Many is the caravanseray that must be quitted, in order that one day the man may reach home.3260
بس رباطی که بباید ترک کرد ** تا به مسکن در رسد یک روز مرد
Though the iron has become red, it is not red (by nature): it (the redness) is a ray borrowed from something that strikes fire.
گر چه آهن سرخ شد او سرخ نیست ** پرتو عاریت آتش زنی است
If the window or the house is full of light, do not deem aught luminous except the sun.
گر شود پر نور روزن یا سرا ** تو مدان روشن مگر خورشید را
Every door and wall says, “I am luminous: I do not hold the rays of another, I (myself) am this (light).”
هر در و دیوار گوید روشنم ** پرتو غیری ندارم این منم
Then the sun says, “O thou who art not right (in thy belief), when I set ’twill become evident (thou wilt see what the truth is).”
پس بگوید آفتاب ای نارشید ** چون که من غارب شوم آید پدید
The plants say, “We are green of ourselves, we are gay and smiling (blooming) and we have very beauteous cheeks.”3265
سبزه‌‌ها گویند ما سبز از خودیم ** شاد و خندانیم و بس زیبا خدیم
The season of summer says (to them), “O peoples, behold yourselves when I depart!”
فصل تابستان بگوید ای امم ** خویش را بینید چون من بگذرم
The body is boasting of its beauty and comeliness, (while) the spirit, having concealed its glory and pinions and plumes,
تن همی‌‌نازد به خوبی و جمال ** روح پنهان کرده فر و پر و بال
Says to it, “O dunghill, who art thou? Through my beams thou hast come to life for a day or two.
گویدش ای مزبله تو کیستی ** یک دو روز از پرتو من زیستی
Thy coquetry and prideful airs are not contained in the world (go beyond all bounds), (but) wait till I spring up (and escape) from thee!
غنج و نازت می‌‌نگنجد در جهان ** باش تا که من شوم از تو جهان
They whose love warmed thee will dig a grave for thee, they will make thee a morsel for ants and reptiles.3270
گرم‌‌دارانت ترا گوری کنند ** طعمه‌‌ی موران و مارانت کنند
That one who many a time in thy presence was dying (with desire for thee) will hold his nose at thy stench.”
بینی از گند تو گیرد آن کسی ** کاو به پیش تو همی‌‌مردی بسی
The beams of the spirit are speech and eye and ear: the beam (effect) of fire is the bubbling in the water.
پرتو روح است نطق و چشم و گوش ** پرتو آتش بود در آب جوش
As the beam of the spirit falls on the body, so fall the beams of the Abdál on my soul.
آن چنان که پرتو جان بر تن است ** پرتو ابدال بر جان من است
When the Soul of the soul withdraws from the soul, the soul becomes even as the soulless (lifeless) body. Know (this for sure)!
جان جان چون واکشد پا را ز جان ** جان چنان گردد که بی‌‌جان تن بدان
For that reason I am laying my head (humbly) on the earth, so that she (the earth) may be my witness on the Day of Judgement.3275
سر از آن رو می‌‌نهم من بر زمین ** تا گواه من بود در روز دین
On the Day of Judgement, when she shall be made to quake mightily, this earth will bear witness to all that passed (in and from us);
یوم دین که زلزلت زلزالها ** این زمین باشد گواه حالها
For she will plainly declare what she knows: earth and rocks will begin to speak.
کاو تحدث جهرة أخبارها ** در سخن آید زمین و خاره‌‌ها
The philosopher, in his (vain) thought and opinion, becomes disbelieving: bid him go and dash his head against that wall!
فلسفی منکر شود در فکر و ظن ** گو برو سر را بر آن دیوار زن
The speech of water, the speech of earth, and the speech of mud are apprehended by the senses of them that have hearts (the mystics).
نطق آب و نطق خاک و نطق گل ** هست محسوس حواس اهل دل
The philosopher who disbelieves in the moaning pillar is a stranger to the senses of the saints.3280
فلسفی کاو منکر حنانه است ** از حواس اولیا بیگانه است
He says that the beam (influence) of melancholia brings many phantasies into people's minds.
گوید او که پرتو سودای خلق ** بس خیالات آورد در رای خلق
Nay, but the reflexion of his wickedness and infidelity cast this idle fancy of scepticism upon him.
بلکه عکس آن فساد و کفر او ** این خیال منکری را زد بر او
The philosopher comes to deny the existence of the Devil, and at the same time he is possessed by a devil.
فلسفی مر دیو را منکر شود ** در همان دم سخره‌‌ی دیوی بود
If thou hast not seen the Devil, behold thyself: without diabolic possession there is no blueness in the forehead.
گر ندیدی دیو را خود را ببین ** بی‌‌جنون نبود کبودی بر جبین
Whosoever hath doubt and perplexity in his heart, he in this world is a secret philosopher.3285
هر که را در دل شک و پیچانی است ** در جهان او فلسفی پنهانی است
He is professing firm belief, but some time or other that philosophical vein will blacken his face (bring him to shame).
