And if there be one fault together with a hundred advantages (excellences), it resembles the wood (woody stalk) in the sugarcane.
ور یکی عیبی بود با صد حیات ** بر مثال چوب باشد در نبات
Both (sugar and stalk) alike are put into the scales, because they both are sweet like body and soul.
در ترازو هر دو را یکسان کشند ** ز آن که آن هر دو چو جسم و جان خوشند
Not idly, therefore, the great (mystics) said this: “The body of the holy ones (the saints) is essentially pure as (their) spirit.”2000
پس بزرگان این نگفتند از گزاف ** جسم پاکان عین جان افتاد صاف
Their speech and soul and form, all (this) is absolute spirit without (external) trace.
گفتشان و نفسشان و نقششان ** جمله جان مطلق آمد بینشان
The spirit that regards them with enmity is a mere body; like the plus in (the game called) nard, it is a mere name.
جان دشمن دارشان جسم است صرف ** چون زیاد از نرد او اسم است صرف
That one (the body of the enemy of the saints) went into the earth (grave) and became earth entirely; this (holy body) went into the salt and became entirely pure—
آن به خاک اندر شد و کل خاک شد ** وین نمک اندر شد و کل پاک شد
The (spiritual) salt through which Mohammed is more refined (than all others): he is more eloquent than that salt-seasoned (elegantly expressed) Hadíth.
آن نمک کز وی محمد املح است ** ز آن حدیث با نمک او افصح است
This salt is surviving in his heritage: those heirs of his are with thee. Seek them!2005
این نمک باقی است از میراث او ** با تواند آن وارثان او بجو
He (the spiritual heir of Mohammed) is seated in front of thee, (but) where indeed is thy “front”? He is before thee, (but) where is the soul that thinks “before”?
پیش تو شسته ترا خود پیش کو ** پیش هستت جان پیش اندیش کو
If thou fancy thou hast a “before” and “behind,” thou art tied to body and deprived of spirit.
گر تو خود را پیش و پس داری گمان ** بستهی جسمی و محرومی ز جان
“Below” and “above,” “before” and “behind” are attributes of the body: the essence of the bright spirit is without relations (not limited by relations of place).
زیر و بالا پیش و پس وصف تن است ** بیجهت آن ذات جان روشن است
Open thy (inward) vision with the pure light of the King. Beware of fancying, like one who is short-sighted,
بر گشا از نور پاک شه نظر ** تا نپنداری تو چون کوته نظر
That thou art only this very (body living) in grief and joy. O (thou who art really) non-existence, where (are) “before” and “behind” (appertaining) to non-existence?2010
که همینی در غم و شادی و بس ** ای عدم کو مر عدم را پیش و پس
’Tis a day of rain: journey on till night—not (sped) by this (earthly) rain but by the rain of the Lord.
روز باران است میرو تا به شب ** نی از این باران از آن باران رب
The story of ‘Á’isha, may God be well-pleased with her, how she asked Mustafá (Mohammed), on whom be peace, saying, “It rained to-day: since thou wentest to the graveyard, how is it that thy clothes are not wet?”
قصهی سؤال کردن عایشه از مصطفی علیه السلام که امروز باران بارید چون تو سوی گورستان رفتی جامههای تو چون تر نیست
One day Mustafá went to the graveyard: he went with the bier of a man (who was one) of his friends.
مصطفی روزی به گورستان برفت ** با جنازهی مردی از یاران برفت
He made the earth so that it filled his grave: he quickened his seed under the earth.
خاک را در گور او آگنده کرد ** زیر خاک آن دانهاش را زنده کرد
These trees are like the interred ones: they have lifted up their hands from the earth.
این درختانند همچون خاکیان ** دستها بر کردهاند از خاکدان
They are making a hundred signs to the people and speaking plainly to him that hath ears (to hear).2015
سوی خلقان صد اشارت میکنند ** و آن که گوش استش عبارت میکنند
With green tongue and with long hand (fingers) they are telling secrets from the earth's conscience (inmost heart).
با زبان سبز و با دست دراز ** از ضمیر خاک میگویند راز
(Sunk in earth) like ducks that have plunged their heads in water, they have become (gay as) peacocks, though (in winter) they were (dark and bare) as crows.
همچو بطان سر فرو برده به آب ** گشته طاوسان و بوده چون غراب
If during the winter He imprisoned them (in ice and snow), God made those “crows” “peacocks” (in spring).
در زمستانشان اگر محبوس کرد ** آن غرابان را خدا طاوس کرد
Although He put them to death in winter, He revived them by means of spring and gave (them) leaves.
در زمستانشان اگر چه داد مرگ ** زندهشان کرد از بهار و داد برگ
The sceptics say, “This (creation), surely, is eternal: why should we fix it on a beneficent Lord?”2020
منکران گویند خود هست این قدیم ** این چرا بندیم بر رب کریم
God, in despite of them, caused (spiritual) gardens and plots of sweet flowers to grow in the hearts of His friends.
کوری ایشان درون دوستان ** حق برویانید باغ و بوستان
Every rose that is sweet-scented within, that rose is telling of the secrets of the rose.
هر گلی کاندر درون بویا بود ** آن گل از اسرار کل گویا بود