’Tis a house filled with pictures of imagination and fancy, and these forms (ideas) are as a veil over the treasure of union (with God).3425
خانهی پر نقش تصویر و خیال ** وین صور چون پرده بر گنج وصال
’Tis the radiance of the Treasure and the splendours of the (spiritual) gold that cause the forms (ideas) to surge up in this breast.
پرتو گنجست و تابشهای زر ** که درین سینه همیجوشد صور
’Tis from the purity and translucence of the noble Water that the particles of foam have veiled the face of the Water.
هم ز لطف و عکس آب با شرف ** پرده شد بر روی آب اجزای کف
’Tis from the purity and (ceaseless) agitation of the precious Spirit that the bodily figure has veiled the face of the Spirit.
هم ز لطف و جوش جان با ثمن ** پردهای بر روی جان شد شخص تن
Hearken, then, to the adage that issued from the mouths (of men)—“this which is (cast) upon us, O brother, is (derived) from us.”
پس مثل بشنو که در افواه خاست ** که اینچ بر ماست ای برادر هم ز ماست
Because of this veil, these thirsty ones who are (so) fond of the foam have got out of reach of the pure Water.3430
زین حجاب این تشنگان کفپرست ** ز آب صافی اوفتاده دوردست
“O (Divine) Sun, notwithstanding (that we have) a qibla (object of adoration) and Imám like Thee, we worship the night and behave in the manner of bats.
آفتابا با چو تو قبله و امام ** شبپرستی و خفاشی میکنیم
Make these bats to fly towards Thee and redeem them from this bat-like disposition, O Thou whose protection is implored!
سوی خود کن این خفاشان را مطار ** زین خفاشیشان بخر ای مستجار
This youth (the Amír), by (committing) this sin, has gone astray and trespassed (against Thee), for he came to me (for help); but do not chastise him.”
این جوان زین جرم ضالست و مغیر ** که بمن آمد ولی او را مگیر
In the ‘Imádu ’l-Mulk these thoughts were raging like a lion (rushing) through the jungles.
در عماد الملک این اندیشهها ** گشته جوشان چون اسد در بیشهها
His exterior (person) stood before the Sultan, (but) his soaring spirit was in the meadows of the Unseen.3435
ایستاده پیش سلطان ظاهرش ** در ریاض غیب جان طایرش
Like the angels, he was momently being intoxicated with fresh draughts (of spiritual wine) in the realm of Alast;
چون ملایک او به اقلیم الست ** هر دمی میشد به شرب تازه مست
Inwardly (merry as) a wedding-feast, but outwardly like a man filled with sorrow; a delectable world (concealed) in a tomb-like body.
اندرون سور و برون چون پر غمی ** در تن همچون لحد خوش عالمی
He was in this (state of) bewilderment and waiting to see what would appear from the (world of) things occult and mysterious,
او درین حیرت بد و در انتظار ** تا چه پیدا آید از غیب و سرار
(When) at that time the officers brought the horse along into the presence of the Khwárizmsháh.
اسپ را اندر کشیدند آن زمان ** پیش خوارمشاه سرهنگان کشان
Verily beneath this azure sky there was no (other) colt like that in (tallness and comeliness of) figure and in fleetness.3440
الحق اندر زیر این چرخ کبود ** آنچنان کره به قد و تگ نبود
Its colour (splendid appearance) dazzled every eye: (all would exclaim), “Hail to the (steed) born of the lightning and the moon!”
میربودی رنگ او هر دیده را ** مرحب آن از برق و مه زاییده را
It moved as swiftly as the moon and Mercury: you might say that its fodder was the sarsar wind, not barley.
همچو مه همچون عطارد تیزرو ** گوییی صرصر علف بودش نه جو
The moon traverses the expanse of heaven in one night during a single journey and course.
ماه عرصهی آسمان را در شبی ** میبرد اندر مسیر و مذهبی
Since the moon traversed the signs of the zodiac in one night, wherefore wilt thou disbelieve the Ascension (of the Prophet)?
چون به یک شب مه برید ابراج را ** از چه منکر میشوی معراج را
That wondrous orphan Pearl is as a hundred moons, for at a nod from him the moon became (split in) two halves.3445
صد چو ماهست آن عجب در یتیم ** که به یک ایماء او شد مه دو نیم
(Even) the marvel which he displayed in splitting the moon was only according to the measure of the weakness of the perception possessed by the (common) people.
آن عجب کو در شکاف مه نمود ** هم به قدر ضعف حس خلق بود
The work and business of the prophets and (Divine) messengers is beyond the skies and the stars.
کار و بار انبیا و مرسلون ** هست از افلاک و اخترها برون
Do thou also go beyond (transcend) the skies and the revolving (orb), and then contemplate that work and business.
تو برون رو هم ز افلاک و دوار ** وانگهان نظاره کن آن کار و بار
(Whilst) thou art inside the egg, like chicks, thou canst not hear the glorification of God by the birds of the (supermundane) air.
در میان بیضهای چون فرخها ** نشنوی تسبیح مرغان هوا