I called a “mouse,” because his place is in the earth (of the body): earth is the place of living for the mouse.
موش گفتم ز انکه در خاک است جاش ** خاک باشد موش را جای معاش
He knows (many) ways, but (only) underground: he has pierced the earth in every direction.
راهها داند ولی در زیر خاک ** هر طرف او خاک را کرده ست چاک
The mouse-soul is naught but a nibbler: to the mouse is given a mind proportionate to its need,
نفس موشی نیست الا لقمه رند ** قدر حاجت موش را عقلی دهند
Because without need the Almighty God does not give anything to any one.
ز انکه بیحاجت خداوند عزیز ** مینبخشد هیچ کس را هیچ چیز
If the earth had not been needed by the (inhabitants of the) world, the Lord of all beings would not have created any (earth);3275
گر نبودی حاجت عالم زمین ** نافریدی هیچ رب العالمین
And if this quaking earth had not needed mountains, He would not have created them sublime (as they are);
وین زمین مضطرب محتاج کوه ** گر نبودی نافریدی پر شکوه
And if there had not been need of the heavenly spheres also, He would not have created from non-existence the Seven Skies.
ور نبودی حاجت افلاک هم ** هفت گردون نافریدی از عدم
The sun and moon and these stars—how did they come plain into view except through need?
آفتاب و ماه و این استارگان ** جز به حاجت کی پدید آمد عیان
Need, then is the noose for (all) things that exsist: He (God) gives to Man instruments in proportion to his need.
پس کمند هستها حاجت بود ** قدر حاجت مرد را آلت دهد
Therefore quickly augment thy need, O needy one, in order that the Sea of Bounty may surge up in loving kindness.3280
پس بیفزا حاجت ای محتاج زود ** تا بجوشد در کرم دریای جود
These beggars (are) on the (public) road, and every sufferer (among them) is displaying his need to the people—
این گدایان بر ره و هر مبتلا ** حاجت خود مینماید خلق را
Blindness and palsy and sickness and pain—that men's pity may be aroused by this need.
کوری و شلی و بیماری و درد ** تا از این حاجت بجنبد رحم مرد
Does he (any one) ever say, “Give bread, O people, for I have riches and granaries and trays (of viands)?”
هیچ گوید نان دهید ای مردمان ** که مرا مال است و انبار است و خوان
God has not put eyes in the mole, because it does not need eyes for (getting) food.
چشم ننهادهست حق در کور موش ** ز انکه حاجت نیست چشمش بهر نوش
It is able to live without eyes and sight: in the dank earth it is independent of eyes.3285
میتواند زیست بیچشم و بصر ** فارغ است از چشم او در خاک تر
It never comes out from the earth but for theft, to the end that the Creator may purge it of that thievishness.
جز به دزدی او برون ناید ز خاک ** تا کند خالق از آن دزدیش پاک
After that (purification), it will get wings and become a bird, like the angels, it will go towards heaven.
بعد از آن پر یابد و مرغی شود ** چون ملایک جانب گردون رود
Every moment, in the rose-garden of thanksgiving to God, it will produce a hundred (sweet) notes, like the nightingale,
هر زمان در گلشن شکر خدا ** او بر آرد همچو بلبل صد نوا
Singing, “O Thou that deliverest me from evil qualities! O Thou that makest a hell Paradise!
کای رهاننده مرا از وصف زشت ** ای کننده دوزخی را تو بهشت
Thou puttest light in a piece of fat; Thou, O Self-sufficing One, givest (the sense of) hearing to a bone.”3290
در یکی پیهی نهی تو روشنی ** استخوانی را دهی سمع ای غنی
What connexion have those concepts (e.g. sight and hearing) with the body? What connexion has the apprehension of things with (their) names?
چه تعلق آن معانی را به جسم ** چه تعلق فهم اشیا را به اسم
The word is like the nest, and the meaning is the bird: the body is the riverbed, and the spirit is the rolling water.
لفظ چون وکرست و معنی طایر است ** جسم جوی و روح آب سایر است
It is moving, and you say it is standing: it is running, and you say it is keeping still.
او روان است و تو گویی واقف است ** او دوان است و تو گویی عاکف است
If you see not the movement of the water through the fissures (channels) of earth—(yet it is moving): what are the sticks and straws (ever appearing) anew on it?
گر نبینی سیر آب از خاکها ** چیست بر وی نو به نو خاشاکها
Your sticks and straws are the forms (ideas) of thought: (these) virgin forms are always coming on anew.3295
هست خاشاک تو صورتهای فکر ** نو به نو در میرسد اشکال بکر
The surface of the water and stream of thought, as it rolls, is not without sticks and straws, (some) pleasing and (some) unsightly.
روی آب جوی فکر اندر روش ** نیست بیخاشاک محبوب و وحش
The husks on the surface of this rolling water have sped along from the fruits of the Invisible Garden.
