The eye that sees the end (ákhir) can see truly; the eye that sees (only) the stable (ákhur) is delusion and error.
چشم آخر بین تواند دید راست ** چشم آخر بین غرور است و خطاست
Oh, many the one that is sweet as sugar, but poison is concealed in the sugar.
ای بسا شیرین که چون شکر بود ** لیک زهر اندر شکر مضمر بود
He that is more sagacious (than the rest) will know it by the smell; another (only) when it touches his lips and teeth:2585
آن که زیرک‌‌تر به بو بشناسدش ** و آن دگر چون بر لب و دندان زدش
Then his lips will reject it before (it reaches) his throat, although the Devil is shouting, “Eat ye!”
پس لبش ردش کند پیش از گلو ** گر چه نعره می‌‌زند شیطان کلوا
And to another it will declare (itself) in his throat, while to another it will unmask in his body;
و آن دگر را در گلو پیدا کند ** و آن دگر را در بدن رسوا کند
And to another it will give burning pain in evacuation: its taste will deal him a blow that pierces his liver.
و آن دگر را در حدث سوزش دهد ** ذوق آن زخم جگر دوزش دهد
And to another (it will become manifest) after days and months; and to another after death, from the depth of the grave;
و آن دگر را بعد ایام و شهور ** و آن دگر را بعد مرگ از قعر گور
And if he be given a respite in the depth of the grave, (then) it will inevitably become manifest on the Day of Resurrection.2590
ور دهندش مهلت اندر قعر گور ** لا بد آن پیدا شود یوم النشور
Every piece of candy and sugar (desirable thing) in the world manifestly has a period granted to it from the revolution of Time.
هر نبات و شکری را در جهان ** مهلتی پیداست از دور زمان
Years are needed in order that the ruby in (exposed to the rays of) the sun may obtain (the perfect) tint and splendour and brilliance.
سالها باید که اندر آفتاب ** لعل یابد رنگ و رخشانی و تاب
Vegetables, again, reach maturity in two months, while the red rose comes to perfection in a year.
باز تره در دو ماه اندر رسد ** باز تا سالی گل احمر رسد
For this reason the Almighty and Glorious God in the Súratu ’l-An‘ám has made mention of an appointed term (ajal).
بهر این فرمود حق عز و جل ** سوره الانعام در ذکر اجل
You have heard this (discourse): may the whole of you, hair by hair, be an ear (to receive it)! ’Tis the Water of Life: (if) you have drunk, may it do you good!2595
این شنیدی مو به مویت گوش باد ** آب حیوان است خوردی نوش باد
Call it the Water of Life, call it not a discourse: behold the new spirit in the body of the old letter!
آب حیوان خوان مخوان این را سخن ** روح نو بین در تن حرف کهن
(Now), my friend, hearken to another saying (which is), like the soul, very clear (to mystics) and abstruse (to the rest):
نکته‌‌ی دیگر تو بشنو ای رفیق ** همچو جان او سخت پیدا و دقیق
In a certain place (spiritual degree), through Divine dispositions even this poison and snake (worldliness and sensuality) is (rendered) digestible.
در مقامی هست هم این زهر مار ** از تصاریف خدایی خوش گوار
In one place (it is) poison and in one place medicine, in one place infidelity and in one place approved.
در مقامی زهر و در جایی دوا ** در مقامی کفر و در جایی روا
Although there it is injurious to the soul, when it arrives here it is a remedy.2600
گر چه آن جا او گزند جان بود ** چون بدین جا در رسد درمان بود
In the young grape (ghúra) the juice is sour, but it is sweet and good when the ghúra comes to be an angúr (ripe grape).
آب در غوره ترش باشد و لیک ** چون به انگوری رسد شیرین و نیک
Again in the wine-jar it becomes bitter and unlawful, (but) in the state (form) of vinegar how excellent it is as a seasoning!
باز در خم او شود تلخ و حرام ** در مقام سرکگی نعم الادام
Concerning the impropriety of the disciple's (muríd) presuming to do the same things as are done by the saint (walí), inasmuch as sweetmeat does no harm to the physician, but is harmful to the sick, and frost and snow do no harm to the ripe grape, but are injurious to the young fruit; for he (the disciple) is (still) on the way, for he has not (yet) become (the saint to whom are applicable the words in the Qur’án): “That God may forgive thee thy former and latter sins.”
در معنی آن که آن چه ولی کند مرید را نشاید گستاخی کردن و همان فعل کردن که حلوا طبیب را زیان ندارد اما بیمار را زیان دارد و سرما و برف انگور را زیان ندارد اما غوره را زیان دارد که در راهست که ليغفر لک الله ما تقدم من ذنبک و ما تأخر
If the saint drinks a poison it becomes an antidote, but if the seeker (disciple) drinks it, his mind is darkened.
گر ولی زهری خورد نوشی شود ** ور خورد طالب سیه هوشی شود
From Solomon have come the words, “O Lord, give me (a kingdom that it behoves not any one after me to obtain),” that is, “do not give this kingdom and power to any but me.
رب هب لی از سلیمان آمده ست ** که مده غیر مرا این ملک و دست
Do not bestow this grace and bounty on any but me.” This looks like envy, but it was not that (in reality).2605
تو مکن با غیر من این لطف و جود ** این حسد را ماند اما آن نبود
Read with your soul the mystery of “it behoves not,” do not deem the inward meaning of “after me” (to be derived) from his (Solomon's) avarice.
