The road is smooth, and under it are pitfalls: amidst the names there is a dearth of meaning.1060
راه هموار است و زیرش دامها ** قحط معنی در میان نامها
Words and names are like pitfalls: the sweet (flattering) word is the sand for (the sand that sucks up) the water of our life.
لفظها و نامها چون دامهاست ** لفظ شیرین ریگ آب عمر ماست
The one sand whence water gushes is seldom to be found: go, seek it.
آن یکی ریگی که جوشد آب ازو ** سخت کمیاب است رو آن را بجو
He that searches after wisdom becomes a fountain of wisdom; he becomes independent of acquisition and (ways and) means.
منبع حکمت شود حکمت طلب ** فارغ آید او ز تحصیل و سبب
The guarding tablet becomes a Guarded Tablet; his understanding becomes enriched by the Spirit.
لوح حافظ لوح محفوظی شود ** عقل او از روح محظوظی شود
When his understanding has been his teacher at the beginning, after this the understanding becomes his pupil.1065
چون معلم بود عقلش ز ابتدا ** بعد از این شد عقل شاگردی و را
The understanding says, like Gabriel, “O Ahmad (Mohammed), if I take one (more) step, it will burn me;
عقل چون جبریل گوید احمدا ** گر یکی گامی نهم سوزد مرا
Do thou leave me, henceforth advance (alone): this is my limit, O sultan of the soul!”
تو مرا بگذار زین پس پیش ران ** حد من این بود ای سلطان جان
Whoever, through heedlessness, remains without thanksgiving and patience (selfcontrol), knows (no resource) but this, that he should follow in the heels of necessity (jabr).
هر که ماند از کاهلی بیشکر و صبر ** او همین داند که گیرد پای جبر
Any one who pleads necessity (as an excuse) feigns himself to be ill, with the result that the (feigned) illness brings him to the grave.
هر که جبر آورد خود رنجور کرد ** تا همان رنجوریاش در گور کرد
The Prophet said, “Illness (assumed) in jest brings (real) disease, so that he (the jester) dies like a lamp.”1070
گفت پیغمبر که رنجوری به لاغ ** رنج آرد تا بمیرد چون چراغ
What is (the meaning of) jabr? To bind up a broken (limb) or tie a severed vein.
جبر چه بود بستن اشکسته را ** یا بپیوستن رگی بگسسته را
Inasmuch as you have not broken your foot in this path, whom are you mocking? Why have you bandaged your foot?
چون در این ره پای خود نشکستهای ** بر که میخندی چه پا را بستهای
But as for him who broke his foot in the path of exertion, Buráq came up to him, and he mounted (and rode).
و آن که پایش در ره کوشش شکست ** در رسید او را براق و بر نشست
He was a bearer of the (true) religion, and he became one who is borne; he was an accepter of the (Divine) command, and he became accepted.
حامل دین بود او محمول شد ** قابل فرمان بد او مقبول شد
Until now, he was receiving commands from the King; henceforth he delivers the (King's) commands to the people.1075
تا کنون فرمان پذیرفتی ز شاه ** بعد از این فرمان رساند بر سپاه
Until now, the stars were influencing him; henceforth he is the ruler of the stars.
تا کنون اختر اثر کردی در او ** بعد از این باشد امیر اختر او
If (on this account) perplexity arise in thy sight (mind), then thou wilt have doubts concerning The moon was cloven asunder.
گر ترا اشکال آید در نظر ** پس تو شک داری در انشق القمر
Refresh thy faith, (but) not with talk of the tongue, O thou who hast secretly refreshed thy (evil) desire.
تازه کن ایمان نه از گفت زبان ** ای هوا را تازه کرده در نهان
So long as desire is fresh, faith is not fresh, for ’tis this desire that locks (against thee) that gate.
تا هوا تازه ست ایمان تازه نیست ** کاین هوا جز قفل آن دروازه نیست
Thou hast interpreted (and altered the meaning of) the virgin (uncorrupted) Word: interpret (alter) thyself, not the (Divine) Book.1080
کردهای تاویل حرف بکر را ** خویش را تاویل کن نی ذکر را
Thou interpretest the Qur’án according to thy desire: by thee the sublime meaning is degraded and perverted.
بر هوا تاویل قرآن میکنی ** پست و کژ شد از تو معنی سنی
The baseness of the foul interpretation given by the fly.
زیافت تاویل رکیک مگس
The fly was lifting up his head, like a pilot, on a blade of straw and (a pool of) ass's urine.
آن مگس بر برگ کاه و بول خر ** همچو کشتیبان همیافراشت سر
“I have called (them) sea and ship,” said he; “I have been pondering over that (interpretation) for a long while.
گفت من دریا و کشتی خواندهام ** مدتی در فکر آن میماندهام
Look! here is this sea and this ship, and I am the pilot and skilled (in navigation) and judicious.”
اینک این دریا و این کشتی و من ** مرد کشتیبان و اهل و رایزن