The Light of God is an ornament to the light of sense: this is the meaning of light upon light.
نور حس را نور حق تزیین بود ** معنی نور علی نور این بود
The light of sense draws (a man) towards earth; the Light of God bears him aloft,
نور حسی میکشد سوی ثری ** نور حقش میبرد سوی علی
Because sensible things are a lower world: the Light of God is (as) the sea, and the sense as a dew-drop.1295
ز انکه محسوسات دونتر عالمی است ** نور حق دریا و حس چون شبنمی است
But that which rides on it (on the sense) is not manifested save by good effects and words.
لیک پیدا نیست آن راکب بر او ** جز به آثار و به گفتار نکو
The sensuous light, which is gross and heavy, is hidden in the black of the eyes.
نور حسی کاو غلیظ است و گران ** هست پنهان در سواد دیدهگان
Inasmuch as you are not seeing the light of sense with (your) eye, how should you see the light of that religious one (the saint) with (your) eye?
چون که نور حس نمیبینی ز چشم ** چون ببینی نور آن دینی ز چشم
The light of sense is hidden notwithstanding this grossness: how (then) should not that radiance be hidden which is pure (and subtle)?
نور حس با این غلیظی مختفی است ** چون خفی نبود ضیایی کان صفی است
This world, like straws in the hand (control) of the wind (which is) the (world) unseen, is a helpless object before the power and sway of the Unseen1300
این جهان چون خس به دست باد غیب ** عاجزی پیش گرفت و داد غیب
It (this control) makes it now lofty, now low; makes it now sound (and whole), now broken;
See (how) the Hand (is) hidden, while the pen is writing; the horse careering, while the Rider is invisible.
دست پنهان و قلم بین خط گزار ** اسب در جولان و ناپیدا سوار
See the arrow flying, and the Bow not in sight; the (individual) souls manifest, and the Soul of souls hidden.
تیر پران بین و ناپیدا کمان ** جانها پیدا و پنهان جان جان
Do not break the arrow, for it is the arrow of a King; it is not shot at long range (at random), it is from the thumb-stall of One who knows (how to hit the target).1305
تیر را مشکن که این تیر شهی است ** تیر پرتابی ز شصت آگهی است
God said, “Thou didst not throw when thou threwest”: the action of God has precedence over (our) actions.
ما رمیت إذ رمیت گفت حق ** کار حق بر کارها دارد سبق
Break your own anger, do not break the arrow: the eye of your anger reckons milk (to be) blood.
خشم خود بشکن تو مشکن تیر را ** چشم خشمت خون شمارد شیر را
Give the arrow a kiss and bring it to the King—the blood-stained arrow, wet with your blood.
بوسه ده بر تیر و پیش شاه بر ** تیر خون آلود از خون تو تر
That which is seen is helpless and confined and feeble; and that which is unseen is so fierce and uncontrollable.
آن چه پیدا عاجز و بسته و زبون ** و آن چه ناپیدا چنان تند و حرون
We are the (hunted) prey: to whom belongs such a (fearful) snare? We are the ball (for the blows) of the polo-bat—and where is the Batsman?1310
ما شکاریم این چنین دامی کراست ** گوی چوگانیم چوگانی کجاست
He tears, He sews: where is this Tailor? He blows, He burns: where is this Fire-kindler?
میدرد میدوزد این خیاط کو ** میدمد میسوزد این نفاط کو
At one hour He makes the true saint an unbeliever; at another hour He makes the (impious) deist an (orthodox) ascetic;
ساعتی کافر کند صدیق را ** ساعتی زاهد کند زندیق را
For the mukhlis (sincere worshipper) is in danger of the snare until he becomes entirely purged of self,
ز انکه مخلص در خطر باشد ز دام ** تا ز خود خالص نگردد او تمام
Because he is (still) on the Way, and the brigands are numberless: (only) he escapes who is under God's safeguard.
ز انکه در راهست و ره زن بیحد است ** آن رهد کاو در امان ایزد است
(If) he has not become (selfless, like) a pure mirror, he is (no more than) mukhlis: (if) he has not caught the bird, he is (still) hunting;1315
آینهی خالص نگشت او مخلص است ** مرغ را نگرفته است او مقنص است
(But) when the mukhlis has become mukhlas, he is delivered: he has reached the place of safety and has won the victory.
چون که مخلص گشت مخلص باز رست ** در مقام امن رفت و برد دست
No mirror (ever) became iron again; no bread (ever) became the wheat in the stack.