God hath said, “(Like an ass) laden with his books”: burdensome is the knowledge that is not from Himself.
گفت ایزد یحمل اسفاره ** بار باشد علم کان نبود ز هو
The knowledge that is not immediately from Himself does not endure, (it is) like the tire woman's paint.
علم کان نبود ز هو بی‌‌واسطه ** آن نپاید همچو رنگ ماشطه
But when you carry this burden well, the burden will be removed and you will be given (spiritual) joy.3450
لیک چون این بار را نیکو کشی ** بار بر گیرند و بخشندت خوشی
Beware! Do not carry that burden of knowledge for the sake of selfish desire (but mortify yourself), so that you may behold the barn (store-house) of knowledge within (you),
هین مکش بهر هوا آن بار علم ** تا ببینی در درون انبار علم
So that you may mount the smooth-paced steed of knowledge, (and that) afterwards the burden may fall from your shoulder.
تا که بر رهوار علم آیی سوار ** بعد از آن افتد ترا از دوش بار
How wilt thou be freed from selfish desires without the cup of Hú (Him), O thou who hast become content with no more of Hú than the name of Hú?
از هواها کی رهی بی‌‌جام هو ** ای ز هو قانع شده با نام هو
From attribute and name what comes to birth? Phantasy; and that phantasy shows the way to union with Him.
از صفت و ز نام چه زاید خیال ** و آن خیالش هست دلال وصال
Hast thou ever seen a subject that shows without (the existence of) an object that is shown: unless there is the road, there can never be the ghoul (which entices travelers to stray from the road).3455
دیده‌‌ای دلال بی‌‌مدلول هیچ ** تا نباشد جاده نبود غول هیچ
Hast thou ever seen a name without the reality (denoted by the name)? Or hast thou plucked a rose (gul) from the (letters) gáf and lám of (the word) gul?
هیچ نامی بی‌‌حقیقت دیده‌‌ای ** یا ز گاف و لام گل گل چیده‌‌ای
Thou hast pronounced the name: go, seek the thing named. Know that the moon is on high, not in the water of the stream.
اسم خواندی رو مسمی را بجو ** مه به بالا دان نه اندر آب جو
If thou wouldst pass beyond name and letter, oh, make thyself wholly purged of self.
گر ز نام و حرف خواهی بگذری ** پاک کن خود را ز خود هین یک سری
Like (polished) iron, lose the ferruginous colour; become in thy ascetic discipline (like) a mirror without rust.
Make thyself pure from the attributes of self, that thou mayst behold thine own pure untarnished essence,3460
خویش را صافی کن از اوصاف خود ** تا ببینی ذات پاک صاف خود
And behold within thy heart (all) the sciences of the prophets, without book and without preceptor and master.
بینی اندر دل علوم انبیا ** بی‌‌کتاب و بی‌‌معید و اوستا
The Prophet said, “Amongst my people are some who are one with me in nature and aspiration:
گفت پیغمبر که هست از امتم ** کاو بود هم گوهر و هم همتم
Their spirits behold me by the same light by which I am beholding them.”
مر مرا ز آن نور بیند جانشان ** که من ایشان را همی‌‌بینم بدان
Without the two Sahíhs and Traditions and Traditionists; nay, (they behold him) in the place where they drink the Water of Life.
بی‌‌صحیحین و احادیث و رواه ** بلکه اندر مشرب آب حیات
Know the secret of “In the evening I was a Kurd”; read the mystery of “In the morning I was an Arab.”3465
سر امسینا لکردیا بدان ** راز اصبحنا عرابیا بخوان
And if you desire a parable of the hidden knowledge, relate the story of the Greeks and the Chinese.
ور مثالی خواهی از علم نهان ** قصه گو از رومیان و چینیان
The story of the contention between the Greeks and the Chinese in the art of painting and picturing.
قصه‌‌ی مری کردن رومیان و چینیان در علم نقاشی و صورتگری
The Chinese said, “We are the better artists”; the Greeks said, “The (superiority in) power and excellence belongs to us.”
چینیان گفتند ما نقاش‌‌تر ** رومیان گفتند ما را کر و فر
“I will put you to the test in this matter,” said the Sultan, “(and see) which of you are approved in your claim.”
گفت سلطان امتحان خواهم در این ** کز شماها کیست در دعوی گزین
When the Chinese and the Greeks presented themselves, the Greeks were more skilled in the knowledge (of the art of painting).
اهل چین و روم چون حاضر شدند ** رومیان از بحث در مکث آمدند
(Then) the Chinese said, “Hand over to us a particular room, and (let there be) one for you (as well).”3470
چینیان گفتند یک خانه به ما ** خاص بسپارید و یک آن شما
There were two rooms with door facing door: the Chinese took one, the Greeks the other.
بود دو خانه مقابل دربدر ** ز آن یکی چینی ستد رومی دگر
The Chinese requested the King to give them a hundred colours: then that excellent (king) opened the treasury.
