Since the rose springs from the thorn, and the thorn from the rose, why are both of them at war and (engaged) in recrimination?
چون گل از خار است و خار از گل چرا ** هر دو در جنگند و اندر ماجرا
Or is this not (really) war? Is it for (the Divine) purpose, (and is it) an artifice, like the bickering of those who sell asses?
یا نه جنگ است این برای حکمت است ** همچو جنگ خر فروشان صنعت است
Or is it neither this nor that? Is it bewilderment? The treasure must be sought and this (bewilderment) is the ruin (where it is hidden).
یا نه این است و نه آن حیرانی است ** گنج باید جست این ویرانی است
That which you imagine to be the treasure—through that vain imagination you are losing the treasure.2475
آن چه تو گنجش توهم می‌‌کنی ** ز آن توهم گنج را گم می‌‌کنی
Know that fancies and opinions are like the state of cultivation: treasure is not (to be found) in cultivated spots.
چون عمارت دان تو وهم و رایها ** گنج نبود در عمارت جایها
In the state of cultivation there is existence and strife (contrariety): the non-existent is ashamed of (all) existent things.
در عمارت هستی و جنگی بود ** نیست را از هستها ننگی بود
It is not the case that the existent implored help against (sought to escape from) nonexistence; nay, (’twas) the non-existent (that) repelled the existent.
نی که هست از نیستی فریاد کرد ** بلکه نیست آن هست را واداد کرد
Do not say, “I am fleeing from the non-existent”; nay, it is fleeing from you. Stop! (Do not fancy yourself to be fleeing.)
تو مگو که من گریزانم ز نیست ** بلکه او از تو گریزان است بیست
Outwardly it is calling you towards itself, but inwardly it is driving you away with the cudgel of rejection.2480
ظاهرا می‌‌خواندت او سوی خود ** وز درون می‌‌راندت با چوب رد
O man of sound heart (mind), ’tis (a case of) reversed shoes: know that Pharaoh's abhorrence (of Moses) was (really) from (caused by) Moses.
نعلهای باژگونه ست ای سلیم ** نفرت فرعون می‌‌دان از کلیم
The reason why the unblest are disappointed of both worlds, (according to the text) “he has lost this life and the life to come.”
سبب حرمان اشقیا از دو جهان که خسر الدنیا و الآخرة
The wretched philosopher being firmly convinced that the sky is an egg and the earth like its yolk,
چون حکیمک اعتقادی کرده است ** کاسمان بیضه زمین چون زرده است
Some one asked him how this earth remains, in the midst of this surrounding expanse of sky,
گفت سائل چون بماند این خاکدان ** در میان این محیط آسمان
Suspended in the air like a lamp, moving neither to the bottom nor to the top.
همچو قندیلی معلق در هوا ** نی به اسفل می‌‌رود نی بر علی
The philosopher said to him, “It remains in the air because of the attraction exerted by the sky from (all) six directions.2485
آن حکیمش گفت کز جذب سما ** از جهات شش بماند اندر هوا
(The sky is) like a vault moulded (made) of lodestone: (the earth like) a suspended piece of iron remains in the middle.”
چون ز مغناطیس قبه‌‌ی ریخته ** در میان ماند آهنی آویخته
Said the other, “How should the pure sky draw the dark earth to itself?
آن دگر گفت آسمان با صفا ** کی کشد در خود زمین تیره را
Nay, it is repelling it (the earth) from (all) six directions: hence it (the earth) remains (suspended) amidst the violent winds (currents).”
بلکه دفعش می‌‌کند از شش جهات ** ز آن بماند اندر میان عاصفات
(Similarly), then, because of the repulsion exerted by the hearts of the perfect (saints), the spirits of Pharaohs remain in perdition.
پس ز دفع خاطر اهل کمال ** جان فرعونان بماند اندر ضلال
Therefore, through being rejected by this world and by that world, these lost ones have been left without either this or that.2490
پس ز دفع این جهان و آن جهان ** مانده‌‌اند این بی‌‌رهان بی‌‌این و آن
If you turn away your head from the (holy) servants of the Almighty, know that they are disgusted by your existence.
سرکشی از بندگان ذو الجلال ** دان که دارند از وجود تو ملال
They possess the amber: when they display it, they make the straw of your existence frenzied (with desire for it).
کهربا دارند چون پیدا کنند ** کاه هستی ترا شیدا کنند
When they conceal their amber, they quickly make your submission (to God) rebellion (against Him).
That (position which you hold in relation to them) is like the stage of animality, which is captive and subject to (the stage of) humanity.
