If you give a babe bread instead of milk, take it (for granted) that the poor babe will die of the bread;
طفل را گر نان دهی بر جای شیر ** طفل مسکین را از آن نان مرده گیر
(Yet) afterwards, when it grows teeth, that babe will of its own accord its heart will crave bread.
چون که دندانها بر آرد بعد از آن ** هم بخود گردد دلش جویای نان
When an unfledged bird begins to fly, it becomes a mouthful for any rapacious cat;
مرغ پر نارسته چون پران شود ** لقمهی هر گربهی دران شود
(But) when it grows wings, it will fly of itself without trouble and without whistling (prompting), good or bad.
چون بر آرد پر بپرد او به خود ** بیتکلف بیصفیر نیک و بد
Thy speech makes the Devil silent, thy words make our ears (full of) intelligence.585
دیو را نطق تو خامش میکند ** گوش ما را گفت تو هش میکند
Our ears are (full of) intelligence when thou art speaking; our dry land is a river when thou art the ocean.
گوش ما هوش است چون گویا تویی ** خشک ما بحر است چون دریا تویی
With thee, earth is better to us than heaven, O thou by whom (the world from) Arcturus to the Fish is illumined!
با تو ما را خاک بهتر از فلک ** ای سماک از تو منور تا سمک
Without thee, darkness is over heaven for us, (but) compared with thee, O Moon, who is this heaven at all?
بیتو ما را بر فلک تاریکی است ** با تو ای ماه این فلک باری کی است
The heavens have the form of sublimity, (but) the essence of sublimity belongs to the pure spirit.
صورت رفعت بود افلاک را ** معنی رفعت روان پاک را
The form of sublimity is for bodies; beside the essence (reality) bodies are (mere) names.”590
صورت رفعت برای جسمهاست ** جسمها در پیش معنی اسمهاست
The refusal of the vizier to interrupt his seclusion.
جواب گفتن وزیر که خلوت را نمیشکنم
He said: “Cut short your arguments, let my advice make its way into your souls and hearts.
گفت حجتهای خود کوته کنید ** پند را در جان و در دل ره کنید
If I am trustworthy, the trustworthy is not doubted, even though I should call heaven earth.
گر امینم متهم نبود امین ** گر بگویم آسمان را من زمین
If I am (endowed with) perfection, why (this) disbelief in my perfection? and if I am not (perfect), why this molestation and annoyance?
گر کمالم با کمال انکار چیست ** ور نیم این زحمت و آزار چیست
I will not go forth from this seclusion, because I am occupied with inward experiences.”
من نخواهم شد از این خلوت برون ** ز آن که مشغولم به احوال درون
How the disciples raised objections against the vizier's secluding himself.
اعتراض مریدان در خلوت وزیر
They all said: “O vizier, it is not disbelief: our words are not as the words of strangers.595
جمله گفتند ای وزیر انکار نیست ** گفت ما چون گفتن اغیار نیست
The tears of our eyes are running because of our separation from thee; sigh after sigh is going (up) from the midst of our souls.
اشک دیدهست از فراق تو دوان ** آه آه است از میان جان روان
A babe does not contend with its nurse, but it weeps, although it knows neither evil nor good.
طفل با دایه نه استیزد و لیک ** گرید او گر چه نه بد داند نه نیک
We are as the harp and thou art striking (it with) the plectrum (playing on it): the lamentation is not from us, it is thou that art making lamentation.
ما چون چنگیم و تو زخمه میزنی ** زاری از ما نی تو زاری میکنی
We are as the flute, and the music in us is from thee; we are as the mountain, and the echo in us is from thee.
ما چو ناییم و نوا در ما ز تست ** ما چو کوهیم و صدا در ما ز تست
We are as pieces of chess (engaged) in victory and defeat: our victory and defeat is from thee, O thou whose qualities are comely!600
ما چو شطرنجیم اندر برد و مات ** برد و مات ما ز تست ای خوش صفات
Who are we, O thou soul of our souls, that we should remain in being beside thee?
ما که باشیم ای تو ما را جان جان ** تا که ما باشیم با تو در میان
We and our existences are (really) non-existences: thou art the absolute Being which manifests the perishable (causes phenomena to appear).
ما عدمهاییم و هستیهای ما ** تو وجود مطلقی فانی نما
We all are lions, but lions on a banner: because of the wind they are rushing onward from moment to moment.
ما همه شیران ولی شیر علم ** حملهشان از باد باشد دمبهدم
Their onward rush is visible, and the wind is unseen: may that which is unseen never fail!
حمله شان پیدا و ناپیداست باد ** آن که ناپیداست هرگز کم مباد
Our wind (that whereby we are moved) and our being are of thy gift; our whole existence is from thy bringing (us) into being.605
باد ما و بود ما از داد تست ** هستی ما جمله از ایجاد تست