They were not seeking from him excellence of piety; they were inquiring where lay the outward defect.
فضل طاعت را نجستندی از او ** عیب ظاهر را بجستندی که کو
Hair by hair, speck by speck, they were recognising the deceitfulness of the fleshly soul as (plainly as the difference of) the rose from parsley.
مو به مو و ذره ذره مکر نفس ** میشناسیدند چون گل از کرفس
Even the hair-splitters (the most scrupulous) of the Companions used to become distraught in spirit at the (Prophet's) admonition to them (the inquirers).370
موشکافان صحابه هم در آن ** وعظ ایشان خیره گشتندی به جان
How the Christians followed the vizier.
متابعت نصارا وزیر را
The Christians all gave their hearts to him: what (how great), indeed, is the strength of the (blind) conformity of the vulgar!
دل بدو دادند ترسایان تمام ** خود چه باشد قوت تقلید عام
They planted love of him within their breasts, they were regarding him as the vicar of Jesus.
در درون سینه مهرش کاشتند ** نایب عیساش میپنداشتند
He inwardly (in reality) was the accursed one-eyed Antichrist. O God, do Thou (hear and) answer the cry (of those in trouble) —what a good helper art Thou!
او به سر دجال یک چشم لعین ** ای خدا فریادرس نعم المعین
O God, there are myriads of snares and baits, and we are as greedy foodless birds.
صد هزاران دام و دانه ست ای خدا ** ما چو مرغان حریص بینوا
From moment to moment we are caught in a fresh snare, though we become, each one, (like) a falcon or a Símurgh.375
دمبهدم ما بستهی دام نویم ** هر یکی گر باز و سیمرغی شویم
Every moment Thou art delivering us, and again we are going to a snare, O Thou who art without want!
میرهانی هر دمی ما را و باز ** سوی دامی میرویم ای بینیاز
We are putting corn in this barn, (and then) we are losing the corn that has been garnered.
ما در این انبار گندم میکنیم ** گندم جمع آمده گم میکنیم
(Why), after all, do not we consider with intelligent mind that this damage to the corn arises from the deceitfulness of the mouse?
مینیندیشیم آخر ما به هوش ** کین خلل در گندم است از مکر موش
Since the mouse has made a hole in our barn, and our barn has been ravaged by its guile,
موش تا انبار ما حفره زده ست ** وز فنش انبار ما ویران شده ست
O soul, in the first place avert the mischief of the mouse, and then show fervour (zeal) in garnering the corn.380
اول ای جان دفع شر موش کن ** وانگهان در جمع گندم جوش کن
Hear (one) of the sayings related from the Chiefest of the Chief (the Prophet): “No prayer is complete without ‘presence’ (concentration of the mind on God).”
بشنو از اخبار آن صدر الصدور ** لا صلاة تم الا بالحضور
If there is no thievish mouse in our barn, where is the corn of forty years' works (of devotion)?
گر نه موشی دزد در انبار ماست ** گندم اعمال چل ساله کجاست
Why is the daily sincerity (of our devotions) not being stored, bit by bit, in this barn of ours?
ریزه ریزه صدق هر روزه چرا ** جمع میناید در این انبار ما
Many a star (spark) of fire shot forth from the iron (of good works), and that burning heart received (it) and drew (it) in;
بس ستارهی آتش از آهن جهید ** و ان دل سوزیده پذرفت و کشید
But in the darkness a hidden thief is laying his finger upon the stars,385
لیک در ظلمت یکی دزدی نهان ** مینهد انگشت بر استارگان
Extinguishing the stars one by one, that no lamp may shine from the (spiritual) sky.
میکشد استارگان را یک به یک ** تا که نفروزد چراغی از فلک
Though there be thousands of snares at our feet, when Thou art with us there is not any trouble.
گر هزاران دام باشد در قدم ** چون تو با مایی نباشد هیچ غم
Every night Thou freest the spirits from the body's snare, and dost erase (the impressions on) the tablets (of the mind).
هر شبی از دام تن ارواح را ** میرهانی میکنی الواح را
The spirits are set free every night from this cage, independent, neither ruling nor ruled by anyone.
میرهند ارواح هر شب زین قفس ** فارغان، نه حاکم و محکوم کس
At night prisoners are unconscious of their prison, at night governors are unconscious of their power.390
There is no sorrow, no thought of gain or loss, no fancy of this person or that person.
نه غم و اندیشهی سود و زیان ** نه خیال این فلان و آن فلان
This is the state of the ‘árif (gnostic), even without sleep: God said, (Thou wouldst deem them awake) whilst they slept. Shy not at this.
حال عارف این بود بیخواب هم ** گفت ایزد هم رقود زین مرم
He is asleep, day and night, to the affairs of the world, like a pen in the hand of the Lord's control.
خفته از احوال دنیا روز و شب ** چون قلم در پنجهی تقلیب رب
One who sees not the hand in the writing thinks (that) the act (of writing proceeds) from the pen by means of movement.
