Sometimes Abu ’l-Hasan in drunkenness (ecstasy) says to thee, “O thou whose teeth are small (whose years are few), O thou whose body is tender!”
گه ترا گوید ز مستی بو الحسن ** یا صغیر السن یا رطب البدن
Sometimes he is laying waste (ruining and defacing) his own image: he is doing that in order to assert the transcendence of the Beloved (God).60
گاه نقش خویش ویران میکند ** از پی تنزیه جانان میکند
The doctrine held by the eye of sense is Mu‘tazilism, whereas the eye of Reason is Sunnite (orthodox) in respect of (its) union (vision of God).
چشم حس را هست مذهب اعتزال ** دیدهی عقل است سنی در وصال
Those in thrall to sense-perception are Mu‘tazilites, (though) from misguidedness they represent themselves as Sunnites.
سخرهی حساند اهل اعتزال ** خویش را سنی نمایند از ضلال
Any one who remains in (bondage to) sense-perception is a Mu‘tazilite; though he may say he is a Sunnite, ’tis from ignorance.
هر که در حس ماند او معتزلی ست ** گر چه گوید سنیم از جاهلی ست
Any one who has escaped from (the bondage of) sense-perception is a Sunnite: the man endowed with (spiritual) vision is the eye of sweet-paced (harmonious) Reason.
هر که بیرون شد ز حس سنی وی است ** اهل بینش چشم عقل خوش پی است
If the animal sense could see the King (God), then the ox and the ass would behold Allah.65
گر بدیدی حس حیوان شاه را ** پس بدیدی گاو و خر الله را
If, besides the animal sense, thou hadst not another sense outside of (unconditioned by) the desire of the flesh,
گر نبودی حس دیگر مر ترا ** جز حس حیوان ز بیرون هوا
Then how should the sons of Adam have been honoured? How by means of the common sense should they have become privileged (to know these mysteries)?
پس بنی آدم مکرم کی بدی ** کی به حس مشترک محرم شدی
Your calling (God) “formless” (transcending forms) or “formed” (immanent in forms) is vain, without your departure from form (unless you yourself are freed from sense perception).
نا مصور یا مصور گفتننت ** باطل آمد بی ز صورت رستنت
(Whether God is) “formless” or “formed,” He is with him that is all kernel and has gone forth from the husk.
نامصور یا مصور پیش اوست ** کاو همه مغز است و بیرون شد ز پوست
If you are blind, ’tis no crime in the blind; (but) if not, go (persevere in purifying yourself), for patience is the key to success.70
گر تو کوری نیست بر اعمی حرج ** ور نه رو کالصبر مفتاح الفرج
The medicine of patience will burn the veils over your eye and will also effect the opening of your breast (to Divine knowledge).
پردههای دیده را داروی صبر ** هم بسوزد هم بسازد شرح صدر
When the mirror of your heart becomes clear and pure, you will behold images (which are) outside of (the world of) water and earth.
آینهی دل چون شود صافی و پاک ** نقشها بینی برون از آب و خاک
You will behold both the image and the image-Maker, both the carpet of (spiritual) empire and the carpet-Spreader.
هم ببینی نقش و هم نقاش را ** فرش دولت را و هم فراش را
The phantom (seen in mystical vision) of my Friend seemed (to me) like Khalíl (Abraham)—its form an idol, its reality a breaker of idols.
چون خلیل آمد خیال یار من ** صورتش بت معنی او بت شکن
Thanks be to God that when he appeared, my spirit beheld in his phantom its own phantom (reflected image).75
شکر یزدان را که چون شد او پدید ** در خیالش جان خیال خود بدید
The dust of thy threshold was bewitching my heart: dust (woe) on him that was patient without thy dust!
خاک درگاهت دلم را میفریفت ** خاک بر وی کاو ز خاکت میشکیفت
I said, “If I am beautiful, I shall receive this (dust of Divine grace and love) from him; and if not, he has indeed laughed at ugly me.
گفتم ار خوبم پذیرم این از او ** ور نه خود خندید بر من زشت رو
The (best) plan is this, that I look at myself (to see whether I am worthy of him); otherwise (if I am not worthy), he will laugh at me: how shall I buy (gain his love)?”
چاره آن باشد که خود را بنگرم ** ور نه او خندد مرا من کی خرم
He is beautiful and a lover of beauty: how should a fresh young man choose a decrepit old woman?
او جمیل است و محب للجمال ** کی جوان نو گزیند پیر زال
The Beautiful attracts the beautiful (to itself): know this (for sure). Recite thereon (the text) the good women for the good men.80
خوب خوبی را کند جذب این بدان ** طیبات و طیبین بر وی بخوان
In this world everything attracts something: the hot draws the hot (to itself) and the cold the cold.
در جهان هر چیز چیزی جذب کرد ** گرم گرمی را کشید و سرد سرد
The worthless sort attract the worthless; the lasting (those of lasting worth) are rejoiced by the lasting.
قسم باطل باطلان را میکشند ** باقیان از باقیان هم سر خوشند
Those of the Fire attract those of the Fire, those of the Light seek those of the Light.
ناریان مر ناریان را جاذباند ** نوریان مر نوریان را طالباند