“I am not (like) Pharaoh that I should come to the Nile; I am going towards the fire, like Khalíl (Abraham).
من نیم فرعون کایم سوی نیل ** سوی آتش می‌روم من چون خلیل
’Tis not fire; (in reality) ’tis flowing water, (while) the other, through (Divine) cunning, is water whereof the (real) nature is fire.
نیست آتش هست آن ماء معین ** وآن دگر از مکر آب آتشین
Excellently well said the complaisant Prophet, “A mote of intelligence is better for thee than fasting and performing the ritual prayer,”
پس نکو گفت آن رسول خوش‌جواز ** ذره‌ای عقلت به از صوم و نماز
Because thy intelligence is the substance, (whereas) these two (things) are accidents: these two are made obligatory in (the case of persons who possess) the full complement of it,455
زانک عقلت جوهرست این دو عرض ** این دو در تکمیل آن شد مفترض
In order that the mirror (intelligence) may have (a bright) lustre; for purity comes to the breast (heart) from piety.
تا جلا باشد مر آن آیینه را ** که صفا آید ز طاعت سینه را
But if the mirror is fundamentally depraved, (only) after a long time does the polisher get it back (to purity);
لیک گر آیینه از بن فاسدست ** صیقل او را دیر باز آرد به دست
While (in the case of) the fine mirror, which is (like) a goodly planting-ground, a little polishing is enough for it.
وان گزین آیینه که خوش مغرس است ** اندکی صیقل گری آن را بس است
The diversity of intelligences in their nature as originally created; (a doctrine) opposed to (that of) the Mu‘tazilites, who assert that particular (individual) intelligences are originally equal, and that this superiority and diversity is the result of learning and training and experience.
تفاوت عقول در اصل فطرت خلاف معتزله کی ایشان گویند در اصل عقول جز وی برابرند این افزونی و تفاوت از تعلم است و ریاضت و تجربه
Know well that intelligences differ thus in degree from the earth to the sky.
این تفاوت عقلها را نیک دان ** در مراتب از زمین تا آسمان
There is an intelligence like the orb of the sun; there is an intelligence inferior to (the planet) Venus and the meteor.460
هست عقلی هم‌چو قرص آفتاب ** هست عقلی کمتر از زهره و شهاب
There is an intelligence like a tipsy (flickering) lamp; there is an intelligence like a star of fire,
هست عقلی چون چراغی سرخوشی ** هست عقلی چون ستاره‌ی آتشی
Because, when the cloud is removed from it, it produces intellects that behold the Light of God.
زانک ابر از پیش آن چون وا جهد ** نور یزدان‌بین خردها بر دهد
The particular intelligence has given the (universal) intelligence a bad name: worldly desire has deprived the (worldly) man of his desire (in the world hereafter).
عقل جزوی عقل را بدنام کرد ** کام دنیا مرد را بی‌کام کرد
That (universal intelligence), through being a prey (to God), beheld the beauty of the (Divine) Hunting, while this (particular intelligence), through being a hunter (of worldly goods), suffered the pain of being a prey (to perdition).
آن ز صیدی حسن صیادی بدید ** وین ز صیادی غم صیدی کشید
The former, through service, gained the pride of lordship, while the latter, through lordship, turned from the path of glory.465
آن ز خدمت ناز مخدومی بیافت ** وآن ز مخدومی ز راه عز بتافت
The latter, through being a Pharaoh, was taken captive by the water (of perdition), while the Israelites, through captivity, became (mighty as) a hundred Suhrábs.
آن ز فرعونی اسیر آب شد ** وز اسیری سبط صد سهراب شد
’Tis a topsy-turvy game and a terrible quandary; do not try (to escape by) cunning: ’tis (all) a matter of (Divine) favour and fortune.
لعب معکوسست و فرزین‌بند سخت ** حیله کم کن کار اقبالست و بخت
Do not weave plots in vain imagination and cunning; for the Self-sufficient One does not give way to the contriver.
بر حیال و حیله کم تن تار را ** که غنی ره کم دهد مکار را
Contrive, in the way of (by following the guidance of) one who serves (God) well, that you may gain the position of a prophet in a religious community.
مکر کن در راه نیکو خدمتی ** تا نبوت یابی اندر امتی
Contrive that you may be delivered from your own contrivance; contrive that you may become detached from the body.470
مکر کن تا وا رهی از مکر خود ** مکر کن تا فرد گردی از جسد
Contrive that you may become the meanest slave (of God): if you enter into (the state of) meanness (self-abasement), you will become lordly.
مکر کن تا کمترین بنده شوی ** در کمی رفتی خداونده شوی
Never, O old wolf, practise foxiness and perform service with the purpose of (gaining) lordship;
روبهی و خدمت ای گرگ کهن ** هیچ بر قصد خداوندی مکن
But rush into the fire like a moth: do not hoard up that (service), play for love!
لیک چون پروانه در آتش بتاز ** کیسه‌ای زان بر مدوز و پاک باز
Renounce power and adopt piteous supplication: (the Divine) mercy comes towards piteous supplication, O dervish.
زور را بگذار و زاری را بگیر ** رحم سوی زاری آید ای فقیر
The piteous supplication of one sorely distressed and athirst is real; the piteous (but) cold supplication of falsehood is proper to the miscreant.475