To him his (the speaker's) words are (mere) assertion: his ignorance has become the source of his disbelief;3580
پیش او دعوی بود گفتار او ** جهل او شد مایهی انکار او
(But) to him of keen insight, within whom are the (spiritual) lights, the very nature of this voice was just the (immediate evidence of its) reality.
پیش زیرک کاندرونش نورهاست ** عین این آواز معنی بود راست
Or (for example) one whose mother-tongue is Arabic says in Arabic, “I know the language of the Arabs.”
یا به تازی گفت یک تازی زبان ** که همیدانم زبان تازیان
The very fact of his speaking in Arabic is (evidence of) the reality (of his assertion), although his saying (that he knows) Arabic is (only) an assertion.
عین تازی گفتنش معنی بود ** گر چه تازی گفتنش دعوی بود
Or a writer may write on a piece of paper, “I am a writer and a reader, and I am a most accomplished person.”
یا نویسد کاتبی بر کاغذی ** کاتب و خط خوانم و من ابجدی
Although this written (statement) itself is a (mere) assertion, still the script is evidence of the reality (of the assertion).3585
این نوشته گر چه خود دعوی بود ** هم نوشته شاهد معنی بود
Or a Súfí may say, “Last night, while asleep, you saw some one with a prayer carpet on his shoulder.
یا بگوید صوفیی دیدی تو دوش ** در میان خواب سجاده به دوش
That was I; and what I said to you in the dream, whilst you slumbered, in explanation of clairvoyance—
من بدم آن و آن چه گفتم خواب در ** با تو اندر خواب در شرح نظر
Give ear (to it), put it in your ear like an ear-ring: make those words (of mine) your mind's guide.”
گوش کن چون حلقه اندر گوش کن ** آن سخن را پیشوای هوش کن
When you recollect the dream, these words (of his) are (as real to you as) a new miracle or old gold.
چون ترا یاد آید آن خواب این سخن ** معجز نو باشد و زر کهن
Although this seems to be (mere) assertion (on his part), yet the soul of the dreamer says, “Yes, (it is true).”3590
گر چه دعوی مینماید این ولی ** جان صاحب واقعه گوید بلی
Therefore, since Wisdom is the faithful believer's stray camel, he knows it with certainty, from whomsoever he has heard it;
پس چو حکمت ضالهی مومن بود ** آن ز هر که بشنود موقن بود
And when he finds himself absolutely in front of it, how should there be doubt? How should he mistake it?
چون که خود را پیش او یابد فقط ** چون بود شک چون کند او را غلط
When you say to a thirsty man, “Make haste! there is water in the cup: take the water at once,”
تشنهای را چون بگویی تو شتاب ** در قدح آب است بستان زود آب
Will the thirsty man say in any event?—“This is (mere) assertion: go from my side, O pretender! Get thee far away!
هیچ گوید تشنه کاین دعوی است رو ** از برم ای مدعی مهجور شو
Or (else) produce some testimony and proof that this is of aqueous kind and consists of the water that runs from a spring.3595
یا گواه و حجتی بنما که این ** جنس آب است و از آن ماء معین
Or (suppose that) a mother cries to her suckling babe, “Come, I am mother: hark, my child!”—
یا به طفل شیر مادر بانگ زد ** که بیا من مادرم هان ای ولد