چینیان صد رنگ از شه خواستند ** پس خزینه باز کرد آن ارجمند
Every morning, by (his) bounty, the colours were dispensed from the treasury to the Chinese.
هر صباحی از خزینه رنگها ** چینیان را راتبه بود از عطا
The Greeks said, “No tints and pictures are proper for our work, (nothing is needed) except to remove the rust.”
رومیان گفتند نی نقش و نه رنگ ** در خور آید کار را جز دفع زنگ
They shut the door and went on burnishing: they became clear and pure like the sky.3475
در فرو بستند و صیقل می‌‌زدند ** همچو گردون ساده و صافی شدند
There is a way from many-colouredness to colourlessness: colour is like the clouds, and colourlessness is a moon.
از دو صد رنگی به بی‌‌رنگی رهی است ** رنگ چون ابر است و بی‌‌رنگی مهی است
Whatsoever light and splendour you see in the clouds, know that it comes from the stars and the moon and the sun.
هر چه اندر ابر ضو بینی و تاب ** آن ز اختر دان و ماه و آفتاب
When the Chinese had finished their work, they were beating drums for joy.
چینیان چون از عمل فارغ شدند ** از پی شادی دهلها می‌‌زدند
The King entered and saw the pictures there: that (sight) was robbing him of his wits and understanding.
شه در آمد دید آن جا نقشها ** می‌‌ربود آن عقل را و فهم را
After that, he came towards the Greeks: they drew up the intervening curtain.3480
بعد از آن آمد به سوی رومیان ** پرده را بالا کشیدند از میان
The reflexion of those (Chinese) pictures and works (of art) struck upon these walls which had been made pure (from stain).
عکس آن تصویر و آن کردارها ** زد بر این صافی شده دیوارها
All that he had seen there (in the Chinese room) seemed more beautiful here: ’twas snatching the eye from the socket.
هر چه آن جا دید اینجا به نمود ** دیده را از دیده خانه می‌‌ربود
The Greeks, O father, are the Súfís: (they are) without (independent of) study and books and erudition,
رومیان آن صوفیانند ای پدر ** بی‌‌ز تکرار و کتاب و بی‌‌هنر
But they have burnished their breasts (and made them) pure from greed and cupidity and avarice and hatreds.
لیک صیقل کرده‌‌اند آن سینه‌‌ها ** پاک از آز و حرص و بخل و کینه‌‌ها
That purity of the mirror is the attribute of the heart (which) receives the infinite form.3485
آن صفای آینه وصف دل است ** کاو نقوش بی‌‌عدد را قابل است
That Moses (the perfect saint) holds in his bosom the formless infinite form of the Unseen (reflected) from the mirror of his heart.
صورت بی‌‌صورت بی‌‌حد غیب ** ز آینه‌‌ی دل تافت بر موسی ز جیب
Although that form is not contained in Heaven, nor in the empyrean nor the earth nor the sea nor the Fish,
گر چه آن صورت نگنجد در فلک ** نه به عرش و فرش و دریا و سمک
Because (all) those are bounded and numbered—(yet is it contained in the heart): know that the mirror of the heart hath no bound.
ز آن که محدود است و معدود است آن ** آینه‌‌ی دل را نباشد حد بدان
Here the understanding becomes silent or (else) it leads into error, because the heart is with Him (God), or indeed the heart is He.
عقل اینجا ساکت آمد یا مضل ** ز آنکه دل با اوست یا خود اوست دل
The reflexion of every image shines unto everlasting from the heart alone, both with plurality and without.3490
عکس هر نقشی نتابد تا ابد ** جز ز دل هم با عدد هم بی‌‌عدد
Unto everlasting every new image that falls on it (the heart) is appearing therein without any veil.
تا ابد هر نقش نو کاید بر او ** می‌‌نماید بی‌‌حجابی اندر او
They that burnish (their hearts) have escaped from (mere) scent and colour: they behold Beauty at every moment without tarrying.
اهل صیقل رسته‌‌اند از بوی و رنگ ** هر دمی بینند خوبی بی‌‌درنگ
They have relinquished the form and husk of knowledge, they have raised the banner of the eye of certainty.
نقش و قشر علم را بگذاشتند ** رایت عین الیقین افراشتند
Thought is gone, and they have gained light: they have gained the throat (core and essence) and the sea (ultimate source) of gnosis.
رفت فکر و روشنایی یافتند ** نحر و بحر آشنایی یافتند
Death, of which all these (others) are sore afraid, this people (the perfect Súfís) are holding in derision.3495
مرگ کاین جمله از او در وحشت‌‌اند ** می‌‌کنند این قوم بر وی ریشخند
None gains the victory over their hearts: the hurt falls on the oyster-shell, not on the pearl.
کس نیابد بر دل ایشان ظفر ** بر صدف آید ضرر نی بر گهر
Though they have let go grammar (nahw) and jurisprudence (fiqh), yet they have taken up (instead) the (mystical) self-effacement of (spiritual) poverty (faqr).
گر چه نحو و فقه را بگذاشتند ** لیک محو و فقر را برداشتند