The clear mirror of bread is truly the hungry man; tinder, likewise, is the mirror of that (the stick or flint) from which fire is struck.
آینه‌‌ی صافی نان خود گرسنه ست ** سوخته هم آینه‌‌ی آتش زنه ست
Not-being and defect, wherever they arise (appear), are the mirror which displays the excellence of all crafts.
نیستی و نقص هر جایی که خاست ** آینه‌‌ی خوبی جمله‌‌ی پیشه‌‌هاست
When a garment is neat and well-stitched, how should it enable the tailor to exhibit his skill?3205
چون که جامه چست و دوزیده بود ** مظهر فرهنگ درزی چون شود
Trunks of trees must be unhewn in order that the woodcutter may fashion the stem or the branches (and thus exercise his craft).
ناتراشیده همی‌‌باید جذوع ** تا دروگر اصل سازد یا فروع
The doctor who sets broken bones goes to the place where the person with the fractured leg is.
خواجه‌‌ی اشکسته بند آن جا رود ** که در آن جا پای اشکسته بود
How shall the excellence of the art of medicine be made manifest when there is no emaciated invalid?
کی شود چون نیست رنجور نزار ** آن جمال صنعت طب آشکار
How shall the (power of the) Elixir be shown if the vileness and baseness of coppers is not notorious?
خواری و دونی مسها بر ملا ** گر نباشد کی نماید کیمیا
Defects are the mirror of the quality of perfection, and that vileness is the mirror of power and glory,3210
نقصها آیینه‌‌ی وصف کمال ** و آن حقارت آینه‌‌ی عز و جلال
Because (every) contrary is certainly made evident by its contrary; because honey is perceived (to be sweet by contrast) with vinegar.
ز آن که ضد را ضد کند پیدا یقین ** ز آن که با سرکه پدید است انگبین
Whoever has seen and recognised his own deficiency has galloped with ten horses (made rapid progress) in perfecting himself.
هر که نقص خویش را دید و شناخت ** اندر استکمال خود ده اسبه تاخت
The reason why he (any one) is not flying towards the Lord of glory is that he supposes himself to be perfect.
ز آن نمی‌‌پرد به سوی ذو الجلال ** کاو گمانی می‌‌برد خود را کمال
There is no worse malady in your soul, O haughty one, than the conceit of perfection.
علتی بدتر ز پندار کمال ** نیست اندر جان تو ای ذو دلال
Much blood must flow from your heart and eye, that self-complacency may go out of you.3215
از دل و از دیده‌‌ات بس خون رود ** تا ز تو این معجبی بیرون رود
The fault of Iblís lay in thinking “I am better (than Adam),” and this disease is in the soul of every (human) creature.
علت ابلیس انا خیری بده ست ** وین مرض در نفس هر مخلوق هست
Though he regard himself as very broken (in spirit), know that it is (a case of) clear water (on the surface) and dung under the stream.
گر چه خود را بس شکسته بیند او ** آب صافی دان و سرگین زیر جو
When he (the Devil) stirs you in trial, immediately the water becomes dung-coloured.
چون بشوراند ترا در امتحان ** آب سرگین رنگ گردد در زمان
There is dung in the bed of the stream, my man, though to you the stream appears pure.
در تگ جو هست سرگین ای فتی ** گر چه جو صافی نماید مر ترا
’Tis the Pír full of wisdom, well-acquainted with the Way, that digs a channel for the gardens of the Universal Soul.3220
هست پیر راه دان پر فطن ** باغهای نفس کل را جوی کن
Who is able to cleanse the channel of his (sensual) self? Man's knowledge is made beneficial (only) by God's knowledge.
جوی خود را کی تواند پاک کرد ** نافع از علم خدا شد علم مرد
How shall the sword fashion its own hilt? Go, entrust (the cure of) this wound to a surgeon.
کی تراشد تیغ دسته‌‌ی خویش را ** رو به جراحی سپار این ریش را
Flies gather on every wound, so that no one sees the foulness of his wound.
بر سر هر ریش جمع آمد مگس ** تا نبیند قبح ریش خویش کس
Those flies are your (evil) thoughts and your (love of) possessions: your wound is the darkness of your (spiritual) states;
آن مگس اندیشه‌‌ها و آن مال تو ** ریش تو آن ظلمت احوال تو
And if the Pír lays a plaster on your wound, at once the pain and lamentation are stilled,3225
ور نهد مرهم بر آن ریش تو پیر ** آن زمان ساکن شود درد و نفیر
So that he (the patient) fancies it (the wound) is healed, (whereas in reality) the (healing) ray of the plaster has shone upon the (wounded) spot.
تا که پندارد که صحت یافته ست ** پرتو مرهم بر آن جا تافته ست
Beware! Do not (scornfully) turn your head away from the plaster, O you who are wounded in the back, but recognise that that (healing of the wound) proceeds from the ray: do not regard it as (proceeding) from your own constitution.
هین ز مرهم سر مکش ای پشت ریش ** و آن ز پرتو دان مدان از اصل خویش
How the writer of the (Qur’ánic) Revelation fell into apostasy because (when) the ray of the Revelation shot upon him, he recited the (revealed) verse before the Prophet, on whom be peace, (had dictated it to him); then he said, “So I too am one upon whom Revelation has descended.”
