“Inasmuch as the unseen and the absent and the veil are better, close thy lips, and the lip is better silent.
چون که غیب و غایب و رو پوش به ** پس لبان بر بند لب خاموش به
O brother, refrain from speech: God himself will make manifest the knowledge that is with Him (in His possession).
ای برادر دست وا دار از سخن ** خود خدا پیدا کند علم لدن
Witness enough for the sun is its face: what thing is the greatest witness (of all)? God.”
بس بود خورشید را رویش گواه ** أی شی‌‌ء أعظم الشاهد إله
“Nay, speak I will, since both God and the angels and the men of learning are allied in setting forth (this truth).
نه بگویم چون قرین شد در بیان ** هم خدا و هم ملک هم عالمان
God and the angels and those learned in the sciences (of divinity) bear witness that there is no Lord except Him who endureth for ever.”3645
یشهد الله و الملک و اهل العلوم ** إنه لا رب إلا من یدوم
Since God hath given testimony, who are the angels, that they should be associated in the testimony?
چون گواهی داد حق که بود ملک ** تا شود اندر گواهی مشترک
(They are associated) because unsound (weak) eyes and hearts cannot support the radiance and presence of the Sun,
ز آن که شعشاع حضور آفتاب ** بر نتابد چشم و دلهای خراب
Like a bat, which cannot bear the glow of the sun and abandons hope.
چون خفاشی کاو تف خورشید را ** بر نتابد بگسلد اومید را
Know, then, that the angels, as we also, are helpers (co-witnesses)—displayers of the sun in heaven—
پس ملایک را چو ما هم یار دان ** جلوه گر خورشید را بر آسمان
Who say, “We have derived (our) light from a Sun, we have shone upon the weak, like vicegerents (of a mighty King).”3650
کاین ضیا ما ز آفتابی یافتیم ** چون خلیفه بر ضعیفان تافتیم
Like the new moon or the moon three days old or the full moon, every angel has (a particular) perfection and light and (spiritual) worth.
چون مه نو یا سه روزه یا که بدر ** مرتبه‌‌ی هر یک ملک در نور و قدر
Every angel, according to their (different) degrees, has (a portion of) that radiance, consisting of three or four (pairs of) luminous wings,
ز اجنحه‌‌ی نور ثلاث او رباع ** بر مراتب هر ملک را آن شعاع
Just as the wings of human intellects, amongst which there is great difference (in quality).
همچو پرهای عقول انسیان ** که بسی فرق است شان اندر میان
Hence the associate of every human being in good and evil is that angel who resembles him or her.
پس قرین هر بشر در نیک و بد ** آن ملک باشد که مانندش بود
Since the eye of the dim-sighted man could not bear the sunlight, the star became a candle to him, that he might find the way.3655
چشم اعمش چون که خور را بر نتافت ** اختر او را شمع شد تا ره بیافت
How the Prophet, on whom be peace, said to Zayd, “Do not tell this mystery more plainly than this, and take care to comply (with the religious law).”
گفتن پیغامبر علیه السلام مر زید را که این سر را فاش تر از این مگو و متابعت نگاه دار
The Prophet said, “My Companions are (like) the stars, a candle to travellers (on the Way), and meteors to be cast at the devils.”
گفت پیغمبر که اصحابی نجوم ** رهروان را شمع و شیطان را رجوم
If every one had the eye and the strength to receive light from the sun of heaven,
هر کسی را گر بدی آن چشم و زور ** کاو گرفتی ز آفتاب چرخ نور
O base man, how would the star be needed to demonstrate the (existence of) sunlight?
کی ستاره حاجت استی ای ذلیل ** که بدی بر نور خورشید او دلیل
The Moon (the Prophet) is saying to earth and cloud and shadow, “I was a man, but it is revealed to me (that your God is one God).
ماه می‌‌گوید به خاک و ابر و فی ** من بشر بودم ولی یوحی الی
Like you, I was dark in my nature: the Sun's revelation gave me such a light as this.3660
چون شما تاریک بودم در نهاد ** وحی خورشیدم چنین نوری بداد
I have a certain darkness in comparison with the (spiritual) suns, (but) I have light for the darknesses of (human) souls.
ظلمتی دارم به نسبت با شموس ** نور دارم بهر ظلمات نفوس
I am faint (less bright than the Sun) in order that thou mayst be able to bear (my beams), for thou art not the man for (a man who can bear) the most radiant Sun.
ز آن ضعیفم تا تو تابی آوری ** که نه مرد آفتاب انوری
I was woven (mingled) together, like honey and vinegar, that I might find the way to (cure) sickness of heart.
همچو شهد و سرکه در هم بافتم ** تا سوی رنج جگر ره یافتم
Since thou hast recovered from thine illness, O thou (that wert) in thrall (to it), leave the vinegar and continue to eat the honey.”
چون ز علت وارهیدی ای رهین ** سرکه را بگذار و می‌‌خور انگبین
(If) the throne of the heart has become restored to soundness and purged of sensuality, behold how the Merciful God is seated on His Throne.3665
تخت دل معمور شد پاک از هوا ** بین که الرحمن علی العرش استوی
After this, God controls the heart without intermediary, since the heart has attained to this relation (with Him).
