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
It tells of the thought of the Goldsmith—(all this) is a chain, every link (inserted) in another.
حاکی اندیشهی آن زرگر است ** سلسلهی هر حلقه اندر دیگر است
Whose voice is this echo in the mountains of (our) hearts? Sometimes this mountain is full of the voice, sometimes it is empty.
این صدا در کوه دلها بانگ کی ست ** گه پرست از بانگ این که گه تهی است