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.
هیچ آیینه دگر آهن نشد ** هیچ نانی گندم خرمن نشد
No full-grown grape (ever) became a young grape; no mature fruit (ever) became premature fruit.
هیچ انگوری دگر غوره نشد ** هیچ میوهی پخته با کوره نشد
Become mature and be far from (the possibility of) change for the worse: go, become the Light, like Burhán-i Muhaqqiq.
پخته گرد و از تغیر دور شو ** رو چو برهان محقق نور شو
When you have escaped from self, you have become wholly the proof (of God): when the slave (in you) has become naught, you have become the King.1320
چون ز خود رستی همه برهان شدی ** چون که بنده نیست شد سلطان شدی
[And if you wish to behold (this mystery) plainly, Saláhu’ddín has shown it forth: he has made the eyes to see and has opened (them).
ور عیان خواهی صلاح دین نمود ** دیدهها را کرد بینا و گشود
From his eyes and mien every eye that hath the Light of Hú (God) has discerned (mystical) poverty.
فقر را از چشم و از سیمای او ** دید هر چشمی که دارد نور هو
The Shaykh (Saláhu’ddín) is one who, like God, acts without instrument, giving lessons to his disciples without anything said.]
شیخ فعال است بیآلت چو حق ** با مریدان داده بیگفتی سبق
In his hand the heart is submissive like soft wax: his seal makes (the impression) now (of) shame, now (of) fame.
دل به دست او چو موم نرم رام ** مهر او گه ننگ سازد گاه نام
The seal impressed on his wax is telling of the seal-ring; of whom, again, does the device tell, (which is) graven on the stone of the ring?1325
مهر مومش حاکی انگشتری است ** باز آن نقش نگین حاکی کیست