آن چنان که مرتبه‌‌ی حیوانی است ** کاو اسیر و سغبه‌‌ی انسانی است
Know that the stage of humanity is subject to the power of the saints as the animal (is subject to man), O master.2495
مرتبه‌‌ی انسان به دست اولیا ** سغبه چون حیوان شناسش ای کیا
Ahmad (Mohammed) in righteousness called (the people of) the whole world his servants: read (the text), “Say, O My servants.”
بنده‌‌ی خود خواند احمد در رشاد ** جمله عالم را بخوان قل یا عباد
Your intellect is like the camel-driver, and you are the camel: it drives you in every direction under its bitter control.
عقل تو همچون شتربان تو شتر ** می‌‌کشاند هر طرف در حکم مر
The saints are the intellect of intellect, and (all) intellects (from the beginning) to the end are (under their control) like camels.
عقل عقلند اولیا و عقلها ** بر مثال اشتران تا انتها
Come now, look upon them with (profound) consideration: there is (but) one guide, and a hundred thousand souls (following him).
اندر ایشان بنگر آخر ز اعتبار ** یک قلاووز است جان صد هزار
What is the guide and what the camel-driver? Get thee an eye that may behold the Sun!2500
چه قلاووز و چه اشیربان بیاب ** دیده‌ای کان دیده بیند آفتاب
A world has been left nailed fast in night, waiting expectantly, depending on the sun and the day.
نک جهان در شب بمانده میخ دوز ** منتظر موقوف خورشید است و روز
Here is a sun hidden in a mote, a fierce lion in the fleece of a lamb.
اینت خورشیدی نهان در ذره‌‌ای ** شیر نر در پوستین بره‌‌ای
Here is an ocean hidden beneath straw: beware, do not step on this straw with hesitancy.
اینت دریایی نهان در زیر کاه ** پا بر این که هین منه با اشتباه
(But) a feeling of hesitancy and doubt in the heart (of the foolish) is a Divine mercy in regard to the (spiritual) guide.
اشتباهی و گمانی در درون ** رحمت حق است بهر رهنمون
Every prophet came alone into this world: that Guide was inwardly alone, and (yet) he had a hundred unseen worlds within him.2505
هر پیمبر فرد آمد در جهان ** فرد بود و صد جهانش در نهان
By his power he enchanted the macrocosm (universe), he enfolded himself in a very small frame.
عالم کبری به قدرت سحر کرد ** کرد خود را در کهین نقشی نورد
The foolish deemed him to be lonely and weak: how is he weak who has become the King's companion?
ابلهانش فرد دیدند و ضعیف ** کی ضعیف است آن که با شه شد حریف
The foolish said, “He is a man, nothing more”: woe to him that recks not of the end!
ابلهان گفتند مردی بیش نیست ** وای آن کاو عاقبت اندیش نیست
How the eyes of (external) sense regarded Sálih and his she-camel as despicable and without a champion; (for) when God is about to destroy an army He makes their adversaries appear despicable and few in their sight, even though the adversary be superior in strength: “and He was making you few in their eyes, that God might bring to pass a thing that was to be done.”
حقیر و بی‌‌خصم دیدن دیده‌‌های حس صالح و ناقه‌‌ی صالح را، چون خواهد که حق لشکری را هلاک کند در نظر ایشان حقیر نماید خصمان را و اندک اگر چه غالب باشد آن خصم و يقللکم فی أعينهم ليقضي الله أمرا کان مفعولا
The she-camel of Sálih was in (outward) form a camel: that bitter (graceless) tribe hamstrung (and slaughtered) her in their folly.
ناقه‌‌ی صالح به صورت بد شتر ** پی بریدندش ز جهل آن قوم مر
When they became her foes on account of the water (which she shared with them), they were blind to bread and blind to water (ungrateful for the blessings of God).2510
از برای آب چون خصمش شدند ** نان کور و آب کور ایشان بدند
God's she-camel drank water from brook and cloud: they (really) withheld God's water from God.
ناقة الله آب خورد از جوی و میغ ** آب حق را داشتند از حق دریغ
The she-camel of Sálih became, like the bodies of righteous men, an ambush for the destruction of the wicked,
ناقه‌‌ی صالح چو جسم صالحان ** شد کمینی در هلاک طالحان
That (you may see) what (the Divine command), Let God's she-camel have her portion of water, wrought against that people, through the ordainment of death and woe.
تا بر آن امت ز حکم مرگ و درد ** ناقة الله و سقیاها چه کرد
The vengeance, which is God's minister, demanded from them an entire town as the blood-price of a single camel.