And that front rank, from weakness of sight, cannot support the light that is more advanced.
و آن صف پیش از ضعیفی بصر ** تاب نارد روشنایی بیشتر
The light that is the life of the first (highest rank) is heartache and tribulation to this squinter;825
روشنیی کاو حیات اول است ** رنج جان و فتنهی این احول است
(But) the squintnesses, little by little, grow less, and when he passes beyond the seven hundred (veils), he becomes the Sea.
احولیها اندک اندک کم شود ** چون ز هفصد بگذرد او یم شود
The fire that does good to iron or gold—how is it good for fresh quinces and apples?
آتشی کاصلاح آهن یا زر است ** کی صلاح آبی و سیب تر است
The apple and quince have (only) a slight crudity: unlike iron, they want a gentle heat;
سیب و آبی خامیی دارد خفیف ** نه چو آهن تابشی خواهد لطیف
But those flames are (too) gentle for the iron, for it is (eagerly) drawing to (itself) the heat of that (fiery) dragon.
لیک آهن را لطیف آن شعلههاست ** کاو جذوب تابش آن اژدهاست
That iron is the dervish who bears hardship (self-mortification): under the hammer and the fire he is red and happy.830
هست آن آهن فقیر سخت کش ** زیر پتک و آتش است او سرخ و خوش
He is the chamberlain of the fire (and) in immediate touch (with it): he goes into the heart of the fire without (any) link (between the fire and him).
حاجب آتش بود بیواسطه ** در دل آتش رود بیرابطه
Without some screen, water and water's children get no cooking or conversation from the fire.
بیحجاب آب و فرزندان آب ** پختگی ز آتش نیابند و خطاب
The medium is a pot or a pan—as (the medium) for the foot in walking (is) a sock (shoe)—
واسطه دیگی بود یا تابهای ** همچو پا را در روش پا تابهای