By those letters of Thine the intellect is made to weave subtle coils (of perplexity): write on, O accomplished Calligrapher!
زان حروفت شد خرد باریک‌ریس ** نسخ می‌کن ای ادیب خوش‌نویس
At each moment Thou shapest beauteously pictured forms of phantasy, suitable to every thought, upon (the page of) non-existence.
در خور هر فکر بسته بر عدم ** دم به دم نقش خیالی خوش رقم
On the tablet of phantasy Thou inscribest wondrous letters— eye and profile and cheek and mole.
حرفهای طرفه بر لوح خیال ** بر نوشته چشم و عارض خد و خال
I am drunken with desire for non-existence, not for the existent, because the Beloved of (the world of) non-existence is more faithful.315
بر عدم باشم نه بر موجود مست ** زانک معشوق عدم وافی‌ترست
He (God) made the intellect a reader of those figured characters, that thereby He might put an end to its contrivances.
عقل را خط خوان آن اشکال کرد ** تا دهد تدبیرها را زان نورد
Comparison of the Guarded Tablet (the Logos), and the perception there from by every individual's mind of his daily fate and portion and lot, to the daily perception (of the Divine decree) by Gabriel, on whom be peace, from the Most Great Tablet.
تمثیل لوح محفوظ و ادراک عقل هر کسی از آن لوح آنک امر و قسمت و مقدور هر روزه‌ی ویست هم چون ادراک جبرئیل علیه‌السلام هر روزی از لوح اعظم عقل مثال جبرئیلست و نظر او به تفکر به سوی غیبی که معهود اوست در تفکر و اندیشه‌ی کیفیت معاش و بیرون شو کارهای هر روزینه مانند نظر جبرئیلست در لوح و فهم کردن او از لوح
Like the Angel, the intellect receives (reads) every morning its daily lesson from the Guarded Tablet.
چون ملک از لوح محفوظ آن خرد ** هر صباحی درس هر روزه برد
Behold the inscriptions made without (use of) fingers upon non-existence and the amazement of the madmen at the blackness of them.
بر عدم تحریرها بین بی‌بنان ** و از سوادش حیرت سوداییان
Every one is infatuated with some phantasy and digs in corners in mad desire for a (buried) treasure.
هر کسی شد بر خیالی ریش گاو ** گشته در سودای گنجی کنج‌کاو
By a phantasy one person is filled with (desire for) magnificence and turns his face towards the mines (of precious ore) in the mountains;320
از خیالی گشته شخصی پرشکوه ** روی آورده به معدنهای کوه
And, (inspired) by a phantasy, another sets his face with bitter toil towards the sea for the sake of pearls;
وز خیالی آن دگر با جهد مر ** رو نهاده سوی دریا بهر در
And another (goes) into a church to perform religious exercises, while another (betakes himself) to sowing in his greed (for gain).
وآن دگر بهر ترهب در کنشت ** وآن یکی اندر حریصی سوی کشت
Through phantasy that one becomes the waylayer (destroyer) of him who has escaped (unhurt); and through phantasy this (other) becomes the salve (deliverer) of him who has been (sorely) wounded.
از خیال آن ره‌زن رسته شده ** وز خیال این مرهم خسته شده
One loses his soul in the invocation of demons, while another sets his foot upon the stars.
در پری‌خوانی یکی دل کرده گم ** بر نجوم آن دیگری بنهاده سم
He (the observer) sees that these modes of action in the external world are diverse (since they arise) from the various phantasies within.325
این روشها مختلف بیند برون ** زان خیالات ملون ز اندرون
This man (engaged in some occupation) is amazed at that man (occupied with something else) and says, “What is he about?” Every taster denies the other (whose taste is different).
این در آن حیران شده کان بر چیست ** هر چشنده آن دگر را نافیست
Unless those phantasies were incongruous, how did the modes of action become diverse externally?
آن خیالات ار نبد نامتلف ** چون ز بیرون شد روشها مختلف
Since the qibla (the true object) of the soul has been hidden, every one has turned his face to a (different) quarter.
قبله‌ی جان را چو پنهان کرده‌اند ** هر کسی رو جانبی آورده‌اند
Comparison of the different practices and the various aspirations (of mankind) to the disagreement of those who at prayer-time endeavour to find the qibla (direction of Mecca) when it is dark, and to the search of divers (for pearls) at the bottom of the sea.
تمثیل روشهای مختلف و همتهای گوناگون به اختلاف تحری متحریان در وقت نماز قبله را در وقت تاریکی و تحری غواصان در قعر بحر
(They are) like folk trying to find (the direction of the Ka‘ba) and (each) turning in a certain direction which they fancy is the qibla:
هم‌چو قومی که تحری می‌کنند ** بر خیال قبله سویی می‌تنند
When at dawn the Ka‘ba appears, it is discovered who has lost the (right) way;330
چونک کعبه رو نماید صبحگاه ** کشف گردد که کی گم کردست راه
Or like divers under the depth of the (sea)-water, every one (of whom) picks up something in haste:
یا چو غواصان به زیر قعر آب ** هر کسی چیزی همی‌چیند شتاب
In hope of (getting) precious jewels and pearls, they fill their bags with that and this;
بر امید گوهر و در ثمین ** توبره پر می‌کنند از آن و این
When they come up from the floor of the deep sea, the possessor of the great pearls is discovered,
چون بر آیند از تگ دریای ژرف ** کشف گردد صاحب در شگرف
And (also) the other who got the small pearls, and the other who got (only) pebbles and worthless shells.
وآن دگر که برد مروارید خرد ** وآن دگر که سنگ‌ریزه و شبه برد
Even thus in the Sáhira (place of Judgement) a shameful overwhelming tribulation will afflict them (the followers of phantasy).335
هکذی یبلوهم بالساهره ** فتنة ذات افتضاح قاهره
Similarly, every class of people in the world are fluttering like moths round a candle.
هم‌چنین هر قوم چون پروانگان ** گرد شمعی پرزنان اندر جهان