Every morning, by (his) bounty, the colours were dispensed from the treasury to the Chinese.
هر صباحی از خزینه رنگها ** چینیان را راتبه بود از عطا
The Greeks said, “No tints and pictures are proper for our work, (nothing is needed) except to remove the rust.”
رومیان گفتند نی نقش و نه رنگ ** در خور آید کار را جز دفع زنگ
They shut the door and went on burnishing: they became clear and pure like the sky.3475
در فرو بستند و صیقل میزدند ** همچو گردون ساده و صافی شدند
There is a way from many-colouredness to colourlessness: colour is like the clouds, and colourlessness is a moon.
از دو صد رنگی به بیرنگی رهی است ** رنگ چون ابر است و بیرنگی مهی است
Whatsoever light and splendour you see in the clouds, know that it comes from the stars and the moon and the sun.
هر چه اندر ابر ضو بینی و تاب ** آن ز اختر دان و ماه و آفتاب
When the Chinese had finished their work, they were beating drums for joy.
چینیان چون از عمل فارغ شدند ** از پی شادی دهلها میزدند
The King entered and saw the pictures there: that (sight) was robbing him of his wits and understanding.
شه در آمد دید آن جا نقشها ** میربود آن عقل را و فهم را
After that, he came towards the Greeks: they drew up the intervening curtain.3480
بعد از آن آمد به سوی رومیان ** پرده را بالا کشیدند از میان
The reflexion of those (Chinese) pictures and works (of art) struck upon these walls which had been made pure (from stain).
عکس آن تصویر و آن کردارها ** زد بر این صافی شده دیوارها
All that he had seen there (in the Chinese room) seemed more beautiful here: ’twas snatching the eye from the socket.
هر چه آن جا دید اینجا به نمود ** دیده را از دیده خانه میربود
The Greeks, O father, are the Súfís: (they are) without (independent of) study and books and erudition,
رومیان آن صوفیانند ای پدر ** بیز تکرار و کتاب و بیهنر
But they have burnished their breasts (and made them) pure from greed and cupidity and avarice and hatreds.
لیک صیقل کردهاند آن سینهها ** پاک از آز و حرص و بخل و کینهها
That purity of the mirror is the attribute of the heart (which) receives the infinite form.3485
آن صفای آینه وصف دل است ** کاو نقوش بیعدد را قابل است
That Moses (the perfect saint) holds in his bosom the formless infinite form of the Unseen (reflected) from the mirror of his heart.
صورت بیصورت بیحد غیب ** ز آینهی دل تافت بر موسی ز جیب
Although that form is not contained in Heaven, nor in the empyrean nor the earth nor the sea nor the Fish,
گر چه آن صورت نگنجد در فلک ** نه به عرش و فرش و دریا و سمک
Because (all) those are bounded and numbered—(yet is it contained in the heart): know that the mirror of the heart hath no bound.
ز آن که محدود است و معدود است آن ** آینهی دل را نباشد حد بدان
Here the understanding becomes silent or (else) it leads into error, because the heart is with Him (God), or indeed the heart is He.
عقل اینجا ساکت آمد یا مضل ** ز آنکه دل با اوست یا خود اوست دل
The reflexion of every image shines unto everlasting from the heart alone, both with plurality and without.3490
عکس هر نقشی نتابد تا ابد ** جز ز دل هم با عدد هم بیعدد
Unto everlasting every new image that falls on it (the heart) is appearing therein without any veil.
تا ابد هر نقش نو کاید بر او ** مینماید بیحجابی اندر او
They that burnish (their hearts) have escaped from (mere) scent and colour: they behold Beauty at every moment without tarrying.
اهل صیقل رستهاند از بوی و رنگ ** هر دمی بینند خوبی بیدرنگ
They have relinquished the form and husk of knowledge, they have raised the banner of the eye of certainty.
نقش و قشر علم را بگذاشتند ** رایت عین الیقین افراشتند
Thought is gone, and they have gained light: they have gained the throat (core and essence) and the sea (ultimate source) of gnosis.
رفت فکر و روشنایی یافتند ** نحر و بحر آشنایی یافتند
Death, of which all these (others) are sore afraid, this people (the perfect Súfís) are holding in derision.3495
مرگ کاین جمله از او در وحشتاند ** میکنند این قوم بر وی ریشخند
None gains the victory over their hearts: the hurt falls on the oyster-shell, not on the pearl.
کس نیابد بر دل ایشان ظفر ** بر صدف آید ضرر نی بر گهر
Though they have let go grammar (nahw) and jurisprudence (fiqh), yet they have taken up (instead) the (mystical) self-effacement of (spiritual) poverty (faqr).
گر چه نحو و فقه را بگذاشتند ** لیک محو و فقر را برداشتند