When He recites spells over the non-existences which have no eye or ear, they begin to stir.
بر عدمها کان ندارد چشم و گوش ** چون فسون خواند همی‌‌آید به جوش
Because of His spells the non-existences at that very moment are dancing joyously into existence.
از فسون او عدمها زود زود ** خوش معلق می‌‌زند سوی وجود
When, again, He recited a spell over the existent, at His word the existent marched (back) post-haste into non-existence.1450
باز بر موجود افسونی چو خواند ** زو دو اسبه در عدم موجود راند
He spake into the ear of the rose and made it laughing (blooming); He spake to the stone and made it a cornelian of the mine.
گفت در گوش گل و خندانش کرد ** گفت با سنگ و عقیق کانش کرد
He spake to the body a sign (message), so that it became spirit; He spake to the sun, so that it became radiant.
گفت با جسم آیتی تا جان شد او ** گفت با خورشید تا رخشان شد او
Again He breathes into its ear a fearful saying, and upon the face of the sun fall a hundred eclipses.
باز در گوشش دمد نکته‌‌ی مخوف ** در رخ خورشید افتد صد کسوف
Consider what that Speaker chanted into the ear of the cloud, so that it poured tears from its eye, like a waterskin.
تا به گوش ابر آن گویا چه خواند ** کاو چو مشک از دیده‌‌ی خود اشک راند
Consider what God has chanted into the ear of the earth, so that it became regardful and has (ever since) remained silent.”1455
تا به گوش خاک حق چه خوانده است ** کاو مراقب گشت و خامش مانده است
Whosoever in perplexity is sorely troubled, God has spoken the riddle into his ear,
در تردد هر که او آشفته است ** حق به گوش او معما گفته است
That He may imprison him in two (doubtful) thoughts, (namely), “Shall I do that? He said that (bade me do that) or the contrary thereof?”
تا کند محبوسش اندر دو گمان ** آن کنم کاو گفت یا خود ضد آن
From (the decree of) God also, one side obtains the preponderance, and from that (Divine) quarter he chooses one of the two (alternatives).
هم ز حق ترجیح یابد یک طرف ** ز آن دو یک را بر گزیند ز آن کنف
If thou wouldst not have the mind of thy spirit in (a state of) perplexity, do not stuff this cotton-wool into thy spiritual ear,
گر نخواهی در تردد هوش جان ** کم فشار این پنبه اندر گوش جان
So that thou mayst understand those riddles of His, so that thou mayst apprehend (both) the secret sign and the open.1460
تا کنی فهم آن معماهاش را ** تا کنی ادراک رمز و فاش را
Then the spiritual ear becomes the place where wahy (inspiration) descends. What is wahy? A speech hidden from sense-perception.
پس محل وحی گردد گوش جان ** وحی چه بود گفتنی از حس نهان
The spiritual ear and eye are other than this sense-perception, the ear of (discursive) reason and the ear of opinion are destitute of this (inspiration).
گوش جان و چشم جان جز این حس است ** گوش عقل و گوش ظن زین مفلس است
The word “compulsion” (jabr) made me impatient (uncontrollable) for love's sake, while it confined in (the prison of) compulsion him who is not a lover.
لفظ جبرم عشق را بی‌‌صبر کرد ** و آن که عاشق نیست حبس جبر کرد
This is union with God, and it is not compulsion: this is the shining forth of the moon, this is not a cloud.
این معیت با حق است و جبر نیست ** این تجلی مه است این ابر نیست
And if this be compulsion, it is not the compulsion of (suffered by) the vulgar: it is not the compulsion of (exerted by) the evil-commanding self-willed (soul).1465
ور بود این جبر جبر عامه نیست ** جبر آن اماره‌‌ی خودکامه نیست
O son, (only) they know (the real meaning of) compulsion in whose hearts God has opened the sight (of the spiritual eye).
جبر را ایشان شناسند ای پسر ** که خدا بگشادشان در دل بصر
To them the unseen and the future became manifest; to them recollection of the past became naught.
غیب و آینده بر ایشان گشت فاش ** ذکر ماضی پیش ایشان گشت لاش
Their freewill and compulsion is different (from that of ordinary men): in oyster-shells drops (of rain) are pearls.
اختیار و جبر ایشان دیگر است ** قطره‌‌ها اندر صدفها گوهر است
Outside (of the shell) it is a drop of water, small or great, (but) within the shell it is a small or big pearl.
هست بیرون قطره‌‌ی خرد و بزرگ ** در صدف آن در خرد است و سترگ
Those persons have the nature of the muskdeer's gland: externally they are (as) blood, while within them is the fragrance of musk.1470
طبع ناف آهو است آن قوم را ** از برون خون و درونشان مشکها
Do not say, “This substance externally is blood: how should it become a musky perfume when it goes into the gland?”
تو مگو کاین مایه بیرون خون بود ** چون رود در ناف مشکی چون شود
Do not say, “This copper externally was despicable: how should it assume nobility in the heart (midst) of the elixir?”
تو مگو کاین مس برون بد محتقر ** در دل اکسیر چون گیرد گهر