هر ضریری کز مسیحی سر کشد ** او جهودانه بماند از رشد 4115
Any blind man who turns away in scorn from a Messiah will be left, like the Jews, without guidance;
قابل ضو بود اگر چه کور بود ** شد ازین اعراض او کور و کبود
(For) though he was blind, he was capable of receiving light; (but) from showing this aversion he becomes blind and blue (miserably lost).
گویدش عیسی بزن در من دو دست ** ای عمی کحل عزیزی با منست
Jesus says to him, “O blind man, cling to me with both hands: I have a precious collyrium.
از من ار کوری بیابی روشنی ** بر قمیص یوسف جان بر زنی
If thou art blind, thou wilt obtain light from me and lay hold of the (sweet-scented) Joseph's shirt of the spirit.”
کار و باری کت رسد بعد شکست ** اندر آن اقبال و منهاج رهست
The (real) fortune and highway (of success) lies in the business that comes to thee after utter defeat (self-abasement).
کار و باری که ندارد پا و سر ** ترک کن هی پیر خر ای پیر خر 4120
Give up the business that hath no foot or head (permanence): hark, old donkey, get for thyself a Pír!
غیر پیر استاد و سرلشکر مباد ** پیر گردون نی ولی پیر رشاد
May none but the Pír be (thy) master and captain!—not the Pír (old man) of the rolling sky, but the Pír of right guidance.
در زمان چون پیر را شد زیردست ** روشنایی دید آن ظلمت‌پرست
The devotee of darkness sees the light immediately as soon as he becomes subject to (the authority of) the Pír.
شرط تسلیم است نه کار دراز ** سود نبود در ضلالت ترک‌تاز
What is required is self-surrender, not long toil: ’tis useless to rush about in error.
من نجویم زین سپس راه اثیر ** پیر جویم پیر جویم پیر پیر
Henceforth I will not seek the way to the Ether (the highest celestial sphere): I will seek the Pír, I will seek the Pír, the Pír, the Pír!
پیر باشد نردبان آسمان ** تیر پران از که گردد از کمان 4125
The Pír is the ladder to Heaven: by whom (what) is the arrow made to fly? By the bow.
نه ز ابراهیم نمرود گران ** کرد با کرکس سفر بر آسمان
Was it not Abraham that caused the gross Nimrod to (attempt the) journey to heaven by means of the vulture?
از هوا شد سوی بالا او بسی ** لیک بر گردون نپرد کرکسی
(Impelled) by self-will, he often went upward; but no vulture can fly to heaven.
گفتش ابراهیم ای مرد سفر ** کرکست من باشم اینت خوب‌تر
Abraham said to him, “O traveller, I will be thy vulture: this is more seemly for thee.
چون ز من سازی به بالا نردبان ** بی پریدن بر روی بر آسمان
When thou makest of me a ladder to go aloft, thou wilt ascend to heaven without flying”—
آنچنان که می‌رود تا غرب و شرق ** بی ز زاد و راحله دل هم‌چو برق 4130
As the heart (spirit), without provisions or riding-camel, travels (swiftly) as lightning to west and east;
آنچنان که می‌رود شب ز اغتراب ** حس مردم شهرها در وقت خواب
As man's consciousness, wandering abroad whilst he is asleep, travels during the night to (remote) cities;
آنچنان که عارف از راه نهان ** خوش نشسته می‌رود در صد جهان
As the gnostic, sitting quietly (in one place), travels by a hidden track through a hundred worlds.
گر ندادستش چنین رفتار دست ** این خبرها زان ولایت از کیست
If he has not been endowed with power to travel like this, (then) from whom are (derived) these reports concerning that (spiritual) country?
این خبرها وین روایات محق ** صد هزاران پیر بر وی متفق
Hundreds of thousands of Pírs are agreed upon (the truth of) these reports and these veracious narratives.
یک خلافی نی میان این عیون ** آنچنان که هست در علم ظنون 4135
Amongst these sources (authorities) there is no dispute, such as there is in (the case of) knowledge based on opinions.
آن تحری آمد اندر لیل تار ** وین حضور کعبه و وسط نهار
That (knowledge based on opinion) is (like) searching (for the direction of the Ka‘ba) in the dark night, while this (mystic knowledge) is (like) the presence of the Ka‘ba and midday.
خیز ای نمرود پر جوی از کسان ** نردبانی نایدت زین کرکسان
Arise, O (thou who resemblest) Nimrod, and seek wings from (holy) personages: thou wilt not get any ladder from these vultures.
عقل جزوی کرکس آمد ای مقل ** پر او با جیفه‌خواری متصل
The vulture is the particular (discursive) reason, O poor (-spirited) one: its wings are connected with the eating of carrion;
عقل ابدالان چو پر جبرئیل ** می‌پرد تا ظل سدره میل میل
(But) the reason of the Abdál (exalted saints) is like the wings of Gabriel: it soars, mile by mile, up to the shade of the lote-tree (in Paradise).
