Know that (the world of) created beings is like pure and limpid water in which the attributes of the Almighty are shining.
خلق را چون آب دان صاف و زلال ** اندر آن تابان صفات ذوالجلال
Their knowledge and their justice and their clemency are like a star of heaven (reflected) in running water.
علمشان و عدلشان و لطفشان ** چون ستارهی چرخ در آب روان
Kings are the theatre for the manifestation of God's kingship; the learned (divines) are the mirrors for God's wisdom.
پادشاهان مظهر شاهی حق ** فاضلان مرآت آگاهی حق
Generations have passed away, and this is a new generation: the moon is the same moon, the water is not the same water.3175
قرنها بگذشت و این قرن نویست ** ماه آن ماهست آب آن آب نیست
The justice is the same justice, and the learning is the same learning too; but those generations and peoples have been changed (supplanted by others).
عدل آن عدلست و فضل آن فضل هم ** لیک مستبدل شد آن قرن و امم
Generations on generations have gone, O sire, but these Ideas (Divine attributes) are permanent and everlasting.
قرنها بر قرنها رفت ای همام ** وین معانی بر قرار و بر دوام
The water in this channel has been changed many times: the reflexion of the moon and of the stars remains unaltered.
آن مبدل شد درین جو چند بار ** عکس ماه و عکس اختر بر قرار
Therefore its foundation is not in the running water; nay, but in the regions of the breadth (wide expanse) of Heaven.
پس بنااش نیست بر آب روان ** بلک بر اقطار عرض آسمان
These attributes are like Ideal stars: know that they are stablished in the sphere of the Ideas (Realities).3180
این صفتها چون نجوم معنویست ** دانک بر چرخ معانی مستویست
The beauteous are the mirror of His beauty: love for them is the reflexion of the desire of which He is the (real) object.
خوبرویان آینهی خوبی او ** عشق ایشان عکس مطلوبی او
This cheek and mole goes (back) to the Source thereof: how should a phantom continue in the water for ever?
هم به اصل خود رود این خد و خال ** دایما در آب کی ماند خیال
The whole sum of pictured forms (phenomena) is a (mere) reflexion in the water of the river: when you rub your eye, (you will perceive that) all of them are really He.
جمله تصویرات عکس آب جوست ** چون بمالی چشم خود خود جمله اوست
Again, his (the debtor's) reason said (to him), “Abandon this seeing double: vinegar is grape-syrup and grape-syrup is vinegar.
باز عقلش گفت بگذار این حول ** خل دوشابست و دوشابست خل
Since, from defect (of vision), you have called the Khwája ‘other’ (than God), be ashamed (contrite) before the jealous King, O man of double sight.3185
خواجه را چون غیر گفتی از قصور ** شرمدار ای احول از شاه غیور
Do not suppose the Khwája, who has passed beyond the aether (the ninth celestial sphere), to be homogeneous with these mice of darkness.
خواجه را که در گذشتست از اثیر ** جنس این موشان تاریکی مگیر
Regard the Khwája as spirit, do not regard him as gross body: regard him as marrow, do not regard him as bone.
خواجهی جان بین مبین جسم گران ** مغز بین او را مبینش استخوان
Do not look at the Khwája with the eye of Iblís the accursed, and do not relate him (refer his origin) to clay.
خواجه را از چشم ابلیس لعین ** منگر و نسبت مکن او را به طین
Do not call the fellow-traveller of the Sun ‘a bat’: do not call him who was worshipped (by the angels) a worshipper (of the material).
همره خورشید را شبپر مخوان ** آنک او مسجود شد ساجد مدان
This (Khwája) resembles the (other) reflexions; but (in reality) ’tis not a reflexion, ’tis the appearance of God in the likeness of a reflexion.3190
عکسها را ماند این و عکس نیست ** در مثال عکس حق بنمودنیست
He beheld a Sun and remained frozen no more: the oil of roses was no longer (mingled with) oil of sesame.
آفتابی دید او جامد نماند ** روغن گل روغن کنجد نماند
Since the Abdál (Lieutenants) of God have been transmuted, they are not (to be reckoned) among created beings: turn over a (new) leaf!
چون مبدل گشتهاند ابدال حق ** نیستند از خلق بر گردان ورق
How should the qibla (object of worship), namely, the (Divine) Unity, be two? How should earth be worshipped by the angels?
قبلهی وحدانیت دو چون بود ** خاک مسجود ملایک چون شود
When a man sees the reflexion of apples in this river, and the sight of them fills his skirt with (real) apples,
چون درین جو دیدعکس سیب مرد ** دامنش را دید آن پر سیب کرد
How should that which he saw in the river be a phantom, when a hundred sacks have been filled by his vision?3195
آنچ در جو دید کی باشد خیال ** چونک شد از دیدنش پر صد جوال
Do not regard the body, and do not act like those dumb and deaf men (who) disbelieved in the Truth when it came to them.
تن مبین و آن مکن کان بکم و صم ** کذبوا بالحق لما جائهم