Take good heed! Whether you speak praise (of God) or thanksgiving, know that it is even as the unseemly (words) of that shepherd.
هان و هان گر حمد گویی گر سپاس ** همچو نافرجام آن چوپان شناس
Though your praise is better in comparison with that, yet in relation to God it too is maimed (feeble).1795
حمد تو نسبت بدان گر بهتر است ** لیک آن نسبت به حق هم ابتر است
How often will you say, when the lid has been raised, “This was not what they were thinking (it was)!”
چند گویی چون غطا برداشتند ** کاین نبوده ست آن که میپنداشتند
This acceptance (by God) of your praise is from (His) mercy: it is an indulgence (which He grants), like (the indulgence granted in the case of) the prayers of a woman suffering from menorrhagia.
این قبول ذکر تو از رحمت است ** چون نماز مستحاضه رخصت است
Her prayers are stained with blood; your praise is stained with assimilation and qualification.
با نماز او بیالوده ست خون ** ذکر تو آلودهی تشبیه و چون
Blood is foul, and (yet) it goes (is washed away) by a (little) water; but the inward part (the inner man) hath impurities
خون پلید است و به آبی میرود ** لیک باطن را نجاستها بود
Which fail not (are not removed) from the interior (the heart) of the man of works except by the water of the grace of the Maker.1800
کان به غیر آب لطف کردگار ** کم نگردد از درون مرد کار
Would that in your bowing low in prayer you would turn your face (to attentive consideration) and apprehend the meaning of “Glory to my Lord!”
در سجودت کاش رو گردانیای ** معنی سبحان ربی دانیای
Saying, “Oh, my prostration (in prayer), like my existence, is unworthy (of Thee): do Thou give good in return for evil!”
کای سجودم چون وجودم ناسزا ** مر بدی را تو نکویی ده جزا
This earth has the mark of God's clemency, in that it got filth and gave flowers as the produce;
این زمین از حلم حق دارد اثر ** تا نجاست برد و گلها داد بر
In that it covers our pollutions, (and that) buds grow up from it in exchange.
تا بپوشد او پلیدیهای ما ** در عوض بر روید از وی غنچهها
Therefore, when the infidel saw that in giving and lavishing he was meaner and unwealthier than the earth,1805
پس چو کافر دید کاو در داد و جود ** کمتر و بیمایه تر از خاک بود
(That) flowers and fruit did not grow from his being, (and that) he sought (and achieved) nothing but the corruption of all purities,
از وجود او گل و میوه نرست ** جز فساد جمله پاکیها نجست
He said, “I have gone backwards in (my) course. Alas! would that I had (still) been earth!
گفت واپس رفتهام من در ذهاب ** حسرتا یا لیتنی کنت تراب
Would that I had not chosen to travel away from earthiness, (and that) like a clod of earth I had gathered some grain!
کاش از خاکی سفر نگزیدمی ** همچو خاکی دانهای میچیدمی
When I travelled, the Way tried me: what was the present I brought (home) from this travelling?”
چون سفر کردم مرا راه آزمود ** زین سفر کردن ره آوردم چه بود
’Tis from all that propensity of his towards earth that he sees before him no profit in the journey.1810
ز آن همه میلش سوی خاک است کاو ** در سفر سودی نبیند پیش رو
His turning his face back is that greed and cupidity (of his); his turning his face to the Way is sincerity and supplication.
روی واپس کردنش آن حرص و آز ** روی در ره کردنش صدق و نیاز
Every herb that has a propensity for (moving) upwards is in (the state of) increase and life and growth;
هر گیا را کش بود میل علا ** در مزید است و حیات و در نما
When it has turned its head towards the earth, (it is) in (the state of) decrease and dryness and failure and disappointment.
چون که گردانید سر سوی زمین ** در کمی و خشکی و نقص و غبین
When the propensity of your spirit is upwards, (you are) in (the state of) increase, and that (lofty) place is the place to which you will return;
میل روحت چون سوی بالا بود ** در تزاید مرجعت آن جا بود
But if you are upside down, (with) your head towards the earth, (then) you are one that sinks: God loves not them that sink.1815
ور نگون ساری سرت سوی زمین ** آفلی حق لا یحب الآفلین
How Moses, on whom be peace, asked the high God (to explain) the secret of the predominance of the unjust.
پرسیدن موسی علیه السلام از حق تعالی سر غلبهی ظالمان
Moses said, “O Bounteous Disposer, O Thou whom to commemorate for one moment is (worth) a long life,
گفت موسی ای کریم کارساز ** ای که یک دم ذکر تو عمر دراز
I have seen the crooked, misshapen image in (the mould of) water and clay, and like the angels, my heart has raised an objection,
نقش کژمژ دیدم اندر آب و گل ** چون ملایک اعتراضی کرد دل
As to what is the purpose of making an image and casting therein the seed of corruption.
