If thou desire that misery should vanish (from thee), endeavour that wisdom should vanish from thee—
گر تو خواهی کت شقاوت کم شود ** جهد کن تا از تو حکمت کم شود
The wisdom which is born of (human) nature and phantasy, the wisdom which lacks the overflowing grace of the Light of the Glorious (God).
حکمتی کز طبع زاید وز خیال ** حکمتی بیفیض نور ذو الجلال
The wisdom of this world brings increase of supposition and doubt; the wisdom of the Religion bears (one) above the sky.
حکمت دنیا فزاید ظن و شک ** حکمت دینی برد فوق فلک
The ingenious rascals of (this) latter time have aggrandised themselves over the ancients;
زوبعان زیرک آخر زمان ** بر فزوده خویش بر پیشینیان
The (apt) learners of cunning have burnt (consumed) their hearts (in study) and have learned feints and tricks;3205
حیله آموزان جگرها سوخته ** فعلها و مکرها آموخته
They have thrown to the winds patience and altruism and self-sacrifice and generosity—(qualities) which are the elixir of (spiritual) profit.
صبر و ایثار و سخای نفس و جود ** باد داده کان بود اکسیر سود
The (right) thought is that which opens a way: the (right) way is that on which a (spiritual) king advances.
فکر آن باشد که بگشاید رهی ** راه آن باشد که پیش آید شهی
The (true) king is he that goes into the presence of the King, and is not made king by treasuries and armies;
شاه آن باشد که از خود شه بود ** نه به مخزنها و لشکر شه شود
So that his kingship remains unto everlasting, like the glory of the empire of the Mohammedan Religion.
تا بماند شاهی او سرمدی ** همچو عز ملک دین احمدی
The miracles of Ibráhím son of Adham on the seashore.
کرامات ابراهیم ادهم بر لب دریا
Thus, it is related of Ibráhím son of Adham that after a journey he sat down (to rest) by the edge of the sea.3210
هم ز ابراهیم ادهم آمده ست ** کاو ز راهی بر لب دریا نشست
(Whilst) that spiritual king was stitching his mantle, an Amír suddenly came to that spot.
دلق خود میدوخت آن سلطان جان ** یک امیری آمد آن جا ناگهان
That Amír had been one of the Shaykh's servants; he recognized the Shaykh and at once bowed low.
آن امیر از بندگان شیخ بود ** شیخ را بشناخت سجده کرد زود
He was astounded at the Shaykh and at his dervish garb— (for) his nature and outward guise had become transformed—
خیره شد در شیخ و اندر دلق او ** شکل دیگر گشته خلق و خلق او
(Marvelling) that he gave up such a grand kingdom, and chose that very pettifogging (spiritual) poverty;
کاو رها کرد آن چنان ملک شگرف ** بر گزید آن فقر بس باریک حرف
(And why) he renounced the sovereignty of the Seven Climes, and plies the needle on his dervish-cloak, like a beggar.3215
ترک کرد او ملک هفت اقلیم را ** میزند بر دلق سوزن چون گدا
The Shaykh became aware of his thought: a Shaykh is as the lion, and (people's) hearts are his jungle.
شخ واقف گشت از اندیشهاش ** شیخ چون شیر است و دلها بیشهاش
He is entering, like hope and fear, into (their) hearts: not hid from him are the secrets of the world.
چون رجا و خوف در دلها روان ** نیست مخفی بر وی اسرار جهان
Keep watch over your hearts, O fruitless ones, in the presence of the majesty of the men of heart (saints).
دل نگه دارید ای بیحاصلان ** در حضور حضرت صاحب دلان
Before the men of body (worldings), respect is (shown) outwardly, for God is veiling the occult from them.
پیش اهل تن ادب بر ظاهر است ** که خدا ز ایشان نهان را ساتر است
Before the men of heart (saints), respect is (shown) inwardly, because their hearts have insight into the secret thoughts.3220
پیش اهل دل ادب بر باطن است ** ز انکه دلشان بر سرایر فاطن است
Thou art contrariwise: for the sake of (worldly) position thou comest with reverence before them that are blind (to spiritual things), and sittest in the vestibule;
تو بعکسی پیش کوران بهر جاه ** با حضور آیی نشینی پایگاه
(But) before the seers thou behavest disrespectfully: hence thou hast become fuel for the fire of lust.
پیش بینایان کنی ترک ادب ** نار شهوت را از آن گشتی حطب
Since thou hast not (spiritual) perception and the light of (Divine) guidance, continue to polish (cleanse and brighten) thy face for the sake of the blind!
چون نداری فطنت و نور هدی ** بهر کوران روی را میزن جلا
Before the seers, daub thy face with dirt! Act haughtily (towards them) notwithstanding such a stinking state (as thou art in)!
