The knower of God has been isolated from the six (directions) and the five (senses): (necessarily, therefore), he has become on his guard against the sixes and fives of the backgammon (played by the World and the Devil).
از شش و از پنج عارف گشت فرد ** محترز گشتست زین شش پنج نرد
He has escaped from the five senses and the six directions: he has made you acquainted with (what lies) beyond all that.
رست او از پنج حس و شش جهت ** از ورای آن همه کرد آگهت
His intimations are the intimations of Eternity: he has transcended all conceptions and withdrawn himself apart.
شد اشاراتش اشارات ازل ** جاوز الاوهام طرا و اعتزل
Unless he is outside of this hexagonal well, how should he bring up a Joseph from the inside (of it)?4570
زین چه شش گوشه گر نبود برون ** چون بر آرد یوسفی را از درون
He is one who goes to draw water above the unpillared firmament, (while) his body, like a bucket, is (low down) in the well, helping (to rescue the fallen).
واردی بالای چرخ بی ستن ** جسم او چون دلو در چه چاره کن
The Josephs cling to his bucket, escape from the well, and become kings of Egypt.
یوسفان چنگال در دلوش زده ** رسته از چاه و شه مصری شده
The other buckets seek water from the well: his bucket has no concern with the water, it seeks (only) friends (in trouble).
دلوهای دیگر از چه آب‌جو ** دلو او فارغ ز آب اصحاب‌جو
The (other) buckets plunge into the water for food: his bucket is the food and life of the soul of the fish.
دلوها غواص آب از بهر قوت ** دلو او قوت و حیات جان حوت
The (other) buckets are attached to the lofty wheel (of Fortune): his bucket is (held) in two Almighty fingers.4575
دلوها وابسته‌ی چرخ بلند ** دلو او در اصبعین زورمند
What bucket and what cord and what wheel? This is a very weak comparison, O pasha.
دلو چه و حبل چه و چرخ چی ** این مثال بس رکیکست ای اچی
(But) whence shall I get a comparison that is without frailty? One to match him (the knower of God) will not come, and never has come, (to hand).
از کجا آرم مثالی بی‌شکست ** کفو آن نه آید و نه آمدست
(He is) a hundred thousand men concealed in a single man, a hundred bows and arrows enclosed in a single blowpipe;
صد هزاران مرد پنهان در یکی ** صد کمان و تیر درج ناوکی
A (type of) thou didst not throw when thou threwest, a temptation (for the ignorant), a hundred thousand stacks (of grain) in a handful.
ما رمیت اذ رمیتی فتنه‌ای ** صد هزاران خرمن اندر حفنه‌ای
(He is) a sun hidden in a mote: suddenly that mote opens its mouth (and reveals the sun).4580
آفتابی در یکی ذره نهان ** ناگهان آن ذره بگشاید دهان
The heavens and the earth crumble to atoms before that Sun when he springs forth from ambush.
ذره ذره گردد افلاک و زمین ** پیش آن خورشید چون جست از کمین
How is a spirit like this meet for (confinement in) the body? Hark, O body, wash thy hands of this spirit!
این چنین جانی چه درخورد تنست ** هین بشو ای تن ازین جان هر دو دست
O body that hast become the spirit's dwelling-place, ’tis enough: how long can the Sea abide in a water-skin?
ای تن گشته وثاق جان بسست ** چند تاند بحر درمشکی نشست
O thou who art a thousand Gabriels in (the form of) man, O thou who art (many) Messiahs inside the ass (of Jesus),
ای هزاران جبرئیل اندر بشر ** ای مسیحان نهان در جوف خر
O thou who art a thousand Ka‘bas concealed in a church, O thou who causest ‘ifrít and devil to fall into error,4585
ای هزاران کعبه پنهان در کنیس ** ای غلط‌انداز عفریت و بلیس
Thou art the spaceless Object of worship in space: the devils have their shop destroyed by thee,
سجده‌گاه لامکانی در مکان ** مر بلیسان را ز تو ویران دکان
(For they say), “How should I pay homage to this clay? How should I bestow on a (mere) form a title signifying (my) obedience (adoration)?”
که چرا من خدمت این طین کنم ** صورتی را نم لقب چون دین کنم
He is not the form (in which he appears): rub thine eye well, that thou mayst behold (in him) the radiance of the light of (Divine) glory!
نیست صورت چشم را نیکو به مال ** تا ببینی شعشعه‌ی نور جلال
Resuming the explanation of the Story of the (eldest) prince and his constant attendance at the court of the King.
باز آمدن به شرح قصه‌ی شاه‌زاده و ملازمت او در حضرت شاه
The prince in the presence of the King was bewildered by this (mystery): he beheld the Seven Heavens in a handful of clay.
شاه‌زاده پیش شه حیران این ** هفت گردون دیده در یک مشت طین
Nowise was it possible (for him) to open his lips in discussion, but never for a moment did soul cease to converse with soul.4590
هیچ ممکن نه ببحثی لب گشود ** لیک جان با جان دمی خامش نبود
It came into his mind that ’twas exceedingly mysterious— “all this is reality: whence, then, comes the form (appearance)?”
آمده در خاطرش کین بس خفیست ** این همه معنیست پس صورت ز چیست