Balance makes balance correct; balance also makes balance defective.
هم ترازو را ترازو راست کرد ** هم ترازو را ترازو کاست کرد
Whoever weighs the same (adopts the same standard) as the unrighteous falls into deficiency, and his understanding becomes dazed.
هر که با ناراستان هم سنگ شد ** در کمی افتاد و عقلش دنگ شد
Go, be hard on the infidels, sprinkle dust on (renounce) fondness for the strangers.
رو أشداء علی الکفار باش ** خاک بر دل داری اغیار پاش
Be as a sword upon the heads of the strangers: come, do not play foxy tricks, be a lion,125
بر سر اغیار چون شمشیر باش ** هین مکن روباه بازی شیر باش
In order that the friends (of God), moved by (righteous) jealousy, may not break with you, because those thorns (the wicked) are the enemies of this rose (the friend of God).
تا ز غیرت از تو یاران نگسلند ** ز آنکه آن خاران عدوی این گلند
Set fire to the wolves as (to) rue-seed, because those wolves are the enemies of Joseph.
آتش اندر زن به گرگان چون سپند ** ز آن که آن گرگان عدوی یوسفند
Iblís calls you “father's soul” (darling son)—beware (of him)! The accursed Devil (does that) in order that he may beguile you with (vain) words.
جان بابا گویدت ابلیس هین ** تا به دم بفریبدت دیو لعین
He practised the like imposture on your father: this black-faced one checkmated an Adam.
این چنین تلبیس با بابات کرد ** آدمی را این سیه رخ مات کرد
This crow is busy on the chessboard; look not you upon his game with an eye that is half-asleep,130
بر سر شطرنج چست است این غراب ** تو مبین بازی به چشم نیم خواب
Because he knows many formidable moves which will stick in your throat like a straw.
ز آن که فرزین بندها داند بسی ** که بگیرد در گلویت چون خسی
His straw will stay in your throat for years. What is that straw? Love of rank and wealth.
در گلو ماند خس او سالها ** چیست آن خس مهر جاه و مالها
Wealth is the straw, since in your throat, O infirm one, it is an obstacle (barrier) to the Water of Life.
مال خس باشد چو هست ای بیثبات ** در گلویت مانع آب حیات
If an artful enemy carry off your wealth, a robber will have carried off a robber.
گر برد مالت عدوی پر فنی ** ره زنی را برده باشد ره زنی
How a snake-catcher stole a snake from another snake-catcher.
دزدیدن مارگیر ماری را از مارگیری دیگر
A petty thief carried off a snake from a snake-catcher and in his folly was accounting it a prize.135
دزدکی از مارگیری مار برد ** ز ابلهی آن را غنیمت میشمرد
The snake-catcher escaped from the snake's bite; the man who had robbed him was miserably killed by the snake.
وارهید آن مارگیر از زخم مار ** مار کشت آن دزد او را زار زار
The snake-catcher saw him (dead); then he recognised him and said, “My snake has emptied him of life.
مارگیرش دید پس بشناختش ** گفت از جان مار من پرداختش
My soul was desiring of Him (God) in prayer that I might find him and take the snake from him.
در دعا میخواستی جانم از او ** کش بیابم مار بستانم از او
Thanks to God that that prayer was rejected: I thought ’twas loss, but it has turned out to be gain.”
شکر حق را کان دعا مردود شد ** من زیان پنداشتم آن سود شد
Many are the prayers which are loss and destruction, and from kindness the Holy God is not hearing them.140
بس دعاها کان زیان است و هلاک ** وز کرم مینشنود یزدان پاک
How the companion of Jesus, on whom be peace, entreated Jesus, on whom be peace, to give life to the bones.
التماس کردن همراه عیسی علیه السلام زنده کردن استخوانها را از او
A certain foolish person accompanied Jesus (on his way). He espied some bones in a deep-dug hole.
گشت با عیسی یکی ابله رفیق ** استخوانها دید در حفرهی عمیق
He said, “O companion, (teach me) that exalted Name by which thou makest the dead to live;
گفت ای همراه آن نام سنی ** که بدان تو مرده را زنده کنی
Teach (it) me, that I may do good and by means of it endow the bones with life.”
