From it (comes) nourishment to the orphans of the earth; from it (comes) movement (growth) to them that are tied fast, the parched ones.215
زو یتیمان زمین را پرورش ** بستگان خشک را از وی روش
When its stock (of spiritual grace) is exhausted, it becomes turbid: it becomes abject on the earth, as we are.
چون نماند مایهاش تیره شود ** همچو ما اندر زمین خیره شود
How the water, after becoming turbid, entreats God Almighty to succour it.
استعانت آب از حق جل جلاله بعد از تیره شدن
(Then) from its interior it raises cries of lamentation, saying, “O God, that which Thou gavest (me) I have given (to others) and am left a beggar.
ناله از باطن برآرد کای خدا ** آنچ دادی دادم و ماندم گدا
I poured the (whole) capital over pure and impure (alike): O King who givest the capital, is there any more?”
ریختم سرمایه بر پاک و پلید ** ای شه سرمایهده هل من مزید
He (God) saith to the cloud, “Bear it (the water) to the delectable place; and thou too, O sun, draw it up aloft.”
ابر را گوید ببر جای خوشش ** هم تو خورشیدا به بالا بر کشش
He maketh it to go diverse ways, that He may bring it unto the boundless sea.220
راههای مختلف میراندش ** تا رساند سوی بحر بیحدش
Verily, what is meant by this water is the spirit of the saints, which washes away your dark stains.
خود غرض زین آب جان اولیاست ** کو غسول تیرگیهای شماست
When it is stained dark by (washing) the treason of the inhabitants of the earth, it returns to Him who endows Heaven with purity.
چون شود تیره ز غدر اهل فرش ** باز گردد سوی پاکی بخش عرش
From yonder, trailing the skirt (of glory), it brings back to them lessons concerning the purities of the All-encompassing (God).
باز آرد زان طرف دامن کشان ** از طهارات محیط او درسشان
Through mingling with the people (of the world) it falls sick and desires (to make) that journey, saying, “Revive us, O Bilál!
ز اختلاط خلق یاید اعتدال ** آن اسفر جوید که ارحنا یا بلال
O melodious sweet-voiced Bilál, go up into the minaret, beat the drum of departure.”225
ای بلال خوش نوای خوش صهیل ** میذنه بر رو بزن طبل رحیل
Whilst the body is standing (in the ritual prayer), the spirit is gone on its journey: hence at the moment of return it says, “Salám!”
جان سفر رفت و بددن اندر قیام ** وقت رجعت زین سبب گوید سلام
(On its return to the world) it liberates all from performing the ablution with sand, and seekers of the qibla from endeavouring to ascertain the proper direction.
از تیمم وا رهاند جمله را ** وز تحری طالبان قبله را
This parable is like an intermediary in the discourse: an intermediary is required for the apprehension of the vulgar.
این مثل چون واسطهست اندر کلام ** واسطه شرطست بهر فهم عام
Without an intermediary, how should any one go into the fire, except (one like) the salamander?—for he is independent of the connecting link.
اندر آتش کی رود بیواسطه ** جز سمندر کو رهید از رابطه
You need the hot bath as an intermediary, so that you may refresh your constitution by (the heat of) the fire.230
واسطهی حمام باید مر ترا ** تا ز آتش خوش کنی تو طبع را
Since you cannot go into the fire, like Khalíl (Abraham), the hot bath has become your Apostle, and the water your guide.
چون نتانی شد در آتش چون خلیل ** گشت حمامت رسول آبت دلیل
Satiety is from God, but how should the unclean attain unto satiety without the mediation of bread?
سیری از حقست لیک اهل طبع ** کی رسد بیواسطهی نان در شبع
Beauty is from God, but the corporealist does not feel (the charm of) beauty without the veil (medium) of the garden.
لطف از حقست لیکن اهل تن ** درنیابد لطف بیپردهی چمن
When the bodily medium is removed, (then) he (who is disembodied) perceives without (any) screen, like Moses, the light of the Moon (shining) from (his own) bosom.
چون نماند واسطهی تن بیحجاب ** همچو موسی نور مه یابد ز جیب
These virtues possessed by the water bear witness likewise that its interior is filled with the grace of God.235
این هنرها آب را هم شاهدست ** که اندرونش پر ز لطف ایزدست
The testimony of external acts and words to the hidden mind and the inner light.
گواهی فعل و قول بیرونی بر ضمیر و نور اندرونی
Act and word are witnesses to the hidden mind: from these twain infer the inward state.
فعل و قول آمد گواهان ضمیر ** زین دو بر باطن تو استدلال گیر
When your thought does not penetrate within, inspect the patient's urine from without.
چون ندارد سیر سرت در درون ** بنگر اندر بول رنجور از برون
Act and word are (as) the urine of the sick, which is clear evidence for the physician of the body.
فعل و قول آن بول رنجوران بود ** که طبیب جسم را برهان بود
But the spiritual physician enters into his (patient's) soul and by the spiritual way penetrates into his (inmost) belief.
وآن طبیب روح در جانش رود ** وز ره جان اندر ایمانش رود