Iron became as wax in thy hand when the (craft of) fashioning coats of mail was made known to thee.
آهن اندر دست تو چون موم شد ** چون زرهسازی ترا معلوم شد
The mountains became thy thankful. accompanists: they chant the psalms with thee, as one who teaches the recitation of theQur’an.
کوهها با تو رسایل شد شکور ** با تو میخوانند چون مقری زبور
Hundreds of thousands of spiritual eyes were opened and through thy breath were made ready for (contemplation of) the Unseen;2500
صد هزاران چشم دل بگشاده شد ** از دم تو غیب را آماده شد
And that (miracle) is stronger than all those (others), for this one is lasting: thou bestowest the life that is enduring for ever.’!
و آن قویتر زان همه کین دایمست ** زندگی بخشی که سرمد قایمست
This indeed is the soul of all miracles, that it (the miracle) should bestow everlasting life on the (spiritually) dead.
جان جملهی معجزات اینست خود ** کو ببخشد مرده را جان ابد
The wicked man was killed and a whole world (of people) were quickened with life: every one became anew a (devoted) servant to God.
کشته شد ظالم جهانی زنده شد ** هر یکی از نو خدا را بنده شد
Explaining that Man’s fleshly soul is in the position of the murderer who had become a claimant on account of the cow, and that the slayer of the cow is the intellect, and that David is God or the Shaykh who is God’s vicar, by means, of whose strength and support it is possible to kill the wicked (murderer) and be enriched with (spiritual) daily bread that is not earned by labour and for which, there is no reckoning.
بیان آنک نفس آدمی بجای آن خونیست کی مدعی گاو گشته بود و آن گاو کشنده عقلست و داود حقست یا شیخ کی نایب حق است کی بقوت و یاری او تواند ظالم را کشتن و توانگر شدن به روزی بیکسب و بیحساب
Kill your fleshly soul and make the world (spiritually) alive; it (your fleshly soul) has killed its master: make it (your) slave.
نفس خود را کش جهانی را زنده کن ** خواجه را کشتست او را بنده کن
Hark! your fleshly soul is (as) the claimant (of compensation) for the cow: it has made itself a master and thief.2505
مدعی گاو نفس تست هین ** خویشتن را خواجه کردست و مهین
The slayer of the cow is your intellect (rational soul): go, do not be offended with the’ slayer of the cow, (which is) your body.
آن کشندهی گاو عقل تست رو ** بر کشنده گاو تن منکر مشو
The intellect is a captive and craves of God daily bread (won) without toil, and bounty (placed before it) on a tray.
عقل اسیرست و همی خواهد ز حق ** روزیی بی رنج و نعمت بر طبق
Upon what does its daily bread (won) without toil depend? Upon its killing the cow is the origin of (all) evil
روزی بی رنج او موقوف چیست ** آنک بکشد گاو را کاصل بدیست
The fleshly soul says, “How shouldst thou kill my ‘cow’?-because the “cow” of the fleshly soul is the (outward) form of the body.
نفس گوید چون کشی تو گاو من ** زانک گاو نفس باشد نقش تن
The intellect, (typified by) the master’s son, is left destitute, (while) the fleshly soul, (typified by) the murderer, has become a master and leader.2510
خواجهزادهی عقل مانده بینوا ** نفس خونی خواجه گشت و پیشوا
Do you know what is the daily bread (won) without toil? It is the food of spirits and the daily bread of the prophet.
روزی بیرنج میدانی که چیست ** قوت ارواحست و ارزاق نبیست
But it depends upon sacrificing the cow: know (that) the (spiritual) treasure (is found) in (sacrifice of) the cow, O you who dig in (holes and) corners!
لیک موقوفست بر قربان گاو ** گنج اندر گاو دان ای کنجکاو
Yesternight I ate something; otherwise, I would have given the reins entirely into the hand of your understanding’.
دوش چیزی خوردهام ور نه تمام ** دادمی در دست فهم تو زمام
(The words), ‘ yesternight I ate something,” are an idle tale: whatsoever comes (to pass) is from the secret chamber (of Divine Destiny).
دوش چیزی خوردهام افسانه است ** هرچه میآید ز پنهان خانه است
Wherefore have we fixed our eyes on (secondary) causes, if we have learned from those with beauteous eyes how to glance amorously?2515
چشم بر اسباب از چه دوختیم ** گر ز خوشچشمان کرشم آموختیم
Over the (secondary) causes there are other (primary) causes: do not look at the (secondary) cause; let thy gaze fall on that (primary cause).
هست بر اسباب اسبابی دگر ** در سبب منگر در آن افکن نظر
The prophets came in order to cut (the cords of secondary) causes: they flung their miracles at Saturn (in the Seventh Heaven).
انبیا در قطع اسباب آمدند ** معجزات خویش بر کیوان زدند
Without cause (means) they clove the sea asunder; without sowing they found heaps of corn.
بیسبب مر بحر را بشکافتند ** بی زراعت چاش گندم یافتند
Sand, too, was turned into flour by their work; goat’s hair became silk as it was pulled (from the hide).
ریگها هم آرد شد از سعیشان ** پشم بز ابریشم آمد کشکشان
The whole of the Qur’án consists in (is concerned with) the cutting off of (secondary) causes: (its theme is) the glory of the poor (prophet or saint) and the destruction of (those like) Abú Lahab.2520
جمله قرآن هست در قطع سبب ** عز درویش و هلاک بولهب
A swift drops two or three pebbles and shatters the mighty host of Abyssinia:
مرغ بابیلی دو سه سنگ افکند ** لشکر زفت حبش را بشکند
The pebble of a bird that flies aloft lays low the elephant, riddled with holes (wounds).
