(’Twas) the pulpit of the Chief (Mohammed), which had three steps: Abú Bakr went and seated himself on the second step.
منبر مهتر که سه‌پایه بدست ** رفت بوبکر و دوم پایه نشست
‘Umar, in his reign, (sat) on the third step in order to show reverence for Islam and the (true) Religion.
بر سوم پایه عمر در دور خویش ** از برای حرمت اسلام و کیش
(When) the reign of ‘Uthmán arrived, he, that man of praised (blessed) fortune, went up on to the top of the throne (pulpit) and seated himself.490
دور عثمان آمد او بالای تخت ** بر شد و بنشست آن محمودبخت
Then a person given to idle meddling questioned him, saying, “Those two did not sit in the Prophet's place:
پس سالش کرد شخصی بوالفضول ** که آن دو ننشستند بر جای رسول
How, then, hast thou sought to be higher than they, when thou art inferior to them in rank?”
پس تو چون جستی ازیشان برتری ** چون برتبت تو ازیشان کمتری
He replied, “If I tread on the third step, it will be imagined that I resemble ‘Umar;
گفت اگر پایه‌ی سوم را بسپرم ** وهم آید که مثال عمرم
(And if) I seek a seat on the second step, thou wilt say, ‘’Tis (the seat of) Abú Bakr, and (therefore) this one too is like him.’
بر دوم پایه شوم من جای‌جو ** گویی بوبکرست و این هم مثل او
This top (of the pulpit) is the place of Mustafá (Mohammed): no one will imagine that I am like that (spiritual) King.”495
هست این بالا مقام مصطفی ** وهم مثلی نیست با آن شه مرا
Afterwards, (seated) in the preaching-place, that loving man kept silence till near the (time of the) afternoon-prayer.
بعد از آن بر جای خطبه آن ودود ** تا به قرب عصر لب‌خاموش بود
None dared to say “Come now, preach!” or to go forth from the mosque during that time.
زهره نه کس را که گوید هین بخوان ** یا برون آید ز مسجد آن زمان
An awe had settled (descended) on high and low (alike): the court and roof (of the mosque) had become filled with the Light of God.
هیبتی بنشسته بد بر خاص و عام ** پر شده نور خدا آن صحن و بام
Whoever possessed vision was beholding His Light; the blind man too was being heated by that Sun.
هر که بینا ناظر نورش بدی ** کور زان خورشید هم گرم آمدی
Hence, by reason of the heat, the blind man's eye was perceiving that there had arisen a Sun whose strength faileth not.500
پس ز گرمی فهم کردی چشم کور ** که بر آمد آفتابی بی‌فتور
But this heat (unlike the heat of the terrestrial sun) opens the (inward) eye, that it may see the very substance of everything heard.
لیک این گرمی گشاید دیده را ** تا ببیند عین هر بشنیده را
Its heat has (as effect) a grievous agitation and emotion, (but) from that glow there comes to the heart a joyous (sense of) freedom, an expansion.
گرمیش را ضجرتی و حالتی ** زان تبش دل را گشادی فسحتی
When the blind man is heated by the Light of Eternity, from gladness he says, “I have become seeing.”
کور چون شد گرم از نور قدم ** از فرح گوید که من بینا شدم
Thou art mightily well drunken, but, O Bu ’l-Hasan, there is a bit of way (to be traversed ere thou attain) to seeing.
سخت خوش مستی ولی ای بوالحسن ** پاره‌ای راهست تا بینا شدن
This is the blind man's portion from the Sun, (and) a hundred such (portions); and God best knoweth what is right.505
این نصیب کور باشد ز آفتاب ** صد چنین والله اعلم بالصواب
And he that hath vision of that Light—how should the explanation of him (his state) be a task (within the capacity) of Bú Síná?
وآنک او آن نور را بینا بود ** شرح او کی کار بوسینا بود
(Even) if it be hundredfold, who (what) is this tongue that it should move with its hand the veil of (mystical) clairvoyance?
ور شود صد تو که باشد این زبان ** که بجنباند به کف پرده‌ی عیان
Woe to it if it touch the veil! The Divine sword severs its hand.
وای بر وی گر بساید پرده را ** تیغ اللهی کند دستش جدا
What of the hand? It (the sword) rends off even its (the tongue's) head—the head that from ignorance puts forth many a head (of pride and self-conceit).
دست چه بود خود سرش را بر کند ** آن سری کز جهل سرها می‌کند
I have said this to you, speaking hypothetically; otherwise, indeed, how far is its hand from being able to do that!510
این به تقدیر سخن گفتم ترا ** ورنه خود دستش کجا و آن کجا
Materterae si testiculi essent, ea avunculus esset: this is hypothetical—“if there were.” [(If) in regard to a maternal aunt there were testicles, she would would be a maternal uncle: this is hypothetical—“if there were.”]
خاله را خایه بدی خالو شدی ** این به تقدیر آمدست ار او بدی
(If) I say that between the tongue and the eye that is free from doubt there is a hundred thousand years' (journey), ’tis little (in comparison with the reality).
از زبان تا چشم کو پاک از شکست ** صد هزاران ساله گویم اندکست