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
Some fool begins to chase the shadow, running (after it) so far that he becomes powerless (exhausted),
ابلهی صیاد آن سایه شود ** میدود چندان که بیمایه شود
Not knowing that it is the reflexion of that bird in the air, not knowing where is the origin of the shadow.
بیخبر کان عکس آن مرغ هواست ** بیخبر که اصل آن سایه کجاست
He shoots arrows at the shadow; his quiver is emptied in seeking (to shoot it):420
تیر اندازد به سوی سایه او ** ترکشش خالی شود از جستجو
The quiver of his life became empty: his life passed in running hotly in chase of the shadow.
ترکش عمرش تهی شد عمر رفت ** از دویدن در شکار سایه تفت
(But) when the shadow of God is his nurse, it delivers him from (every) phantom and shadow.
سایهی یزدان چو باشد دایهاش ** وارهاند از خیال و سایهاش
The shadow of God is that servant of God who is dead to this world and living through God.
سایهی یزدان بود بندهی خدا ** مرده او زین عالم و زندهی خدا
Lay hold of his skirt most quickly without misgiving, that you may be saved in the skirt (end) of the last days (of the world).
دامن او گیر زودتر بیگمان ** تا رهی در دامن آخر زمان
(The shadow mentioned in the words) How He (God) extended the shadow is the form of the saints, which guides to the light of the Divine Sun.425
کيف مد الظل نقش اولیاست ** کاو دلیل نور خورشید خداست
Do not go in this valley without this guide; say, like Khalíl (Abraham), “I love not them that set.”
اندر این وادی مرو بیاین دلیل ** لا أحب الآفلین گو چون خلیل
Go, from the shadow gain a sun: pluck the skirt of the (spiritual) king, Shams-i Tabrízí (the Sun of Tabríz)!
رو ز سایه آفتابی را بیاب ** دامن شه شمس تبریزی بتاب
If you do not know the way to this feast and bridal, ask of Ziyá’u ’l-Haqq (the Radiance of God) Husámu’ddín.
ره ندانی جانب این سور و عرس ** از ضیاء الحق حسام الدین بپرس
And if on the way envy seize you by the throat, it belongs to (is characteristic of) Iblís to go beyond bounds in envy;
ور حسد گیرد ترا در ره گلو ** در حسد ابلیس را باشد غلو
For he because of envy hath disdain for Adam, and because of envy is at war with felicity.430
کاو ز آدم ننگ دارد از حسد ** با سعادت جنگ دارد از حسد
In the Way there is no harder pass than this. Oh, fortunate he who is not companioned by envy!
ای خنک آن کش حسد همراه نیست ** عقبهای زین صعبتر در راه نیست
This body, you must know, is the house of envy, for the household are tainted with envy.
این جسد خانهی حسد آمد بدان ** از حسد آلوده باشد خاندان
If the body is the house of envy, yet God made that body very pure.
گر جسد خانهی حسد باشد و لیک ** آن جسد را پاک کرد الله نیک
(The text) Cleanse My house, ye twain, is the explanation of (such) purity: it (the purified heart) is a treasure of (Divine) light, though its talisman is of earth.
طهرا بيتي بیان پاکی است ** گنج نور است ار طلسمش خاکی است
When you practise deceit and envy against one who is without envy, from that envy black stain arise in your heart.435
چون کنی بر بیجسد مکر و حسد ** ز آن حسد دل را سیاهیها رسد
Become (as) dust under the feet of the men of God; throw dust on the head of envy, even as we do.
خاک شو مردان حق را زیر پا ** خاک بر سر کن حسد را همچو ما
Explanation of the envy of the vizier.
بیان حسد وزیر
That petty vizier had his origin from envy, so that for vanity he gave to the wind (sacrificed) his ears and nose,
آن وزیرک از حسد بودش نژاد ** تا به باطل گوش و بینی باد داد
In the hope that by the sting of envy his venom might enter the souls of the poor (Christians).
بر امید آن که از نیش حسد ** زهر او در جان مسکینان رسد
Any one who from envy mutilates his nose makes himself without ear and without nose (unable to apprehend spiritual things).
هر کسی کاو از حسد بینی کند ** خویشتن بیگوش و بیبینی کند
The nose is that which catches a scent, and which the scent leads towards an abode (of spiritual truth).440
بینی آن باشد که او بویی برد ** بوی او را جانب کویی برد
Whoever hath no scent is without a nose; the scent (referred to) is that scent which is religious.
هر که بویش نیست بیبینی بود ** بوی آن بوی است کان دینی بود
When he has caught a scent and given no thanks for it, (that) ingratitude comes and devours his nose (deprives him of the organ of spiritual perception).
چون که بویی برد و شکر آن نکرد ** کفر نعمت آمد و بینیش خورد
Give thanks (to God) and be a slave to those who give thanks: be in their presence (as one) dead, be steadfast.
شکر کن مر شاکران را بنده باش ** پیش ایشان مرده شو پاینده باش
Do not, like the vizier, make brigandage your stock-in-trade; do not turn the people away from the ritual prayer.
چون وزیر از ره زنی مایه مساز ** خلق را تو بر میاور از نماز
The miscreant vizier had become (in appearance) a true religious counsellor, (but) he had craftily put garlic in the walnut cake.445
ناصح دین گشته آن کافر وزیر ** کرده او از مکر در لوزینه سیر
How the sagacious among the Christians perceived the guile of the vizier.
فهم کردن حاذقان نصارا مکر وزیر را
Whoever was possessed of (spiritual) discernment was feeling a sweet savour in his words and, joined therewith, bitterness.
هر که صاحب ذوق بود از گفت او ** لذتی میدید و تلخی جفت او
He (the vizier) was saying fine things mixed (with foul): he had poured some poison into the sugared julep.
نکتهها میگفت او آمیخته ** در جلاب قند زهری ریخته
The outward sense of it was saying, “Be diligent in the Way,” but in effect it was saying to the soul, “Be slack.”
ظاهرش میگفت در ره چیست شو ** وز اثر میگفت جان را سست شو
If the surface of silver is white and new, (yet) the hands and dress are blackened by it.
ظاهر نقره گر اسپید است و نو ** دست و جامه می سیه گردد ازو