آن که او پنجه نبیند در رقم ** فعل پندارد به جنبش از قلم
He (God) hath shown forth some part of this state of the ‘árif, (inasmuch as) the intellect too is carried off (overtaken) by sleep of the senses.395
شمهای زین حال عارف وانمود ** خلق را هم خواب حسی در ربود
Their souls are gone into the desert that is without description: their spirits and bodies are at rest;
رفته در صحرای بیچون جانشان ** روحشان آسوده و ابدانشان
And with a whistle thou leadest them back to the snare, leadest them all (back) to justice and to the judge.
وز صفیری باز دام اندر کشی ** جمله را در داد و در داور کشی
Like Isráfíl (Seraphiel), He (God) who causes the dawn to break brings them all from those lands (of spirit) into (the world of) form.
فالق الإصباح اسرافیلوار ** جمله را در صورت آرد ز ان دیار
He embodies the spirits divested (of body), He makes each body pregnant (laden) again (with actions and works).
روحهای منبسط را تن کند ** هر تنی را باز آبستن کند
He makes the steed of the souls bare of saddle: this is the inner meaning of “Sleep is the brother of Death”;400
اسب جانها را کند عاری ز زین ** سر النوم اخ الموت است این
But in order that they may return in the daytime, He puts a long tether on their leg,
لیک بهر آن که روز آیند باز ** بر نهد بر پایشان بند دراز
So that in the daytime He may lead it back from that meadow and bring it from the pasture (to go) under the load.
تا که روزش واکشد ز ان مرغزار ** وز چراگاه آردش در زیر بار
Would that He had guarded this spirit as the Men of the Cave or as the Ark of Noah,
کاش چون اصحاب کهف این روح را ** حفظ کردی یا چو کشتی نوح را
That this mind and eye and ear might be delivered from the Flood of wakefulness and consciousness!
تا از این طوفان بیداری و هوش ** وارهیدی این ضمیر چشم و گوش
Oh, in the world there is many a Man of the Cave beside you, before you, at this time:405
ای بسی اصحاب کهف اندر جهان ** پهلوی تو پیش تو هست این زمان
The Friend is with him, the Cave is in converse with him; but your eyes and ears are sealed, (so) what does it avail?
غار با او یار با او در سرود ** مهر بر چشم است و بر گوشت چه سود
Story of the Caliph's seeing Laylá.
قصهی دیدن خلیفه لیلی را
The Caliph said to Laylá: “Art thou she by whom Majnún was distracted and led astray?
گفت لیلی را خلیفه کان توی ** کز تو مجنون شد پریشان و غوی
Thou art not superior to other fair ones.” “Be silent,” she replied, “since thou art not Majnún.”
از دگر خوبان تو افزون نیستی ** گفت خامش چون تو مجنون نیستی
Whosoever is awake (to the material world) is the more asleep (to the spiritual world); his wakefulness is worse than his sleep.
هر که بیدار است او در خوابتر ** هست بیداریش از خوابش بتر
When our soul is not awake to God, wakefulness is like closing our doors (to Divine influences).410
چون به حق بیدار نبود جان ما ** هست بیداری چو در بندان ما
All day long, from the buffets of phantasy and from (thoughts of) loss and gain and from fear of decline,
جان همه روز از لگدکوب خیال ** وز زیان و سود وز خوف زوال
There remains to it (the soul) neither joy nor grace and glory nor way of journeying to Heaven.
نی صفا میماندش نی لطف و فر ** نی به سوی آسمان راه سفر
The one asleep (to spiritual things) is he who hath hope of every vain fancy and holds parley with it.
خفته آن باشد که او از هر خیال ** دارد اومید و کند با او مقال
Diabolum per somnum videt tanquam virginem caelestem, deinde propter libidinem effundit cum diabolo aquam (seminis). [During sleep, he sees (in a dream) a demon resembling a heavenly maiden (houri); then he pours forth (seminal) fluid out of lust (in imagined intercourse) with the demon.]
دیو را چون حور بیند او به خواب ** پس ز شهوت ریزد او با دیو آب
Postquam semen generationis in terram salsuginosam infudit, ipse ad se rediit, fugit ab eo illa imago. [After he had scattered the seed of generation on salty (infertile) ground, he came to himself (and) the phantom fled from him.]415
چون که تخم نسل را در شوره ریختا ** و به خویش آمد خیال از وی گریخت
Hinc percepit languorem capitis et (videt) corpus pollutum. Proh dolor ob illud simulacrum visum (sed revera) non visum! [Because of that, he sees (himself as) faint of head and polluted of body. Alas, because of that visible (but) invisible form!]
ضعف سر بیند از آن و تن پلید ** آه از آن نقش پدید ناپدید
The bird is flying on high, and below, its shadow is speeding on the earth, flying like a bird:
مرغ بر بالا و زیر آن سایهاش ** میدود بر خاک پران مرغوش