Look at the trays in front of druggists—each kind put beside its own kind,280
طبلهها در پیش عطاران ببین ** جنس را با جنس خود کرده قرین
Things of each sort mixed with things of the same sort, and a certain elegance produced by this homogeneity;
جنسها با جنسها آمیخته ** زین تجانس زینتی انگیخته
If his (the druggist's) aloes-wood and sugar get mixed, he picks them out from each other, piece by piece.
گر در آمیزند عود و شکرش ** بر گزیند یک یک از یکدیگرش
The trays were broken and the souls were spilled: good and evil ones were mingled with each other.
طبلهها بشکست و جانها ریختند ** نیک و بد در همدگر آمیختند
God sent the prophets with scrolls (of Revelation), that He might pick out (and sort) these grains on the dish.
حق فرستاد انبیا را با ورق ** تا گزید این دانه‌ها را بر طبق
Before the, (the prophets) we were all alike, none knew whether we were good or bad.285
پیش از ایشان ما همه یکسان بدیم ** کس ندانستی که ما نیک و بدیم
False coin and fine (both) were current in the world, since all was night, and we were as night-travellers,
قلب و نیکو در جهان بودی روان ** چون همه شب بود و ما چون شب روان
Until the sun of the prophets rose and said, “Begone, O alloy! Come, O thou that art pure!”
تا بر آمد آفتاب انبیا ** گفت ای غش دور شو صافی بیا
The eye can distinguish colours, the eye knows ruby and (common) stone.
چشم داند فرق کردن رنگ را ** چشم داند لعل را و سنگ را
The eye knows the jewel and the rubbish; hence bits of rubbish sting the eye.
چشم داند گوهر و خاشاک را ** چشم را ز آن میخلد خاشاکها
These vile counterfeiters are enemies of day, those pieces of gold from the mine are lovers of day,290
دشمن روزند این قلابکان ** عاشق روزند آن زرهای کان
Because day is the mirror that makes it (the fine gold) known, so that the ashrafí (the coin of sterling gold) may see (receive) its (day's) gift of honour.
ز آن که روز است آینهی تعریف او ** تا ببیند اشرفی تشریف او
Hence God bestowed the title of “Day” on the Resurrection, (for) day displays the beauty of red and yellow.
حق قیامت را لقب ز آن روز کرد ** روز بنماید جمال سرخ و زرد
In reality, then, day is the inmost consciousness of the saints, (though) beside their moon day is (dim) as shadows.
پس حقیقت روز سر اولیاست ** روز پیش ماهشان چون سایههاست
Know that day is the reflexion of the mystery (the illumined consciousness) of the man of God, while eye-sealing night is the reflexion of his occultation.
عکس راز مرد حق دانید روز ** عکس ستاریش شام چشم دوز
For that reason God said, By the morn: by the morn is (refers to) the light of the hidden mind of Mustafá (Mohammed).295
ز آن سبب فرمود یزدان و الضحی ** و الضحی نور ضمیر مصطفی
The other view, that the Beloved (God) meant this morn (in the literal sense), is (held) just for the reason that this too is the reflexion of him;
قول دیگر کین ضحی را خواست دوست ** هم برای آنکه این هم عکس اوست
Else it is wrong to swear by a transient thing: how indeed is transiency proper to the speech of God?
ور نه بر فانی قسم گفتن خطاست ** خود فنا چه لایق گفت خداست
That Friend (of God) said, “I love not them that set”: how should the glorious Lord mean transiency by this (oath)?
لا أحب الآفلین گفت آن خلیل ** کی فنا خواهد از این رب جلیل
Again, and by the night is (refers to) his occultation and his earthen rust-dark body.
باز و اللیل است ستاری او ** و آن تن خاکی زنگاری او
When his sun rose from that sky, it said to the night of the body, “Lo, He hath not forsaken thee.”300
آفتابش چون بر آمد ز آن فلک ** با شب تن گفت هین ما ودعک
Union was made manifest out of the essence of affliction: that sweetness (of union) was expressed by (the words) He hath not hated (thee).
وصل پیدا گشت از عین بلا ** ز آن حلاوت شد عبارت ما قلی
In fact, every expression is the symbol of a state: the state is as a hand, while the expression is a tool.
هر عبارت خود نشان حالتی است ** حال چون دست و عبارت آلتی است
The goldsmith's tool in the hand of a shoemaker is like a seed sown in sand;
آلت زرگر به دست کفشگر ** همچو دانهی کشت کرده ریگ در
And the cobbler's tool (put) before the husbandman is (as) straw before a dog (or) bones before an ass.
و آلت اسکاف پیش برزگر ** پیش سگ کاه استخوان در پیش خر