پیل را سوراخ سوراخ افکند ** سنگ مرغی کو به بالا پر زند
(God said), “Inflict (a blow with) the tail of the killed cow upon the murdered man, in order that at the same moment he may come to life (again) in the winding-sheet,
دم گاو کشته بر مقتول زن ** تا شود زنده همان دم در کفن
(And that) he whose throat was cut may spring up from his place and seek (vengeance for) his blood from the shedder of his blood
حلقببریده جهد از جای خویش ** خون خود جوید ز خونپالای خویش
In like manner, from the beginning of the Qur’án to the end, ‘tis (wholly concerned with) the abandonment of (secondary) causes and means. And (now) farewell (to this subject).2525
همچنین ز آغاز قرآن تا تمام ** رفض اسبابست و علت والسلام
The explanation (of the mystery) thereof is not (given) by the meddlesome intellect: do service (to God), in order that it may become clear to you.
کشف این نه از عقل کارافزا شود ** بندگی کن تا ترا پیداشود
The philosopher is in bondage to things perceived by the intellect; (but) the ‘pure (saint) is he that rides as a prince on the Intellect of intellect
بند معقولات آمد فلسفی ** شهسوار عقل عقل آمد صفی
The Intellect of intellect is your kernel, (while) your intellect is (only) the husk: the belly of animals is ever seeking husks.
He that seeks the kernel has a hundred loathings for the husk: to the goodly (saints) the kernel (alone) is lawful, lawful.
مغزجوی از پوست دارد صد ملال ** مغز نغزان را حلال آمد حلال
When the intellect, (which is) the husk, offers a hundred evidences, how should the Universal Intellect take a step with out having (intuitive) certainty?2530
چونک قشر عقل صد برهان دهد ** عقل کل کی گام بی ایقان نهد
The intellect makes books entirely black (with writing); the Intellect of intellect keeps the horizons (the whole universe) filled (with light) from the Moon (of Reality).
عقل دفترها کند یکسر سیاه ** عقل عقل آفاق دارد پر ز ماه
It is free from blackness and whiteness: the light of its moon rises (and shines) upon heart and soul.
از سیاهی و سپیدی فارغست ** نور ماهش بر دل و جان بازغست
If this black and white’ has gotten (any) power (value), ‘tis from the Night of Power that shone forth like a star.
این سیاه و این سپید ار قدر یافت ** زان شب قدرست کاختروار تافت
The value of scrip and purse is (derived) from the gold: with out the gold, scrip and purse are docked
قیمت همیان و کیسه از زرست ** بی ز زر همیان و کیسه ابترست
Even as the worth of the body is (derived) from the soul, (so) the worth of the soul is (derived) from the radiance of the Soul of souls.2535
همچنانک قدر تن از جان بود ** قدر جان از پرتو جانان بود
If the soul were now alive without (that) radiance, would He (God) ever have called the infidels “dead”
گر بدی جان زنده بی پرتو کنون ** هیچ گفتی کافران را میتون
Come, speak (O my soul)! for the Logos is digging a channel to the end that some water may reach a generation after us.
هین بگو که ناطقه جو میکند ** تا به قرنی بعد ما آبی رسد
Although (in) every generation there is one who brings the word (of God), yet the sayings of them that have gone before are helpful
گرچه هر قرنی سخنآری بود ** لیک گفت سالفان یاری بود
Is it not (the case) that the Pentateuch and the Gospel and the Psalms have borne witness to the truth of theQur’an, O thankful one?
نه که هم توریت و انجیل و زبور ** شد گواه صدق قرآن ای شکور
Seek a (spiritual) livelihood (won) without toil and without reckoning, so that Gabriel may bring you apples from Paradise;2540
روزی بیرنج جو و بیحساب ** کز بهشتت آورد جبریل سیب
Nay, (that there may come to you) a livelihood from the Lord of Paradise, without headache (trouble) on the part of the gardener and without the toil of sowing.
بلک رزقی از خداوند بهشت ** بیصداع باغبان بی رنج کشت
Inasmuch as in that (spiritual) bread the benefit of (conferred by) the bread is His (God’s) gift, He gives you that benefit (directly), without making the husk a means (of imparting it to you).
زانک نفع نان در آن نان داد اوست ** بدهدت آن نفع بی توسیط پوست
The savour is hidden; the outward form of the bread is (visible) like a table-cloth: the bread that is without table-cloth is a portion (reserved) for the saint.
ذوق پنهان نقش نان چون سفرهایست ** نان بی سفره ولی را بهرهایست
How will you, notwithstanding (all your) endeavour and search, gain the spiritual livelihood except through ‘the justice of the Shaykh who is your David?
رزق جانی کی بری با سعی و جست ** جز به عدل شیخ کو داود تست
‘When the fleshly soul sees your steps (joined) with (those of) the Shaykh, willy-nilly it becomes submissive to you.2545
نفس چون با شیخ بیند کام تو ** از بن دندان شود او رام تو
Then (and then only) did the owner of the cow become sub missive, when he was made aware of the (inspired) words of David.
صاحب آن گاو رام آنگاه شد ** کز دم داود او آگاه شد
The intellect, in chase (of spiritual truth), prevails over your currish fleshly soul (only) at the time when the Shaykh is its helper.
عقل گاهی غالب آید در شکار ** برسگ نفست که باشد شیخ یار