نکته‌‌ی لا ينبغی می‌‌خوان به جان ** سر من بعدی ز بخل او مدان
Nay, but in sovereignty he saw a hundred dangers: the kingdom of this world was (has ever been), hair by hair (in every respect), fear for one's head.
بلکه اندر ملک دید او صد خطر ** مو به مو ملک جهان بد بیم سر
Fear for head with fear for heart with fear for religion— there is no trial for us like this.
بیم سر با بیم سر با بیم دین ** امتحانی نیست ما را مثل این
Therefore one must needs possess the high aspiration of a Solomon in order to escape from these myriads of colours and perfumes (enticing vanities).
پس سلیمان همتی باید که او ** بگذرد زین صد هزاران رنگ و بو
Even with such (great) strength (of spirit) as he had, the waves of that (worldly) kingdom were stifling his breath (choking him).2610
با چنان قوت که او را بود هم ** موج آن ملکش فرومی‌‌بست دم
Since dust settled on him from this sorrow, he had compassion for all the kings of the world.
چون بر او بنشست زین اندوه گرد ** بر همه شاهان عالم رحم کرد
He interceded (with God on their behalf) and said, “Give this kingdom and banner (to them) with (accompanied by) the (spiritual) perfection which Thou hast given to me.
شد شفیع و گفت این ملک و لوا ** با کمالی ده که دادی مر مرا
To whomsoever Thou wilt give (it), and (on whomsoever) Thou wilt confer that bounty, he (that person) is Solomon, and I also am he.
هر که را بدهی و بکنی آن کرم ** او سلیمان است و آن کس هم منم
He is not ‘after me,’ he is with me. What of ‘with me,’ indeed? I am without rival.”
او نباشد بعدی او باشد معی ** خود معی چه بود منم بی‌‌مدعی
’Tis my duty to explain this, but (now) I will return to the story of the man and wife.2615
شرح این فرض است گفتن لیک من ** باز می‌‌گردم به قصه‌‌ی مرد و زن
The moral of the altercation of the Arab and his wife.
مخلص ماجرای عرب و جفت او
The heart of one who is sincere is seeking (to find) a moral for the altercation of the man and wife.
ماجرای مرد و زن را مخلصی ** باز می‌‌جوید درون مخلصی
The altercation of the man and wife has been related (as a story): know that it is a parable of your own flesh (nafs) and reason.
ماجرای مرد و زن افتاد نقل ** آن مثال نفس خود می‌‌دان و عقل
This man and wife, which are the flesh and the reason, are very necessary for (the manifestation of) good and evil;
این زن و مردی که نفس است و خرد ** نیک بایسته ست بهر نیک و بد
And this necessary pair in this house of earth are (engaged) in strife and altercation day and night.
وین دو بایسته در این خاکی سرا ** روز و شب در جنگ و اندر ماجرا
The wife is craving requisites for the household, that is to say, reputation and bread and viands and rank.2620
زن همی‌‌خواهد هویج خانگاه ** یعنی آب رو و نان و خوان و جاه
Like the wife, the flesh, in order to contrive the means (of gratifying its desires), is at one time seeking (having recourse to) humility and at another time to domination.
نفس همچون زن پی چاره‌‌گری ** گاه خاکی گاه جوید سروری
The reason is really unconscious of these (worldly) thoughts: in its brain is nothing but love of God.
عقل خود زین فکرها آگاه نیست ** در دماغش جز غم الله نیست
Although the inner meaning of the tale is this bait and trap, listen now to the outward form of the tale in its entirety.
گر چه سر قصه این دانه ست و دام ** صورت قصه شنو اکنون تمام
If the spiritual explanation were sufficient, the creation of the world would have been vain and idle.
گر بیان معنوی کافی شدی ** خلق عالم عاطل و باطل بدی
If love were (only spiritual) thought and reality, the form of your fasting and prayer would be non-existent.2625
گر محبت فکرت و معنیستی ** صورت روزه و نمازت نیستی
The gifts of lovers to one another are, in respect of love, naught but forms;
هدیه‌‌های دوستان با همدیگر ** نیست اندر دوستی الا صور
(But the purpose is) that the gifts may have borne testimony to feelings of love which are concealed in secrecy,
تا گواهی داده باشد هدیه‌ها ** بر محبتهای مضمر در خفا
Because outward acts of kindness bear witness to feelings of love in the heart, O dear friend.
ز آن که احسانهای ظاهر شاهدند ** بر محبتهای سر ای ارجمند
Your witness is sometimes true, sometimes false, sometimes drunken with wine, sometimes with sour curds.
شاهدت گه راست باشد گه دروغ ** مست گاهی از می و گاهی ز دوغ
He that has drunk sour curds makes a show of intoxication, shouts ecstatically, and behaves like one whose head is heavy (with the fumes of wine);2630
دوغ خورده مستیی پیدا کند ** های و هوی و سر گرانیها کند
That hypocrite is (assiduous) in fasting and praying, in order that it may be supposed that he is drunken with devotion (to God).
آن مرایی در صیام و در صلاست ** تا گمان آید که او مست ولاست
In short, external acts are different (from internal feelings), (and their purpose is) to indicate that which is hidden.
حاصل افعال برونی دیگر است ** تا نشان باشد بر آن چه مضمر است