The everlasting light is beside this low world, the pure milk is beside rivers of blood.
نور باقی پهلوی دنیای دون ** شیر صافی پهلوی جوهای خون
When you take one step in it (the world) without precaution, your milk will be turned to blood through commixture.
چون در او گامی زنی بیاحتیاط ** شیر تو خون میشود از اختلاط
Adam took one step in sensual pleasure: separation from his high place in Paradise became a collar on the neck of his (fleshly) soul.15
یک قدم زد آدم اندر ذوق نفس ** شد فراق صدر جنت طوق نفس
The angels were fleeing from him as from a devil: how many tears did he shed for the sake of a single loaf!
همچو دیو از وی فرشته میگریخت ** بهر نانی چند آب چشم ریخت
Although the sin which he had compassed was (but) a hair, yet that hair had grown in his eyes.
گر چه یک مو بد گنه کاو جسته بود ** لیک آن مو در دو دیده رسته بود
Adam was the eye of the Eternal Light: a hair in the eye is a great mountain.
بود آدم دیدهی نور قدیم ** موی در دیده بود کوه عظیم
If Adam had taken counsel in that (matter), he would not have uttered excuses in penitence,
گر در آن آدم بکردی مشورت ** در پشیمانی نگفتی معذرت
Because when one intellect is joined with another intellect, it prevents evil action and evil speech;20
ز آن که با عقلی چو عقلی جفت شد ** مانع بد فعلی و بد گفت شد
(But) when the fleshly soul is associated with another fleshly soul, the partial (individual) intellect becomes idle and useless.
نفس با نفس دگر چون یار شد ** عقل جزوی عاطل و بیکار شد
When because of loneliness you fall into despair, you become (bright as) a sun (if you go) under the shadow (protection) of the friend.
چون ز تنهایی تو نومیدی شوی ** زیر سایهی یار خورشیدی شوی
Go, seek at once the friend of God: when you have done so, God is your friend.
رو بجو یار خدایی را تو زود ** چون چنان کردی خدا یار تو بود
He who has fixed his gaze upon seclusion (and made it his object), after all ’tis from the friend (of God) that he has learned that (lesson).
آن که در خلوت نظر بر دوخته ست ** آخر آن را هم ز یار آموخته ست
One must seclude one's self from strangers, (but) not from the friend: the fur-coat is for winter, not for spring.25
خلوت از اغیار باید نه ز یار ** پوستین بهر دی آمد نه بهار
(If) the intellect is paired with another intellect, light increases and the way becomes plain;
عقل با عقل دگر دو تا شود ** نور افزون گشت و ره پیدا شود
(But if) the fleshly soul makes merry with another fleshly soul, darkness increases, the way becomes hidden.
نفس با نفس دگر خندان شود ** ظلمت افزون گشت و ره پنهان شود
The friend is thine eye, O huntsman: keep him pure from (unsoiled by) sticks and straws.
یار چشم تست ای مرد شکار ** از خس و خاشاک او را پاک دار
Beware! Do not make a dust with thy tongue's broom, do not make a present of rubbish to thine eye.
هین به جاروب زبان گردی مکن ** چشم را از خس ره آوردی مکن
Since the true believer is a mirror for the true believer, his face is safe from defilement.30
چون که مومن آینهی مومن بود ** روی او ز آلودگی ایمن بود
The friend is a mirror for the soul in sorrow: breathe not on the face of the mirror, O my soul!
یار آیینه ست جان را در حزن ** در رخ آیینهای جان دم مزن
Lest it cover its face to (conceal itself from) thee at once, thou must swallow (suppress) thy breath at every moment.
تا نپوشد روی خود را در دمت ** دم فرو خوردن بباید هر دمت
Art thou less than earth? When a plot of earth finds a friend, that is, a springtide, it finds (gains) a hundred thousand flowers.
کم ز خاکی چون که خاکی یار یافت ** از بهاری صد هزار انوار یافت
The tree that is united with a friend, that is, the sweet air (of spring), blossoms from head to foot;
آن درختی کاو شود با یار جفت ** از هوای خوش ز سر تا پا شکفت
In autumn, when it sees (meets with) a repugnant companion, it withdraws its face and head under the coverlet35
در خزان چون دید او یار خلاف ** در کشید او رو و سر زیر لحاف
And says, “A bad comrade is (the means of) stirring up trouble: since he has come, my (best) course is to sleep.
گفت یار بد بلا آشفتن است ** چون که او آمد طریقم خفتن است
Therefore I will sleep, I will be (like) one of the Men of the Cave (the Seven Sleepers): that prisoner of woe (that sorely distressed one) is better than Decianus.”
پس بخسپم باشم اصحاب کهف ** به ز دقیانوس آن محبوس لهف