O youth, the Shaykh is he that is without a burden and is like a bow in the hand (a mere instrument) in receiving (the command of) God.
آنک بی وزرست شیخست ای جوان ** در قبول حق چواندر کف کمان
Who is a “Shaykh”? An old man (pír), that is (to say), white-haired. Do thou apprehend the meaning of this “(white) hair,” O you whose hopes are false.1790
شیخ کی بود پیر یعنی مو سپید ** معنی این مو بدان ای کژ امید
The black hair is his self-existence: (he is not “old”) till not a single hair of his self-existence remains.
هست آن موی سیه هستی او ** تا ز هستی‌اش نماند تای مو
When his self-existence has ceased, he is “old” (pír), whether he be black-haired or grizzled.
چونک هستی‌اش نماند پیر اوست ** گر سیه‌مو باشد او یا خود دوموست
That “black hair” is the attribute of (sensual) men; that “hair” is not the hair of the beard or the hair of the head.
هست آن موی سیه وصف بشر ** نیست آن مو موی ریش و موی سر
Jesus in the cradle raises a cry, saying, “Without having become a youth, I am a Shaykh and a Pír.”
عیسی اندر مهد بر دارد نفیر ** که جوان ناگشته ما شیخیم و پیر
If he (the Súfí) has been delivered from (only) a part of the attributes of (sensual) men, he is not a Shaykh; he is grey (middle-aged), O son.1795
گر رهید از بعض اوصاف بشر ** شیخ نبود کهل باشد ای پسر
When there is not on him a single black hair (of the self-existence) which is our attribute, (then) he is a Shaykh and accepted of God;
چون یکی موی سیه کان وصف ماست ** نیست بر وی شیخ و مقبول خداست
(But) if, when his hair is white, he is (still) with himself (self-existent), he is not a Pír and is not the elect of God;
چون بود مویش سپید ار با خودست ** او نه پیرست و نه خاص ایزدست
And if a single hair-tip of his (sensual) attributes is surviving, he is not of heaven: he belongs to the (material) world.
ور سر مویی ز وصفش باقیست ** او نه از عرش است او آفاقیست
How the Shaykh excused himself for not weeping on the death of his sons.
عذر گفتن شیخ بهر ناگریستن بر فرزندان
The Shaykh said to her (his wife), “Do not think, O gracious one, that I have not pity and affection and a compassionate heart.
شیخ گفت او را مپندار ای رفیق ** که ندارم رحم و مهر و دل شفیق
I have pity for all the unbelievers, though the souls of them all are ungrateful.1800
بر همه کفار ما را رحمتست ** گرچه جان جمله کافر نعمتست
I have pity and forgiveness for dogs, saying (to myself), ‘Why do they suffer chastisement from the stones (which are cast at them)?’
بر سگانم رحمت و بخشایش است ** که چرا از سنگهاشان مالش است
I utter a prayer for the dog that bites, crying, ‘O God, deliver him from this (evil) disposition!
آن سگی که می‌گزد گویم دعا ** که ازین خو وا رهانش ای خدا
Keep also these dogs in that (good) thought, so that they may not be stoned by the people.’”
این سگان را هم در آن اندیشه دار ** که نباشند از خلایق سنگسار
He (God) brought the saints on to the earth, in order that He might make them a mercy to (all) created beings.
زان بیاورد اولیا را بر زمین ** تا کندشان رحمة للعالمین
He (the saint) calls the people to the Portal of Grace; he calls unto God, saying, “Give (them) release in full!”1805
خلق را خواند سوی درگاه خاص ** حق را خواند که وافر کن خلاص
He earnestly strives to admonish them in regard to this, and when it does not succeed, he says, “O God, do not shut the door!”
جهد بنماید ازین سو بهر پند ** چون نشد گوید خدایا در مبند
To the vulgar belongs (only) the particular mercy; the universal mercy belongs to the hero (the perfect saint).
رحمت جزوی بود مر عام را ** رحمت کلی بود همام را
His particular (individual) mercy has been united with the universal: the mercy of the Sea is the guide on (all) the ways.
رحمت جزوش قرین گشته بکل ** رحمت دریا بود هادی سبل
O (thou who hast the) particular mercy, become joined to the universal: deem the universal mercy the true guide, and go (forward).
رحمت جزوی بکل پیوسته شو ** رحمت کل را تو هادی بین و رو
So long as he is (only) a part, he does not know the way to the Sea: he makes out every pool to be like unto the Sea.1810
تا که جزوست او نداند راه بحر ** هر غدیری را کند ز اشباه بحر
Inasmuch as he does not know the way to the Sea, how should he act as a guide? How should he lead the people towards the Sea?
چون نداند راه یم کی ره برد ** سوی دریا خلق را چون آورد
(When) he becomes united with the Sea, then he guides to the Sea, like a torrent or river.
متصل گردد به بحر آنگاه او ** ره برد تا بحر همچون سیل و جو
And if (before this) he call (the people to God), it is in a conventional fashion; it is not from vision and the revelation of any (Divine) aid.
