Since He is (the subject of the text) and He feedeth you and is not fed, God is not devouring and devoured, (like) flesh and skin.
و هو یطعمکم و لا یطعم چو اوست ** نیست حق ماکول و آکل لحم و پوست
How should that which is devouring and devoured be secure from a devourer who dwells in a (secret) hiding-place?
آکل و ماکول کی ایمن بود ** ز آکلی که اندر کمین ساکن بود
The security of those who are (liable to be) devoured brings mourning in its train: go to the Portal of Him who is not fed.
امن ماکولان جذوب ماتمست ** رو بدان درگاه کو لا یطعم است
Every phantasy is devouring another phantasy: (one) thought feeds on another thought.
هر خیالی را خیالی می‌خورد ** فکر آن فکر دگر را می‌چرد
Thou canst not be delivered from any phantasy or fall asleep so as to escape from it (altogether).730
تو نتانی کز خیالی وا رهی ** یا بخسپی که از آن بیرون جهی
(Thy) thoughts are (like) hornets, and thy sleep is (like) the water (in which thou art plunged): when thou awakest, the flies (hornets) come back,
فکر زنبورست و آن خواب تو آب ** چون شوی بیدار باز آید ذباب
And many hornet-like phantasies fly in and (now) draw thee this way and (now) take thee that way.
چند زنبور خیالی در پرد ** می‌کشد این سو و آن سو می‌برد
This (mental) phantasy is the least of the devourers: the Almighty knows (how great are) the others.
کمترین آکلانست این خیال ** وآن دگرها را شناسد ذوالجلال
Hark, flee from the troop of huge devourers towards Him who hath said, ‘We are thy protector’;
هین گریز از جوق اکال غلیظ ** سوی او که گفت ما ایمت حفیظ
Or towards one who has gained that (power of) protection, if thou canst not hasten towards the Protector (Himself).735
یا به سوی آن که او آن حفظ یافت ** گر نتانی سوی آن حافظ شتافت
Do not surrender thy hand save to the hand of the Pír (spiritual director); (for) God hath become the aider of his hand.
دست را مسپار جز در دست پیر ** حق شدست آن دست او را دستگیر
The Pír (Elder), (which is) thy intellect, has become childish from being a neighbour to the carnal soul which is in the veil (of sensuality).
پیر عقلت کودکی خو کرده است ** از جوار نفس که اندر پرده است
Associate the perfect intelligence (of the spiritual director) with thy (imperfect) understanding, in order that thy understanding may return (withdraw itself) from that evil disposition.
عقل کامل را قرین کن با خرد ** تا که باز آید خرد زان خوی بد
When thou layest thy hand in his, then thou wilt escape from the hand of the devourers,
چونک دست خود به دست او نهی ** پس ز دست آکلان بیرون جهی
And thy hand will become one of the Covenanters above whose hands is the Hand of Allah.740
دست تو از اهل آن بیعت شود ** که یدالله فوق ایدیهم بود
When thou hast put thy hand in the hand of the Pír, the Pír of wisdom who is knowing and eminent,
چون بدادی دست خود در دست پیر ** پیر حکمت که علیمست و خطیر
Who is the prophet of his own time, O disciple, so that the Light of the Prophet is manifested by him,
کو نبی وقت خویشست ای مرید ** تا ازو نور نبی آید پدید
By this means thou hast been present at Hudaybiya and hast been associated with the Companions who took the Covenant.
در حدیبیه شدی حاضر بدین ** وآن صحابه‌ی بیعتی را هم‌قرین
Therefore thou hast become one of the ten Friends to whom the glad tidings were given, and hast been made pure like sterling gold.
پس ز ده یار مبشر آمدی ** هم‌چو زر ده‌دهی خالص شدی
(This is) to the end that communion may be made perfect; for a man is united with that one whom he has made his friend.745
تا معیت راست آید زانک مرد ** با کسی جفتست کو را دوست کرد
He is with him in this world and in that (other) world; and this is the (meaning of) the Hadíth of sweet-natured Ahmad (Mohammed),
این جهان و آن جهان با او بود ** وین حدیث احمد خوش‌خو بود
(Who) said, ‘A man is with him whom he loves’: the heart is not severed from its object of desire.
گفت المرء مع محبوبه ** لا یفک القلب من مطلوبه
Do not sit in any place where there is a trap and bait: O thou who regardest (others) as weak, go, consider (what becomes of) those who regard (others) as weak.
هر کجا دامست و دانه کم نشین ** رو زبون‌گیرا زبون‌گیران ببین
O thou who regardest the weak as weak (and at thy mercy), know this, (that) there is a hand above thy hand, O youth.
ای زبون‌گیر زبونان این بدان ** دست هم بالای دستست ای جوان
Thou art weak (thyself) and thou regardest (others) as weak. Oh, wonderful! Thou art at once the prey and the hunter in pursuit (of the prey).750
تو زبونی و زبون‌گیر ای عجب ** هم تو صید و صیدگیر اندر طلب