مرتد شدن کاتب وحی به سبب آن که پرتو وحی بر او زد آن آیت را پیش از پیغامبر صلی الله علیه و اله بخواند گفت پس من هم محل وحیم
Before (the time of) ‘Uthmán there was a scribe who used to be diligent in writing down the Revelation.
پیش از عثمان یکی نساخ بود ** کاو به نسخ وحی جدی می‌‌نمود
Whenever the Prophet dictated the Revelation, he would write out the same (portion) on the leaf.
چون نبی از وحی فرمودی سبق ** او همان را وانبشتی بر ورق
The beams of that Revelation would shine upon him, and he would find Wisdom within him.3230
پرتو آن وحی بر وی تافتی ** او درون خویش حکمت یافتی
The substance of that Wisdom was dictated by the Prophet: by this (small) amount (of reflected Wisdom) that meddling fool was led astray,
عین آن حکمت بفرمودی رسول ** زین قدر گمراه شد آن بو الفضول
Thinking, “I have in my conscience the Truth of that which the illumined Prophet is saying.”
کانچه می‌‌گوید رسول مستنیر ** مر مرا هست آن حقیقت در ضمیر
The ray of his thought struck the Prophet: the wrath of God descended on his (the scribe's) soul.
پرتو اندیشه‌‌اش زد بر رسول ** قهر حق آورد بر جانش نزول
He abandoned both his work as a scribe and the Religion (Islam): he became the malignant foe of Mustafá (Mohammed) and the Religion.
هم ز نساخی بر آمد هم ز دین ** شد عدوی مصطفی و دین به کین
Mustafá said, “O obstinate miscreant, if the Light was from thee, how shouldst thou have become black (with sin)?3235
مصطفی فرمود کای گبر عنود ** چون سیه گشتی اگر نور از تو بود
If thou hadst been the Divine fountain (whence the Revelation issued), thou wouldst not have let out such black water as this.”
گر تو ینبوع الهی بودیی ** این چنین آب سیه نگشودیی
Lest his reputation should be ruined in the sight of all and sundry, this (pride) kept his mouth shut.
تا که ناموسش به پیش این و آن ** نشکند بر بست این او را دهان
His (the scribe's) heart was burning, hence he was unable to repent: this is wonderful.
اندرون می‌‌سوختش هم زین سبب ** توبه کردن می‌‌نیارست این عجب
He (the scribe) was crying “Alas,” but “Alas” was of no use to him when the sword came on and took off his head.
آه می‌‌کرد و نبودش آه سود ** چون در آمد تیغ و سر را در ربود
God has made reputation (to be like) a hundred maunds' weight of iron: oh, many a one is bound in the unseen chain!3240
کرده حق ناموس را صد من حدید ** ای بسا بسته به بند ناپدید
Pride and infidelity have barred that Way (of repentance) in such wise that he (the sinner) cannot utter a sigh.
کبر و کفر آن سان ببست آن راه را ** که نیارد کرد ظاهر آه را
He (God) said, “(We have put on their necks) shackles (chin-high), and thereby they are forced to lift up their heads”: those shackles are not (put) on us from outside.
گفت اغلالا فهم به مقمحون ** نیست آن اغلال بر ما از برون
“(And We have put) behind them a barrier, and We have made a covering (of darkness) over them”: he is not seeing the barrier in front (of him) and behind.
خلفهم سدا فأغشیناهم ** می‌‌نبیند بند را پیش و پس او
The barrier that arose has the appearance of open country: he does not know that it is the barrier of the Divine destiny.
رنگ صحرا دارد آن سدی که خاست ** او نمی‌‌داند که آن سد قضاست
Your (earthly) beloved is a barrier to the face of the (Divine) Beloved: your (worldly) guide is a barrier to the words of the (true spiritual) guide.3245
شاهد تو سد روی شاهد است ** مرشد تو سد گفت مرشد است
Oh, many are the infidels that have a passionate longing for the Religion (Islam): their chain (stumbling-block) is reputation and pride in this and that (object of desire).
ای بسا کفار را سودای دین ** بندشان ناموس و کبر آن و این
The chain is hidden. but ’tis worse than iron: the iron chain is cut in pieces by the axe.
بند پنهان لیک از آهن بتر ** بند آهن را کند پاره تبر
The iron chain can be removed: none knows how to cure the invisible chain.
بند آهن را توان کردن جدا ** بند غیبی را نداند کس دوا
If a man is stung by a wasp, at that moment his nature is intent on a means of removing (the pain),
مرد را زنبور اگر نیشی زند ** طبع او آن لحظه بر دفعی تند
But since the stinging wound is from (inflicted by) your self-existence, the pain continues with violence and the anguish is not relieved.3250
زخم نیش اما چو از هستی تست ** غم قوی باشد نگردد درد سست
The (full) explanation of this (matter) is springing forth (seeking to escape) from my breast, but I am afraid it may give (you cause to) despair.
شرح این از سینه بیرون می‌‌جهد ** لیک می‌‌ترسم که نومیدی دهد