مر مرا آموز تا احسان کنم ** استخوانها را بدان با جان کنم
Jesus said, “Be silent, for that is not thy work: ’tis not meet for thy breath and speech,
گفت خامش کن که آن کار تو نیست ** لایق انفاس و گفتار تو نیست
For it wants breath purer than rain and more piercing in action than the angels.145
کان نفس خواهد ز باران پاکتر ** وز فرشته در روش دراکتر
(Many) lifetimes were needed that the breath might be purified, so that he (its owner) was entrusted with the treasury of the Heavens.
عمرها بایست تا دم پاک شد ** تا امین مخزن افلاک شد
(Suppose that) thou hast grasped this rod firmly in thy hand: whence will accrue to thy hand the cunning of Moses?”
خود گرفتی این عصا در دست راست ** دست را دستان موسی از کجاست
He said, “If I am not one to pronounce (such sacred) mysteries, do thou pronounce the Name over the bones.”
گفت اگر من نیستم اسرار خوان ** هم تو بر خوان نام را بر استخوان
Jesus cried, “O Lord, what are these hidden purposes (of Thine)? What is (the meaning of) this fool's inclination (to engage) in this fruitless work?
گفت عیسی یا رب این اسرار چیست ** میل این ابله در این بیگار چیست
How has this sick man no care for himself? How has this corpse no care for (spiritual) life?150
چون غم خود نیست این بیمار را ** چون غم جان نیست این مردار را
He has left (uncared for) his own dead (soul) and seeks to mend (revive) the dead (bones) of a stranger.”
مردهی خود را رها کرده ست او ** مردهی بیگانه را جوید رفو
God (answered and) said, “The backslider seeks backsliding: the thistle that has grown (in him) is the retribution for (consequence of) his sowing.”
The scholar's provision is (consists of) pen-marks (written letters and words). What is the Súfí's provision? Footmarks.160
زاد دانشمند آثار قلم ** زاد صوفی چیست آثار قدم
He (the Súfí) stalks the game, like a hunter: he sees the musk-deer's track and follows the footprints.
همچو صیادی سوی اشکار شد ** گام آهو دید بر آثار شد
For some while the track of the deer is (the) proper (clue) for him, (but) afterwards ’tis the navel (musk-gland) of the deer that is his guide.
چند گاهش گام آهو در خور است ** بعد از آن خود ناف آهو رهبر است
When he has given thanks for (having been favoured with knowledge of) the track and has traversed the way, of necessity by means of that track he arrives at a goal.
چون که شکر گام کرد و ره برید ** لاجرم ز آن گام در کامی رسید
To go one stage (guided) by the scent of the musk-gland is better than a hundred stages of (following) the track and roaming about.
رفتن یک منزلی بر بوی ناف ** بهتر از صد منزل گام و طواف
The heart that is the rising-place of the moonbeams (of Divine light) is for the gnostic (the means of revelation indicated by the words) its doors shall be opened.165
آن دلی کاو مطلع مهتابهاست ** بهر عارف فتحت ابوابهاست
To you it is a wall, to them it is a door; to you a stone, to (those) venerated ones a pearl.
با تو دیوار است و با ایشان در است ** با تو سنگ و با عزیزان گوهر است
What you see plainly in the mirror—the Pír sees more than that in the brick.
آن چه تو در آینه بینی عیان ** پیر اندر خشت بیند بیش از آن
The Pírs are they whose spirits, before this world existed, were in the Sea of (Divine) bounty.
پیر ایشاناند کاین عالم نبود ** جان ایشان بود در دریای جود
Before (the creation of) this body they passed (many) lifetimes; before the sowing they took up (harvested) the fruit (produce).
پیش از این تن عمرها بگذاشتند ** پیشتر از کشت بر برداشتند
They have received the spirit before (the creation of) the form; they have bored the pearls before (the creation of) the sea.170
پیشتر از نقش جان پذرفتهاند ** پیشتر از بحر درها سفتهاند
(Whilst) consultation was going on as to bringing mankind into existence, their spirits were in the Sea of (Divine) Omnipotence up to the throat.
مشورت میرفت در ایجاد خلق ** جانشان در بحر قدرت تا به حلق