Poison is beneficial to the body, and sugar noxious: ’tis better that the body should be deprived of supplies.
زهر تن را نافعست و قند بد ** تن همان بهتر که باشد بی‌مدد
The body is fuel for Hell, do thou weaken it; and if it produce a (new) growth of fuel, go, destroy it.
هیزم دوزخ تنست و کم کنش ** ور بروید هیزمی رو بر کنش
Else, O (thou who art) firewood, thou wilt be a carrier of firewood in both worlds, like the wife of Bú Lahab.
ورنه حمال حطب باشی حطب ** در دو عالم هم‌چو جفت بولهب
Know (discriminate) the bough of the Sidra from the firewood, though both are green, O youth.1100
از حطب بشناس شاخ سدره را ** گرچه هر دو سبز باشند ای فتی
The origin of that bough is the Seventh Heaven, the origin of this bough is from fire and smoke.
اصل آن شاخست هفتم آسمان ** اصل این شاخست از نار و دخان
To sense-perception they are similar in appearance, for the eye and habit of sense-perception is seeing falsely;
هست مانندا به صورت پیش حس ** که غلط‌بینست چشم و کیش حس
(But) that (difference) is manifest to the eye of the heart (spirit): exert thyself, advance towards the heart (spirit) with the exertion of one whose means are small.
هست آن پیدا به پیش چشم دل ** جهد کن سوی دل آ جهد المقل
And if thou hast no foot (means), (yet) bestir thyself that thou mayst behold every less and more.
ور نداری پا بجنبان خویش را ** تا ببینی هر کم و هر بیش را
On the meaning of this verse: “If thou fare on the Way, the Way will be revealed to thee; and if thou become nonexistent, (real) existence will be conferred on thee.”
در معنی این بیت «گر راه روی راه برت بگشایند ور نیست شوی بهستیت بگرایند»
Though Zalíkhá shut the doors on every side, still Joseph gained return (to safety) by bestirring himself.1105
گر زلیخا بست درها هر طرف ** یافت یوسف هم ز جنبش منصرف
Lock and door opened, and the way (out) appeared: when Joseph put trust in God, he escaped.
باز شد قفل و در و شد ره پدید ** چون توکل کرد یوسف برجهید
Though the world hath no visible crevice (means of exit), (yet) one must run (to and fro) recklessly, like Joseph,
گر چه رخنه نیست عالم را پدید ** خیره یوسف‌وار می‌باید دوید
In order that the lock may open and the doorway become clear, and the region of non-spatiality become your dwelling-place.
تا گشاید قفل و در پیدا شود ** سوی بی‌جایی شما را جا شود
Thou camest into the world, O afflicted one: dost thou ever see the way of thy coming?
آمدی اندر جهان ای ممتحن ** هیچ می‌بینی طریق آمدن
Thou camest from a certain place and abode: dost thou know the way of thy coming? Nay.1110
تو ز جایی آمدی وز موطنی ** آمدن را راه دانی هیچ نی
If thou knowest (it) not, (yet) beware of saying that there is no way: by this wayless way we (all) shall depart.
گر ندانی تا نگویی راه نیست ** زین ره بی‌راهه ما را رفتنیست
In dreams thou wanderest happily to left and right: hast thou any knowledge where the way is that leads to that arena?
می‌روی در خواب شادان چپ و راست ** هیچ دانی راه آن میدان کجاست
Shut that (sensual) eye and give thyself up: thou wilt find thyself in the ancient City.
تو ببند آن چشم و خود تسلیم کن ** خویش را بینی در آن شهر کهن
How shouldst thou shut thy (sensual) eye when in this direction a hundred inebriated (languishing) eyes are (as) a bandage on thine eye because of (thy) infatuation (with them)?
چشم چون بندی که صد چشم خمار ** بند چشم تست این سو از غرار
From love of (having) a purchaser (admirer) thou art (looking) with four eyes (intently) in the hope of (gaining) eminence and chieftainship.1115
چارچشمی تو ز عشق مشتری ** بر امید مهتری و سروری
And if thou fall asleep thou seest the purchaser in thy dreams: how should the ill-omened owl dream of aught but a wilderness?
ور بخسپی مشتری بینی به خواب ** چغد بد کی خواب بیند جز خراب
At every moment thou wantest a purchaser cringing (before thee): what hast thou to sell? Nothing, nothing.
مشتری خواهی بهر دم پیچ پیچ ** تو چه داری که فروشی هیچ هیچ
If thy heart had any (spiritual) bread or breakfast, it would have been empty of (desire for worldly) purchasers.
گر دلت را نان بدی یا چاشتی ** از خریداران فراغت داشتی
Story of the person who claimed to be a prophet. They said to him, “What hast thou eaten that thou hast become crazy and art talking in vain?” He replied, “If I had found anything to eat, I should not have become crazy and talked in vain”; for whenever they (the prophets and saints) speak goodly words to people unworthy to hear them, they will have talked in vain, although they are (divinely) commanded to talk thus in vain.
قصه‌ی آن شخص کی دعوی پیغامبری می‌کرد گفتندش چه خورده‌ای کی گیج شده‌ای و یاوه می‌گویی گفت اگر چیزی یافتمی کی خوردمی نه گیج شدمی و نه یاوه گفتمی کی هر سخن نیک کی با غیر اهلش گویند یاوه گفته باشند اگر چه در آن یاوه گفتن مامورند
A certain man was saying, “I am a prophet: I am superior to all the prophets.”
آن یکی می‌گفت من پیغامبرم ** از همه پیغامبران فاضلترم
They bound his neck and took him to the king, saying, “This man says he is a prophet sent by God.”1120
گردنش بستند و بردندش به شاه ** کین همی گوید رسولم از اله
The people (were) gathered round him (thick) as ants and locusts, crying, “What deceit and imposture and trap is (this)?
خلق بر وی جمع چون مور و ملخ ** که چه مکرست و چه تزویر و چه فخ