Know that when the whole of a thing is unattainable the whole of it is not (therefore to be) relinquished.
ان شیا کله لا یدرک ** اعلموا ان کله لا یترک
If you cannot drink (all) the flood-rain of the clouds, (yet) how can you give up water-drinking?
گر نتانی خورد طوفان سحاب ** کی توان کردن بترک خورد آب
If thou wilt not communicate the mystery, (at least) refresh (our) apprehensions with the husk thereof.
راز را گر می‌نیاری در میان ** درکها را تازه کن از قشر آن
(My) spoken words are (only) a husk in relation to thee, but they are a good kernel for other understandings.20
نطقها نسبت به تو قشرست لیک ** پیش دیگر فهمها مغزست نیک
The sky is low in relation to the empyrean; else, in respect of the earth-mound, it is exceedingly high.
آسمان نسبت به عرش آمد فرود ** ورنه بس عالیست سوی خاک‌تود
I will tell thy description in order that they (my hearers) may take their way (towards thee) ere they grieve at the loss of that (opportunity).
من بگویم وصف تو تا ره برند ** پیش از آن کز فوت آن حسرت خورند
Thou art the Light of God and a mighty drawer of the soul to God. His creatures are in the darkness of vain imagination and opinion.
نور حقی و به حق جذاب جان ** خلق در ظلمات وهم‌اند و گمان
Reverence is the necessary condition for this goodly Light to bestow a salve on these sightless ones.
شرط تعظیمست تا این نور خوش ** گردد این بی‌دیدگان را سرمه‌کش
The ready sharp-eared man gains the Light—he who is not in love with darkness like a mouse.25
نور یابد مستعد تیزگوش ** کو نباشد عاشق ظلمت چو موش
The weak-eyed (bat-like) ones that go about at night, how shall they make a circuit round the Cresset of the Faith?
سست‌چشمانی که شب جولان کنند ** کی طواف مشعله‌ی ایمان کنند
Difficult subtle points of disputation are the chains of (hold in bondage) the nature that has become dark (blind) to the (true) Religion.
نکته‌های مشکل باریک شد ** بند طبعی که ز دین تاریک شد
So long as he (such an one) decks out the warp and woof of (his own) cleverness, he cannot open his eyes to the Sun.
تا بر آراید هنر را تار و پود ** چشم در خورشید نتواند گشود
He does not lift up branches (to the sky) like a date-palm: he has bored holes in the earth after the fashion of mice.
هم‌چو نخلی برنیارد شاخها ** کرده موشانه زمین سوراخها
This humankind have four heart-oppressing qualities: these four have become the gibbet of Reason.30
چار وصفست این بشر را دل‌فشار ** چارمیخ عقل گشته این چهار
Commenting on “Take four birds and turn them towards thee.”
تفسیر خذ اربعة من الطیر فصرهن الیک
O thou whose intelligence is (resplendent) as the Sun, thou art the Khalíl (Abraham) of the time: kill these four birds that infest the Way,
تو خلیل وقتی ای خورشیدهش ** این چهار اطیار ره‌زن را بکش
Because each of them, crow-like, is plucking the eye from the intellect of the intelligent.
زانک هر مرغی ازینها زاغ‌وش ** هست عقل عاقلان را دیده‌کش
The four bodily qualities resemble the birds of Khalíl: their slaughter makes way for the soul (to ascend).
چار وصف تن چو مرغان خلیل ** بسمل ایشان دهد جان را سبیل
O Khalíl, in (accomplishing) the deliverance of good and bad (alike), cut off their heads that the feet (of the people) may escape from the barrier (which confines them).
ای خلیل اندر خلاص نیک و بد ** سر ببرشان تا رهد پاها ز سد
Thou art all, and they all are parts of thee: open (the prison), for their feet are thy feet.35
کل توی و جملگان اجزای تو ** بر گشا که هست پاشان پای تو
By thee the (whole) world is made a place abounding in spirit: a single cavalier becomes the support of a hundred armies.
از تو عالم روح زاری می‌شود ** پشت صد لشکر سواری می‌شود
Inasmuch as this body is the abode (nest) of (these) four dispositions, they are named the four mischief-seeking birds.
زانک این تن شد مقام چار خو ** نامشان شد چار مرغ فتنه‌جو
If thou wish the people to have everlasting life, cut off the heads of these four foul and evil birds,
خلق را گر زندگی خواهی ابد ** سر ببر زین چار مرغ شوم بد
(And then) revive them again in another sort, so that afterwards no harm will be done by them.
بازشان زنده کن از نوعی دگر ** که نباشد بعد از آن زیشان ضرر
The four immaterial birds which infest the Way have made their home in the hearts of the people.40