They sped towards the pavilion of empire, they cast off their fetters and chains.
سوی شادروان دولت تاختند ** کنده و زنجیر را انداختند
’Tis the day of (their) kingship and pride and sovereignty, if thou hast (even) an atom of knowledge of them.800
روز ملکست و گش و شاهنشهی ** گر تو یک ذره ازیشان آگهی
And if thou hast not (this) knowledge, go, weep for thyself, for thou art disbelieving in the removal (from this world to the next) and in the assembly at the Last Judgement.
ور نهای آگه برو بر خود گری ** زانک در انکار نقل و حشری
Mourn for thy corrupt heart and religion, for it (thy heart) sees naught but this old earth.
بر دل و دین خرابت نوحه کن ** که نمیبیند جز این خاک کهن
Or if it is seeing (the spiritual world), why is it not brave and supporting (others) and self-sacrificing and fully contented?
ور همیبیند چرا نبود دلیر ** پشتدار و جانسپار و چشمسیر
In thy countenance where is the happiness (which is the effect) of the wine of (true) religion? If thou hast beheld the Ocean (of Bounty), where is the bounteous hand?
در رخت کو از می دین فرخی ** گر بدیدی بحر کو کف سخی
He that has beheld the River does not grudge water (to the thirsty), especially he that has beheld that Sea and (those) Clouds.”805
آنک جو دید آب را نکند دریغ ** خاصه آن کو دید آن دریا و میغ
Comparison of the covetous man, who does not see the all-providingness of God and the (infinite) stores of His mercy, to an ant struggling with a single grain of wheat on a great threshing-floor and showing violent agitation and trembling and dragging it hurriedly along, unconscious of the amplitude of the threshing-floor.
تمثیل مرد حریص نابیننده رزاقی حق را و خزاین و رحمت او را به موری کی در خرمنگاه بزرگ با دانهی گندم میکوشد و میجوشد و میلرزد و به تعجیل میکشد و سعت آن خرمن را نمیبیند
The ant trembles for a grain (of wheat) because it is blind to the goodly threshing-floors.
مور بر دانه بدان لرزان شود ** که ز خرمنهای خوش اعمی بود
It drags a grain along greedily and fearfully, for it does not see such a noble stack of winnowed wheat (as is there).
میکشد آن دانه را با حرص و بیم ** که نمیبیند چنان چاش کریم
The Owner of the threshing-floor is saying (to the ant), “Hey, thou who in thy blindness deemest nothing something,
صاحب خرمن همیگوید که هی ** ای ز کوری پیش تو معدوم شی
Hast thou regarded that (alone) as belonging to My threshing-floors, so that thou art devoted with (all) thy soul to that (single) grain?”
تو ز خرمنهای ما آن دیدهای ** که در آن دانه به جان پیچیدهای
O thou who in semblance art (insignificant as) a mote, look at Saturn; thou art a lame ant: go, look at Solomon.810
ای به صورت ذره کیوان را ببین ** مور لنگی رو سلیمان را ببین
Thou art not this body: thou art that (spiritual) Eye. If thou hast beheld the spirit, thou art delivered from the body.
تو نهای این جسم تو آن دیدهای ** وا رهی از جسم گر جان دیدهای
Man (essentially) is eye: the rest (of him) is (mere) flesh and skin: whatsoever his eye has beheld, he is that thing.
آدمی دیدهست باقی گوشت و پوست ** هرچه چشمش دیده است آن چیز اوست
A jar will submerge a mountain with (its) water when the eye of the jar is open to the Sea.
کوه را غرقه کند یک خم ز نم ** منفذش چون باز باشد سوی یم
When from the soul (interior) of the jar a channel is made to the Sea, the jar will overwhelm the Jayhún (Oxus).
چون به دریا راه شد از جان خم ** خم با جیحون برآرد اشتلم
For that reason whatsoever the speech (voice) of Ahmad (Mohammed) may utter, the words are (really) uttered by the Sea.815
زان سبب قل گفتهی دریا بود ** هرچه نطق احمدی گویا بود
All his words were pearls of the Sea, for his heart had a passage into the Sea.
گفتهی او جمله در بحر بود ** که دلش را بود در دریا نفوذ
Since the bounty of the Sea is (poured) through our jar, what wonder (that) the Sea (itself) should be (contained) in a Fish?
داد دریا چون ز خم ما بود ** چه عجب در ماهیی دریا بود
The sensual eye is fixed on the form of the thoroughfare: thou art regarding it as a thoroughfare, but he (the Perfect Man) as a permanent abode.
چشم حس افسرد بر نقش ممر ** تش ممر میبینی و او مستقر
This dualism is characteristic of the eye that sees double; but (in reality) the first is the last and the last is the first.
این دوی اوصاف دید احولست ** ورنه اول آخر آخر اولست
Hark, by what means is this made known (to thee)? By means of the (spiritual) resurrection. Seek to experience (that) resurrection: do not dispute concerning (that) resurrection.820
هی ز چه معلوم گردد این ز بعث ** بعث را جو کم کن اندر بعث بحث
The (necessary) condition of (experiencing) the Day of Resurrection is to die first, for (the word) ba‘th (resurrection) is (signifies) “to raise to life from the dead.”
شرط روز بعث اول مردنست ** زانک بعث از مرده زنده کردنست
Hence all the world have taken the wrong way, for they are afraid of nonexistence, though it is (really) the refuge (in which they find salvation).
جمله عالم زین غلط کردند راه ** کز عدم ترسند و آن آمد پناه
Whence shall we seek (true knowledge? From renouncing (our false) knowledge. Whence shall we seek (true) peace? From renouncing peace (with our carnal selves).
از کجا جوییم علم از ترک علم ** از کجا جوییم سلم از ترک سلم