These shells are not in one grade: in one (of them) is the pearl and in another the (worthless) bead.
این صدفها نیست در یک مرتبه ** در یکی درست و در دیگر شبه
It is necessary to make manifest (the difference between) this good and evil, just as (it is necessary) to make manifest (distinguish) the wheat from the straw.
واجبست اظهار این نیک و تباه ** هم‌چنانک اظهار گندمها ز کاه
(The creation of) these creatures of the world is for the purpose of manifestation, to the end that the treasure of (Divine) providences may not remain hidden.
بهر اظهارست این خلق جهان ** تا نماند گنج حکمتها نهان
He (God) said, “I was a hidden treasure”: hearken! Do not let thy (spiritual) substance be lost: become manifest!
Explaining that the animal spirit and the particular (discursive) reason and the imagination and the fancy may be compared to buttermilk, while the spirit, which is everlasting, is hidden in this buttermilk, like the butter.
بیان آنک روح حیوانی و عقل جز وی و وهم و خیال بر مثال دوغند و روح کی باقیست درین دوغ هم‌چون روغن پنهانست
Thy true substance is concealed in falsehood, like the taste of butter in the taste of buttermilk.3030
جوهر صدقت خفی شد در دروغ ** هم‌چو طعم روغن اندر طعم دوغ
Thy falsehood is this perishable body; thy truth is that lordly spirit.
آن دروغت این تن فانی بود ** راستت آن جان ربانی بود
(During many) years this buttermilk, (which is) the body, is visible and manifest, (while) the butter, (which is) the spirit, is perishing and naughted within it,
سالها این دوغ تن پیدا و فاش ** روغن جان اندرو فانی و لاش
Till God send a messenger (prophet), a (chosen) servant, a shaker of the buttermilk in the churn,
تا فرستد حق رسولی بنده‌ای ** دوغ را در خمره جنباننده‌ای
That he may shake (it) with method and skill, to the end that I may know that (my true) ego was hidden;
تا بجنباند به هنجار و به فن ** تا بدانم من که پنهان بود من
Or (till) the speech of a (chosen) servant, which is part is part of (the speech of) him (the prophet), enter into the ear of him who is seeking inspiration.3035
یا کلام بنده‌ای کان جزو اوست ** در رود در گوش او کو وحی جوست
The true believer's ear is retaining our inspiration: such an ear is closely linked to the caller (the perfect saint)—
اذن مومن وحی ما را واعیست ** آنچنان گوشی قرین داعیست
Just as (for example) the infant's ear is filled with its mother's words, (and then) it (the infant) begins to speak articulately;
هم‌چنانک گوش طفل از گفت مام ** پر شود ناطق شود او درکلام
And if the infant have not a right (rightly-hearing) ear, it does not hear its mother's words and becomes a mute.
ور نباشد طفل را گوش رشد ** گفت مادر نشنود گنگی شود
Every one born deaf has always been dumb: (only) that one who heard (speech) from his mother became a speaker.
دایما هر کر اصلی گنگ بود ** ناطق آنکس شد که از مادر شنود
Know that the deaf ear and the dumb man are the result of a certain defect; for it (the deaf ear) is not capable of (hearing) words and being taught.3040
دانک گوش کر و گنگ از آفتیست ** که پذیرای دم و تعلیم نیست
The (only) one that possessed speech without being taught is God, whose attributes are separated (exempt) from infirmities,
آنک بی‌تعلیم بد ناطق خداست ** که صفات او ز علتها جداست
Or one like Adam whom God instructed without the screen (mediation) of mother and nurse and necessaries,
یا چو آدم کرده تلقینش خدا ** بی‌حجاب مادر و دایه و ازا
Or the Messiah (Christ) who, through being taught by the Loving (God), at his birth came speaking into the world,
یا مسیحی که به تعلیم ودود ** در ولادت ناطق آمد در وجود
For the purpose of repelling the suspicion as to his birth (and proving) that he was not born of fornication and wickedness.
از برای دفع تهمت در ولاد ** که نزادست از زنا و از فساد
A (great) shaking was required in the effort that the buttermilk might render back that butter from its (inmost) heart.3045
جنبشی بایست اندر اجتهاد ** تا که دوغ آن روغن از دل باز داد
The butter in the buttermilk is (invisible) like non-existence; the buttermilk has raised its banner (has become manifest) in existence.
روغن اندر دوغ باشد چون عدم ** دوغ در هستی برآورده علم
That which seems to you to be (really) existent is (mere) skin, while that which seems to have perished—that (in reality) is the root.
The buttermilk has not (yet) taken (the form of) butter and is old: lay it (in store) and do not squander it till you pick out (the butter from it).
دوغ روغن ناگرفتست و کهن ** تا بنگزینی بنه خرجش مکن
Hark, turn it knowingly from hand to hand (side to side), that it may reveal that which it has hidden;
هین بگردانش به دانش دست دست ** تا نماید آنچ پنهان کرده است
For this perishable (body) is a proof of the everlasting (spirit): the maundering of the intoxicated is a proof of (the existence of) the Cupbearer.3050
زآنک این فانی دلیل باقیست ** لابه‌ی مستان دلیل ساقیست