Till I die, do not tell this to any one, neither to a comrade nor to a beloved nor to a worthless fellow.”
تا نمیرم من مگو این با کسی ** نه قرینی نه حبیبی نه خسی
Afterwards other folk, (looking) through his window, became acquainted with his weaving.1710
بعد از آن قومی دگر از روزنش ** مطلع گشتند بر بافیدنش
He said, “O Creator, Thou knowest the wisdom (the purpose in this). I conceal (my secret), Thou hast revealed it.”
گفت حکمت را تو دانی کردگار ** من کنم پنهان تو کردی آشکار
The Divine inspiration came to him: “There were a number of people who were beginning to disbelieve in thee in (consequence of) this affliction,
آمد الهامش که یکچندی بدند ** که درین غم بر تو منکر می‌شدند
Saying, ‘Perchance he was a hypocrite in the Way (of God), so that God made him infamous among humankind.’
که مگر سالوس بود او در طریق ** که خدا رسواش کرد اندر فریق
I don not wish that that party should become infidels and in thinking evil (of thee) fall into perdition;
من نخواهم کان رمه کافر شوند ** در ضلالت در گمان بد روند
(Hence) We divulged this miracle- (namely), that We give thee a hand in thy working-time-1715
این کرامت را بکردیم آشکار ** که دهیمت دست اندر وقت کار
To the end that these wretched evil-thinking men may not be turned back from the Lord of Heaven.
تا که آن بیچارگان بد گمان ** رد نگردند از جناب آسمان
Erstwhile, indeed, without these miracles I was giving thee consolation from My Person;
من ترا بی این کرامتها ز پیش ** خود تسلی دادمی از ذات خویش
This miracle I have given thee for their sake, and on that account have I bestowed on thee this (spiritual) lamp.
این کرامت بهر ایشان دادمت ** وین چراغ از بهر آن بنهادمت
Thou art past being afraid of bodily death and dismemberment of the limbs.
تو از آن بگذشته‌ای کز مرگ تن ** ترسی وز تفریق اجزای بدن
Vain imagination concerning the dismemberment of head and foot has gone from thee: there has come to thee, for a defence against imagination, a shield exceeding strong.”1720
وهم تفریق سر و پا از تو رفت ** دفع وهم اسپر رسیدت نیک زفت
The reason why the magicians of Pharaoh had courage to suffer the amputation of their hands and feet.
سبب جرات ساحران فرعون بر قطع دست و پا
Is it not (the fact) that the accursed Pharaoh threatened (the magicians with) punishment on the earth,
ساحران را نه که فرعون لعین ** کرد تهدید سیاست بر زمین
Saying, “I will cut off your hands and feet on opposite sides, then I will hang you up: I will not hold you exempt (from punishment)”?
که ببرم دست و پاتان از خلاف ** پس در آویزم ندارمتان معاف
He thought that they were (still) in the same imagination and terror and distraction and doubt,
او همی‌پنداشت کایشان در همان ** وهم و تخویفند و وسواس و گمان
So that they would be trembling and terrified and affrighted by the vain imaginings and threats of the carnal soul.
که بودشان لرزه و تخویف و ترس ** از توهمها و تهدیدات نفس
He did not know that they had been delivered and were seated at the window of the light of the heart;1725
او نمی‌داست کایشان رسته‌اند ** بر دریچه‌ی نور دل بنشسته‌اند
(And that) they had recognised (the difference of) their (bodily) shadows from their (real) selves, and were brisk and alert and happy and exulting;
این جهان خوابست اندر ظن مه‌ایست ** گر رود درخواب دستی باک نیست
(And that), if the mortar of the Sky (Fortune) should pound them small a hundred times in this miry place (the material world),
گر بخواب اندر سرت ببرید گاز ** هم سرت بر جاست و هم عمرت دراز
(Yet), since they had seen the origin of this (corporeal) composition, they were not afraid of the derivatives (which belong to the domain) of imagination.
گر ببینی خواب در خود را دو نیم ** تن‌درستی چون بخیزی نی سقیم
This world is a dream—do not rest in (false) opinion; if in dream a hand go (be lost), ’tis no harm.
حاصل اندر خواب نقصان بدن ** نیست باک و نه دوصد پاره شدن
If in dream a pruning-fork has cut off your head, not only is your head (still) in its place but your life is (still) prolonged.1730
این جهان را که بصورت قایمست ** گفت پیغامبر که حلم نایمست
If in dream you see yourself (cut) in two halves, you are sound in body when you rise, not sick.
از ره تقلید تو کردی قبول ** سالکان این دیده پیدا بی رسول
The sum (of the matter is this): in dreams it is no harm for the body to be maimed or to be torn into two hundred pieces.
روز در خوابی مگو کین خواب نیست ** سایه فرعست اصل جز مهتاب نیست
The Prophet said of this world, which is substantial in appearance, that it is the sleeper's dream.
