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
“I am God” on the lips of Mansúr was the light (of truth); “I am Allah” on the lips of Pharaoh was a lie.305
بود انا الحق در لب منصور نور ** بود انا الله در لب فرعون زور
In the hand of Moses the rod became a witness (to the truth); in the hand of the magician the rod became (worthless as) motes in the air.
شد عصا اندر کف موسی گوا ** شد عصا اندر کف ساحر هبا
On this account Jesus did not teach his fellow-traveller that Name of the Lord,
زین سبب عیسی بدان همراه خود ** در نیاموزید آن اسم صمد
For he would not know (its proper use) and would attribute imperfection to the tool (which he misused). Strike stone on clay, and how should fire leap forth?
کاو نداند نقص بر آلت نهد ** سنگ بر گل زن تو آتش کی جهد
Hand and tool are as stone and iron; there must be a pair: (the existence of) a pair is the condition (necessary) for bringing to birth.
دست و آلت همچو سنگ و آهن است ** جفت باید جفت شرط زادن است
The One is He who hath no consort and no tool; in number there is doubt, and that One is beyond doubt.310
آن که بیجفت است و بیآلت یکی است ** در عدد شک است و آن یک بیشکی است
Those who say “two” or “three” or more than these (numbers) are certainly agreed in (affirming the existence of) One.
آن که دو گفت و سه گفت و بیش ازین ** متفق باشند در واحد یقین
When squinting has been put aside (so that they see correctly), they become alike: the assertors of two or three become assertors of Unity.
احولی چون دفع شد یکسان شوند ** دو سه گویان هم یکی گویان شوند
If you are a ball in His polo-field, keep spinning round from (the blows of) His polo-stick.
گر یکی گویی تو در میدان او ** گرد بر میگرد از چوگان او
The ball becomes right and flawless (only) at the time when it is made to dance by the stroke of the King's hand.
گوی آن گه راست و بینقصان شود ** که ز زخم دست شه رقصان شود
Give ear heedfully to these (sayings), O squinting one: apply the eye-salve by way of the ear.315
گوش دار ای احول اینها را به هوش ** داروی دیده بکش از راه گوش
Holy words, then, do not abide in blind hearts, (but) go to the Light whence they came,
پس کلام پاک در دلهای کور ** مینپاید میرود تا اصل نور
While the (guileful) spell of the Devil goes into crooked (perverse) hearts as a crooked shoe on to a crooked foot.
و آن فسون دیو در دلهای کژ ** میرود چون کفش کژ در پای کژ
Though you may learn Wisdom by rote, it becomes quit of you when you are unworthy (to receive it);
گر چه حکمت را به تکرار آوری ** چون تو نااهلی شود از تو بری
And though you write it and note it (down), and though you brag (about it) and expound it,
ور چه بنویسی نشانش میکنی ** ور چه میلافی بیانش میکنی
It withdraws its face from you, O disputatious one: it snaps its bonds and (takes) flight from you.320
او ز تو رو در کشد ای پر ستیز ** بندها را بگسلد وز تو گریز