پیش بینایان حدث در روی مال ** ناز میکن با چنین گندیده حال
The Shaykh quickly threw his needle into the sea, and with a loud voice called for the needle.3225
شیخ سوزن زود در دریا فگند ** خواست سوزن را به آواز بلند
Myriads of Divine fishes—in the lips of each fish a needle of gold—
صد هزاران ماهی اللهیی ** سوزن زر در لب هر ماهیی
Lifted their heads from God's sea, saying, “Take, O Shaykh, God's needles.”
سر بر آوردند از دریای حق ** که بگیر ای شیخ سوزنهای حق
He turned his face towards him (the Amír) and said to him, “O Amír, is the kingdom of the heart (spirit) better, or such a despicable kingdom (as I once possessed)?”
رو بدو کرد و بگفتش ای امیر ** ملک دل به یا چنان ملک حقیر
This (miracle) is the outward sign, this is nothing: wait till you enter the inward (shrine and) see (what is there)!
این نشان ظاهر است این هیچ نیست ** تا بباطن در روی بینی تو بیست
From the garden they bring to town (only) a branch: how should they carry thither the (whole) garden and orchard?—3230
سوی شهر از باغ شاخی آورند ** باغ و بستان را کجا آن جا برند
Especially, a Garden whereof this heaven is (but) one leaf; nay, that is the kernel, and this world) is as the husk.
خاصه باغی کاین فلک یک برگ اوست ** بلکه این مغز است وین عالم چو پوست
(If) you are not stepping on (briskly) towards that Garden, seek more scent, and get rid of (your) rheum,
بر نمیداری سوی آن باغ گام ** بوی افزون جوی و کن دفع زکام
In order that that scent may draw your soul (thither); in order that that scent may become the light of your eyes.
تا که آن بو جاذب جانت شود ** تا که آن بو نور چشمانت شود
For the scent's sake Joseph, son of Jacob the prophet, said: “Cast (my shirt) upon my father's face.”
گفت یوسف ابن یعقوب نبی ** بهر بو ألقوا علی وجه أبی
For this scent's sake Ahmad (Mohammed) constantly said in (his) exhortations: “In the ritual prayer is the delight of mine eye.”3235
بهر این بو گفت احمد در عظات ** دایما قرة عینی فی الصلاة
The five (spiritual) senses are linked with one another, all these five have grown (are derived) from a sublime root (source).
پنج حس با همدگر پیوستهاند ** ز انکه این هر پنج از اصلی رستهاند
The strength of one becomes the strength of the rest: each one becomes a cupbearer to the rest.
قوت یک قوت باقی شود ** ما بقی را هر یکی ساقی شود
Seeing with the eye increases love; love increases penetration in the eye.
دیدن دیده فزاید عشق را ** عشق در دیده فزاید صدق را
Penetration (of sight) becomes the (means of) awakening (stimulating) every sense, (so that) perception (of the spiritual) becomes familiar to (all) the senses.
صدق بیداری هر حس میشود ** حسها را ذوق مونس میشود
The beginning of the gnostic's illumination by the Light which sees the invisible world.
آغاز منور شدن عارف به نور غیب بین
When one sense in (the course of its) progress has loosed (its) bonds, all the rest of the senses become changed.3240
چون یکی حس در روش بگشاد بند ** ما بقی حسها همه مبدل شوند
When one sense has perceived things that are not objects of sense-perception, that which is of the invisible world becomes apparent to all the senses.
چون یکی حس غیر محسوسات دید ** گشت غیبی بر همه حسها پدید
When one sheep of the flock has jumped over a stream, then they all jump across on each other's heels.
چون ز جو جست از گله یک گوسفند ** پس پیاپی جمله ز آن سو بر جهند
Drive the sheep, thy senses, to pasture: let them browse on (the pasture indicated in the text)—He who hath brought forth the herbage,
گوسفندان حواست را بران ** در چرا از أخرج المرعی چران
That there they may browse on hyacinth and wild-rose; that they may make their way to the garden of the Realities;
تا در آن جا سنبل و نسرین چرند ** تا به گلزار حقایق ره برند
(That) every sense of thine may become an apostle to the senses (of others), so that severally they may go towards that Paradise;3245
هر حست پیغمبر حسها شود ** تا یکایک سوی آن جنت رود
(And then those) senses will tell their secret to thy senses, without the proper meaning, without tongue, and without metaphor;
حسها با حس تو گویند راز ** بیزبان و بیحقیقت بیمجاز
For this proper meaning admits of (different) interpretations, and this guesswork is the source of (vain) imaginings;
کاین حقیقت قابل تاویلهاست ** وین توهم مایهی تخییلهاست
(But in the case of) that truth which is (perceived) from intuition, there is no room for any interpretation.
آن حقیقت را که باشد از عیان ** هیچ تاویلی نگنجد در میان
When every sense has become subject to thy sense, the heavenly spheres cannot avoid (obedience to) thee.
چون که هر حس بندهی حس تو شد ** مر فلکها را نباشد از تو بد
When a dispute takes place as to the ownership of the husk, the husk belongs to him who possesses the kernel.3250
چون که دعویی رود در ملک پوست ** مغز آن کی بود قشر آن اوست