ور کند دعوت به تقلیدی بود ** نه از عیان و وحی تاییدی بود
She (the Shaykh's wife) said, “Then, since thou hast pity on all, and art like the shepherd (going watchfully) around this flock,
گفت پس چون رحم داری بر همه ** همچو چوپانی به گرد این رمه
How mournest thou not for thine own sons, when Death, the Bleeder, has pierced them with his lancet?1815
چون نداری نوحه بر فرزند خویش ** چونک فصاد اجلشان زد بنیش
Since the evidence of pity is tears in the eyes, why are thine eyes without moisture and tearless?”
چون گواه رحم اشک دیده‌هاست ** دیده‌ی تو بی نم و گریه چراست
He turned towards his wife and said to her, “Old woman, verily the season of December is not like Tamúz (July).
رو به زن کرد و بگفتش ای عجوز ** خود نباشد فصل دی همچون تموز
Whether they all are dead or living, when are they absent and hid from the eye of the heart?
جمله گر مردند ایشان گر حی‌اند ** غایب و پنهان ز چشم دل کی‌اند
Inasmuch as I see them distinct before me, for what reason should I rend my face as thou doest?
من چو بینمشان معین پیش خویش ** از چه رو رو را کنم همچون تو ریش
Although they are outside of Time's revolution, they are with me and playing around me.1820
گرچه بیرون‌اند از دور زمان ** با من‌اند و گرد من بازی‌کنان
Weeping is caused by severance or by parting; I am united with my dear ones and embracing them.
گریه از هجران بود یا از فراق ** با عزیزانم وصالست و عناق
(Other) people see them (their dear ones) in sleep; I see them plainly in (my) waking state.
خلق اندر خواب می‌بینندشان ** من به بیداری همی‌بینم عیان
I hide myself for a moment from this world, I shake the leaves of sense perception from the tree (of my bodily existence).”
زین جهان خود را دمی پنهان کنم ** برگ حس را از درخت افشان کنم
Sense-perception is captive to the intellect, O reader; know also that the intellect is captive to the spirit.
حس اسیر عقل باشد ای فلان ** عقل اسیر روح باشد هم بدان
The spirit sets free the chained hand of the intellect and brings its embarrassed affairs into harmony.1825
دست بسته‌ی عقل را جان باز کرد ** کارهای بسته را هم ساز کرد
The (bodily) senses and (sensual) thoughts are like weeds on the clear water— covering the surface of the water.
حسها و اندیشه بر آب صفا ** همچو خس بگرفته روی آب را
The hand of the intellect sweeps those weeds aside; (then) the water is revealed to the intellect.
دست عقل آن خس به یکسو می‌برد ** آب پیدا می‌شود پیش خرد
The weeds lay very thick on the stream, like bubbles; when the weeds went aside, the water was revealed.
خس بس انبه بود بر جو چون حباب ** خس چو یکسو رفت پیدا گشت آب
Unless God loose the hand of the intellect, the weeds on our water are increased by sensual desire.
چونک دست عقل نگشاید خدا ** خس فزاید از هوا بر آب ما
Every moment they cover the water (more and more): that desire is laughing, and thy intellect is weeping;1830
آب را هر دم کند پوشیده او ** آن هوا خندان و گریان عقل تو
(But) when piety has chained the hands of desire, God looses the hands of the intellect.
چونک تقوی بست دو دست هوا ** حق گشاید هر دو دست عقل را
So, when the intellect becomes thy captain and master, the dominant senses become subject to thee.
پس حواس چیره محکوم تو شد ** چون خرد سالار و مخدوم تو شد
He (who is ruled by the intellect), without being asleep (himself), puts his senses to sleep, so that the unseen things may emerge from (the world of) the Soul.
حس را بی‌خواب خواب اندر کند ** تا که غیبیها ز جان سر بر زند
Even in your waking state you will dream dreams, and the gates of Heaven withal will open (to you).
هم به بیداری ببینی خوابها ** هم ز گردون بر گشاید بابها
Story of the blind old man's reading the Qur’án in front (of him) and regaining his sight when he read.
قصه‌ی خواندن شیخ ضریر مصحف را در رو و بینا شدن وقت قرائت
Once upon a time a dervish Shaykh saw a Qur’án in the house of a blind old man.1835
دید در ایام آن شیخ فقیر ** مصحفی در خانه‌ی پیری ضریر
He became his guest in (the month) Tamúz: the two ascetics were together for several days.
پیش او مهمان شد او وقت تموز ** هر دو زاهد جمع گشته چند روز
He said (to himself), “Oh, I wonder what the Book is (here) for, as this righteous dervish is blind.”
گفت اینجا ای عجب مصحف چراست ** چونک نابیناست این درویش راست
(Whilst he was occupied) in this reflection, his perplexity increased: (he said to himself), “No one lives here except him.
اندرین اندیشه تشویشش فزود ** که جز او را نیست اینجا باش و بود