که چه مقصود است نقشی ساختن ** و اندر او تخم فساد انداختن
To kindle the fire of iniquity and corruption; to burn the mosque and those who bend low in prayer;
آتش ظلم و فساد افروختن ** مسجد و سجده کنان را سوختن
To set boiling the source of bloody tears for the sake of (receiving) humble entreaties (from the suffering and oppressed)—1820
مایهی خونابه و زردآبه را ** جوش دادن از برای لابه را
I know for certain that it is the essence of wisdom (on Thy part), but my aim is (to know this by) actual seeing and vision.
من یقین دانم که عین حکمت است ** لیک مقصودم عیان و رویت است
That certainty (of mine) says to me, ‘keep silence’; the craving for vision says to me, ‘Make a stir (and outcry).’
آن یقین میگویدم خاموش کن ** حرص رویت گویدم نه جوش کن
Thou hast shown Thy secret to the angels, (namely) that such honey as this is worth the sting.
مر ملایک را نمودی سر خویش ** کاین چنین نوشی همیارزد به نیش
Thou hast displayed the Light of Adam manifestly to the angels, (so that all) the difficulties were explained.
عرضه کردی نور آدم را عیان ** بر ملایک گشت مشکلها بیان
Thy Resurrection declares what is the secret of death: the fruits declare what is the secret of the leaves.”1825
حشر تو گوید که سر مرگ چیست ** میوهها گویند سر برگ چیست
The secret of blood and seed is the excellence of Man; after all, inferiority is antecedent to every superiority.
سر خون و نطفه حسن آدمی است ** سابق هر بیشیی آخر کمی است
The ignorant (child) first washes the tablet, then he writes the letters upon it.
لوح را اول بشوید بیوقوف ** آن گهی بروی نویسد او حروف
(So) He (God) turns the heart into blood and abject tears, then He writes the (spiritual) mysteries upon it.
خون کند دل را و اشک مستهان ** بر نویسد بر وی اسرار آن گهان
At the time of washing the tablet (of the heart) one must recognise that it will be made into a book (of mysteries).
وقت شستن لوح را باید شناخت ** که مر آن را دفتری خواهند ساخت
When they lay the foundation of a house (to rebuild it), they dig up the first foundation.1830
چون اساس خانهای میافگنند ** اولین بنیاد را بر میکنند
(Also), people first fetch up clay from the depths of the earth in order that at last you may draw up flowing water.
گل بر آرند اول از قعر زمین ** تا به آخر بر کشی ماء معین
Children weep piteously at cupping, for they know not the secret of the matter;
از حجامت کودکان گریند زار ** که نمیدانند ایشان سر کار
(But) a man, in sooth, gives the cupper gold and fondles the blood-drinking lancet.
مرد خود زر میدهد حجام را ** مینوازد نیش خون آشام را
The porter runs to the heavy load: he snatches the load from others.
میدود حمال زی بار گران ** میرباید بار را از دیگران
Behold the struggle of the porters for the load! Such is the endeavour of him that sees (the truth of) things,1835
جنگ حمالان برای بار بین ** این چنین است اجتهاد کار بین
Inasmuch as burdens are the foundation of ease, and bitter things, too, are the forerunners of enjoyment.
چون گرانیها اساس راحت است ** تلخها هم پیشوای نعمت است
Paradise is compassed about with the things we dislike (to do); the fires (of Hell) are compassed about with our lusts.
حفت الجنة بمکروهاتنا ** حفت النیران من شهواتنا
The seed (source) of the substance of your fire (of torment) is the fresh bough (of lust); (but) he that is burned by the fire (of renunciation) is the comrade of Kawthar.
تخم مایهی آتشت شاخ تر است ** سوختهی آتش قرین کوثر است
Whosoever is the comrade of affliction in prison—that is the retribution for a mouthful (of unlawful food) and a lust.
هر که در زندان قرین محنتی است ** آن جزای لقمهای و شهوتی است
Whosoever is the comrade of a high fortune in a palace— that is the reward for some battle-field and sore trial.1840
هر که در قصری قرین دولتی است ** آن جزای کارزار و محنتی است
Whomsoever you have seen unrivalled in (his store of) gold and silver—know that he has been patient in earning.
هر که را دیدی به زر و سیم فرد ** دان که اندر کسب کردن صبر کرد
When the (spiritual) eye has become piercing, he (the owner) sees without causes. You who are in (the bondage of) sense-perception, pay you heed to causes!
بیسبب بیند چو دیده شد گذار ** تو که در حسی سبب را گوش دار
He whose spirit is beyond (the world of) natural properties— to him belongs the position of power to rive (the chain of) causes.
آن که بیرون از طبایع جان اوست ** منصب خرق سببها آن اوست