حکم بر دل بعد از این بی‌‌واسطه ** حق کند چون یافت دل این رابطه
This discourse hath no end. Where is Zayd, that I may counsel him not to seek notoriety?
این سخن پایان ندارد زید کو ** تا دهم پندش که رسوایی مجو
The (author's) return to the story of Zayd.
رجوع به حکایت زید
You will not find Zayd now, for he has fled: he has darted away from the shoe-row and dropped his shoes.
زید را اکنون نیابی کاو گریخت ** جست از صف نعال و نعل ریخت
Who are you (that you should hope to find him)? Zayd cannot even find himself, (he has vanished) like the star on which the sun shone.
تو که باشی زید هم خود را نیافت ** همچو اختر که بر او خورشید تافت
You will find neither mark nor trace of him, you will not find a straw (star) in the straw-strewn Way (the Milky Way).3670
نی از او نقشی بیابی نی نشان ** نی کهی یابی نه راه کهکشان
Our senses and finite speech (reason) are obliterated in the light of the knowledge of our (Divine) King.
شد حواس و نطق با پایان ما ** محو نور دانش سلطان ما
Their (the God-intoxicated mystics') senses and understandings within (them) are (tossed), wave on wave, in (the sea of) they are assembled before Us.
حسها و عقلهاشان در درون ** موج در موج لدينا محضرون
When dawn comes, ’tis again the time of (bearing) the burden: the stars, which had become hidden, go (again) to work.
چون شب آمد باز وقت بار شد ** انجم پنهان شده بر کار شد
God gives back to the senseless ones their (lost) senses: (they return to consciousness) troop after troop, with rings (of mystic knowledge) in their ears,
بی‌‌هشان را وادهد حق هوشها ** حلقه حلقه حلقه‌‌ها در گوشها
Dancing, waving their hands in praise (of God), triumphing (and crying), “O Lord, Thou hast brought us to life.”3675
پای کوبان دست افشان در ثنا ** ناز نازان ربنا أحییتنا
Those crumbled skins and bones have become (like) horsemen and have raised the dust:
آن جلود و آن عظام ریخته ** فارسان گشته غبار انگیخته
At Resurrection both the thankful and the ungrateful rush along from non-existence towards existence.
حمله آرند از عدم سوی وجود ** در قیامت هم شکور و هم کنود
Why do you turn away your head and pretend not to see? Did you not turn away your head at first, (when you were) in non-existence (and disbelieved that you would ever come into existence)?
سر چه می‌‌پیچی کنی نادیده‌‌ای ** در عدم ز اول نه سرپیچیده‌‌ای
You had planted your foot (firmly) in non-existence, saying, “Who will uproot me from my place?”
در عدم افشرده بودی پای خویش ** که مرا که بر کند از جای خویش
Are not you beholding the action of your Lord, who dragged you (into existence) by the forelock,3680
می‌‌نبینی صنع ربانیت را ** که کشید او موی پیشانیت را
Until He drew you into (all) these various states (of being), which were not in your thought or fancy?
تا کشیدت اندر این انواع حال ** که نبودت در گمان و در خیال
That non-existence is always His slave: work (in His service), O demon! Solomon is living.
آن عدم او را هماره بنده است ** کار کن دیوا سلیمان زنده است
The demon is making large bowls like watering-troughs: he dare not say a word in refusal or in retort.
دیو می‌‌سازد جفان کالجواب ** زهره نی تا دفع گوید یا جواب
Look at yourself, how you are trembling with fear (of non-existence): know that nonexistence also is constantly trembling (lest God should bring it into existence).
خویش را بین چون همی‌‌لرزی ز بیم ** مر عدم را نیز لرزان دان مقیم
And if you are grasping at (worldly) dignities, ’tis from fear too that you are suffering agony of spirit.3685
ور تو دست اندر مناصب می‌‌زنی ** هم ز ترس است آن که جانی می‌‌کنی
Except love of the most beauteous God everything, though (outwardly) it is (pleasant like) eating sugar, is (in truth) agony of spirit.
هر چه جز عشق خدای احسن است ** گر شکر خواری است آن جان کندن است
What is agony of spirit? To advance towards death and not grasp the Water of Life.
چیست جان کندن سوی مرگ آمدن ** دست در آب حیاتی نازدن
People fix both their eyes on earth and death: they have a hundred doubts concerning the Water of Life.
خلق را دو دیده در خاک و ممات ** صد گمان دارند در آب حیات
Strive that the hundred doubts may become ninety (may decrease): go (towards God) in the night (of this world), for if you slumber, the night will go (from you).
جهد کن تا صد گمان گردد نود ** شب برو ور تو بخسبی شب رود
In the dark night seek that (shining) Day: put in front (follow) the darkness consuming Reason.3690
در شب تاریک جوی آن روز را ** پیش کن آن عقل ظلمت سوز را