One half of thy life will pass in distraction and the other half will pass in repentance.
نیم عمرت در پریشانی رود ** نیم دیگر در پشیمانی رود
Take leave of this (anxious) thought and repentance: seek a better (spiritual) state and friend and work.
ترک این فکر و پریشانی بگو ** حال و یار و کار نیکوتر بجو
And if thou hast no better work in hand, then for the omission of what (work) is thy repentance?
ور نداری کار نیکوتر به دست ** پس پشیمانیت بر فوت چه است
If thou knowest the good way, worship (God); and if thou dost not know (it), how dost thou know that this way (in which thou art going) is evil?
گر همی دانی ره نیکو پرست ** ور ندانی چون بدانی کین به دست
Thou dost not know evil till thou knowest good: (only) from (one) contrary is it possible to discern (the other) contrary, O youth.1345
بد ندانی تا ندانی نیک را ** ضد را از ضد توان دید ای فتی
Since (as thou sayest) thou wert rendered impotent to abandon the thought of this (repentance), at that time thou wert also impotent to commit sin.
چون ز ترک فکر این عاجز شدی ** از گناه آنگاه هم عاجز بدی
Since thou wert impotent (to commit sin), on account of what is thy repentance? Inquire concerning impotence, by whose pull (exertion of power) is it (produced)?
چون بدی عاجز پشیمانی ز چیست ** عاجزی را باز جو کز جذب کیست
No one has seen impotence in the world without power, nor will it (ever) be (so). Know this (for sure).
عاجزی بی‌قادری اندر جهان ** کس ندیدست و نباشد این بدان
Similarly, (with) every desire that thou cherishest, thou art debarred from (perceiving) its faultiness;
همچنین هر آرزو که می‌بری ** تو ز عیب آن حجابی اندری
And if the viciousness of that desire had been shown, thy soul of its own accord would have recoiled from seeking (to gratify it).1350
ور نمودی علت آن آرزو ** خود رمیدی جان تو زان جست و جو
If He (God) had shown unto thee the faultiness of that work, no one, dragging (thee) along (by force), would have taken thee in that direction;
گر نمودی عیب آن کار او ترا ** کس نبردی کش کشان آن سو ترا
And (as regards) that other work from which thou art exceedingly averse, the reason is that its faultiness has come into clear view.
وان دگر کار کز آن هستی نفور ** زان بود که عیبش آمد در ظهور
O God who knowest the secret and who art gracious in speech, do not hide from us the faultiness of the evil work;
ای خدای رازدان خوش‌سخن ** عیب کار بد ز ما پنهان مکن
(And) do not show unto us the faultiness of the good work, lest we become cold (disgusted) and distracted from journeying (in the Way).
عیب کار نیک را منما به ما ** تا نگردیم از روش سرد و هبا
According to that (aforesaid) habit, the exalted Solomon went into the Mosque in the brightness (of dawn).1355
هم بر آن عادت سلیمان سنی ** رفت در مسجد میان روشنی
The king was seeking (to observe) the daily rule of seeing the new plants in the Mosque.
قاعده‌ی هر روز را می‌جست شاه ** که ببیند مسجد اندر نو گیاه
The heart with that pure eye (which it possesses) sees occultly the (spiritual) herbs that are invisible to the vulgar.
دل ببیند سر بدان چشم صفی ** آن حشایش که شد از عامه خفی
Story of the Súfí who, head on knee, was engaged in (spiritual) meditation in the garden: his friends said to him, "Lift up thy head and enjoy the garden and the sweet herbs and the birds and the marks of the mercy of God most High."
قصه‌ی صوفی کی در میان گلستان سر به زانو مراقب بود یارانش گفتند سر برآور تفرج کن بر گلستان و ریاحین و مرغان و آثار رحمةالله تعالی
In the orchard a certain Súfí laid his face in Súfí fashion upon his knee for the sake of (mystical) revelation;
صوفیی در باغ از بهر گشاد ** صوفیانه روی بر زانو نهاد
Then he sank deep down into himself. An impertinent fellow was annoyed by his semblance of slumber.
پس فرو رفت او به خود اندر نغول ** شد ملول از صورت خوابش فضول
“Why,” said he, “dost thou sleep? Nay, look at the vines, behold these trees and marks (of Divine mercy) and green plants.1360
که چه خسپی آخر اندر رز نگر ** این درختان بین و آثار و خضر
Hearken to the command of God, for He hath said, ‘Look ye’: turn thy face towards these marks of (Divine) mercy.”
امر حق بشنو که گفتست انظروا ** سوی این آثار رحمت آر رو
He replied, “O man of vanity, its marks are (within) the heart: that (which is) without is only the marks of the marks.”
گفت آثارش دلست ای بوالهوس ** آن برون آثار آثارست و بس
The (real) orchards and verdure are in the very essence of the soul: the reflexion thereof upon (that which is) without is as (the reflexion) in running water.
باغها و سبزه‌ها در عین جان ** بر برون عکسش چو در آب روان