قشرها بر روی این آب روان ** از ثمار باغ غیبی شد دوان
Seek the kernels of the husks (not on the water, but) in the Garden, because the water comes from the Garden into the river-bed.
قشرها را مغز اندر باغ جو ** ز انکه آب از باغ میآید به جو
If you see not the flow of the Water of Life, look at the stream and at this movement of the weeds (in it).
گر نبینی رفتن آب حیات ** بنگر اندر جوی و این سیر نبات
When the water begins to pass by in fuller volume, the husks, (which are) the ideas, pass along it more quickly.3300
آب چون انبهتر آید در گذر ** زو کند قشر صور زوتر گذر
When this stream has become extremely rapid in its flow, no care lingers in the minds of the gnostics.
چون به غایت تیز شد این جو روان ** غم نپاید در ضمیر عارفان
Since it is (then) exceedingly full and swift, on that account there is no room in it for anything but the water.
چون به غایت ممتلی بود و شتاب ** پس نگنجید اندر او الا که آب
How a stranger reviled the Shaykh and how the Shaykh's disciple answered him.
طعنه زدن بیگانه ای در شیخ و جواب گفتن مرید شیخ او را
A certain man brought charges against a Shaykh, saying, “He is wicked and not on the path of righteousness;
آن یکی یک شیخ را تهمت نهاد ** کاو بد است و نیست بر راه رشاد
He is a wine-drinker and a hypocrite and a scoundrel: how should he be one to succour his disciples?”
شارب خمر است و سالوس و خبیث ** مر مریدان را کجا باشد مغیث
One (of the disciples) said to him, “Observe respect: ’tis no light matter to think so ill of the great.3305
آن یکی گفتش ادب را هوش دار ** خرد نبود این چنین ظن بر کبار
Far is it from him and far from those (saintly) qualities of his that his clear (spirit) should be darkened by a flood (of sin).
دور از او و دور از آن اوصاف او ** که ز سیلی تیره گردد صاف او
Do not put such slander on the people of God! This is (mere) fancy on your part. Turn over (a new) leaf.
این چنین بهتان منه بر اهل حق ** این خیال تست بر گردان ورق
This (which you say) is not (true); and (even) if it should be, O land-fowl, what harm (comes) to the Red Sea from a carcase?
این نباشد ور بود ای مرغ خاک ** بحر قلزم را ز مرداری چه باک
He (the Shaykh) is not less than the (statutory) two jugfuls or the small tank, so that a single drop (of impurity) should be able to disqualify him (for religious purposes).
نیست دون القلتین و حوض خرد ** کی تواند قطرهایش از کار برد
The fire is no damage to Abraham, (but) let any one who is a Nimrod beware of it!”3310
آتش ابراهیم را نبود زیان ** هر که نمرودی است گو میترس از آن
The fleshly soul is Nimrod, and the intellect and spirit are the Friend of God (Abraham): the spirit is concerned with reality itself, and the fleshly soul with the proofs.
نفس نمرود است و عقل و جان خلیل ** روح در عین است و نفس اندر دلیل
These indications of the way are for the traveller who at every moment becomes lost in the desert.
این دلیل راه رهرو را بود ** کاو به هر دم در بیابان گم شود
For them that have attained (to union with God) there is nothing (necessary) except the eye (of the spirit) and the lamp (of intuitive faith): they have no concern with indications (to guide them) or with a road (to travel by).
واصلان را نیست جز چشم و چراغ ** از دلیل و راهشان باشد فراغ
If the man that is united (with God) has mentioned some indication, he has mentioned (it) in order that the dialecticians may understand (his meaning).
گر دلیلی گفت آن مرد وصال ** گفت بهر فهم اصحاب جدال
For a new-born child the father makes babbling sounds, though his intellect may make a survey of the (whole) world.3315
بهر طفل نو پدر تیتی کند ** گر چه عقلش هندسهی گیتی کند
The dignity of the master's learning is not diminished if he say that (the letter) alif has nothing (has no diacritical mark).
کم نگردد فضل استاد از علو ** گر الف چیزی ندارد گوید او
For the sake of teaching that tongue-tied (child), one must go outside of one's own language (customary manner of speech).
از پی تعلیم آن بسته دهن ** از زبان خود برون باید شدن
You must come into (adopt) his language, in order that he may learn knowledge and science from you.
در زبان او بباید آمدن ** تا بیاموزد ز تو او علم و فن
All the people, then, are as his (the spiritual Teacher's) children: this (fact) is necessary for the Pír (to bear in mind) when he gives (them) instruction.
پس همه خلقان چو طفلان ویاند ** لازم است این پیر را در وقت پند
Infidelity hath a fixed limit and range—know (this for sure); (but) the Shaykh and the light of the Shaykh have no bound.3320
کفر را حد است و اندازه بدان ** شیخ و نور شیخ را نبود کران