There is both the amber and the magnet (lodestone): whether thou art iron or straw thou wilt come to the hook (thou wilt be attracted).
کهربا هم هست و مقناطیس هست ** تا تو آهن یا کهی آیی بشست
The magnet carries thee off if thou art iron; and if thou art straw, thou wilt be in contact with the amber.1635
برد مقناطیست ار تو آهنی ** ور کهی بر کهربا بر میتنی
When any one is not associated with the good, he inevitably becomes a neighbour to the wicked.
آن یکی چون نیست با اخیار یار ** لاجرم شد پهلوی فجار جار
Moses is very despicable in the eyes of the Egyptian; Hámán is exceedingly accursed in the eyes of the Israelite.
هست موسی پیش قبطی بس ذمیم ** هست هامان پیش سبطی بس رجیم
The spirit of Hámán has drawn the Egyptian (to itself); the spirit of Moses has sought the Israelite.
جان هامان جاذب قبطی شده ** جان موسی طالب سبطی شده
The belly of the ass draws straw (to itself) at the (moment of) indrawing (deglutition); the belly of Adam (Man) is an attractor of wheat-broth.
معدهی خر که کشد در اجتذاب ** معدهی آدم جذوب گندم آب
If, on account of the darkness (of ignorance), thou dost not recognise a person (so as to discern his real nature), look at him whom he has made his imam (leader);1640
گر تو نشناسی کسی را از ظلام ** بنگر او را کوش سازیدست امام
Explaining that the gnostic hath a nutriment (consisting) of the Light of God, for (the Prophet said), "I pass the night with my Lord: He giveth me meat and drink"; and "Hunger is God's food whereby He revives the bodies of the siddíqs," that is, "in hunger God's food reaches (them)."
بیان آنک عارف را غذاییست از نور حق کی ابیت عند ربی یطعمنی و یسقینی و قوله الجوع طعام الله یحیی به ابدان الصدیقین ای فی الجوع یصل طعامالله
For every foal goes after its dam, so that thereby (the fact of) its being a congener becomes apparent.
زانک هر کره پی مادر رود ** تا بدان جنسیتش پیدا شود
The human creature's milk comes from the breast (the upper half); the milk of the ass comes from the under-half.
آدمی را شیر از سینه رسد ** شیر خر از نیم زیرینه رسد
’Tis the Justice of the Dispenser, ’tis an act of (just) dispensation: the wonder is this, that (in the Divine dispensation) there is neither compulsion nor injustice.
عدل قسامست و قسمت کردنیست ** این عجب که جبر نی و ظلم نیست
Were there compulsion, how would there be repentance? Were there injustice, how would there be protection?
جبر بودی کی پشیمانی بدی ** ظلم بودی کی نگهبانی بدی
The day is ended: the lesson will be to-morrow: how should the day (of this life) contain our mystery?1645
روز آخر شد سبق فردا بود ** راز ما را روز کی گنجا بود
O thou who hast put firm confidence in the breath (vain words) and flattery of a scoundrel,
ای بکرده اعتماد واثقی ** بر دم و بر چاپلوس فاسقی
Thou hast raised up a tent of bubbles: in the end (thou wilt find that) that tent has exceedingly weak ropes.
قبهای بر ساختستی از حباب ** آخر آن خیمهست بس واهیطناب
Hypocrisy is like lightning, and in its gleam the travellers cannot see the way.
زرق چون برقست و اندر نور آن ** راه نتوانند دیدن رهروان
This world and its people are good-for-nothing: both are unanimous in respect of (their) faithlessness.
این جهان و اهل او بیحاصلاند ** هر دو اندر بیوفایی یکدلاند
The son of the world (the worldling) is faithless like the world: though he turn the face towards thee, that face is (really) the nape (back).1650
زادهی دنیا چو دنیا بیوفاست ** گرچه رو آرد به تو آن رو قفاست
The people of that (other) world, like that world, on account of (their) probity continue for ever in (observance of their) covenant and promise.
اهل آن عالم چو آن عالم ز بر ** تا ابد در عهد و پیمان مستمر
When, in sooth, did two prophets oppose each other? When did they wrest (their) evidential miracles (spiritual powers and privileges) from one another?
خود دو پیغمبر به هم کی ضد شدند ** معجزات از همدگر کی بستدند
How should the fruit of that world become stale? Intellectual joy does not turn into sorrows.
کی شود پژمرده میوهی آن جهان ** شادی عقلی نگردد اندهان
The fleshly soul is unplighted (bound by no covenant); for that reason it ought to be killed: it is base, and base is the spot to which its desires are directed.
نفس بیعهدست زان رو کشتنیست ** او دنی و قبلهگاه او دنیست
This assembly (the world) is well-adapted for fleshly souls: the grave and shroud are suitable to the dead.1655
نفسها را لایقست این انجمن ** مرده را درخور بود گور و کفن
Although the fleshly soul is sagacious and acute, its qibla (objective) is this world, (therefore) regard it as dead.
نفس اگر چه زیرکست و خردهدان ** قبلهاش دنیاست او را مرده دان
(But when) the water of God's inspiration has reached this dead (soul), the living (soul) comes into view (rises) from the tomb of a corpse.
آب وحی حق بدین مرده رسید ** شد ز خاک مردهای زنده پدید
Until inspiration comes, do not thou (meanwhile) be duped by that rouge (vanity) of “May his life be long!”
تا نیاید وحش تو غره مباش ** تو بدان گلگونهی طال بقاش