باز سلطانم گشم نیکوپیم ** فارغ از مردارم و کرکس نیم 4140
(It says), “I am a royal falcon, I am fair and auspicious, I have nothing to do with carrion: I am not a vulture.
ترک کرکس کن که من باشم کست ** یک پر من بهتر از صد کرکست
Abandon the vulture, for I will be thy helper: a wing of mine is better for thee than a hundred vultures.”
چند بر عمیا دوانی اسپ را ** باید استا پیشه را و کسپ را
How long wilt thou gallop blindly? For (learning) a trade and business one needs a master.
خویشتن رسوا مکن در شهر چین ** عاقلی جو خویش از وی در مچین
Do not disgrace thyself in the capital of China: seek a sage and do not separate thyself from him.
آن چه گوید آن فلاطون زمان ** هین هوا بگار و رو بر وفق آن
Hark, whatever the Plato of the age bids thee do, give up thy self-will and act in accordance with that (counsel).
جمله می‌گویند اندر چین به جد ** بهر شاه خویشتن که لم یلد 4145
All (who dwell) in China are saying in zeal for (the glory of) their King, “He begetteth not.
شاه ما خود هیچ فرزندی نزاد ** بلک سوی خویش زن را ره نداد
Never in sooth has our King begotten a child; nay, he has not allowed a woman to approach him.”
هر که از شاهان ازین نوعش بگفت ** گردنش با تیغ بران کرد جفت
When any king says of him something of this sort, he weds his (traducer's) neck to the cutting scimitar.
شاه گوید چونک گفتی این مقال ** یا بکن ثابت که دارم من عیال
The King says (to such an one), “Since thou hast spoken these words, either prove that I have a wife and family—
مر مرا دختر اگر ثابت کنی ** یافتی از تیغ تیزم آمنی
And if thou prove that I have a daughter, thou art safe from my keen sword—
ورنه بی شک من ببرم حلق تو ** بر کشم از صوفی جان دلق تو4150
Or else without any doubt I will cut thy throat: I will tear the mantle (thy body) off the Súfí, thy spirit.
سر نخواهی برد هیچ از تیغ تو ** ای بگفته لاف کذب آمیغ تو
Thou wilt never save thy head from the sword, O thou that hast spoken vain and lying words!
بنگر ای از جهل گفته ناحقی ** پر ز سرهای بریده خندقی
O thou that hast foolishly spoken an untruth, behold a moat full of severed heads!—
خندقی از قعر خندق تا گلو ** پر ز سرهای بریده زین غلو
A moat filled from its bottom to its mouth with heads severed on account of this enormity.
جمله اندر کار این دعوی شدند ** گردن خود را بدین دعوی زدند
All have been sacrificed to this (false) assertion: they have beheaded themselves with this assertion.
هان ببین این را به چشم اعتبار ** این چنین دعوی میندیش و میار 4155
Beware! Regard this with a heedful eye: do not conceive or utter such an assertion!”
تلخ خواهی کرد بر ما عمر ما ** کی برین می‌دارد ای دادر ترا
(The two princes said), “Thou wilt make our lives bitter to us: who is inducing thee to (act like) this, O brother?
گر رود صد سال آنک آگاه نیست ** بر عما آن از حساب راه نیست
If one who is ignorant should journey a hundred years in blindness, that is not reckoned as a journey.
بی‌سلاحی در مرو در معرکه ** هم‌چو بی‌باکان مرو در تهلکه
Do not go into battle unarmed, do not go recklessly into destruction.”
این همه گفتند و گفت آن ناصبور ** که مرا زین گفته‌ها آید نفور
They said all this (to him), but the impatient (prince) replied, “These words (of warning) inspire me with repugnance.
سینه پر آتش مرا چون منقل است ** کشت کامل گشت وقت منجل است 4160
My bosom is full of fire, like a brazier: the crop is ripe, ’tis time for the sickle.
صدر را صبری بد اکنون آن نماد ** بر مقام صبر عشق آتش نشاند
There was a (great) fortitude in my breast, (but) now it is no more: Love has set fire to the dwelling-place of fortitude.
صبر من مرد آن شبی که عشق زاد ** درگذشت او حاضران را عمر باد
My fortitude died on the night when Love was born: it has passed away—long live those who are present!
ای محدث از خطاب و از خطوب ** زان گذشتم آهن سردی مکوب
O thou that tellest (me) of (a stern) rebuke (from the King) and (terrible) punishments, I have passed beyond (all) that: do not beat a piece of cold iron!
سرنگونم هی رها کن پای من ** فهم کو در جمله‌ی اجزای من
I am (rushing) headlong: hey, let go my feet! Where in all my limbs is (any) understanding?