می‌‌نماید اعتقاد و گاه گاه ** آن رگ فلسف کند رویش سیاه
Take care, O ye Faithful! for that (vein) is in you: in you is many an infinite world.
الحذر ای مومنان کان در شماست ** در شما بس عالم بی‌‌منتهاست
In thee are all the two-and-seventy sects: woe (to thee) if one day they gain the upper hand over thee.
جمله هفتاد و دو ملت در تو است ** وه که روزی آن بر آرد از تو دست
From fear of this, every one who has the fortune (barg) of (holding) that Faith (Islam) is trembling like a leaf (barg).
هر که او را برگ آن ایمان بود ** همچو برگ از بیم این لرزان بود
Thou hast laughed at Iblís and the devils because thou hast regarded thyself as a good man.3290
بر بلیس و دیو از آن خندیده‌‌ای ** که تو خود را نیک مردم دیده‌‌ای
When the soul shall turn its coat inside out (and be revealed as it really is), how many a “Woe is me” will arise from the followers of the (Mohammedan) Religion!
چون کند جان باژگونه پوستین ** چند واویلا بر آید اهل دین
On the counter (of the shop) everything (every gilded coin) that looks like gold is smiling, because the touchstone is out of sight.
بر دکان هر زرنما خندان شده ست ** ز آنکه سنگ امتحان پنهان شده ست
O Coverer (of faults), do not lift up the veil from us, be a protector to us in our test (on the Day of Judgement).
پرده ای ستار از ما بر مگیر ** باش اندر امتحان ما مجیر
At night the false coin jostles (in rivalry) with the gold: the gold is waiting for day.
قلب پهلو می‌‌زند با زر به شب ** انتظار روز می‌‌دارد ذهب
With the tongue of its (inward) state the gold says, “Wait, O tinselled one, till day rises clear.”3295
با زبان حال زر گوید که باش ** ای مزور تا بر آید روز فاش
Hundreds of thousands of years the accursed Iblís was a saint and the prince of true believers;
صد هزاران سال ابلیس لعین ** بود ز ابدال و امیر المؤمنین
On account of the pride which he had, he grappled with Adam and was put to shame, like dung at morning tide.
پنجه زد با آدم از نازی که داشت ** گشت رسوا همچو سرگین وقت چاشت
How Bal‘am son of Bá‘úr prayed (to God), saying, “Cause Moses and his people to turn back, without having gained their desire, from this city which they have besieged and how his prayer was granted.”
دعا کردن بلعم باعور که موسی و قومش را از این شهر که حصار داده‌‌اند بی‌‌مراد باز گردان
To Bal‘am son of Bá‘úr the people of the world became subject, (for he was) like unto the Jesus of the time.
بلعم باعور را خلق جهان ** سغبه شد مانند عیسای زمان
They bowed (worshipfully) to none but him: his spell was (giving) health to the sick.
سجده ناوردند کس را دون او ** صحت رنجور بود افسون او
From pride and (conceit of) perfection he grappled with Moses: his plight became such as thou hast heard.3300
پنجه زد با موسی از کبر و کمال ** آن چنان شد که شنیده ستی تو حال
Even so there have been in the world, manifest or hidden, a hundred thousand like Iblís and Bal‘am.
صد هزار ابلیس و بلعم در جهان ** همچنین بوده ست پیدا و نهان
God caused these twain to be notorious, that these twain might bear witness against the rest.
این دو را مشهور گردانید اله ** تا که باشد این دو بر باقی گواه
These two thieves He hanged on a high gallows (to be a warning to all); else there were many (other) thieves in (the pale of) His vengeance.
این دو دزد آویخت از دار بلند ** ور نه اندر قهر بس دزدان بدند
These twain He dragged by their forelocks to the city (for slaughter); (but) ’tis impossible to number (all) the victims of His wrath.
این دو را پرچم به سوی شهر برد ** کشتگان قهر را نتوان شمرد
You are a favourite (of God), but within your (due) bounds. (Fear) God, (fear) God, do not set foot beyond (those) bounds.3305
نازنینی تو ولی در حد خویش ** الله الله پا منه از حد خویش
If you combat with one who is a greater favourite than yourself, ’twill bring you down to the lowest depth of the seventh earth.
گر زنی بر نازنین تر از خودت ** در تگ هفتم زمین زیر آردت
For what purpose is the tale of ‘Ád and Thamúd? That you may know that the prophets have disdain (for the wicked).
قصه‌‌ی عاد و ثمود از بهر چیست ** تا بدانی کانبیا را نازکی است
These signs—the (earth's) swallowing up (sinners), the hurling of stones (upon them), and the thunderbolts—were evidence of the might of the Rational Soul.
این نشان خسف و قذف و صاعقه ** شد بیان عز نفس ناطقه
Kill all animals for the sake of man, kill all mankind for the sake of Reason.
جمله حیوان را پی انسان بکش ** جمله انسان را بکش از بهر هش