The dominant light (of the saints) is secure from defect and dimness between the two fingers of the Light of God.
نور غالب ایمن از نقص و غسق ** در میان اصبعین نور حق
God hath scattered that light over (all) spirits, (but only) the fortunate have held up their skirts (to receive it);760
حق فشاند آن نور را بر جانها ** مقبلان برداشته دامانها
And he (that is fortunate), having gained that strown largesse of light, has turned his face away from all except God.
و آن نثار نور را وایافته ** روی از غیر خدا بر تافته
Whosoever has lacked (such) a skirt of love is left without share in that strown largesse of light.
هر که را دامان عشقی نابده ** ز آن نثار نور بیبهره شده
The faces of particulars are set towards the universal: nightingales are in love with the face of the rose.
جزوها را رویها سوی کل است ** بلبلان را عشق با روی گل است
The ox has his colour outside, but in the case of a man seek the red and yellow hues within.
گاو را رنگ از برون و مرد را ** از درون جو رنگ سرخ و زرد را
The good colours are from the vat of purity; the colour of the wicked is from the black water of iniquity.765
رنگهای نیک از خم صفاست ** رنگ زشتان از سیاهآبهی جفاست
The baptism of God is the name of that subtle colour; the curse of God is the smell of this gross colour.
صبغة الله نام آن رنگ لطیف ** لعنة الله بوی این رنگ کثیف
That which is of the sea is going to the sea: it is going to the same place whence it came—
آن چه از دریا به دریا میرود ** از همانجا کامد آن جا میرود
From the mountain-top the swift-rushing torrents, and from our body the soul whose motion is mingled with love.
از سر که سیلهای تیز رو ** وز تن ما جان عشق آمیز رو
How the Jewish king made a fire and placed an idol beside it, saying, “Whoever bows down to this idol shall escape the fire.”
آتش کردن پادشاه جهود و بت نهادن پهلوی آتش که هر که این بت را سجود کند از آتش برست
Now see what a plan this currish Jew contrived! He set up an idol beside the fire,
آن جهود سگ ببین چه رای کرد ** پهلوی آتش بتی بر پای کرد
Saying, “He that bows down to this idol is saved, and if he bow not, he shall sit in the heart of the fire.”770
کان که این بت را سجود آرد برست ** ور نیارد در دل آتش نشست
Inasmuch as he did not give due punishment to this idol of self, from the idol of his self the other idol was born.
چون سزای این بت نفس او نداد ** از بت نفسش بتی دیگر بزاد
The idol of your self is the mother of (all) idols, because that (material) idol is (only) a snake, while this (spiritual) idol is a dragon.
مادر بتها بت نفس شماست ** ز آن که آن بت مار و این بت اژدهاست
The self is (as) iron and stone (whence fire is produced), while the (material) idol is (as) the sparks: those sparks are quieted (quenched) by water.
آهن و سنگ است نفس و بت شرار ** آن شرار از آب میگیرد قرار
(But) how should the stone and iron be allayed by water? How should a man, having these twain, be secure?
سنگ و آهن ز آب کی ساکنشود ** آدمی با این دو کی ایمن شود
The idol is the black water hidden in the jug; know that the self is the fountain.775
بت سیاهآبهست در کوزه نهان ** نفس مر آب سیه را چشمه دان
That sculptured idol is like the black torrent; the idol-making self is a fountain (jetting muddy water) on the Water-way (the Way that leads to the Water of Life).
آن بت منحوت چون سیل سیاه ** نفس بتگر چشمهای بر آب راه
A single piece of stone will break a hundred pitchers, but the fountain-water is making jets incessantly.
صد سبو را بشکند یک پاره سنگ ** و آب چشمه میزهاند بیدرنگ
’Tis easy to break an idol, very easy; to regard the self as easy (to subdue) is folly, folly.
بت شکستن سهل باشد نیک سهل ** سهل دیدن نفس را جهل است جهل
O son, if you seek (to know) the form of the self, read the story of Hell with its seven gates.
صورت نفس ار بجویی ای پسر ** قصهی دوزخ بخوان با هفت در
Every moment (there proceeds from the self) an act of deceit, and in every one of those deceits a hundred Pharaohs are drowned together with their followers.780
هر نفس مکری و در هر مکر ز آن ** غرقه صد فرعون با فرعونیان
Flee to the God of Moses and to Moses, do not from Pharaoh's quality (rebellious insolence) spill the water of the Faith.
در خدای موسی و موسی گریز ** آب ایمان را ز فرعونی مریز
Lay your hand on (cleave to) the One (God) and Ahmad (Mohammed)! O brother, escape from the Bú Jahl of the body!
دست را اندر احد و احمد بزن ** ای برادر واره از بو جهل تن
How a child began to speak amidst the fire and urged the people to throw themselves into the fire.
به سخن آمدن طفل در میان آتش و تحریض کردن خلق را در افتادن به آتش
That Jew brought to that idol a woman with her child, and the fire was blazing.
یک زنی با طفل آورد آن جهود ** پیش آن بت و آتش اندر شعله بود