No one has shown it to have beginning or end. He (God) said, ‘If the sea were to become ink for it (the Word of God)…’
اول و آخر نشانش کس نداد ** گفت لو کان له البحر مداد
If the Seven Seas should become entirely ink, (still) there is no hope of coming to an end.
هفت دریا گر شود کلی مداد ** نیست مر پایان شدن را هیچ امید
If orchards and forests should become pens altogether, there would never be any decrease in this Word.3545
باغ و بیشه گر بود یک سر قلم ** زین سخن هرگز نگردد هیچ کم
All that ink and (all those) pens pass away, and this numberless Word is everlasting.
آن همه حبر و قلم فانی شود ** وین حدیث بیعدد باقی بود
At times my state resembles sleep: a misguided person may think it is sleep.
حالت من خواب را ماند گهی ** خواب پندارد مر آن را گمرهی
Know that my eyes are asleep, (but) my heart is awake: know that my (seemingly) inactive form is (really) in action.
چشم من خفته دلم بیدار دان ** شکل بیکار مرا بر کار دان
The Prophet said, ‘My eyes sleep, (but) my heart is not asleep to the Lord of created beings.’
گفت پیغمبر که عینای تنام ** لا ینام قلبی عن رب الأنام
Your eyes are awake, and your heart is sunk in slumber; my eyes are asleep, (but) my heart is in (contemplation of) the opening of the door (of Divine grace).3550
چشم تو بیدار و دل خفته به خواب ** چشم من خفته دلم در فتح باب
My heart hath five senses other (than the physical): both the worlds (external and spiritual) are the stage (theatre) for the senses of the heart.
مر دلم را پنج حس دیگر است ** حس دل را هر دو عالم منظر است
Do not regard me from (the standpoint of) your infirmity: to you ’tis night, to me that same night is morningtide.
تو ز ضعف خود مکن در من نگاه ** بر تو شب بر من همان شب چاشتگاه
To you ’tis prison, to me that prison is like a garden: to me the most absolute state of occupation (with the world) has become (a state of spiritual) freedom.
بر تو زندان بر من آن زندان چو باغ ** عین مشغولی مرا گشته فراغ
Your feet are in the mud; to me the mud has become roses. You have mourning; I have feasting and drums.
پای تو در گل مرا گل گشته گل ** مر ترا ماتم مرا سور و دهل
(Whilst) I am dwelling with you in some place on the earth, I am coursing over the seventh sphere (of Heaven), like Saturn.3555
در زمینم با تو ساکن در محل ** میدوم بر چرخ هفتم چون زحل
’Tis not I that am seated beside you, ’tis my shadow: my rank is higher than (the reach of) thoughts,
همنشینت من نیم سایهی من است ** برتر از اندیشهها پایهی من است
Because I have passed beyond (all) thoughts, and have become a swift traveler outside (the region of) thought.
ز انکه من ز اندیشهها بگذشتهام ** خارج اندیشه پویان گشتهام
I am the ruler of thought, not ruled (by it), because the builder is ruler over the building.
حاکم اندیشهام محکوم نی ** ز انکه بنا حاکم آمد بر بنا
All creatures are subjugated to thought; for that reason they are sore in heart and practised in sorrow.
جمله خلقان سخرهی اندیشهاند ** ز آن سبب خسته دل و غم پیشهاند
I yield myself to thought purposely, (but) when I will I spring up from the midst of them (that are under its sway).3560
قاصدا خود را به اندیشه دهم ** چون بخواهم از میانشان بر جهم
I am as a bird of the zenith, thought is a gnat: how should a gnat have power over me?
من چو مرغ اوجم اندیشه مگس ** کی بود بر من مگس را دسترس
Purposely I come down from the lofty zenith, that those of base degree may attain to me.
قاصدا زیر آیم از اوج بلند ** تا شکسته پایگان بر من تنند
When disgust at the qualities of the low (world) seizes me, I soar up like the birds which spread their pinions.
چون ملالم گیرد از سفلی صفات ** بر پرم همچون طیور الصافات
My wings have grown out of my very essence: I do not stick two wings on with glue.
پر من رسته ست هم از ذات خویش ** بر نچسبانم دو پر من با سریش
The wings of Ja‘far-i Tayyár are permanent; the wings of Ja‘far-i Tarrár are borrowed (unreal and transitory).3565
جعفر طیار را پر جاریه ست ** جعفر عیار را پر عاریه ست
In the view of him that has not experienced (it), this is (mere) pretension; in the view of the inhabitants of the (spiritual) horizon, this is the reality.
نزد آن که لم یذق دعوی است این ** نزد سکان افق معنی است این
This is brag and pretension in the eyes of the crow: an empty or full pot is all one to the fly.
لاف و دعوی باشد این پیش غراب ** دیگ تی و پر یکی پیش ذباب