Infidelity is the dry peel that has averted its face (from the kernel); faith, again, is the peel (inner integument) that has gained a delicious flavour.
کفر قشر خشک رو بر تافته ** باز ایمان قشر لذت یافته
The place for the dry peels is the fire, (but) the peel attached to the spiritual kernel is sweet.
قشرهای خشک را جا آتش است ** قشر پیوسته به مغز جان خوش است
The kernel itself is above the grade of “sweet”: it is above “sweet” because it is the dispenser of deliciousness.
مغز خود از مرتبهی خوش برترست ** برترست از خوش که لذت گسترست
This discourse hath no end: turn back, that my Moses may cleave the sea asunder.3285
این سخن پایان ندارد باز گرد ** تا برآرد موسیم از بحر گرد
This (preceding part) of the discourse hath been spoken suitably to the intelligence of the vulgar; the remainder thereof hath been concealed.
درخور عقل عوام این گفته شد ** از سخن باقی آن بنهفته شد
The gold, (which is) thy intelligence, is in fragments, O suspected one: how should I set the stamp of the die upon clippings?
زر عقلت ریزه است ای متهم ** بر قراضه مهر سکه چون نهم
Thy intelligence is distributed over a hundred important affairs, over thousands of desires and great matters and small.
عقل تو قسمت شده بر صد مهم ** بر هزاران آرزو و طم و رم
Thou must unite the (scattered) parts by means of love, to the end that thou mayst become sweet as Samarcand and Damascus.
جمع باید کرد اجزا را به عشق ** تا شوی خوش چون سمرقند و دمشق
When thou becomest united, grain by grain, from (after thy dispersion in) perplexity, then it is possible to stamp upon thee the King's die;3290
جو جوی چون جمع گردی ز اشتباه ** پس توان زد بر تو سکهی پادشاه
And if thou, foolish man, become greater than a mithqál (dinar), the King will make of thee a cup of gold.
ور ز مثقالی شوی افزون تو خام ** از تو سازد شه یکی زرینه جام
Then thereon will be both the name and the titles of the King and also his effigy, O thou that cravest to attain,
پس برو هم نام و هم القاب شاه ** باشد و هم صورتش ای وصل خواه
So that the Beloved will be to thee both bread and water and lamp and minion and dessert and wine.
تا که معشوقت بود هم نان هم آب ** هم چراغ و شاهد و نقل شراب
Unite thyself—union is (a Divine) mercy—that I may be able to speak unto thee that which is;
جمع کن خود را جماعت رحمتست ** تا توانم با تو گفتن آنچ هست
For speaking is for the purpose of (producing) belief: the spirit of polytheism is quit (devoid) of belief in God.3295
زانک گفتن از برای باوریست ** جان شرک از باوری حق بریست
The spirit that has been distributed over the contents of the (mundane) sphere is shared amongst sixty passions;
جان قسمت گشته بر حشو فلک ** در میان شصت سودا مشترک
Therefore silence is best: it gives peace to it ( to that spirit); therefore ( I ought to follow the adage) “Silence is the answer to fools.”
پس خموشی به دهد او را ثبوت ** پس جواب احمقان آمد سکوت
This I know, but intoxication of the body is opening my mouth without volition on my part,
این همیدانم ولی مستی تن ** میگشاید بیمراد من دهن
Just as in sneezing and yawning this mouth becomes open without your willing it.
آنچنان که از عطسه و از خامیاز ** این دهان گردد بناخواه تو باز
Commentary on the Tradition, "Verily, I ask pardon of God seventy times every day."
تفسیر این حدیث کی ائنی لاستغفر الله فی کل یوم سبعین مرة
Like the Prophet, I repent seventy times daily of speaking and giving out (mysteries);3300
همچو پیغامبر ز گفتن وز نثار ** توبه آرم روز من هفتاد بار
But that intoxication becomes a breaker of (vows of) penitence: this intoxication of the body causes oblivion and tears the robe (of penitence).
لیک آن مستی شود توبهشکن ** منسی است این مستی تن جامه کن
The (Divine) purpose of making manifest the (things of) long ago (the eternal things) cast an intoxication upon the knower of the mystery,
حکمت اظهار تاریخ دراز ** مستیی انداخت در دانای راز
(So that) with such drum and banner (conspicuousness) the hidden mystery has become water gushing from (the fountain of) “the Pen is dry.”
راز پنهان با چنین طبل و علم ** آب جوشان گشته از جف القلم
The infinite Mercy is flowing continually: ye are asleep to the perception thereof, O men!
رحمت بیحد روانه هر زمان ** خفتهاید از درک آن ای مردمان
The sleeper's garment drinks water from the river, (while) the sleeper is seeking the mirage in his dream.3305
جامهی خفته خورد از جوی آب ** خفته اندر خواب جویای سراب
He keeps running (to and fro), saying, “Yonder there is hope of water”: by this (false) thought he has barred the way against himself.
میرود که آنجای بوی آب هست ** زین تفکر راه را بر خویش بست