خواب و بیداریت آن دان ای عضد ** که ببیند خفته کو در خواب شد
You have accepted this (statement) conventionally, (but) the travellers (on the mystic Way) have beheld this (truth) clairvoyantly, without (relation from) the Prophet.
او گمان برده که این دم خفته‌ام ** بی‌خبر زان کوست درخواب دوم
You are asleep in the daytime: do not say that this is not sleep. The shadow (reflexion) is derivative, the origin (of it) is naught but the moonlight.1735
هاون گردون اگر صد بارشان ** خرد کوبد اندرین گلزارشان
Know, O comrade, that your sleep and waking (your life in this world) is as though a sleeper should dream that he has gone to sleep.
اصل این ترکیب را چون دیده‌اند ** از فروع وهم کم ترسیده‌اند
He thinks, “Now I am asleep,” (and is) unaware that he is (really) in the second sleep.
سایه‌ی خود را ز خود دانسته‌اند ** چابک و چست و گش و بر جسته‌اند
If the potter break a pot, he himself will restore it (to a perfect state) when he wishes.
کوزه‌گر گر کوزه‌ای را بشکند ** چون بخواهد باز خود قایم کند
The blind man at every step is afraid of (falling into) the pit: he walks on the road with a thousand fears;
کور را هر گام باشد ترس چاه ** با هزاران ترس می‌آید براه
(But) the seeing man has seen the width of the road, so he knows (all about) the hole and the pit;1740
مرد بینا دید عرض راه را ** پس بداند او مغاک و چاه را
His legs and knees do not tremble at any time: how should he look sour because of any affliction?
پا و زانواش نلرزد هر دمی ** رو ترش کی دارد او از هر غمی
“Arise, O Pharaoh (and do thy worst)! for we are not such (so deluded) as to stop at every cry and (every) ghoul.
خیز فرعونا که ما آن نیستیم ** که بهر بانگی و غولی بیستیم
Rend our (bodily) mantle! There is One who will sew (it again); and if not, truly the more naked we are, the better for us.
خرقه‌ی ما را بدر دوزنده هست ** ورنه ما را خود برهنه‌تر به است
Without raiment we would fain clasp this Beauteous One to our bosoms, O enemy good-for-naught!
بی لباس این خوب را اندر کنار ** خوش در آریم ای عدو نابکار
There is nothing sweeter than to be stripped of the body and the (bodily) temperament, O stupid uninspired Pharaoh!”1745
خوشتر از تجرید از تن وز مزاج ** نیست ای فرعون بی الهام گیج
How the mule related (his story) to the camel, saying, “I am often falling on my face, while thou fallest but seldom.”
حکایت استر پیش شتر کی من بسیار در رو می‌افتم و تو نمی‌افتی الا به نادر
Said the mule to the camel, “O good friend, in hill and dale and in the obscure (difficult) track
گفت استر با شتر کای خوش رفیق ** در فراز و شیب و در راه دقیق
Thou dost not tumble on thy head but goest happily along, while I am tumbling on my head, like one who has lost his way.
تو نه آیی در سر و خوش می‌روی ** من همی‌آیم بسر در چون غوی
At every moment I am falling on my face, whether (it be) in a dry place or a wet.
من همی‌افتم برو در هر دمی ** خواه در خشکی و خواه اندر نمی
Declare to me what is the cause of this, that I may know how I must live.”
این سبب را باز گو با من که چیست ** تا بدانم من که چون باید بزیست
He (the camel) said, “My eye is clearer than thine; furthermore, it is also looking from on high:1750
گفت چشم من ز تو روشن‌ترست ** بعد از آن هم از بلندی ناظرست
When I come up to the top of a high hill, I regard attentively the end of the pass;
چون برآیم بر سرکوه بلند ** آخر عقبه ببینم هوشمند
Then too God reveals to my eye all the lowness and loftiness of the way,
پس همه پستی و بالایی راه ** دیده‌ام را وا نماید هم اله
(So that) I take every step with (clear) sight and am delivered from stumbling and falling,
هر قدم من از سر بینش نهم ** از عثار و اوفتادن وا رهم
(Whereas) thou dost not see two or three steps in front of thee: thou seest the bait, but thou dost not see the pain of the snare.
تو ببینی پیش خود یک دو سه گام ** دانه بینی و نبینی رنج دام
Are the blind and the seeing equal before you (according to your opinion) in their abiding and their alighting and their journeying?”1755
یستوی الاعمی لدیکم والبصیر ** فی المقام و النزول والمسیر
When God gives a spirit to the embryo in the womb, He implants in its (the spirit's) temperament (the desire of) drawing particles together.
چون جنین را در شکم حق جان دهد ** جذب اجزا در مزاج او نهد
By means of food it draws the particles together and weaves the warp and woof of its body:
از خورش او جذب اجزا می‌کند ** تار و پود جسم خود را می‌تند
Till (the age of) forty years, God will have made it desirous of drawing particles together in (the process of) growth.
تا چهل سالش بجذب جزوها ** حق حریصش کرده باشد در نما