetite for bread and water, He will give you goodly nourishment without these twain.
فربهی گر رفت حق در لاغری ** فربهی پنهانت بخشد آن سری
If your fatness is gone, God will give you from yonder a (spiritual) fatness concealed in (bodily) leanness.
چون پری را قوت از بو می‌دهد ** هر ملک را قوت جان او می‌دهد
Since He gives the peri nourishment from scent and gives every angel nourishment from spirit,
جان چه باشد که تو سازی زو سند ** حق به عشق خویش زنده‌ت می‌کند 3170
What is the (animal) soul that you should make a support of (should rely upon) it? God will make you living by His love.
زو حیات عشق خواه و جان مخواه ** تو ازو آن رزق خواه و نان مخواه
Ask of Him the life of love and do not ask for the (animal) soul: ask of Him that (spiritual) provision and do not ask for bread.
خلق را چون آب دان صاف و زلال ** اندر آن تابان صفات ذوالجلال
Know that (the world of) created beings is like pure and limpid water in which the attributes of the Almighty are shining.
علمشان و عدلشان و لطفشان ** چون ستاره‌ی چرخ در آب روان
Their knowledge and their justice and their clemency are like a star of heaven (reflected) in running water.
پادشاهان مظهر شاهی حق ** فاضلان مرآت آگاهی حق
Kings are the theatre for the manifestation of God's kingship; the learned (divines) are the mirrors for God's wisdom.
قرنها بگذشت و این قرن نویست ** ماه آن ماهست آب آن آب نیست 3175
Generations have passed away, and this is a new generation: the moon is the same moon, the water is not the same water.
عدل آن عدلست و فضل آن فضل هم ** لیک مستبدل شد آن قرن و امم
The justice is the same justice, and the learning is the same learning too; but those generations and peoples have been changed (supplanted by others).
قرنها بر قرنها رفت ای همام ** وین معانی بر قرار و بر دوام
Generations on generations have gone, O sire, but these Ideas (Divine attributes) are permanent and everlasting.
آن مبدل شد درین جو چند بار ** عکس ماه و عکس اختر بر قرار
The water in this channel has been changed many times: the reflexion of the moon and of the stars remains unaltered.
پس بنااش نیست بر آب روان ** بلک بر اقطار عرض آسمان
Therefore its foundation is not in the running water; nay, but in the regions of the breadth (wide expanse) of Heaven.
این صفتها چون نجوم معنویست ** دانک بر چرخ معانی مستویست 3180
These attributes are like Ideal stars: know that they are stablished in the sphere of the Ideas (Realities).
خوب‌رویان آینه‌ی خوبی او ** عشق ایشان عکس مطلوبی او
The beauteous are the mirror of His beauty: love for them is the reflexion of the desire of which He is the (real) object.
هم به اصل خود رود این خد و خال ** دایما در آب کی ماند خیال
This cheek and mole goes (back) to the Source thereof: how should a phantom continue in the water for ever?
جمله تصویرات عکس آب جوست ** چون بمالی چشم خود خود جمله اوست
The whole sum of pictured forms (phenomena) is a (mere) reflexion in the water of the river: when you rub your eye, (you will perceive that) all of them are really He.
باز عقلش گفت بگذار این حول ** خل دوشابست و دوشابست خل
Again, his (the debtor's) reason said (to him), “Abandon this seeing double: vinegar is grape-syrup and grape-syrup is vinegar.
خواجه را چون غیر گفتی از قصور ** شرم‌دار ای احول از شاه غیور 3185
Since, from defect (of vision), you have called the Khwája ‘other’ (than God), be ashamed (contrite) before the jealous King, O man of double sight.
خواجه را که در گذشتست از اثیر ** جنس این موشان تاریکی مگیر
Do not suppose the Khwája, who has passed beyond the aether (the ninth celestial sphere), to be homogeneous with these mice of darkness.
خواجه‌ی جان بین مبین جسم گران ** مغز بین او را مبینش استخوان
Regard the Khwája as spirit, do not regard him as gross body: regard him as marrow, do not regard him as bone.
خواجه را از چشم ابلیس لعین ** منگر و نسبت مکن او را به طین
Do not look at the Khwája with the eye of Iblís the accursed, and do not relate him (refer his origin) to clay.
همره خورشید را شب‌پر مخوان ** آنک او مسجود شد ساجد مدان
Do not call the fellow-traveller of the Sun ‘a bat’: do not call him who was worshipped (by the angels) a worshipper (of the material).
عکس‌ها را ماند این و عکس نیست ** در مثال عکس حق بنمودنیست 3190
This (Khwája) resembles the (other) reflexions; but (in reality) ’tis not a reflexion, ’tis the appearance of God in the likeness of a reflexion.
آفتابی دید او جامد نماند ** روغن گل روغن کنجد نماند
He beheld a Sun and remained frozen no more: the oil of roses was no longer (mingled with) oil of sesame.
چون مبدل گشته‌اند ابدال حق ** نیستند از خلق بر گردان ورق
Since the Abdál (Lieutenants) of God have been transmuted, they are not (to be reckoned) among created beings: turn over a (new) leaf!
قبله‌ی وحدانیت دو چون بود ** خاک مسجود ملایک چون شود
How should the qibla (object of worship), namely, the (Divine) Unity, be two? How should earth be worshipped by the angels?
چون درین جو دیدعکس سیب مرد ** دامنش را دید آن پر سیب کرد
When a man sees the reflexion of apples in this river, and the sight of them fills his skirt with (real) apples,
آنچ در جو دید کی باشد خیال ** چونک شد از دیدنش پر صد جوال 3195
How should that which he saw in the river be a phantom, when a hundred sacks have been filled by his vision?
تن مبین و آن مکن کان بکم و صم ** کذبوا بالحق لما جائهم
Do not regard the body, and do not act like those dumb and deaf men (who) disbelieved in the Truth when it came to them.